Part 3
Passing over the defeat which followed, I select from others a letter addressed by Charles, when in exile, to Lord Cochrane, under the assumed name of “Lenos and Richmond;” its purport being to show that the unfortunate royal family depended upon Lord Cochrane’s management not only for advice, but, what was more to the purpose, for the means of subsistence.
“February 2nd, 1657.
“MY LORD,—I find myself very much obliged to your lordship by your great care of my dear son’s interests and mine, and have seen your letter concerning the gentleman recommended for a commissioner, who, though a stranger to me—yet, since it is the opinion of your lordship that he be added to the number of the commissioners, I do in this, as in all other things, hearken to your lordship’s advice; relying on your lordship’s favour to me, and therefore do hereby invite him, if he will accept the trouble, with many thanks to your lordship and to him.
“I must further beseech of your lordship to intend the raising five thousand pounds upon Glasgow, and to labour the sale of Methuen and Killmorocate, both with all possible expedition.[12]
“I hope to have the happiness of seeing your lordship in these parts ere long, that I may have a larger conveniency of making my acknowledgments to your lordship for your eminent favour to
“Your lordship’s most humble servant, “C. R. LENOS and RICHMOND.
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Footnote 12:
This letter appears to mix up the affairs of Charles and the Duke, probably with a view to avert danger to Lord Cochrane, if intercepted.
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“For my Lord Cochrane.”
Whether Lord Cochrane visited the exiled court or not, I have no documents to decide; nor is it at all material; these letters being adduced to show the nature of his connection with the Stuarts in their day of humiliation, which only appeared to add to his zeal for their welfare.
The “son” alluded to in the preceding letter was the Duke of Monmouth[13], for espousing whose cause, in the subsequent reign of James II., the Cochrane family suffered severely.
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Footnote 13:
“Charles, when a wanderer on the Continent, had fallen in at the Hague with Lucy Walters, a Welsh girl of great beauty, but of weak understanding. She became his mistress, and presented him with a son, upon whom he poured forth such an overflowing fondness as seemed hardly to belong to his cool and careless nature. Soon after the Restoration the young favourite made his appearance at Whitehall, where he was lodged in the palace and permitted to enjoy distinctions till then confined to princes of the blood royal.” _Lord Macaulay._
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Soon after the Restoration in 1660, Lord Cochrane was sworn a privy councillor; and by his Majesty’s special choice was constituted one of the Commissioners of the Treasury and Exchequer, which great and weighty employment, says Crawfurd, “he discharged with admirable prudence and integrity, to the general satisfaction of the whole nation. Increasing still more in wealth and honour, he acquired the lordship of Paisley, where he fixed his seat, and lived with great splendour and hospitality for many years. After the barbarous murder of the late king, his lordship contributed his best and hearty endeavours towards bringing home Charles II. to inherit the rightful possession of the throne of these realms; which, no doubt, was the cause, when Oliver Cromwell came to be called protector, why he fined my Lord Cochrane, among other royalists, in 5000_l._ sterling, by special ordinance of the Commonwealth of England, dated April 12th, 1654.”
The following letters from the Dukes of Lennox and Monmouth are still in my possession, and from historic interest alone require no apology for their introduction in this place.
“London, Dec. 27, 1662.
“MY LORD,—I received a discharge from your lordship, which being ill-drawn, I have forborne to sign it; but shall readily perform it so soon as it comes to my hands corrected by Mr. Graham.
“I must intreat of your lordship’s endeavours to raise fifteen hundred pounds upon the two years’ rent of Jyla and my other lands for the year 1661; with which I would desire your lordship to discharge the six hundred pounds you borrowed for me when I was at Edinburgh, and the seven hundred pounds I borrowed of Sir James Stuart at the same time. The rest to be returned to me, who am
“Your lordship’s humble servant, “LENOS and RICHMOND.
“For my Lord Cochrane.”
“P.S.—I desire your lordship to excuse my own writing, for nothing but illness should make me make use of another.”
“London, Feb. 26th, 1663.
