Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok > Correspondence

1673.] FAMILY AND DOMESTIC LETTERS. 323
Sir George Maxwell of Pollok to Frances Stewart, Duchess Dowager
of Charles Duke of Lenox and Kichmond.
Edinburgh, Saturday 6th September 1673.
324. May it please your Grace, in discharge of my promise by my last, and to pre-
pare your signature, on Thursday last I waited on my Lord Kmcairdine in this
place, who told me his Majesty himself e had three or four tymes enquyred
about it; and therfor advysed without more delay to prepare and dispatche'it
himself, and all the Lords of the Treasurie (with everie one of whom I spoke
severable) promiseing ther affectionat concurrence ; my Lord Chancellour
addeing that he had written to your Grace ane returne, but was troubled to
heare it to have miscaried, chargeing me to assuire your Grace of his forward-
nes and faithfulnes in all your concernments. By all quhich your wryter and
agent, with my self, have been encouraged to busie our selves in formeing of
it with that speed that it may not miss Sir George Lockhart at court, by whose
skill and authoritie any legall debate (should it occurre) may be overcome.
Your Grace was pleased in your last to enquyre if yow did not fall ane
terce of his Grace's personall estate in Scottland by our lawes. I gave yow ane
accompt as to your interest in the reall estate ; but, reflecting more attentively,
I beleeve the question to be of the moveable estate, wherin your interest is
more then ane terce : Seeing ther ar noe chdclren it is an equall half, quhich I
have not forgott to represent to one Mr. Forster of Newcastell, who, in name of
the executors, is come hither to confirme his Grace's will as to debts oweing
him in Scottland. But in earnest, the debts oweing by him are far more then
to exhaust the wholl free goods ; and wher ther is nothing free ther remaine .
nothing to be devyded. And so far as your pant would be in what I owe, or quhat
is due by tennants, would not exceed a hundreth pound, if ther wer noe debt.
But my endeavours are to keep somequhat for your Grace ; wherin I told Mr.
Forster I hoped to exclude the executors, myndeing to provyde for it by ane
clause in the signature. The same Mr. Forster, I hear, brings ane order from his
Majesty in favours of the heire of lyne, my lady Obriane, to search the charter
chist if any right may make for her : but the order I have not seen, nor learned
that any use hath been made of it. But I am perswaded I know the best and