[From Atholl Papers - AP X13-16 (MS 09707/2/357)]

No 4th

My Lord

Last week I had the Honour to receive both your Grace's letter of the 5th of last month by the Attorney General.

The Papers your Grace did me the Honour to Send against the Earl of Derby had been read over with a great deal of Joy and that Success may attend your Grace is the Earnest wish and desire of the whole Island. Manny a Bumper ? have I Drunk to the good Luck of it.

Two days after your Grace's letter came to my hand anent altering the staile I went to the Bishope and told him that I was order'd by your Grace to wait upon his Lordsh[ip] to advise with him about altering the staile he was much pleased that your Grace did him the Honour to Consult with him in that affair and he and every body in the Island are very Senesble how necessary it is for the good of the Island that their staile should be the same with their Neighbours otherwise they would often be flung into great Confusion. The kees will mett next month and then I shall lay it before them.

The Memorrandams Sent by the Attorney General shall be faithfully obeyed as to Mr George Moor's Request your Grace's whole Officers are of opinion that it is a reasonable Request We have all been over the Ground and are all of opinion that by the Exchange your Grace getts full as good Ground as you give and if both were putt together this value of them would be but a mear Triffle it will be a great advantage to Mr Moor and by no means a loss to your Grace.

Since your Grace has been so good as to leave it to me the Cutting Down of the Trees Tho' I am a great Lover of Trees yett with Reluctancy I have Pronounced the Sentence of Death upon them as they are a great Nusance thay Spole the Roof Darken and Moisten the House. In place of the Trees I propose to make a Flower Garden and am for that end Colecting Flowers. The two outer Trees next the outer Gate they will stand for this Season and if next Summer brings your Grace to the Island then I Reckon their Fate will be Determined Whether they stand of fall.

By my next I shall Send Mr Harrison's Receipt for £4600 the Receiver General has it and when he comes here shall gett it I give the Controler your Grace's Receipt for the Money sent in Aoril last.

My last letter no 3d of July 27th I hope came to hand in which there was a Bill for £147:12:8.

Widow Stevenson is Returned from Ireland with her Commission The Jurrys are going one and as it is known that the Sequestration is in my hand I believe it will keep some Folks in order I hope there will be no occasion to use it But if there is any more Triffling Work your Grace's orders shall be Obey'd.

Inclosed is the Commission for the General Summer.

We have had the very bad weather of late which has don a great deal of Damage to the Heavest and the Herring Fishing which promised greatly about ten days agoe is att present att a stand.

I am &c Basil Cochrane

Castletown Septr 6th 1751

Notes

Cochrane's spelling is somewhat ideomatic. 'Altering the staile' refers to the change of style of dates - the Old Style started theYear from March 25th (the feast of the Annunciation on the nominal equinox), whereas the New Style to be adopted, in Britain from 1st January 1752 was to start a year from that day - this change was also the occasion to switch from the Julian date to the Gregorian date (the missing 11 days).

1751 also saw the final court decision that confirmed the Duke of Athol's claim to be Lord of Man.

Cochrane's description of the trees darkening his house is one of the few mentions of the then Governor's house on the Parade in Castletown - it would appear from this that it was set babk from the street.