“MY LORD,—Give me leave to add this trouble to your lordship’s favours, in desiring that you will be pleased to send me a full account of all you know of the condition of my affairs in Scotland. And wherein and how you conceive any part of my estate proper or casual may be better improved to my advantage, with your lordship’s advice for the management thereof for the future. If you know of any grants made by me to any person in Scotland when I was there, which may be prejudicial to or on my estates, you will be pleased to acquaint me with it; for I am resolved to repose all my confidence upon your lordship’s directions, and to take measures of all the management of my affairs from them.
“I shall wholly trust to your lordship, and therefore entreat you will not impart this to anybody, but conceal the request of
“Your lordship’s very humble servant, “LENOS and RICHMOND.
“For my Lord Cochrane.”
“Whitehall, Aug. 25th, 1663.
“MY LORD,—I must desire your lordship to give yourself the trouble of sending me word how my engagements stand to my estate mortgaged in Scotland, that I may know whether it be convenient that the several persons to whom it is mortgaged should receive the profits of the lands mortgaged to them till both principal and interest is satisfied. Or whether it be convenient if one person, in the name of the rest, should receive the whole profits of the estate, and engage to pay all the debts, both principal and interest, in so many years, and then to return the estate to me again. I must beg your lordship’s faithful advice in this, having found it so formerly. And, good my lord, let me know in how many years my estate will pay the debt upon it, both principal and interest. I cannot believe anybody will be so warm in my concerns as yourself, and therefore wholly repose this trust in you, desiring you to send me in writing a conveyance of my estate to yourself for the payment of the debt in the aforesaid years, with the return of the estate into my hands, who am, my lord,
“Your lordship’s most obliged servant, “LENOS and RICHMOND.”
The following letter, written to Lord Cochrane after the removal of the Court to Oxford on account of the plague raging in London, will show the straits to which even the wealthiest of the Scottish nobility had been reduced.
“Oxford, November 11th, 1665.
“MY LORD,—I had written to your lordship before this had I not an intention of coming to Scotland myself. But being now prevented by other affairs, I must desire your lordship to make all the possible speed that may be to return me five hundred pounds out of the thousand pounds that are due to me.
“My lord, _I never was in a greater strait in my life_, the plague having prevented my tenants’ payment. If you ever did intend to oblige me, I am sure you could never have a better opportunity than making me a present payment.
“Good, my lord, do not fail me, who am, “Your most humble servant, “RICHMOND and LENOS.
“For my Lord Cochrane.”
“P.S.—My uncle Aubigny is very sick at Paris, and we expect to hear he is dead by every post,—the last letters assuring that he was past recovery.”
“July 1666.
“MY LORD,—I need not acquaint your lordship how great a confidence I have of your lordship’s friendship and assistance. Having now sent Boreman into Scotland to attend and follow your lordship’s directions, and my Lord Newburgh’s, for the completing and settling the whole affairs of the Admiralty. If my Lord Macdonnel goes on in his intended bargain, I shall expect 6000_l._ to be paid and returned to me by Michaelmas. Please to remember the 100_l._ you reserved till Boreman’s coming. I shall trouble your lordship with nothing more at present, but the assurance of being,
“Your lordship’s very humble servant, “RICHMOND and LENOS.
“For my Lord Cochrane.”
“London, 18th Sept. 1666.
“MY LORD,—Though I consider that 5000_l._ is too small a sum for so considerable and convenient an estate to my Lord Macdonald, yet I am satisfied to be ruled by the market and the exigency of my own affairs, but especially by your lordship’s judgment and kindness, of which I have had so good experience.
“My lord, the sad accident of fire which hath lately happened in London _hath almost ruined us all_. I must therefore earnestly entreat you to return me what money you have in your hands of mine, with all possible speed, not knowing which way to turn myself at present, there being no such thing as money here. Pray, likewise hasten Boreman in returning what money is due to me on the prizes, in doing all which, you will very much oblige
“Your lordship’s humble servant, “RICHMOND and LENOS.
“For my Lord Cochrane, at Edinburgh.”
