Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok > Correspondence

1670.] FAMILY AND DOMESTIC LETTERS. 317
besids many irtconuenieiicis which yow may conjecture, as adwantadgis on the
other hand. And now, I pray yow, lett us find that yow ar a good instrument,
according to your interest and pour uith thes peopel ; for I know yow may doe
much : and this oportunty lett slip, ue can hardly hop for such another. And
if yow be ane indifferent onlooker, it uill be understood to be opositione. Yow
see how frankly I uritt in great kindnes and frindship, and that I may be able
mor ways to expres it, which is the desir of,
Sir,
Your most affectionat frind and serwant,
TWEEDDALE.
For Sir George Maxueel of Polocke.
John Maxwell, Younger of Pollok, to Mareone Stewart, afterwards his Wife,
31st December 1670.
318. Dear mistress, yow may befor now have sufficiently considered (to use your
oune phrase) my speeches, how litle of complements I have hitherto used, or
can I so neatly expresse my serf as persons of greater abilitie, with whom haply
yow may at sometymes converse : so that I think it will not seem strange
though my wryting should be such too. For all I studie, aither in my speake-
ing or wryteing to yow, is but so much of good, straight ingenuitie, as that
yow may beleeve that what I speake with my mouth I think with my heart.
It wer, I hope, then, needles to adde with pen and ink to what I formerly ex-
prest to your worthie serf ; seeing I dar ingenuously say it is els wher more
deeply ingraven than that aither it can be marred or forgotten.
Yow remember about that litle thing was appoynted for us in ther
treating. I think possibly my father may condiscend to the 3000 merks, for I
spoke to my mother about it. But if yow can be satisfied with such a young
Land as this, I can be content, let them doe in it what they please ; for I could
never say I had reasone to doubt of ther affection. But in all these things, and
our greatest busineses too, let us comitt our selves to God's guidance ; and I
hope our bread and our watter shall be made sure. Now, it being laitt on