The Silver Glen

I have now to tell you of a period of great heaviness and anxiety to all those concerned in Sir John’s affairs. Many a time in after days have I heard my dear lady say, that these three months which followed our return from Dysart were the longest and darkest of all that weary year.

The danger of my kind guardian’s ruin now seemed tenfold more imminent, for public attention having been brought to bear upon his affairs and himself placed in a position too prominent to be secure, it was impossible to know what would next befall. At first we at Alva scarcely realised how much was being made of the affair at London, but as the days went on, bringing my lady many letters from Mr. Campbell describing the development of events, it was soon made clear that the matter was considered a very serious one indeed. Mr. Charles Erskine was much with us, and many a long and serious talk my lady had with him. Sir Harry Stirling of Ardoch, who was also in her confidence, frequently added his counsel to these discussions, and being a sensible and energetic man, greatly in favour with Sir John, his presence gave my lady courage, and helped a little to ease her burden.

The story of the “Silver Mine in the Mountain,” as it was called, had excited a huge interest among the authorities, for you may be sure that not only were the reports of its wealth exaggerated, but it was seriously affirmed that the whole range of the Ochils was teeming with precious metals, and it only needed a skilled engineer of mines to discover the treasure. As, by an old Scots Act of 1592, a tenth part of all ore found in Scotland belonged by right to the Crown, there was some reason in the eagerness of the Government to learn the truth of the matter, and the affair was mentioned in the House of Commons, discussed in the Cabinet, and indeed brought before King George himself by my Lord Townshend, the Secretary of State.

The King, who had had some knowledge of mining in his native country, where silver was found to some extent, was monstrously interested in the news, and demanded that my Lord Townshend should bring him an exact report, first of the value of the ore, and secondly of the extent and richness of the veins yet to be worked. The ore having been submitted to Sir Isaac Newton, the Master of the Mint, he sent in a report to my lord, which though satisfactory in its way, only served to inflame their greedy desires, for Sir Isaac affirmed that “the ore was exceeding rich, a pound weight avoirdupois holding 4/2 in silver;” moreover he added that the silver was of the purest quality, holding neither gold nor copper.

As to a knowledge of the mines themselves, my Lord Townshend informed the King that he had no means of gaining this without sending someone into Scotland to examine the locality, and as Sir John was not yet attainted, and the property still in the hands of his lady, that, said my lord, would be a doubtful proceeding. Upon this his Majesty asked if there were no other way of getting the information, whereupon it was proposed to send for Mr. Haldane of Gleneagles, who, being connected with Sir John’s family, and at the same time much in favour at Court, would be a likely person to supply them with what they needed.

The result of this combination was that one morning my lady received an express from Mr. Haldane, which, when she had perused it, threw her into the utmost consternation. Indeed her rage and grief were like to make a breach between them for good, for he wrote to her in a way which, instead of furthering his ends, helped to frustrate them altogether. I am willing to believe that this gentleman meant nothing but kindness to Sir John, and was indeed rather proud of his part in the affair, thinking he was serving the family in the best manner possible; but he and my lady did not see the thing in the same light. He told her that the King had graciously commanded him to write to her instead of sending down officers to ask her questions; that it was therefore absolutely necessary she should inform him of all particulars connected with the mine, its probable extent, what they had got out of it, and particularly what knowledge she had of any acts connected with its possession, with which Sir John may have acquainted her. His Majesty, he said, was inclined to clemency, and were her reports satisfactory he had promised to sign a pardon permitting Sir John to return to Scotland and resume occupation of his estates, provided the mines were worked openly, and a proper share of the precious metal confirmed to the Crown. This Mr. Haldane considered a fair and merciful concession, and he advised my lady to keep nothing back but to rely on his Majesty’s generosity; for if she failed to comply with his demands in every particular, the King would cause Sir John’s name to be put in the next bill of attainder, and my lady and her family would be treated with the height of rigour.

Now you can well understand that to a person of my lady’s spirit such a letter would but act as an incentive to defiance. I can remember to this day how proudly she drew herself up, her eyes flashing and the ready colour rising to her cheek.

“Is it to be imagined,” she cried, “that I shall comply with such a demand as that? If Sir John is not yet attainted he is a free man, and an honest gentleman, with full right to do what he will with his own. No creature on earth, be he King or Prime Minister, has any title to call him to account for any part of his possessions; no, nor any right to peer and pry into his affairs. Let them send their officers, vile wretches, to make enquiries, I care not, but ’tis little they will get out of me! Comply, indeed! As soon would I give up my house to the first comer and beg my bread, with a child in each hand, from door to door!”

“What will you tell him?” I asked.

