[782] Trial of Lord Lovat, p. 21. Home’s Rebellion, p. 24.
[783] This scheme was first broached by Drummond to Sempil, another active agent of the Chevalier, and communicated by him to James, who signified his approbation of it in a letter to Sempil, dated Nov. 22, 1741. “I approve very much in general of our making application to the old Whigs, and take it as a new and great mark of Balhaldy’s zeal. The offer he makes of being instrumental in that measure, I perused with satisfaction. What you write on the subject, I shall consider seriously on it betwixt this and next week; I shall by next post send you a packet for Balhaldy, with all that may appear proper and necessary for me on that particular.”—Stuart Papers.
[784] There is, among the Stuart Papers, a copy of a letter from the Chevalier de St. George to Mr. Erskine, 13th March, 1740, thanking him for the zeal he had shown in his cause.
[785] Lord Lovat’s Trial, p. 75.
[786] Lord Lovat’s Trial, p. 76.
[787] Idem.
[788] Idem.
[789] The Chevalier alludes to this meeting in a letter to Sempil, 9th April, 1743; and in another of 16th May following, he mentions a long paper which Mr. Erskine had sent him on the state of affairs.—Stuart Papers.
[790] Letter from the Chevalier to Sempil, 24th May, 1743.—Stuart Papers.
[791] Letter to Sempil, 16th March, 1740,—Stuart Papers. Drummond was not the only person employed by the Chevalier about this time to visit his friends in England. A Colonel Bret, and afterwards a Colonel Cecil, with both of whom James corresponded, made frequent journeys to England. The Duchess of Buckingham made many unsolicited trips to Paris to hasten Cardinal Fleury’s motions, but James was by no means satisfied with her officiousness. In writing to her on 20th July, 1741, he cautions her as follows:—“I must seriously recommend to you not to importune the old gentleman too much. When you have given him what lights and information have come to your knowledge, all the good is done, for in the present situation one would think he should want no spur to befriend us, and in all events he will go on in his own way, while teazing him can serve for nothing but to make him peevish and out of humour.” The duchess must have been possessed of some important papers, as James, in a letter to Sempil, (2d May, 1743,) written shortly after her death, expresses his concern lest her papers should fall into the hands of the government.—Stuart Papers.