When the pretender was gone to Scotland, attended by the above-mentioned troopers of Nugent's regiment, his royal highness was pleafed to promite the underwritten minifter, that he would treat them as deferters, if ever they returned to France; and the marefchal d'Uxelles at the fame time aflured the said earl, that he would hang them all, without distinction.

Thefe foldiers are now returned, and have joined their regiment. Monfieur Befach, and his company, remain, to this very hour, at Morlaix, as alfo the arms and ammunition that he had with him for his intended expedition; which being removed out of one fhip into another, in the harbour of Morlaix, the commanding officer there was fo far from confifcating the faid arms and ammunition, that he even refused to fearch the veffel, tho he was defired fo to do by captain Campbell, commander of an Englifh fhip, which yet remains in that port.

Within five weeks past, feveral veffels have failed from Dieppe and Havre de Grace, with arms and ammunition, officers and money, for the pretender's fervice; all which are actually arrived in Scotland: and, to be more particular, there failed a veffel from Havre de Grace, on the feventeenth of this month, in the face of an officer belonging to the king of Great Britain; who having reprefented to the marquis of Rouvray, that there lay, at that time, both in Havre de Grace and at Harfleur,

at

at least twenty officers, ready to follow the pretender into Scotland, on board the faid veffel, and begged him to prevent their embarking: the marquis replied, That what he faid might be very true; but, that he could not prevent their going on board, having no orders from court for that purpose.

The faid earl of Stair has alfo frequently reprefented, both to his royal highnefs the regent, and the marefchal d' Huxelles, that feveral generals, colonels, and other officers, then actually engaged in the fervice of France, were determined to go and join the rebels in Scotland. The faid earl went fo far as even to give the marefchal d' Huxelles a list of the faid generals and other officers, who, agreeable to the faid earl's reprefentation, are now actually at Boulogne, Calais, Dunkirk, and other places in that neighbourhood, ready to tranfport themselves with the firft opportunity into Scotland, from whence they have been hitherto detained by nothing but the exceffive cold of the feafon and contrary winds; the commanding officers in the faid places openly avowing, that they have received no orders to prevent their embarkation.

The earl of Stair finds it his duty to reprefent thefe facts to the duke regent, to the end that his royal highnefs may himfelf determine, whether his orders have been executed with punctuality; and, whether it may be thought in Great Britain, that the treaty of Utrecht VOL. XII.

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has

has been faithfully complied with on the part of France.

The aforefaid earl of Stair finds himself obliged to acquaint his royal highness, That the late duke of Ormond, and feveral others, who have confpired equally againft their king and country, did, within a few days, begin their journey towards Bourdeaux and Bayonne; and, that they have got together, upon the coaft of Gafcony, a confiderable quantity of arms, ammunition, and ships, with which the court of St. Germains boafts its intention to make a descent in Ireland; which, as the fame court flatters itself, will be fupported, not only with the money, but even with the troops, of France.

The earl of Stair, who has always laboured with the utmost zeal, to establish a good and perfect friendship between the king his mafter and his royal highnefs the duke-regent, cannot help being much concerned to find himself reduced to make remonftrances upon points of fo ticklish a nature, fo capable of deftroying the harmony that at prefent fubfifts between two nations, and of producing fuch difcontents as may be attended with the most griev ous confequences, if not immediately prevented by neceffary orders.

It was not poffible to elude the force of this reprefentation; and, accordingly, his royal highness faw, that, to remove all fufpicions,

and

and preferve the friendship of Great Britain, he must be obliged to fpeak plain; agreeable to which, his anfwer was, That he would forbid the exportation of any arms or ammunition out of the kingdom; and, that he should fend fich orders to all the ports of France as his Britannic majefty defired, together with inftractions for the captains of fuch veffels as were bound for any part of Scotland.

Another Memorial by lord Stair to the Regent.

THE earl of Stair, minifter of the king of Great Britain to his moft Chriftian majesty, has received exprefs orders from the king his mafter, to acquaint his royal highness the duke of Orleans, regent of France, with the flight of the pretender, and the difperfion of the rebels in Scotland. His majefty is perfuaded this news will be very acceptable to the duke regent, as well on account of the proximity of their blood, as in regard to the ftrict friendship which his majefty has fo carefully cultivated with his highness.

The treaty of Utrecht is fo recent, that the king was perfuaded his royal highness would have taken the neceffary measures to have prevented the pretender's fetting his foot in France; but, fince the faid pretender has found means to return thither, his majefty afD 2 fures

fures himself, that, fo foon as his royal highnefs shall be made acquainted with it, he will take the neceffary measures to oblige him to quit the kingdom.

The king of Great Britain commands the earl of Stair to infift, in the ftrongest manner, with his royal highnefs, That those perfons who ftand condemned by the laws of England, and are declared rebels and traitors to their king and country, may not be permitted to remain in France; and, that the chief abettors and authors of the late rebellion may be immediately obliged to leave the kingdom; and, that his royal highnefs will declare his refolution, not to permit the faid rebels ever to return into France; or, that other perfons, who may hereafter be condemned and declared rebels, hall at any time be received, or find protection in that kingdom.

His royal highnefs is too reafonable and too wife, not to fee the juftice and propriety of this demand. Great-Britain can never repofe herfelf in fafety and peace, whilft the fees thofe perfons received and entertained in her neighbourhood, who have endeavoured, with -open force, to bring on the ruin and total fubverfion of their country. Nor can France be perfectly affured, that the fhall not once again fee herself expofed to bear all the blame and refentment due to undertakings of fo mifchiev

us a nature.

The king and people of Great-Britain think --themfelves fecure on the fide of France, by