“I shall tell him, Barbara, nothing but the truth, you may be sure of that. But it will not be all the truth,” she added, with a laugh that betrayed her bitterness. “Do they deserve open dealings from me? Is it not a fine thing to write to a woman behind her husband’s back, ordering her to betray his interests without a word to or from himself? Oh, I shall never forgive Gleneagles for this! I could not have believed him capable of such treachery. I am certain his good wife, my sister Nell, can know nothing of it; but how can I ever be friendly again with her spouse?”

“Will you consult Mr. Erskine,” I said, “before you write?”

My lady remained for some time gazing thoughtfully on the ground.

“I think,” she said at length, “it will be wiser to write at once having consulted no one. Who knows what dangers lurk for those who befriend us as well as for ourselves? If Charles were here, or Harry Stirling, I would talk the matter over with them, but I cannot conceive that anything they might say would alter my mind, and if the King is angry it were better not to involve my friends.”

“Oh, dear madam,” cried I, in childish fear. “You will not say aught to anger the King?”

“Why, Barbara, as to that we must take our chance, but I fear my reply will scarce appear conciliatory to him and his friends. I shall say that ’tis true Sir John has found silver on his estate (that fact can no longer be concealed), but to no great amount; indeed the vein he was working hath already given out, and I am in doubt whether any more will be found. I shall say that I can give him no information of any kind, that I know nothing of acts or treaties, but that I should esteem it a truly unfriendly action if any were sent down here to investigate matters in the absence of Sir John. I will remind him that my husband is not yet attainted, and in the meantime I have full control of all his property and estates, so that no steps can be taken without my consent.”

Some such reply as this was forthwith written and despatched that day, my lady still burning with indignation and full of wrath. But I think she repented her haste and heat—though not her decision—when, a few days later, she heard from Mr. Campbell. Her letter, he told her, had greatly enraged the others, and Mr. Haldane, acting always in the King’s interest, agreed with my Lord Townshend that nothing now remained but to make out the order of inquiry and send a Commission from the Government to Scotland without delay. To ease my lady’s mind on this score, Mr. Campbell assured her that he had in his mind something which would delay this scheme, hoping, indeed, to prevent it altogether.

Sick at heart as my lady was, and torn with fears of all kinds, she yet believed so strongly in Mr. Campbell’s good sense and kindness that his promises comforted her not a little, and enabled her to bear with some semblance of patience the uncertainty and delay of the next few weeks. Mr. Erskine, as I said, came frequently from Edinburgh to see her, and nothing could exceed his kindness and diligence on her behalf.

She was now busily employed in removing from their hiding-place near the house the barrels and casks of ore, and bestowing them safely in a spot, of which none but herself, and Mr. Erskine, and the men employed had any knowledge. As the strictest secrecy was to be preserved, the work was done during the night, and great ingenuity must have been used, for not a creature ever discovered nor attempted to divulge the matter.

On our asking what means Mr. Campbell was employing to delay the sending of the Commission, Mr. Erskine told us that by the advice of Sir David Dalrymple, the Lord Advocate, he had brought to their notice the old Scots law which enacted that minerals found on any man’s estate were not to be included in confiscated property; so that, even supposing Sir John were attainted, the Government would have no more interest in his mines than a small share in the profits. This consideration made them pause, for they were determined to get the most out of it that they could, and yet were reluctant about ignoring the law in a way that would probably enrage all Scotland. However, the delay was precious to our interests, and when one day Mr. Erskine informed my lady that he had decided to go to Holland next month to meet with his brother, Dr. Erskine, and learn what could be done for Sir John by the influence of the Czar, her heart was greatly lightened and hope again asserted itself.

Mr. Erskine was to go first to his country house, Tinwald, in Dumfriesshire, and from there to London, that he might consult with Mr. Campbell before setting out for the Hague. As it turned out, this step was the best he could have taken, for, as you will see later, he also was instrumental in delaying the Commission, although, owing to the zealousness of Mr. Haldane, and some others, to serve the King, it was found impossible to dispose of it altogether.

Not having had any word of Sir John for nigh two months, my lady was getting very downcast as to what had become of him, and her fears were not lessened by reading in the papers that my Lord Duffus had been arrested at Hamburg, and was now in prison. Thoughts of her husband’s danger haunted her night and day, and we were all greatly relieved when one evening towards the end of July two letters reached her from Sir John, which set her immediate fears to rest. More than anything else was she thankful to hear that her husband was no longer in the company of the exiled King, though if she could have known the business he was then employed in, I warrant she would have thought she had room enough for fears.

In her reply to those letters you will see that her method of expressing herself is more cautious than usual, for she takes the name of Mrs. Amond for herself and Mr. Ashton for Sir John, while Mr. Campbell is Duncan, Mr. Erskine, Key, and Mr. Haldane, Humphray.