at least contribute deeply to it. With £300 a fair annual value for many a respectable estate, the thing, put this way, was quite overwhelming.
Lauderdale and Rothes, whatever else, were no fools, realists to recognise the situation. The latter went over to consult the High Commissioner, and only a brief exchange was necessary. Returning to his chair, the Chancellor awaited quiet.
"A committee of enquiry is accepted," he said curtly. "Four. Names?"
Thereafter all was wound up in minutes. Four names were put forward, all as it were neutral in theory - and all of whom, undoubtedly, would be bribed, threatened or otherwise got at by Lauderdale, before they reported. To that extent all there realised that here was no true victory or defeat. But it was the first time in his 'reign' that the uncrowned king of Scotland had been halted in his course, publicly, out-manoeuvred, humiliated. When he stamped out of the hall thereafter, his whole demeanour proclaimed the fact.
The young man who had encompassed this was surrounded by well-wishers, congratulators, hand-shakers - many of whom no doubt would have voted against him had it come to the crunch. He was appreciative but far from ecstatic. Over-modesty was not part of Andrew's nature; but he also had a strong sense of reality and recognised that this was only a superficial triumph, one step on a long journey. And, to be sure, a hazardous step - of that he scarcely required the many warnings he received.
He went off to spring Henry out of the Tolbooth.
3
Being a commissioner elected to the Scots Parliament in the later 17th century was scarcely onerous as regards duties of attendance, for the King seldom called sessions more than once a year and often less frequently. So Andrew Fletcher was not overburdened with parliamentary work. There were, however, other duties to which a parliamentarian was expected to devote himself, one being a member of the Commission of Supply for his own county area. It was distinctly ironic that this should become one of his responsibilities, involving him in quite a lot of work, since amongst other duties it included the raising of cess and levies and the finding of supplies, forage, fodder, quarters and so on, for the King's forces in that area - and when he returned to Saltoun after a few days of private meetings in Edinburgh, it was to find that the troop of dragoons quartered on him were not only still there but had been doubled, and on direct orders of the Secretary of State, Lauderdale. Apart from the inconvenience and mortification of this situation, it did of course inflict a serious financial burden, with one hundred-odd men and their horses to feed and sustain for an indefinite period.
All this was made more galling in that Saltoun became in effect the military headquarters for East Lothian, since the total strength allotted, or imposed, on the county was two hundred and forty regular horse and four hundred militia foot, and these were to cover a large area amounting to some one hundred and fifty square miles; it was obvious therefore that Saltoun, in the Lammermuir foothills, had the lion's share of the mobile troops and was bound to become the important centre. At any rate, here the commandant for the shire took up his abode meantime, no doubt directed to do so.
This officer proved to be a surprise. He was not at all the usual military type, but a brilliantly handsome man in his early thirties, stylish, cultured, personable, by name Captain John Graham and kin to the Marquis of Montrose, laird of the estate of Claverhouse near to Dundee. More interesting still, he proved to be related to Margaret Carnegie, his mother having been a daughter of the first Earl of Northesk, younger brother of the first Earl of Southesk. Recently returned from the foreign wars, with a commendation from the Prince of Orange - whose life he had saved at the Battle of Seneff - he was something of a poet, like his famous relative, and an extraordinary character
Lauderdale and Rothes, whatever else, were no fools, realists to recognise the situation. The latter went over to consult the High Commissioner, and only a brief exchange was necessary. Returning to his chair, the Chancellor awaited quiet.
"A committee of enquiry is accepted," he said curtly. "Four. Names?"
Thereafter all was wound up in minutes. Four names were put forward, all as it were neutral in theory - and all of whom, undoubtedly, would be bribed, threatened or otherwise got at by Lauderdale, before they reported. To that extent all there realised that here was no true victory or defeat. But it was the first time in his 'reign' that the uncrowned king of Scotland had been halted in his course, publicly, out-manoeuvred, humiliated. When he stamped out of the hall thereafter, his whole demeanour proclaimed the fact.
The young man who had encompassed this was surrounded by well-wishers, congratulators, hand-shakers - many of whom no doubt would have voted against him had it come to the crunch. He was appreciative but far from ecstatic. Over-modesty was not part of Andrew's nature; but he also had a strong sense of reality and recognised that this was only a superficial triumph, one step on a long journey. And, to be sure, a hazardous step - of that he scarcely required the many warnings he received.
He went off to spring Henry out of the Tolbooth.
3
Being a commissioner elected to the Scots Parliament in the later 17th century was scarcely onerous as regards duties of attendance, for the King seldom called sessions more than once a year and often less frequently. So Andrew Fletcher was not overburdened with parliamentary work. There were, however, other duties to which a parliamentarian was expected to devote himself, one being a member of the Commission of Supply for his own county area. It was distinctly ironic that this should become one of his responsibilities, involving him in quite a lot of work, since amongst other duties it included the raising of cess and levies and the finding of supplies, forage, fodder, quarters and so on, for the King's forces in that area - and when he returned to Saltoun after a few days of private meetings in Edinburgh, it was to find that the troop of dragoons quartered on him were not only still there but had been doubled, and on direct orders of the Secretary of State, Lauderdale. Apart from the inconvenience and mortification of this situation, it did of course inflict a serious financial burden, with one hundred-odd men and their horses to feed and sustain for an indefinite period.
All this was made more galling in that Saltoun became in effect the military headquarters for East Lothian, since the total strength allotted, or imposed, on the county was two hundred and forty regular horse and four hundred militia foot, and these were to cover a large area amounting to some one hundred and fifty square miles; it was obvious therefore that Saltoun, in the Lammermuir foothills, had the lion's share of the mobile troops and was bound to become the important centre. At any rate, here the commandant for the shire took up his abode meantime, no doubt directed to do so.
This officer proved to be a surprise. He was not at all the usual military type, but a brilliantly handsome man in his early thirties, stylish, cultured, personable, by name Captain John Graham and kin to the Marquis of Montrose, laird of the estate of Claverhouse near to Dundee. More interesting still, he proved to be related to Margaret Carnegie, his mother having been a daughter of the first Earl of Northesk, younger brother of the first Earl of Southesk. Recently returned from the foreign wars, with a commendation from the Prince of Orange - whose life he had saved at the Battle of Seneff - he was something of a poet, like his famous relative, and an extraordinary character
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