Series 2 > Seafield correspondence from 1685 to 1708

1692]
FIRST EARL OF SEAFIELD
77
list of these who intends to ley drey.—And this is all
from, Sr, Your humble servant. Geo. Leslye.
John Grant of Ballindalloch was in arrear with his land tax, and
a party of soldiers had in consequence been quartered on his
lands.
ffor THE LAIRD OF DURN, ELDER
the 18th of february -692.
Much Honored Sir,—The greatest pairt of the northern
forces being to march southward the close of this weeke
and the nixt occasions me to trouble yu with this line,
intreating you to favour me with the lean of fyftie merkes
scots, which shall be faithlie restored agaien with the
interest from this deat. I hope er long not onlie to pay
you, butt likways manifest the sinceritie of my respect to
you.—I am, Your oblidged servant, Ffindlater.
The fyftie merks delivered bee Mr. Patrik.
Sir John Dalrymple, Master of Stair, one of the Secretaries of
State for Scotland, in the following letter refers to Sir James
Ogilvie’s appointment as Sheriff of Banffshire, his first step in
political preferment.
For Sr JAMES OGILVY, ADVOCAT
London, March 8, 1692.
Sr,—Sine my last, I hav taken occasion to intertain his
Majly upon that subject you wer pleased to propose to
me of the sherifship of Buchan, and now I hav incourag-
ment to desir you to transmitt to me a signater of that
office, such as yow desir it. The King givs no offices bot
during pleasur (excep to the Lords of Session), so yow will
not desir it in other tearmes; bot his Majb' hath retained
many that did not deserv it at his hands, yett he hav
givin us no example that he threw out any man that did
not deliberatly oppose him, so I conclud as to yow, it
will be the sam thing as for yr life, for I persuad myself
yow will never do anything unworthy of yr honor nor his
Maj#8 favor.—And I assur yow I am sincerly, Sr, Yr very
humble serv1, Jo. Dalrymple.
The County Records of Banffshire bear that ‘in July jmvjc and
ninety ane yeirs Sir James Baird of Auchmedden Shirreff Prinll