by Walter Scott
POSTSCRIPT.
The second article of the Appendix to the Introduction to Rob Roycontains two curious letters respecting the arrest of Mr. Grahame ofKillearn by that daring freebooter, while levying the Duke of Montrose'srents. These were taken from scroll copies in the possession of his Gracethe present Duke, who kindly permitted the use of them in the presentpublication.--The Novel had but just passed through the press, when theRight Honourable Mr. Peel--whose important state avocations do not averthis attention from the interests of literature--transmitted to the authorcopies of the original letters and enclosure, of which he possessed onlythe rough draught. The originals were discovered in the State PaperOffice, by the indefatigable researches of Mr. Lemon, who is dailythrowing more light on that valuable collection of records. From thedocuments with which the Author has been thus kindly favoured, he isenabled to fill up the addresses which were wanting in the scrolls. Thatof the 21st Nov. 1716 is addressed to Lord Viscount Townshend, and isaccompanied by one of the same date to Robert Pringle, Esquire,Under-Secretary of State, which is here inserted as relative to socurious an incident:--
_Letter from the Duke of Montrose, to Robert Pringle, Esq.,Under-Secretary to Lord Viscount Townshend._
"Sr,_Glasgow,_ 21 _Nov._ 1716.
"Haveing had so many dispatches to make this night, I hope ye'l excuse methat I make use of another hand to give yow a short account of theoccasion of this express, by which I have written to my Ld. Duke ofRoxburgh, and my Lord Townshend, which I hope ye'l gett carefullydeleivered.
"Mr. Graham, younger of Killearn, being on Munday last in Menteith att acountry house, collecting my rents, was about nine o'clock that samenight surprised by Rob Roy with a party of his men in arms, who haveingsurrounded the house and secured the avenues, presented their guns in atthe windows, while he himself entered the room with some others with coktpistolls, and seased Killearn with all his money, books, papers, andbonds, and carryed all away with him to the hills, at the same timeordering Killearn to write a letter to me (of which ye have the copyinclosed), proposeing a very honourable treaty to me. I must say thisstory was as surprising to me as it was insolent; and it must bring avery great concern upon me, that this gentleman, my near relation, shouldbe brought to suffer all the barbaritys and crueltys, which revenge andmallice may suggest to these miscreants, for his haveing acted afaithfull part in the service of the Government, and his affection to mein my concerns.
"I need not be more particular to you, since I know that my Letter to myLord Townshend will come into your hands, so shall only now give you theassurances of my being, with great sincerity,
"Sr, yr most humble servant,(Signed)"Montrose."
"I long exceedingly for a return of my former dispatches to theSecretary's about Methven and Colll Urquhart, and my wife's cousins,Balnamoon and Phinaven.
"I must beg yow'll give my humble service to Mr. Secretary Methven, andtell him that I must refer him to what I have written to My LordTownshend in this affair of Rob Roy, believing it was needless to troubleboth with letters."
Examined,Robt. Lemon,_Deputy Keeper of State Papers._