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HAM/1/20/115
Letter from Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton
Diplomatic Text
Wilton Lodge
18th= Janry- 1791.
My Dear Sister,
The execrability of the Weather
having confined me to the Library, this
forenoon, & finding myself rather in a con=
=descending humour, I have prevailed on my=
=self to sit down to insense You, if poʃsible.
You will allow, there are some folks, with
whom, this might be a difficult Task; but tho',
you have for some Years been domesticated,
at a distance from the Capital, yet, you may
poʃsibly retain so much of your former In=
=digo corruption, as to flatter yourself, that
your acuteneʃs & penetration are fully suffi=
=cient to comprehend & unravel the Mysteries
of Peerage Politics.
In the first place, when You
wrote to Me, you must have known, from the
Newspapers, that the Committee of Privileges
have not met, on the subject of our Election,
but that busineʃs will come on, immediately
after the present Receʃs, & I think may poʃsibly
amuse their Lordships for a couple of Years,
at least. Our Adversaries object to the Votes of the
Earls of Caithneʃs, Moray, Rosebery, De Loraine, Visct-
Dumblaine, Lords Ochiltree, Sinclair, Lindores,
Napier, Fairfax, & Belhaven. We object to the
Votes of the Duke of Rothsay, Earls Dysart & Caʃsillis,
Lords Cranstoun, Newark, Kinnaird. Besides these,
we have objections to the Votes of the Marquis of Lothian
& Visct. Falkland, which we have reasons for not
stating, 'till we see how their Lordships in the Committee will treat
the objections, of our Enemies, to the votes of the
Earls of Rosebery, De Loraine, Lords Sinclair & Fairfax.
The real Battle will, I think, be fought on these
Votes viz.
For my Friends ▼
E. Caithneʃs, a good Vote
Moray, Do-
V. Dumblane Do-
L. Ochiltree, doubtfull
Lindores, good
Napier, good
Belhaven -- 7 good for nothing.[1]
For our Adversaries
D. Rothsay -- bad
E. Dysart -- wont be counted
Caʃsillis -- I think, will be counted
L. Cranstoun, wont be counted
Newark -- bad
Kinnaird -- 6 wont be counted.[2]
Objections by the Enemy
1st. The Earl of Caithneʃs has presented his Claim
to that Peerage to the House of Lords, who have
not yet decided on it. Answer, the claim is good &
will be decided to be so.
2nd- The Earl of Moray, has no right to that Title, but
is Viscount Doune only. Answer, He has a Right
to that Title, & is ready to shew his Charter.
3rd- Viscount Dumblane, (the D. of Leeds) was called up
to the House of Lords since the Union, & therefore not
entitled to Vote. Answer. He sits in the House of
Lords, as D. of Leeds, created before the Union, & not as
Baron Osborne created since the Union, therefore he
has a right to Vote.
4th. Lord Ochiltree has presented his Claim to that
Peerage to the House of Lords, who have not yet
decided on it -- N.B. I doubt whether he will be
able to make out his Right, or not?
5th- Lord Lindores, has no right to that Title. NB.
On the death of the last Lord Lindores, his Cousin
the present Lord, aʃsumed the Title without
petitioning for it. I am told by the Lawyers
that his right is good.
6th. That the Title of Napier is Extinct. Answer,
It is not Extinct, & the present Lord, has his
Charter ready to produce, to show that it
exists in his person.
7th. That Lord Belhaven has no Right to that
Title. To which opinion I subscribe.
Objections by my Friends.
1st. The Patent creating the first D. of Rothsay does
not exist, the limitations are therefore unknown
No Act of the Scots Parliament exists declaring the
Prince of Scotland, Duke of Rothsay, by Birth. No
Duke of Rothesay ever did sit in the Parlt of
Scotland. That Title was not on the Union
Roll. It has since been added, but not by
an Order of the House of Lords. The Proxy
given by the Prince at last Election, was
defaced & informal.[3]
2d- The Proxy given by the Earl of Dysart was
defaced & informal, besides, the Peer who held
it, wasdid not qualifiedy to vote according to Law.
3d. The Proxy of the Earl of Caʃsillis is dated in
July 1790, & authorises the person to whom it
was sent, to vote for him at the Election the
24th- of July next. This is aʃserted to mean the
24th. July 1791. NB. I think this a quibble, & that
this vote will be sustained.
4th. The Peer, to whom, Lord Cranstoun gave his
Proxy, did not qualify to vote according to Law.
5th= Lord Newark has no Right to that Title; the
Patent on Record, granting it, to the Heirs Male
of General David Lesly, the first Lord Newark,
& the present Lord, is the Descendant of a
Female heir of the first Lords.
