A Nota Bene containing an extraordinary Particular about President Forbes, in 1746.

Nota Bene. Leith, NovrNovember 15th, 1749.
When Mr John Rattray, Surgeon,
came to Culloden-bouse, after his
Liberation at Inverness, President
Forbes told the said Mr Rattray,
that he had obtained his Liberation,
from the DDuke: of Cumberland, upon
Condition, that he [Mr Rattray]
should become Evidence. This sur-
prizedsurprised Mr Rattray not a little;
insomuchin so much that he spoke with some
Heat against complying with any
such Condition. President Forbes be-
gan to reason the Matter with him,
and, among other Things, was pledged
to say “that there was Nothing in
“being an Evidence.” This provoked
Mr Rattray so much, the he told the President 1444 (1444)
President in a passion, that he would
far rather chusechoose to give himself
up a second Time, &and to return to
the miserable Condition Situation
of a Prisoner once more, than to
become an Evidence. In a Word,
Mr Rattray insisted upon going in-
stantly into Inverness &and giving
himself up; but the President
desired Mr Rattray not to think
of giving himself up again, for
that he would use his Interest to
make Things easy for Mr Rattray,
by endeavoring to ward off his
being tampered with to be an Evil
dence; but the Issue explained,
that his Lordship had very little
to say with those at the Helm of
Affairs, notwithstanding the many
great &and remarkable Services he
had done for the Government.

When Mr Rattray returned to
EdrEdinburgh from the North, he communicat-
ed this Affair to Mr Wachope of
Niddery in Confidence. Mr Wachope
was so much pleased with Mr Rat-
tray’s Behaviour in the Matter, &and had
such an Indignation at the President for 1445 (1445)
for offering to propose any such
Thing to Mr Rattray, that he [Mr
Wachope] could not forbear talking to
the President upon the Subject the
first Time he met with the Presi-
dent in EdrEdinburgh, which so affected
the President (he not imagining
that any Body knew any Thing
of that Matter but only Mr Rattray
&and himself) that (as Mr Rattray
much fears) it had bad Effects upon
the President’s Health, &and even
hastened his Death. — It is in-
deed a prevailing Opinion, that
the President died of H^eart-break.

This Narrative is known to very
few, as Mr Rattray chuseschooses not to men-
tion it even to his best Friends, con-
sidering the great Friendship that
was between the President &and him.
It gave Mr Rattray much Concern,
that Mr Wachope of Niddery should
have ever attempted to touch upon
the Subject with the President.

I am as much persuaded of the
Truth of all this, as if I had had it
from Mr Rattray’s own Mouth; for
my Information proceeds from good
Mrs Rattray.
It is truly Matter of great Surprise, that 1446 (1446)
that a Party-Spirit should have
had such an Influence upon the
Mind of the Sagacious Duncan,
as to blind the Eyes of his Under-
standing, &and to get the Ascendant
of his superioursuperior Judgement; for cer-
tain it is, that President Forbes
was a Gentleman of very extra-
ordinary &and uncommon Parts, &and had
an extensive Knowledge both of
Men &and Books.