Series 1 > Journal of the Hon. John Erskine of Carnock, 1683-1687

102
JOURNAL OF THE HON.
[JAN.
a sumptuous feast, and had at it the officers of State, and
many noblemen, the Lords of Session and Magistrates of the
city, with not a few clergymen, there being many now in
town who had come in from the country for fear of trouble from
those people who were (as was said) troubling some of that sort.
I dined with Mr. William Monypenny in my aunt’s, and was
at night in the Tolbooth seeing my Lady Colvill, and was
with William Sythrum.
9Tith.—I stayed within all this day and was writing. Yester¬
day my Lord Collingtoun, with Sir William Paterson and a
guard, came to Jerriswood’s Lady, and caused her, by their
severe threatnings (to take her presently to prison and also
her husband’s friends) to give up that paper which her hus¬
band had left behind him as a testimony at his death: it
was the principal they got up.
28^/t.—I staid within all day, and heard no preaching.
9Qth.—I went not out this day either, but was reading on
Cartes’ Principles, and writing.
SOth.—I was forenoon with David Arnot, at night a while
in Bannockburn’s writing chamber, and in William Livingston’s
shop, with severalls.
31s£.—Yesternight my Mother did challenge me for being
too reserved and obscure in my humour and carriage to Her. I
was indeed too much so with her, and tho it be nature, yet I
ought to have withstood it, more especially in reference to her
who was to me a too condescending mother, and whose practice
both private and publick did frequently reprove me, but with
far less success than was to be desired; and I wish her serious
performing of duty may yet be a motive to engage me more
to look after that way.
January 1685, Thursday.—I went little abroad this day.
Mr. John Law was a while with my Lady.
Sir William Scott,1 younger, fled within these few days by¬
gone, the party of soldiers sent to apprehend him, being
dissappointed by his escape. His crime talked of was his know¬
ledge of what was now discovered by the Earl of Tarras, etc.
1 Of Harden.