6th- Lord Kinnaird, did not qualify to vote, ac=
=cording to Law, whereby his own Vote, & those
he gave as Proxy for the Earl of Dysart
and Lord Cranstoun, are void. NB. This is
a laughable fact. Lord Kinnaird was present
at the Election, but when signing the Oaths,
has actually written Kinnoul instead of
Kinnaird to the Oath of Allegiance. Lord
Kinnoul had signed immediately before
him, & instead of subscribing his own Name,
he had copied the one before it. This was
not discovered, 'till we found it out, in
hunting for flaws.
Now, the Lists of objections will, I think, in
the end, be found to stand thus; We shall lose
Ochiltree & Belhaven. Our Adversaries willl lose, Roth=
=say, Dysart, Cranstoun, Newark & Kinnaird. This will
take off two from our Strength & five from theirs.
The objections, the Enemy make to, Rosebery, De Lo=
=raine, Sinclair & Fairfax, are applicable to Lothian
& Falkland, on their Side. The objection arises from
a blunder of the Court of Chancery, which I am
told is of no consequence. If the House of Lords
should think otherwise, those votes must be
struck off, on both sides, in which case we shall
lose Eight Votes & they will lose only Seven.
I find, on looking at my Memorandums the
Enemy have objections to the Votes of Viscount
Dumblane & Lord Lindores, on account of the
Chancery mistake, as well as what I before
stated to You. Our Lawyers say, that the Chan=
=cery blunder is of no consequence, because it can
be corrected by the record at the Petty Bay Office.
The Duke of Queensberry & Marquis of Abercorn
claim a Right of voting, & sent Lists to the Election,
which were rejected. An order of the House of Lords
says, that no Peer claiming to sit in the House
of Lords by a Title created since the Union,
shall vote at our Elections. If they abide
by their Resolution, Queensberry & Abercorn can
have no Right to Vote. Abercorn, had put my
name down in his List. Sir Walter Montgome=
=ry Cunninghame claimed a right, to Vote as
Lord Lyle, which was rejected, the Title of
Lyle not being on the Union Roll. Our Ad=
=versaries, defend this Title; but it has been
dormant for two Centuries, & tho' he should
establish his Right, yet not being on the Roll,
no vote he could offer, at the last Election,
can be counted. So much for the Peerage of
Scotland & their Election.
I wish you joy of the Cheva=
=lier Palombi's visitation, & of the Marriage of
your relation Colonel Hamilton who lived with
Lordlate Lord Abercorn. My Edinr. paper today
announces his espousals. The Lady's name is
Ewart, a Clergyman's daughter, & formerly Compa=
=nion to my Sisters. Her brother is Envoy, at Berlin.
She, once, flattered herself, with becoming my Rib.
I like your House. The Water Closet, I presume,
discharges itself into the Cold Bath, from thence
into the Warm Bath, by which means, the Water
will be sufficiently softened, & will partake
much of the Quality of Thames Water, and will
consequently be good for Brewing. Your Com
=fortable Room, is much to be envied. We have
converted our Drawing Room into the Nursery,
being the largest in the House. My Library into
the Living Room & the late Nursery into my
Library. I own, I should like to take a peep of
You & should not be sorry, could You see Us.
Adieu, for my fingers have got the Cramp,
& I have written so much about the Lords, that
all humble Ideas have been driven out
of my Brains. Best affections from Rib &
Self to You, Mr. Dickenson & Miʃs. Ever my
Dear Sister,
Your Affect. Brother
Napier.
[4]
Hawick, Eighteenth Janry= 1791.
Mrs= Dickenson[5]
Taxal
Chapel le Frith
Derby
by Carlisle
Napier.
[6]
(hover over blue text or annotations for clarification;
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
red text is normalised and/or unformatted in other panel)
Notes
1. These 8 lines form the first column.
2. Moved section (second column, 7 lines) here from right of the first column.
3. A sense of informal current at this period is ‘[n]ot done or made according to a recognized or prescribed form; not observing established procedures or rules; unofficial; irregular’. A more specific sense, ‘[o]f a vote, ballot paper, etc.: not in due form; spoilt, invalid’, is not recorded in OED for another 50 years (OED s.v., adj. 2.a. and 2.c. Accessed 16-03-2022).
4. This page is blank.
5. Postmark ‘HAWICK’ in brown ink.
6. Seal, in red wax.
Normalised Text
Wilton Lodge
18th= January 1791.
My Dear Sister,
The execrability of the Weather
having confined me to the Library, this
forenoon, & finding myself rather in a condescending
humour, I have prevailed on myself
to sit down to incense You, if possible.
You will allow, there are some folks, with
whom, this might be a difficult Task; but though,
you have for some Years been domesticated,
at a distance from the Capital, yet, you may
possibly retain so much of your former Indigo
corruption, as to flatter yourself, that
your acuteness & penetration are fully sufficient
to comprehend & unravel the Mysteries
of Peerage Politics.
