Account of the families of Birnie and Hamilton of Broomhill

60 ACCOUNT OF THE FAM1LIE
The inclosed was from the Duke of Lauderdale to the Bishop of Gal-
loway, dated at Whytehall, the 9th of August before.
My Lord,
I am commanded to show yow that, because of the large
extent, and the many difficult affairs of the diocese of Glasgow, it is his
Majesties pleasure that yow doe all the assistance you can to the present
archbishop, in the ordination of intrants to the ministry, and any other
bussines relating to that diocese, wherein you may be helpfull to him.
I am your Lordship's humble
servant,
Lauderdale.
Had the aboue archbishop known men as well as he did books, there
had been little need for these letters : he was a very learned man, really
pious, and knew nothing of the knaue, so that the hypocrite of ordinary
letters, from whatever quarter, with a dejecting whyning countenance,
and a large pretence to pietie, seldome went away without his designes.
But not so with the Bishop of Galloway : he had been the butt of their
malice too long, not to know where their poisonous schismatical trash
lay. Therefore they were obleidged to produce better testimonies, and
endure more strict examination.
This the archbishop knew very well to be his failing, and had no de-
signe at all to retourn to Glasgow, nether would he if he had not got this
letter for the Bishop of Galloway's assistance, with a promise of no long
stay, so weary was this good soul of that country, and of the obstinacie
in it ; yett he abode untill he got notice of our Bishop's death, upon
which he immediatly laid down his charge and went to London.
Suppose Mr Wodrow shall retain his opinion anent the Bishop's gifts
being euery way ordinary, yet, after serious perusall of these letters, I
expect that no other gentleman of candor or ingenuity will. But wee
must excuse Mr Wodrow and his characters, when he giues such foolish