I have purposely refrained from comment on these letters, as being foreign to the purpose of this introductory chapter, which is not to dilate on immaterial subjects, but simply to point out the connection of the Cochrane family with the Stuarts, and their faithful adherents. The subjoined, from the Duke of Monmouth, is also curious, as alluding to the disaster of invasion, in addition to those of plague and fire.
“June 28th, 1667.
“MY LORD,—So soon as I received your lordship’s of the 26th of May I was commanded by the king for Harwich, and have ever since been so hurried about in this confusion upon the arrival of the Dutch, that I have not had time to answer your lordship, to whom I do acknowledge myself very much obliged for your care of my affairs; and if it lies in my power to acknowledge it otherwise than in words, your lordship shall ever find me really to be, my lord,
“Your lordship’s real friend and servant, “MONMOUTH and BUCCLEUCH.
“These for my Lord Cochrane.”
On the 12th of May, 1669, Lord Cochrane was created Earl of Dundonald. The annexed is his Majesty’s order for the patent:—
“Our sovereign Lord, considering that it hath been always the ancient, constant, and worthy practice of all kings to confer titles and degrees of honour and dignity upon such of those subjects whose good services and worth have so deserved, and that his Majestie’s father of blessed memory did, in the year 1641, dignify and confer upon his right trusty and well-beloved William Lord Cochrane, the title of Lord Cochrane. And now his Majesty—in consideration of his faithful services, and for the better encouragement of him and his family to continue in their constant and affectionate adhering to his interest and service for the future—being graciously pleased to confer a further mark of his royal favour upon him, doth therefore, of his royal and princely power, ordain a letter patent to be made and decreed under the great seal of his ancient kingdom of Scotland, in due form, making, constituting, and creating the said William Lord Cochrane, and his heirs male, which failing, the oldest heirs female, without division, already procreate or to be procreate, of the body of the said William Lord Cochrane, &c. &c. &c., to be called and designed now and for ever hereafter Earl of Dundonald, Lord Cochrane of Paisley and Ochiltree, &c. &c. (Then follow the usual technical formalities.)
“MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY.—This contains your Majesty’s warrant for a patent to be passed under the great seal of Scotland, for creating William Lord Cochrane Earl of Dundonald, Lord Cochrane of Paisley and Ochiltree, with power, &c. &c. &c. For subscription.
“LAUDERDAILL.”
“Sit supra scribitur, “CHARLES R.”
The subjoined letters from the Duke and Duchess of Monmouth, the latter the heiress of Buccleuch[14], are not without historical interest.
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Footnote 14:
“Monmouth was married, while still in tender youth, to Anna Scott, heiress of the noble house of Buccleuch. He took her name, and received with her hand possession of her ample domains. The estate which he acquired by this match was popularly estimated at not less than 10,000_l._ a-year.”—_Lord Macaulay._
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“Whitehall, May 2nd, 1671.
“MY LORD,—This is expressly to beg your lordship’s pardon, that I writ not to you by the person that brought you my commission concerning my lands, in which I was confident to put your lordship’s and Lord Cochrane’s names; being assured that neither yourself nor any of your family would deny me the favour of your assistance in the management of my estate, which I have now taken into my own possession, and hope to see the good effects of it. I beseech your lordship to give my service and excuse to my Lord Cochrane, and tell him I hope he will be no worse a friend to me than you have been, who, I must acknowledge, have obliged me ever to be, my lord,
“Your very humble servant, “MONMOUTH and BUCCLEUCH.
“For Lord Dundonald.”
“Whitehall, May 25, 1671.
“MY LORD,—I know not how to express my thanks to your lordship for the trouble I have put upon you in your journey to Branxholme, where your presence hath been of that advantage to my affairs, as could not, without you, have been expected. I thank your lordship most heartily for this and all other your kindnesses to me, and particularly your advice concerning Orkney, &c. and to refraine the signing of anything but what shall be most maturely advised by your lordship, and such other my friends to whose counsel and advice, as always faithful to me, I shall firmly adhere, and constantly remain, my lord,
“Your very affectionate friend and humble servant, “MONMOUTH and BUCCLEUCH.