In the first place, when You
wrote to Me, you must have known, from the
Newspapers, that the Committee of Privileges
have not met, on the subject of our Election,
but that business will come on, immediately
after the present Recess, & I think may possibly
amuse their Lordships for a couple of Years,
at least. Our Adversaries object to the Votes of the
Earls of Caithness, Moray, Rosebery, De Loraine, Viscount
Dumblaine, Lords Ochiltree, Sinclair, Lindores,
Napier, Fairfax, & Belhaven. We object to the
Votes of the Duke of Rothsay, Earls Dysart & Cassillis,
Lords Cranstoun, Newark, Kinnaird. Besides these,
we have objections to the Votes of the Marquis of Lothian
& Viscount Falkland, which we have reasons for not
stating, 'till we see how their Lordships in the Committee will treat
the objections, of our Enemies, to the votes of the
Earls of Rosebery, De Loraine, Lords Sinclair & Fairfax.
The real Battle will, I think, be fought on these
Votes viz.
For my Friends ▼
Earl Caithness, a good Vote
Moray, Ditto
Viscount Dumblane Ditto
Lord Ochiltree, doubtful
Lindores, good
Napier, good
Belhaven -- 7 good for nothing.
For our Adversaries
Duke Rothsay -- bad
Earl Dysart -- won't be counted
Cassillis -- I think, will be counted
Lord Cranstoun, won't be counted
Newark -- bad
Kinnaird -- 6 won't be counted.
Objections by the Enemy
1st. The Earl of Caithness has presented his Claim
to that Peerage to the House of Lords, who have
not yet decided on it. Answer, the claim is good &
will be decided to be so.
2nd- The Earl of Moray, has no right to that Title, but
is Viscount Doune only. Answer, He has a Right
to that Title, & is ready to show his Charter.
3rd- Viscount Dumblane, (the Duke of Leeds) was called up
to the House of Lords since the Union, & therefore not
entitled to Vote. Answer. He sits in the House of
Lords, as Duke of Leeds, created before the Union, & not as
Baron Osborne created since the Union, therefore he
has a right to Vote.
4th. Lord Ochiltree has presented his Claim to that
Peerage to the House of Lords, who have not yet
decided on it -- N.B. I doubt whether he will be
able to make out his Right, or not?
5th- Lord Lindores, has no right to that Title. NB.
On the death of the last Lord Lindores, his Cousin
the present Lord, assumed the Title without
petitioning for it. I am told by the Lawyers
that his right is good.
6th. That the Title of Napier is Extinct. Answer,
It is not Extinct, & the present Lord, has his
Charter ready to produce, to show that it
exists in his person.
7th. That Lord Belhaven has no Right to that
Title. To which opinion I subscribe.
Objections by my Friends.
1st. The Patent creating the first Duke of Rothsay does
not exist, the limitations are therefore unknown
No Act of the Scots Parliament exists declaring the
Prince of Scotland, Duke of Rothsay, by Birth. No
Duke of Rothesay ever did sit in the Parliament of
Scotland. That Title was not on the Union
Roll. It has since been added, but not by
an Order of the House of Lords. The Proxy
given by the Prince at last Election, was
defaced & informal.
2d- The Proxy given by the Earl of Dysart was
defaced & informal, besides, the Peer who held
it, did not qualify to vote according to Law.
3d. The Proxy of the Earl of Cassillis is dated in
July 1790, & authorises the person to whom it
was sent, to vote for him at the Election the
24th- of July next. This is asserted to mean the
24th. July 1791. NB. I think this a quibble, & that
this vote will be sustained.
4th. The Peer, to whom, Lord Cranstoun gave his
Proxy, did not qualify to vote according to Law.
5th= Lord Newark has no Right to that Title; the
Patent on Record, granting it, to the Heirs Male
of General David Lesly, the first Lord Newark,
& the present Lord, is the Descendant of a
Female heir of the first Lords.
6th- Lord Kinnaird, did not qualify to vote, according
to Law, whereby his own Vote, & those
he gave as Proxy for the Earl of Dysart
and Lord Cranstoun, are void. NB. This is
a laughable fact. Lord Kinnaird was present
at the Election, but when signing the Oaths,
has actually written Kinnoul instead of
Kinnaird to the Oath of Allegiance. Lord
Kinnoul had signed immediately before
him, & instead of subscribing his own Name,
he had copied the one before it. This was
not discovered, 'till we found it out, in
hunting for flaws.
Now, the Lists of objections will, I think, in
the end, be found to stand thus; We shall lose
Ochiltree & Belhaven. Our Adversaries willl lose, Rothsay
, Dysart, Cranstoun, Newark & Kinnaird. This will
take off two from our Strength & five from theirs.
