Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok > Correspondence

324 FAMILY AND DOMESTIC LETTERS. [1677.
the worst of it, and your Grace's signature shall be so weell penned, God will-
ing, as nothing shall be wanting on the pairt of faithfull servantis for your
advantage so far as law can perrnitt. In order wher unto ther depends so
much on the exact information of the mater of fact, that in my opinion it will
be simply necessar to direct to yow your oune agent with the signature, a thing
that, to avoyde expenses, I have much shunned : for in your Grace's affaires,
I love the same frugality I woidd desyre in myne oune. But rather then yours
faille for good management, I willingly would choyse to bear that meane ex-
pense myself. By him also I meane to give your Grace that informatione that
cannot possibly be so fully and distinctly any other way, nor by any not inti-
matly acquainte with the full state of affaires.
Madam, I beseech yow accept of my sincere respects to your service, and
beleeve the honour I receive in the intimatione of your good lykeing of quhat
is already done doeth so confirme me to goe on as I am in nothing more ambi-
tious then to nierite the qualitie of,
Madam, your Grace's most faithfull and obedient servant,
Geo. Maxwell.
Thomas Stewart of Coltness to his Sister, Lady Pollok, younger,
13th April 16 77.
325. Dear Sister, I have bein sore trubled this tuo nights about Sir Georg, and am
impatient to hear, thoe I fear I shall hear noe good neus. Yet blissed shall he
1 >e, and hapie uold the lyke of me be, if I wer to goe to his place, and the poor
wast, that he sbuld stay. I fear this generatione shall not be witness to the
loss of such a persone, in this west. Och ! if the Lord might spaire him. The
Lord knoues my heart's desyre for him. Och ! what confort can we whoe ar
1 >ehind have to be witneses of such sack! loses '? Dear sister, I truly sympathies
with you and your dear husband in this strok, who, I know, is so tenderly
affected, which, as it moves me to pitie you both, so it ingadgeth me more to
love you then ever : and I have many tymes thought that ane viseble blisseing
shall befall yow both, according to the command with promiss that your dayes
be long in the land, etc. Dear sister, all heir longes to hear, and the captain