“For the Right Hon. the Earl of Dundonald.”
“Oct. 31, 1671.
“MY LORD,—Being very sensible of your constant care and industry to promote and advance all our interests in Scotland, and receiving daily demonstrations of your particular kindness and friendship to us, we are the more confident on all occasions to depend wholly upon you, for resolution in doubtful, and assistance in difficult cases, and do entreat your lordship to take them seriously into your consideration, and weighing all circumstances deal freely and candidly with us, and declare truly to us your opinion what you do conceive fit for us to do to extricate ourselves out of those dangers both we and our estate lie under.
“We are now both of us so near the time of our majority, and are told that it is very necessary for us to undertake a journey to Scotland this next spring. If your lordship be of the same judgment, we must (if possible) find out some expedient to effect it.
“My lord, we are informed that many of our late chamberlains are resolved to stand trial with us for 3000_l._ yet remaining in their hands upon the balance of their accounts, unless they may have such discharge as they please.
“We do, therefore, very earnestly recommend it to your lordship’s care to proceed vigorously against them, not only for that, but also for the great waste and destruction they have made of the woods. A letter is also written to the Lord President Stair and the rest of the lords of the session’s favour for a speedy dispatch of our concerns before them. We shall have the satisfaction that in the place where we have received so great obligations from your lordship and the rest of our friends—even there we shall express with much sincerity that we are, my lord,
“Your lordship’s very affectionate and humble servants, “BUCCLEUCH and MONMOUTH. “ANNA BUCCLEUCH and MONMOUTH.
“For the Right Hon. the Earl of Dundonald.”
“March 14th, 1674.
“MY LORD,—The great assurance we have had of your affection and kindness to us, which upon all occasions you have given sufficient testimonies of in your adherence to and promoting our interest in Scotland, encourages us to entreat and, indeed, earnestlie to desire your continuance thereof, but especially at this time, when we find our tenants like to be ruined and undone by the severity of continued frost and snow. How mischievous the consequences thereof may be to us, we are not able at this distance to conjecture, only we have just reason to fear the worst.
“But we, depending very much if not solely upon your lordship’s wisdom and good conduct at this juncture, and very well knowing how prevalent your countenance and authority will be among our tenants, and what encouragement they will receive from your presence, must needs desire and entreat your lordship that you will not fail to be at the next land settling, for it is your discretion and prudence that shall be our guide and measure in the regulation of our own interests, or that of any of our tenants who shall be held fit objects of our consideration and favour in so general a calamity, if they be recommended by your lordship unto my lord,
“Your lordship’s most affectionate friends and servants, “BUCCLEUCH and MONMOUTH. “ANNA BUCCLEUCH and MONMOUTH.
“For Lord Dundonald.”
“September 29th, 1674.
“MY LORD,—Upon all occasions my wife and I do receive new testimonies and proofs of your continued kindness to us, and of your unwearied care and industry to do all good offices which may any wise conduce to our profit and advantage. And, in truth, the great pains you have taken about our affairs, and the trouble you took upon you of an inconvenient journey to be at our land settling, are sufficient assurances of your zeal and affection for our welfare and prosperity, for which we owe you a particular acknowledgment. And I do assure your lordship, I am so extremely sensible of these and all other the kindnesses which you have done for us, that it shall never be my fault if I do not make it appear how much I am, my lord,
“Your lordship’s most affectionate friend and servant, “BUCCLEUCH and MONMOUTH.
“For Lord Dundonald.”
“Whitehall, March 19th, 1676.
“MY LORD,—We are truly sorry to understand by your letter that you are unable to ride by reason of your age and weakness, and that you cannot go all the way in your coach to our land settling. We know very well, and have had long and great experience, how useful you have been in that affair for many years together; and we may have just reason to fear that we may suffer very much by your absence from that service, so many of our lands lying at this time waste. The tenants will be apt to be discouraged, when they want your countenance to whom they are so well known. But, my lord, we do not think it reasonable to press you with arguments to undertake anything, how necessary soever it may be for our service, if it be in the least prejudicial to your health and safety.
