1914-15.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 389 



or thirty we expected with Balhady. 1 The time drawing 

 near my Brother got one Ainsly a Serjant of the greatest 

 interest in the Castle, Cozen Germ[an] to Blackhall 2 a 

 Laird at Kelso whom I shall have occasion to mention 

 afterwards, appoynted to meet him at a retir'd Alehouse 

 without the walls that had for its' Sign ' Suum Cuique ' 3 

 where Barns Dr. Montgomery 4 and I were waiting for him 

 where taking him to a private Room, never parted with 

 him till he got him perswaded to undertake the matter 

 chearfully. He refus'd money alledgeing himself a gentle- 

 man, told my Brother that he needed only two Sentinells 

 and gave him his best advice to whom he shou'd apply — 

 Said he cou ; d have the charge of the Guard when he 

 had a mind and assign these men their proper posts, that 

 it would be easy for him to nail all the arms but that 

 they would be usefull to our selfs. The two Souldiers 

 were soon engadg'd one of them was son to Holland 5 who 

 was design'd to be the Messenger of our Success who no 

 doubt was the first who brought your Grace the fatall 

 news. I spoke with the yowng Lad myself and did all 

 I cou'd to animate him. Our affairs being brought to this 

 happy posture we cou'd not refrain to hugg ourselves and 

 my Brother pretending to his wife to goe see my Lord 

 Leven at Melvill went as hard as he cou'd to inform my 

 Lord Drummond of his good fortune. But missing Mr. 

 Forbes at that time was in hazard of beeing apprehended 

 he was obligd to follow him five miles higher up the 

 Cuntry which made him a day latter in his return. His 

 wife Concluding that he was gone over to your Grace and 

 that I could not but be acquainted with it, did not spare 



1 William Drummoud of Balhaldy (otherwise called MacGregor of 

 Balhaldie). Nephew of Colonel Alau (Allen, Allan) Cameron, brother 

 of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel. 



2 Blackhall. Who? 



3 Suum Cuique Alehouse. Where was this, and what its history .' 



4 Employed by Lockhart to go from Carnwath to Edinburgh to 

 Captain Straton for information. Lockhart Papers, vol. i, p. 4^7. 



Lockhari/s wife was Lady Euphemia Montgomery, third daughter of 

 ninth Earl of Eglinton — was she a relation ? 



5 The two soldiers were, according to the account in Rae's history, 

 "James Thomson and John Holland," who had "received, the one 

 8 guineas and the other 4, with a Promise of a better Reward, if the 

 Design should succeed." Holland, the father ; "Old Holland,'' as he is 

 afterwards called. 



