He wisely took no notice of this slight,--for,
comparing the weight of his services to the Government with the services
of Douglas, a slight it undoubtedly was, and was meant to be. He knew
that it did not come from the King, and he was much too prudent and too
proud to let the others see that he was annoyed by a stupid insult he
was powerless to resent. But there exists a letter from Secretary
Murray to Queensberry which makes the business very clear. It is worth
quoting as significant of the petty intrigues in which men of rank and
position were not then ashamed to indulge.
"The King ordered two commissions to be drawn, for your
brother and Claverhouse to be brigadiers. We were ordered to
see how such commissions had been [drawn?] here, and in Earl
Middleton's office we found the extract of one granted to
Lord Churchill, another to Colonel Worden, the one for
horse, the other for foot. So Lord Melfort told me the King
had ordered him to draw one for your brother for the foot
and Claverhouse for the horse. I told him that could not be;
for by that means Claverhouse would command your brother. To
be short, we were very hot on the matter. He said he knew no
reason why Colonel Douglas should have the precedency,
unless that he was your brother.
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