“Therefore, if your infirmities cannot well dispense with your own going that journey, we do entreat your lordship to prevail with your son, my Lord Cochrane, to supply your place. For we are very sure that there is not one related to you, but will have a great influence on our tenants; and, next to yourself, we can desire none more considerable than your son.
“We need not tell you how much the present necessity of our affairs requires all the prudence, all the countenance and authority, and all the diligence of ourselves, and of my lords, our commissioners, to bring our estate out of that waste, ruinous, and scandalous condition under which it hath lain, and we do know that your lordship will contribute as much pains, and be as instrumental to bring this to pass as any person whatsoever. And in this assurance we do subscribe ourselves, as in truth we are, my lord,
“Your lordship’s most affectionate friends and servants, “BUCCLEUCH and MONMOUTH. “ANNA BUCCLEUCH and MONMOUTH.
“For Lord Dundonald.”
The Earl of Dundonald was subsequently appointed by James the Second one of the Privy Council of Scotland. As the place from which the patent was dated, viz. Hounslow Heath, is of historical significance, I shall give the document entire:—
“JAMES R.
“Right trusty and right entirely-beloved cousin and councillor! Right trusty and right well-beloved cousin and councillor! Right trusty and entirely-beloved cousins and councillors! Right trusty and right well-beloved cousins and councillors! Right trusty and well-beloved cousins and councillors! Right trusty and well-beloved councillors, and trusty and well-beloved councillors!
“We greet you well.
“Whereas we are fully satisfied of the loyalty, abilities, and dutiful affection to our service, of our right trusty and well-beloved Earl of Dundonald, we have therefore thought fit to add him to our Privy Council of that our ancient kingdom, and do authorise and require you to admit him accordingly.
“And we do hereby dispense with him from taking the test, oath of allegiance, or any other oath, except that of Privy Councillor only. For doing whereof this shall be your warrant, and to him a full and ample security.
“Given at our camp on Hounslow Heath, the 10th day of June 1686, and of our reign the second year.
“By His Majesty’s command, “MELFORT.”
In the subsequent rebellions of Argyle and Monmouth the Cochranes again suffered severely: John, the second son of the Earl of Dundonald, being deeply implicated therein, and only escaping with his life by the earl satisfying, first, the greed of James the Second’s popish priests, and secondly, that of James himself.
The annexed extracts from Burnet will show all that needs be said on this head:—
“Cochran, another of those who had been concerned in this treaty [as to an insurrection in Scotland], was complained of, as having talked very freely of the duke’s government of Scotland. Upon which the Scottish secretary sent a note to him, desiring him to come to him; for it was intended only to give him a reprimand, and to have ordered him to go to Scotland. But he knew his own secret; so he left his lodgings, and got beyond sea. This shewed the court had not yet got full evidence, otherwise he would have been taken up, as well as others were.”—Vol. i. folio, p. 548.
“The deliberations in Holland, among the English and Scotch that fled thither, came to ripen faster than was expected. Lord Argile had been quiet ever since the disappointment in the year eighty-three. He had lived for most part in Frizeland, but came oft to Amsterdam, and met with the rest of his countrymen that lay concealed there; the chief of whom were the Lord Melvill, Sir Patrick Hume, and Sir John Cochran. [The first of these (Melvill) was a fearful and mean-spirited man, a zealous presbyterian, but more zealous in preserving his person and estate. Hume was a hot and eager man, full of passion and resentment; and instead of minding the business then in hand, he was always forming schemes about the modelling of matters, when they should prevail, in which he was so earnest, that he fell into perpetual disputes and quarrels about it; Cochran was more tractable.[15]] With these Lord Argile communicated all the advices that were sent to him.”—On margin, “Argile designed to invade Scotland.”—Vol. iii. 27; fol. vol. i. 632.
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Footnote 15:
Original note.
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