Series 5 > Miscellany [of the Scottish History Society] XIII

TWEEDDALE’S RELATIONE’, 1683
309
Duetifull.
God having blessed my husband and me with a numerous progeny
of five sons and two daughters, it is well known what a fatherly
affection the said Duke had to us, untill unfortunatly his friendship
with the countess of Dysart, giving occasion of discontent to his Lady,
She went to France, where dying, and by her will bequeathing, all her
jewells, and plate, and what els she had to me and my Children, the
Duke of Lawderdale was by the said Countesses insinuations and
perswasions, upon the prospect of theire ensuing Manage prevayled
with, to use Moyen with the French King to seise upon all my
Mothers papers, jewells, and moveabls, as belonging to a stranger
(notwithstanding of the priviledge of the Scotish Nation in that
Kingdom) and so he got all in his hands particularly these papers and
bonds he had given to my Mother for securing his whole Estate to me
theire only Chyld, and put them in the hands of the Countess of
Dysart, whom he maryed a few weeks after my Mothers Death.
After this Mariage the Duke of Lawderdale coming into Scotland
in the Quality of Your Majesties Commissioner; the now Dutchess of
Lawderdale did prevail with him, to sue me and my husband at Law to
renunce our interest in his and my Mothers movabls, plate, and
jewells, and compelled us to signe such a renunciation therof as she
the said Dutchess had contrived upon a verball assurance, that he
would do as much willingly as could have fallen to us by my mothers
will and Testament. But the Dutchess having once got this
Renunciation & by her cunning practices and pernicious Councells for
promotting her covetous designs, first keept her husband from
performing any part of his promise, and then that she might have all
his Estate in her power, she projected a mariage betwixt his Nephew
and her daughter, and caused him redeem the Estate from me and my
second sone.
But she being in that Match disappointed, her next project was to
get all to her self, and in a few years as the Duke grew aged, and
infirm, she came to have the absolute disposall both of him and his
fortune, and therby to treat and make what conditions she pleased
theranent. And first she caused him dispone all his moveables and
personall Estate to herself, then because the Mariage betwixt his
nephew and her daughter had not taken effect, she caused him alter
the Entaill of his Estate he made to his brother when that Match was
designed; and again resign both it and his Titles in favoure of my
second sone; and having done this she then offered to treat with my
husband to secure that last setlement; But the Conditions proposed by