Series 3 > Scottish correspondence of Mary of Lorraine

MARY OF LORRAINE
443
my absence and will se your grace werk beiting be suffi¬
ciently done. Nocht ellis, bot almychty God conserwe
your grace. At Edinburgh, the xxv day of Januar at my
departing
* be your grace obedient servitour
Master John Scrimgeour.1 *
CCXCVIII
Jane Ruthven, Lady Methven, to Lord Methven
Arbroath, Saturday [c. March 1570-1 ?].
Deir hart, eftir maist hartly commendation, I marvell
gretly of your lordship 2 unkyndnes, that sen your depart¬
ing nodir send nor yit com your self to advertys me of
your lordship weilfair, the quhilk gifts me evill harting
considdering sick stait as I stand in at this present. Farder,
your lordship sail wit that my lord regentis grace 3 hes
send for my lord Arbroyth 4 to be in Leith this Thurisday
nixt cummis, and ther beis nane left heir in Arbroyth
bot men of weir. The bruit is in this coyntray that Adame
Gordoun 5 hes maid his vow that he will hold his Fasternnis
evin 6 in Arbroyth. [She therefore begs her husband, for
love of her and her unborn child, ‘ that ye lat me nocht
ramayn heir,’ and upbraids him for allowing his ‘ guid
* * Holograph.
1 John Scrimgeour, of the Myres, in Fife, Hereditary Macer and Master of
Works to James v. (H.M.S., 8th January 1541-2.)
2 Probably Henry Stewart, second Lord Methven, the husband of the writer.
He was killed on 21st March 1571-2.
3 Regent Lennox was killed on 4th September 1571 {S.P. v. 353). Methven
and Ruthven supported Lennox against Queen Mary.
1 Probably George Douglas, natural son of the sixth Earl of Angus. He
claimed Arbroath in opposition to John Hamilton, second son of Chatelherault,
and forcibly possessed himself of the abbey at some date before 29th March 1570.
(S.P. iv. 371 ; /list. MSS. Commission, Hamilton Report, 44.)
6 Adam Gordon of Auchindoune, ‘ Edom o’ Gordon,’ sixth son of the fourth
Earl of Huntly. As principal supporters of the Marian party, the houses of
Huntly, Hamilton and Argyle were in the opposite camp from the kinsfolk of
the writer.
6 Shrove Tuesday, which fell on 27th March in 1571.