Series 2 > Seafield correspondence from 1685 to 1708

418
CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES [june
a fortnight to a privat gentlemans liberary in this town,
wch is reckoned the best in all this province. He offers
his humble service to your Lop., and thinks it better that
my Lord Deskfoord continue at history and the French
this winter, provideing your Lop. allow him time enough
here afterwards to study the law; but if he shall not be
allowed, that then he take a colledge of the institutiones
the first semestris, and the second a repetitory one of the
same, that he may be master of that pairt, but not to
advance any further for the first half year, which with a
colledge of history and the French he thinks may suffi¬
ciently imploy all his time. But there is time enough to
consider of this befor winter. As for divinity, mathema-
ticks, and the other things your Lop. recommends, they
shall be take care of, and his health shall be preferred to
all. What money he has at pnt, if I be not mistakn, may
serve to the midle of August new style, and if wee had
not had such a tedious and expensive passage but come
over straight in the pacquet boat, and if wee had not gone
by the way of Amsterdam, considering there is no occasion
for clothes and few masters to be payed, I beleive the
money might have very near served another quarter after
the midle of August. In the meanetime I shall endeavour
to be as good a husband of your Lops, money as possible.
It is very hard to loose the third pairt of the money by
the way of exchange, and I cannot consider how your Lop.
can save it except it should be sent in specie, which is not
allowed, or goods sent over and put into a factors hand,
and I can heare of non that will preserve the money entire
except it be old copper, which is not worth yor Lops, while
to enquire for.
It is long since it was reported here as certain that
Annandale was Chancellour, and that your Lop. had retired
from publick bussieness. I wish your Lop. had continued
longer in the government for the good of your familie,
yet perhapps it may be for your saffety and advantage to
live in a privat condition in so difficult and dangerous a
juncture, and I doubt not but the same kind providence
that has been over you hither too does still" attend and