1914-15.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 387 



to whom Barns 1 and my Brother gave the necessary in- 

 structions with the greatest exactness allowing several] 

 fathoms in the length to come and goe upon. But he pre- 

 tending that he cou'd doe the wooden and Iron work better 

 at home tho' my Brother had provided a very convenient 

 house for him of his own, we gave him leave to goe his 

 ways ; he promiseing to return with Mr. Forbes - leaving his 

 directions with us concerning the largeness and length of 

 the Ropes, that he said he cou'd adjust in two hours which 

 very soon after Mr. A. 3 took care to provide as likew> 

 bespeak a very convenient place for him in one Mr. Sk^en s 

 howse 4 a mile from the town and as far from the destin'd 

 place in the Castle. Your Grace knows the design had 

 been lone- a foot and we not beeincf then certain how soon 



1 Barns. Cunningham of Barns (see Patten's History, p. 38 Wood 

 (East Xeuk, p. 397 gives the follow: s - ee of the Barns family : — 



John Cunningham = el Sharp, 



of Barns, d. before daughter of Archbishop, 

 1704. d. 1693. 



j | 



William, JAME< = Margaret Cunningham John. Agnes, Margaret, 



d. 1691. i (perhaps his cousin). b. 1635. b. 1656. b. 1690. 



m. 1689. . d. 1686. d. 16:9. 



JOH>\ ALEXASDEE. 



b. 1691. 



This pedigree does nor impress me as being correct. If James 

 married in 1689, he would be, say, 21. and therefore born in 1668 — but 

 his next brother was born 1685. i.e. 17 years after. The Elie re_ 

 may decide. 



- Mr. Forbes, James Forbes. Cypher names of Captain Henry Harry) 

 Straton (Stracton. Straiton), one of the most active Jacobites of the 

 period, in the confidence of the Earl of Mar. See many letters and 

 references in the Cal. of the Stuart Papers. He died in 1725. Thus 

 Lockhart to the Pretender : — 



•• I gave you a few dayes ago ane account of H. Straton s death, my 

 letter Dated 8th instant May 1725 went by the common p -: : Mr. 

 Dundass. because I had no occasion of a ship from Leith and did not 

 incline to lose any time in acquainting you of it : however it was so 

 writ as to be of no consequences if intercepted. In it I told you all his 

 papers were secured : but I am now to inform you that last week his 

 wife, by the advice of Balinerinoch burnt all that had any relation to 

 you or your friends.'" — Lockhart Papers, ii. p. 154. 



It will become apparent in course of Dr. Arthurs narrative that 

 he throws blame for the failure of the conspiracy upon Captain 

 Straton. 



Mr. A. Who was this Not his brother Thomas. Perhaps James 

 Arthur of Shanon's Regiment. 



4 Mr. Skecn's house. The Master of Sinclair says, " They had employ 'd 

 a fellow in the Caltone to make the ladders."' 



