ARTILLERY COMPANY IN SCOTLAND AT THE TIME OF THE UNION. 581 
directed with the first convenience to go by sea to Holland and look 
out for “attenders following ” :— 
“One Master-Gunner and Fireworker at 3s. per diem for twelve 
months at 28 days in the month. 
“Two as near the same pitch of skill as he could obtain at 2s. per 
diem. 
“Wour well-qualified gunners at 1s. 6d. per diem who must all 
have been actively employed in the Service of the States 
General, of France, Spain, or Germany the time of the late 
wars.” 
He was also directed to order :— 
“Two 12-prs. and four 3-prs. according to the models sent.” 
Mr. Drummond was to send Slezer “ by first occasion” certain old 
brass ordnance which he was to sell “at the best advantage for His 
Majesty’s Service,” and having paid for the new guns from proceeds 
of sale “was to lay out the superplus as he should be thereafter 
directed.” Slezer was also directed “to keep Mr Drummond informed 
of his progress and return before the 20th of May next.” The 
latter stipulation was a physical impossibility considering what Slezer 
was expected to perform. 
The above instructions were dated “ Hdinburgh Castle, 30 March, 
1681,” and were signed by “J. Drummond” who was afterwards known 
as the Karl of Melfort, Secretary of State to Jas. II. and the companion 
of the latter’s exile. 
We now come to Slezer’s adventures in search of experienced foreign 
gunners which are detailed in a series of letters from the former 
addressed “to the Laird of Lundin,! Master-General of the Ordnance 
in Scotland, at Hdinburgh Castle.” For lack of space only the pith of 
Slezer’s letters are now given :— 
“Whitehall, 24 May, 1681.—-Would at length get away; had 
taken places in the Harwich Coach. My Lord Duke and my 
Lady Duchess [of York] take journey on Thursday next for 
the Bath and he was to leave Friday after. Had been 
learning about the rank the officers of Artillery held in 
England and found that the Master of the Ordnance had 
always a Regiment and commanded all Major-Generals, except 
a Major-General be Commander-in-Chief. Had been promised 
£150 for his expences.” 
“Hague, 1 August, N.S., 1681.—Believed the Prince of Orange 
would give leave to gunners to go to Scotland but the pay 
was thought too small. ‘When I propose the instructions I 
haiue as to their pay peopel smiles at me. Those that in 
England, or Scotland, are called gunners aire called heer 
Stackyonkers or gentlemen of the cannon. Their pay is 40 
gilders a month (at six weeks a month) in time of peace, 
1 Lt.-Gen. the Hon. John Drummond married first, 30th April, 1670, Sophia, daughter and heiress 
of Margaret Lundin, of Lundin, Co, Fife, and took the titular title of “ Laird of Lundin” on his 
wife’s coming into that estate. 
