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and thirdly, because I thought ye service yr by done to His 
Majesty would be very inconsiderable in comparison of the 
expense, and it would weaken our hands much in case of any 
such emergency as ye present. I found, however, on Monday 
last, when I was at Drfs., yt some gentlemen who were extremely 
kean upon this project had procured a good many subscriptions, 
and listed about half a score of nen, and wrote to yr Grace con- 
cerning it without waiting for ye meeting of ye gentlemen and 
clergy yt was appointed to be on Monday last. 
“To explain this conduct to your Grace, I must inform you yt 
when ye rebels passed ye Forth ye gentlemen of ye shire had 
appointed a committee of a few of yr number about Dumfries to 
procure intelligence, and call yem together by circular letter upon 
any emergency. Ye clergy also appointed a committee of yr 
number to take such measures as was thought proper, and call 
ym together if necessary. A very few of yese two committees 
took it in their heads, without calling any meeting, to contrive 
yt a letter should be wrote to the Lord Justice-Clerk, which 
was accordingfy done, and subscribed by a few of ye gentlemen, 
setting forth ye zeal of ye country, and yt if orders were given 
for yt purpose a great many men would enlist in terms of ye pro- 
clamation allowing £4 bounty money to each man who would 
enlist, to be discharged at ye end of six months, or when ye 
rebellion should end. Unluckily they blundered in this by con- 
founding two proclamations together, viz.—one offering £4 bounty 
money to men of a certain age who would enlist in the Guards, 
and another offering freedom at ye end of six months, or when ye 
rebellion should end, to any who would enlist, but ych mentions 
no bounty. The Justice-Clerk, in his return to them, commended 
yr zeal, but pointed out the blunder, upon ych yt ye scheme might 
not be altogether abortive, ych they had thus taken upon ym to 
contrive, they set ye above project on foot. 
*« As I found they had wrote yr Grace, but did not know in 
what terms, I thought it my duty to take ye first opportunity to 
give you ye real and true history of ye matter. 
“‘ At the meeting on Monday when the above news came, and 
ye project of raising ye country was agreed upon, it was likewise 
yt part of the money subscribed should be applied to buy ammuni, 
tion and pay such men as could not afford to come out on yr own 
charge, as I believe we are all truly zealous to serve His Majesty 
K. George. I thought it would be very imprudent to say or do 
