Series 5 > Campbell Letters 1559-1583

92
CLAN CAMPBELL LETTERS
tua writingis of your Lordshipis1 makand mentioun that thair wes seruantis
of myn in cumpany with John McAlesteris soine at the sclauchter of the
Lard of Bawquannandis seruant.2 As to that I assure your Lordship thair
wes nane of myn at it nor never salbe at siclik with my will and gif the
Lard of Boquhannan will gif me the namis of ony of my seruantis that
wes at the said sclauchter I sail put thame to the lawis. As to the assurans
that your Lordship hes sufferitt the Lardis ofAuchinbrek and Ardkinglas
to gif the Clangregor I think that your Lordship hes done weill thairintill
sua the promessis maid unto your Lordship be kepit. Bot gif it be onlie
that thai may tak meitt in your Lordshipis boundis during the assurence I
think it is nethir your Lordshipis honour nor my weill. I send writings
aucht dayis syne to the Lard of Auchinbrek and hes resavit na ansure
thairof as yit.3 And quhair your Lordship writis that my seruantis hes
brocht away certane gudis and geyr of the Lard of Boquhennan in place
of Duncane MacCoull Keir geir and desyris me to restor the samen againe
be resoun that the said Lard dependis onlie upoun your Lordship and hes
tynt4 and ...5 my Lord of Lennox for that cause.Your Lordship sail wit that
I send my seruantis to haif apprehendit the said Duncan and to haif brocht
him to justice and seing thai culd nocht gett him brocht away part of his
gere and nay uther manis geir as I sail sufficendie preiff and that with your
Lordshipis awin seruantis and diverss utheris quha wer present for the
tyme. For thair wes restorit all geyr that wes clamitt be the Boquhennanis
and the Clanferlane and cautioun fund thairfor quhilk drew to xl heyd of
ky and better. And Duncane MacCoullis gere wes offerit siclik upoun
catioun and nay man wald be gude for it and the nychtbouris grantit.;hat
thair wes na geyr thair brocht away bot the said Duncane. Therifore I
beseik your Lordship to consider the matter according to your Lordshipis
honour and myn for I haif done na thing bot according to the commissioun
that I haif of the Quene Majeste6 and can nocht restore the gere quhill
the man be fyrst purgit be the law. For uthervyse peruse my commissioun
quhilk I will nocht do to mak ane oppin way to utheris to desyre siclik.
Bot quhen the Lard of Boquhennan presentit the man to the law and beis
pergit of sic thingis as I will persew him according to the Quene Majestic
ordinans than I sail restor the geyr and mak the Lard of Boquhananane
mendis at your Lordshipis sycht bot in the mayntyme your Lordship mai
haif me excusit. For gif the Lard of Boquhennan haid respect to his awin
1 Oneletterwas 11 Mar. 1565, GDI 12/39/3/24, the other has been lost.
2 See MacGregor,‘MacGregors’, 342.
3 Auchinbreck’s* letter of 14 Mar. 1565 (35) had not reached Grey Cohn.
4 Tyne, in the sense of to draw away from Lennox and his affinity.
5 Damage to MS.
6 Grey Cohn pleaded his royal commission of 22 Sept. 1563 which explains why there
were complaints against his over-vigorous use of it: 22 Mar. 1564, RPC, i, 271-2.