proposeing terms, and let me know as soon as you can. Adieu."

It is curious to trace the revival of the Earl's hopes, and the increase
of his confidence. The following letter contains, among other
circumstances, a reference to the supposed attempt of the Earl of Stair,
in France, to assassinate James.

"December 10th, 1715.

"Sir,

"Yesterday I had yours of the fourth and fifth, for which I thank
you. I wrote to you on the eighth, which I hope you got safe, and
in it I told you of one of the messengers I had sent to France being
returned, and with him General Eclin and Mr. Charles Fleming, and
some money: since that Doctor Abercromby is returned and Lord Edward
Drummond is come with him and brought some more money. They come off
the same day with the others, and landed the same day at Aberdeen
the others did at Montrose. They only brought duplicates of the
dispatches I had by the others, and a letter to me from the Q----
with a pacquet from her to the K----, by which you may be sure he is
sail'd, and we hourly expect to hear of his landing. Since those
people came, those amongst us who had been uneasy, are now comeing
to be in good humour again, particularly Lord Huntley; and I have
agreed to his going north with some of his horse to get all his
people there together to suppress those about Inverness, and also to
have them in readiness against the K. comes. Pray God send him safe
and soon, and then I do not despair of things going right still. Our
whole prisoners almost, I mean the private men, are like to take on
since they heard of the K----g's being certainly a-comeing; and
since they saw the two enclosed papers, they say that were he once
come, there will be news of their armie and all those prisoners.
Even those who do not lift with us, pray openly for the K----, and
that God may keep him out of the hands of his enimies.

"The two enclosed are sent about to a great many places: it is
better to delay dispersing the K----'s declaration til he arrive,
since I hope that is near.

"I admear we hear no certain accounts of the Duke of Ormond, for the
fifteenth inst. the K---- and Q---- too write to me that he was
saild a second time for England.

"Pray God it may be well with him, and if he do not, then I wish he
may come here with all my