ARTILLERY COMPANY IN SCOTLAND AT THE TIME OF THE UNION. 589 
supplied to the Artillery Company. Dr. Jamieson points out that Slezer’s 
generosity in respect of new clothing was ill-timed as he was then 
deeply in debt and a shelterer in the sanctuary of Holyrood House. 
Slezer’s excuse for undertaking the above expense was that “he 
clothed his Company sooner than suffer them to go naked.” It is also 
stated that Slezer’s creditors, “tired with waiting for their money, 
prosecuted him for each separate debt and these, by a decree of the 
Court of Sessions, he was obliged to pay interest on for 10 or 12 years 
and also the costs of each creditor who brought an action.” When 
the Artillery Company in Scotland was put on the English Establish- 
ment, in January 1708, the unfortunate Slezer once more appealed for 
justice and brought out his “Stated Case” in which he speaks of him- 
self as “Captain of the Artillery Company in Scotland and late 
Surveyor of the Public Magazines,” All his wrongs were recapitulatad 
and put in print. But justice is proverbiably blind and it was not until 
the author of Theatrwm Scotiw had been long in his unknown grave 
that his magnwm opus received the public attention this work 
undoubtedly merited. The despairing author left Scotland for ever and 
where he spent his last few years is not known but we know the 
evening of his life must have been a miserable one :— 
“They live too long who happiness outlive.” 
Captain John Slezer is believed to have died in June 1714, which 
was just eighteen months before that splendid veteran Colonel Albert 
Borgard was sent to Scotland with a Train of Artillery and who, on 
taking over the command of the Scotch Train found the latter “in 
such confusion as cannot be expressed.” Truly John Slezer was 
avenged for the reduction of the North British Train was decided on 
the same year. By his wife (née Straiton) Slezer left two surviving 
sons of whom nothing is known, but it is not improbable that Captain 
John Slessor who served in the Royal Irish Artillery 1794—1801 and 
was afterwards Major in 35th Foot, was a descendant. 
