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Country code |
GB |
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Repository code |
234 |
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Organisation |
NAS |
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Repository |
National Records of Scotland |
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Reference |
GD170/612 |
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Title |
Letter from Colin Campbell of Carwin, W.S., cousin and legal agent of John, 1st earl of Breadalbane, to Barcaldine |
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Dates |
1685-1712 |
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Access status |
Open |
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Description |
Dated at Edinburgh.
Many of the letters are unsigned, but have been attributed to Carwhin from the handwriting.
The letters deal with a variety of legal and estate matters, and are particularly interesting when they deal with the political situation of the highlands before and immediately after the massacre of Glencoe.
They include the following:
1691, May 19.
Requests Barcaldine to find a fit and trusty person to send for the Caithness papers. Describes where they are in trunks, and emphasises that they must not get damp in transit.
1691, May 22.
'I wes told that the Cowncill resolved to imploy the forces imediately to reduce such of the highlanders as wold nott secuir the peace and submitt; But that the k: hath cowntermanded it at this tyme, Its Lyk he hath knowen more of them of late then [than] he did before ..."
From Edinburgh.
1691, July 20.
Discusses a certain "unluckie bussines" involving the Earl of Breadalbane and the Earl of Argyll. "I wonder if .... E.A. hade any direct or indirect hand in it. I cannot belive it and yit some heir think otherwayes .... My Lady Argyle hes writt a letter to my Lord Bread; about it, excuiseing her Lord, It seimes the designe wes to retak the dutch shipe and the Leith bark from the Mcleans .... and that the Mcleans fynding they could not gett them keipt brunt the one and sunk the other ..."
[1691] July 26.
"The Queen hath ... writt to Duke Ham. and the Councill signiefieing that she is weill satisfied with E.B. his negotiatione and assureing him that the k: will be soe to [o] .... There came news heir yisterday that the Garisone of Inerlochay hath lately seized the Laird of Appine, Telstane, Uchteraw and 7 or 8 moe of the highland gentlemen upon occasione of some litle debait that fell out betwixt a sojour and a man of appines .... I did nott heir from you if it be trew ...."
1691, July 29.
".... the Councill hath ordored yisternight the laird of Appin and thes other Gentlemen who were seazed in his house to be caried prisoners to Glasgow .... its nott doubted but that there will come a warrand to sett them at libertie howsoone the letters arryves at E. Bread ....".
"Coll. Hill writt in heir to the Councill a most malitious ill natured letter treating that bussiness in ridicule, and they say he ends with ane advyce to indeavour a dissapoyntment, which some heir will be verie reddie to follow ...."
Dated at Edinburgh.
1691, August 8.
The Council have received a letter which is reported to signify that the king is satisfied with the Earl of Breadalbane's negotiations in the highlands; and instructing them to release the Laird of Appin and the other gentlemen who were seized with them.
"Some heir are highly offended that this should be the result nottwithstanding of all indeavours to the contrarie ...."
There are reports that the highlanders have again come down on the Lowlands, "comitting depredationes alse much as ever. If anything lyk this hath bein or shall be It may marr all, for severalls heir wait but such oportunities particularly a breach upon the other syd albeit never soe small ...."
1691, December 21.
Discusses the political situation and rumours of military action to be taken against the highlanders who have not yet taken the oath of allegiance to William III and Queen Mary. Reports of scuffle between the Earl of Breadalbane and Lord Murray "anent Glenlyons affairs".
"I have just now gott full assurance that Sir G.B. and D.M. have ordors for the highlanders to submitt to the Government."
Dated at Edinburgh.
1691, December 22.
"Since the dispatching of the express I sent yow yisterday, D.M. is arryved in four dayes from London .... and ordored the inclosed to be sent to yow whereby yow will know what the highlanders are allowed to doe. What will they say now to it .... Thers noe news. What D.M. hath brought is sufficient for on [one] day".
[The enclosure is not extant.]
Dated at Edinburgh.
1691, December 31.
