Series 2 > Seafield correspondence from 1685 to 1708

270 CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES [aug.
Boynd and Auchintoul1 were extruded from the bench, and the
land-tax was for that year demanded of and ultimately exacted
from them. Old Tullibody, George Abercrombie of Skeith, died
on the 26th of June l699> two days before the date of the
letter. Braco’s son-in-law Alexander Abercrombie, second son
of Sir Alex ander Abercrombie of Birkenbog married Mary, one
of his daughters. Alexander was ancestor of General Sir Ralph
Abercromby and the Lords Abercromby.
For THE EARL OF FINDLATER
My Very Noble Lord,—May it please your Lop., as
formerlie so now we make bold to give your Lop. the
trouble of a lyne, in a matter as we judge of great im¬
portance, especially to this corner, to wit the planting
of Rathven with a well qualifyed minister, who through
the Lords blessing may be acceptable to your noble
familie, which we reckon our duetie to have a special
regard unto, and so far as is possible to the heritours and
people of Rathven, and who may prove a faithful and
able minister of the New Testament. We have been using
our best endeavours these several years without successe,
though we alwise found your Lop. most foreward to allow
your co-currence ; bot now we have fain upon Mr. W™
Chalmer minister at Gartlay our r. brother, whom we
judge all things considered one of the fittest that we
can expect to obtain ; for we know him to be a person
of great ingenuity of a sweet and peaceable obliedging
temper, and one who hath a singular respect for your
Lops noble familie, bot which is yet far more a pious and
learned man, who hath a singular dexteritie of mannaging
debates with popish priests and other adversaries of truth
after a mild inoffensive manner. We have drawn up a
Presbyterial call, being sufficiently informed that both
your Lop. and my Lord Viscount of Seafield judged that
the most expedit way for filling the so long desolat con¬
gregation, and withall have sent a short copie of a
1 ‘ Banffshire in the Revolution of 1689’ in the Transactions of the Banffshire
Field Club, 1906, pp. 114, 115 ; and The House of Gordon, New Spalding Club,
vol. i. pp. I34-I37-