310                  GENEALOGICAL COLLECTIONS [VOL. I

culo, certoque sis animo nos, tuam promptitudinem et summam
in hâc re fidelitatem, memori recondituros pectore, debitamque
(quando dederit Deus) retributuros mercedem. Vale iterum
atque iterum. Datum ab Aulâ nostrâ Oxoniensi 20 Die
Januarii, nostrique Regni 29 164¾.

TRANSACTIS octo post receptam hanc Epistolam Diebus, a
Regiâ Majestate alia itidem, Makintoshio tradita est Epistola,
quâ, integræ Morraviæ Regioni præesse imperabatur, cujus
etiam hic verba ad verbum exponuntur.

[page 273.]

CARLOUS R.

Fidelissime et perdilecte, S. Quandoquidem illi ut pluri-
mùm, quibus, nostri illius Regni gubernaculum commissum est,
libertate illis concessâ tantopere abusi sunt, ut, in nostrum,
detrimentum, extremumque rerum nostrarum subversionem et
hìc et illic eam penitus convertunt, verùm etiam (quod,
horrenda omnia et perfida eorum facinora hucusque impiè
perpetrata, summoper adauget et aggravat) sese turpium
mercenariorum adinstar (sine ullâ vel minimâ fucosi prætextûs
specie) iis hoc in loco, nobis nostrique Authoritati obstinatâ

service; and you may rest assured that we shall lay up in our
mindful heart your promptitude and great fidelity in this matter,
and shall (whensoever God shall give opportunity) recompense
you with due reward. Farewell again, and again. Given at
our court at Oxford, 20th January, and of our reign the nineteenth
year 164¾.'

Eight days after the receipt of this letter, another epistle from
his Majesty was delivered to Mackintosh, by which he was com-
missioned to govern the whole district of Moray. The terms of
the letter are here set forth:

'CHARLES R.

'Right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. Whereas
those to whom, for the most part, the government of that our
kingdom was committed, have so greatly abused the freedom
granted to them as to convert it wholly to our detriment, and to
the utter subversion of our affairs both here and there: yea, more
(what greatly increases and aggravates all their dreadful and
treacherous deeds hitherto wickedly perpetrated), they have (with-
out the least appearance of any pretext), like base mercenaries,
joined themselves as hirelings to those in this place who are op-
posing themselves in obstinate rebellion to us and our authority, in