Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok > Correspondence

1662-68.] FAMILY AND DOMESTIC LETTERS. 311
to that of your oune, that the poor house not a litle hurt by your ancestors
after Langsydfielde, hath received its restitution from Guliehnus cognomento
bonus, etc., and if I niisse in my suite, I judged the worst was I might be cen-
sured for unmanerlines, and perchance excused from necessitie ; with this
advantage that I had but one game to play, and now the die is cast. This
litle supplicatorie epistle goes without my company, lik Ovid's litle book of
Tristia, and with his passe ; and that may, by your Lordship's generositie. meet
with the cuntrie man's good fortoune, that, ascending by a ladder to the judge's
window, founde ane easier accesse to his petition then those that thronged at
the door. But be the ishue what it will, as ane greater personage concluded
on ane weightier occasione — ' Te Deum laudamus.' I will not add to my
crime by multiplying words : All the promises imaginable of gratitude that can
run in ane old or new stile, I sum vp in this,
My Lord,
I and myne devoted and humble servantis to your Lordship and youris,
G. M.
23 May (16)62.
Sir George Maxwell of Pollok to John second Earl of Tweeddale,
one of the Scotch Lords of the Treasury, 14th September 1668.
313. My Lord, please your lordship, necessitie and gratitude strongly j ustifie the unma
nerlienes both of the suites and thankesgiveings of prisoneris, seeing of all men
they ar best stored of necessitie, and have the advantages otheris want, to value
favoris at ther truest avail! And therfor, should I not offer sincerehe my selfe
and all myne, first to your lordship's service, for the kynde eare yow vouch-
safed to a ladye's requeiste in my behalfe, and next to her, who freely and
frankely charged herselfe with that kyndelie office, without my knowledge, I
wer of all men the most ingrate. " Et si ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris." I
have made it now my work quietly and patiently to fold my shoulderis to this
new weight of ane close imprisonment, findeing my selfe precluded from releife
at home, and despaireing much mor how to seeke or finde it at a greater dis-
tance, of comforteing my selfe with the advantage of my solitarie prison walles,
wher I leade the life som have with ambition courted free from giveino- or