The objections, the Enemy make to, Rosebery, De Loraine
, Sinclair & Fairfax, are applicable to Lothian
& Falkland, on their Side. The objection arises from
a blunder of the Court of Chancery, which I am
told is of no consequence. If the House of Lords
should think otherwise, those votes must be
struck off, on both sides, in which case we shall
lose Eight Votes & they will lose only Seven.
I find, on looking at my Memorandums the
Enemy have objections to the Votes of Viscount
Dumblane & Lord Lindores, on account of the
Chancery mistake, as well as what I before
stated to You. Our Lawyers say, that the Chancery
blunder is of no consequence, because it can
be corrected by the record at the Petty Bay Office.
The Duke of Queensberry & Marquis of Abercorn
claim a Right of voting, & sent Lists to the Election,
which were rejected. An order of the House of Lords
says, that no Peer claiming to sit in the House
of Lords by a Title created since the Union,
shall vote at our Elections. If they abide
by their Resolution, Queensberry & Abercorn can
have no Right to Vote. Abercorn, had put my
name down in his List. Sir Walter Montgomery
Cunninghame claimed a right, to Vote as
Lord Lyle, which was rejected, the Title of
Lyle not being on the Union Roll. Our Adversaries
, defend this Title; but it has been
dormant for two Centuries, & though he should
establish his Right, yet not being on the Roll,
no vote he could offer, at the last Election,
can be counted. So much for the Peerage of
Scotland & their Election.
I wish you joy of the Chevalier
Palombi's visitation, & of the Marriage of
your relation Colonel Hamilton who lived with
late Lord Abercorn. My Edinburgh paper today
announces his espousals. The Lady's name is
Ewart, a Clergyman's daughter, & formerly Companion
to my Sisters. Her brother is Envoy, at Berlin.
She, once, flattered herself, with becoming my Rib.
I like your House. The Water Closet, I presume,
discharges itself into the Cold Bath, from thence
into the Warm Bath, by which means, the Water
will be sufficiently softened, & will partake
much of the Quality of Thames Water, and will
consequently be good for Brewing. Your Comfortable
Room, is much to be envied. We have
converted our Drawing Room into the Nursery,
being the largest in the House. My Library into
the Living Room & the late Nursery into my
Library. I own, I should like to take a peep of
You & should not be sorry, could You see Us.
Adieu, for my fingers have got the Cramp,
& I have written so much about the Lords, that
all humble Ideas have been driven out
of my Brains. Best affections from Rib &
Self to You, Mr. Dickenson & Miss. Ever my
Dear Sister,
Your Affectionate Brother
Napier.
Hawick, Eighteenth January 1791.
Mrs= Dickenson
Taxal
Chapel le Frith
Derby
by Carlisle
Napier.
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quotations, spellings, uncorrected forms, split words, abbreviations, formatting)
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Notes
Metadata
Library References
Repository: John Rylands Research Institute and Library, University of Manchester
Archive: Mary Hamilton Papers
Item title: Letter from Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton
Shelfmark: HAM/1/20/115
Correspondence Details
Sender: Francis Scott Napier, 8th Lord
Place sent: Roxburghshire
Addressee: Mary Hamilton
Place received: Taxal, near Chapel-en-le-Frith
Date sent: 18 January 1791
Letter Description
Summary: Letter from Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier, to Mary Hamilton, relating to
politics and elections. Napier lists the Lords and those he views as
supporters and those as opponents. He also details both the 'objections by
the Enemy' and the 'objections by my Friends'.
Napier also writes on family and friends including the Chevalier
Palombi.
Dated at Wilton Lodge [Roxburghshire].
Length: 1 sheet, 1446 words
Transliteration Information
Editorial declaration: First edited in the project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers' (Hannah Barker, Sophie Coulombeau, David Denison, Tino Oudesluijs, Cassandra Ulph, Christine Wallis & Nuria Yáñez-Bouza, 2019-2023).
All quotation marks are retained in the text and are represented by appropriate Unicode characters. Words split across two lines may have a hyphen on the first, the second or both fragments (reco-|ver, imperfect|-ly, satisfacti-|-on); or a double hyphen (pur=|port, dan|=ger, qua=|=litys); or none (respect|ing). Any point in abbreviations with superscripted letter(s) is placed last, regardless of relative left-right orientation in the original. Thus, Mrs. or Mrs may occur, but M.rs or Mr.s do not.
Acknowledgements: Transcription and XML version created as part of project 'Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers', funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council under grant AH/S007121/1.
Transliterator: Christine Wallis, editorial team (completed 19 January 2022)
Cataloguer: Lisa Crawley, Archivist, The John Rylands Library
Cataloguer: John Hodgson, Head of Special Collections, John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Copyright: Transcriptions, notes and TEI/XML © the editors
Revision date: 16 March 2022