Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (First volume)

1627]
SIR THOMAS HOPE
97
and contentit in that particular. I expect also your lordschipis
directioun tuiching Brochtoun, becaus the terme is now instant.
And anent the Vicount of Stormonth,1 I ressauit letteris of
22 of October aduertising that the dyet wes desertit. But I
spak the Erl of Hadingtoun 2 not to acquaint your lordschip
thairwith till we sould haif tryit the grundis quhairupon it
desertit, and quhat hes followit thairupon. But the Erl hes
acquantit me this day that he writt to your lordschip thair-
anent in this last pacquett, quhilk ran on Mononday last, the
29 of October, at quhilk tyme I made report to his lordschip
of all that I had tryit tuiching the bussines, quhilk is this :—
Sir Patrik Murray3 hes delt betuix the Vicount and the
maister, his brother,4 and movit the maister, his brother, and
his lady 5 to go in to my lord and schaw his lordschip that thai
wald not haif dyettis appointit betuix his lordschip and thaim,
but that thay wald cast all in my lords awin hands [to] do
thairin ashe plesit himself; quhilk my lord acceptit, and sent
for Mr. Andro Murray,6 quhom he hes designit lord of Balvard,
and for Michall Balfour of Denmyln,7 quho is his cheif coun-
1 See note, p. 92.
2 Sir Thomas Hamilton of Priestfield, born in 1563; admitted advocate in
1587; Lord of Session as Lord Drumcairn in 1592; Lord Clerk Register of
Scotland, 1612; raised to the peerage in 1613 as Lord Binning and Byres;
created Earl of Melrose 1619, a title which he exchanged eight years afterwards
for that of Earl of Haddington ; became Lord Privy Seal in 1626 ; died 29th
May 1637.—Brunton and Haig’s Senators; Douglas’s Peerage.
3 Sir Patrick Murray of Castletown, son of John, first Earl of Tullibardine,
who afterwards became third Earl, and brother of Sir Mungo Murray, afterwards
second Viscount Stormont.
4 Sir Mungo Murray, see note, p. 92.
5 Anne, elder daughter of Sir Andrew Murray of Balvaird, and niece of David,
first Viscount Stormont.
6 Andrew Murray, M.A., second son of David Murray of Balgony; graduated
at St. Andrews in 1618 ; admitted minister of Abdie, in the Presbytery of Cupar,
Fife, in 1622; by special entail, succeeded David, first Viscount Stormont, in
the baronies of Arngask and Kippo, on the death of that nobleman in 1631, and
was raised to the Peerage as Lord Balvaird in 1641—the only instance in the
Scottish Church in which a minister has had a peerage conferred upon him. He
married Elizabeth, fifth daughter of David, first Earl of Southesk, and widow of
James, second Earl of Annandale, and died 24th September 1644, aged about
forty-seven.—Scptt’s Past/.
7 Michael Balfour, whose great-great-grandfather, James Balfour (killed at the
siege of Roxburgh in 1460) obtained from King James II. the lands of Denmylne,