Discusses troop movements and new political appointments. "I long to heir what the effects of D.M. his message will be, I suppose nothing, Thos people are fallin into a strange delusione and they will certanly find the evill of it .... How are all the faire promises they hade from others now performed when the forces are marcheing towards them; Wher are all the other great performances when nothing but ruine and distructione is said to be determined for some of them ....
Dated at Edinburgh.
1692, January 7.
"I showd some of the letters to the pres. and spock to him that ordors might be sent to the Comanders of the forces nott to trouble any of the tennents of such who have come in, particularly Lochzeall's (.) He promised to speak to Sir Tho. Liv. of it this day at the Councill, I know nott yitt what they have done about it .... Yow did nott tell me what Keppoch and Glenco hes done or resolves to do, It is nott now saiff to correspond with any who are nott come in without allowance from the Governement wherfor take nottice what yow doe .... I had a letter this day from E.B. he kist their Majesties' hands nixt day efter his arryveall, wes weill received and hade several conferences since ...."
Dated at Edinburgh.
1692, February 6.
Mentions reported comment of Colonel Hill that "Lochaber is alse qwyett as the streits of London", and another report that "Keppoch hes a mynd to goe wpe, which our freind sayes is efter the steid is stollen. I fear they will all lose ther thanks for being too late a comeing ... Thers nott a man stands for them but our freind who is lyk to procure unfreindshipe to himself for continoweing his appeirance for them, albeit nott altogither out of hopes to gett yitt something done for some of them which a litle tyme will now discover ...."
Dated at Edinburgh
1692, February 19.
Discusses principally legal affairs concerning "Duncan McConochies brothers adjudicatione", and a process about a stolen horse.
Encloses a long letter [not now extant] from "my Lord". "Yow sie what my Lord writts anent highland affairs quherin there is no change yitt since the date of that letter .... We look upon that highland affairs now as all over ....".
" ... My Lord desyres yow to send evrie weik ane accompt of all occurrences in thes Countries, all that is done or said alse farr as yow cane learne, My Lord writts in his last that Tarbat hes letters from Invernes that yowng McDonald is come in to Coll. Cuninghame and he wonders he heirs noething of it from his folks ...."
Dated at Edinburgh.
1698, January 26.
" .... I have letters from Caithness ... matters there are much as they wer, Hemprigs jealousy increasing but no caballign yitt (.) Stempster is in Ross courting his mistress and I supose maried by this tyme ..."
Dated at Edinburgh.
1698, February 23.
Discusses Caithness affairs, and political developments; especially a commission of fire and sword passed by the Privy Council against Keppoch "without one word said against it"; efforts to have the commission stopped; "It will ruine all your braes in thir badd yeir ...."
1699, June 7.
Legal and estate affairs, including those in Caithness.
" .... E. Arg. hes ordered Ronald to raise a red: and impro: against E. Bread, of his rights to the jurisdictione he pretends to in Glenorchy and Lorne, he goot some informatione when he wes last in that country as if E. Bread, wes incrotcheng wpon his jurisdictiones, sending thives to him be Inveraray and keeping their goods, etc ...."
1699, December 2.
Discusses progress in various legal matters, especially a prosecution (which failed) against "the Barracks".
Also notes that "Ld. Glen. wes heir last weik thinking to gett something done with Stemster by his own presence But he left us as he fownd us. Stemster is becom most wncertan and wnreasonable, he will nather quitt nor keepe, we are tormented with him ...."
"... Maltman is not returned with Hempriggs pappers nor noe record of him, Its wncertan yett if he be pleased ...."
1701, July 9.
'Theres nott a word yett of Killmune nor doe I think there will till the D(uke) of Argyle com down and then I supose you will mak a visite to old Reicky'.
51 Letters, with 2 more to John Campbell, chamberlain, re tack of Stronmillochan, and another copy of a letter, ?from Barcaldine, though in Carwhin's hand, to Sir William Calderwode, advocate, 15 August 1707. |
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