Series 5 > Campbell Letters 1559-1583

CLAN CAMPBELL LETTERS
111
we assure cure selffis ye tendir the caus sa ye wilbe sa gude as to find your
self in reddynes to joyne with ws and the rest of oure brethren at sik tyme
and place as salbe appointed and as ye salbe advertist of xxiiii houris
befoir. Lett your forces be sik as the wechtynes of the caus requiris and
your lonyng for the weill thairof for xx dayis. We traist we neid not to
discover the procedingis of oure adversariis quhairof we suppone ye haif
bettir experience nor we wald desire. Bot referris the samin with the
circumstances of all thingis to youre avne wisdome. Praying God to be
your confort quhill meting. Fra Drumfreis this xii of September 1565.
Youris assured freyndis.
51 ArgyU to Glenorchy GDI 12/39/4/23
15 September 1565, Inveraray Casde
To our traist cousing the Laird of Glenurchay
Cousing efter hartlie commendatiounis.We wret to yow yesterday1 with
your awin serwant concerning Makgregor quhome we find weill willing
to serve yow with the rest that will in ony wayis depend upoun him.
Nochtwithstanding thair is gret and ernest perswasiounis maid wnto him
be the Erie of Atholhs conwoy2 for we assuir yow that we haif gottin
intelligens that the revocatioun of your few of the Kingis landis of
Braidalbane togidder with all the Chartres landis in that cuntre ar promisit
wnto him be the Quene to cum and depend upoun the Erie of Atholl at
hir command.3 Bot that will in na wayis move him for we knaw that the
erledom of Ergyll wald be promisit to yow or sum uther of our freindis in
lik maner for the lyk service gif it wald be acceptit. Quhairfoir ye sail haif
na dowt of Makgregoris guid service as we wrett to yow sindry tymes
befoir. Meirour we pray yow weray effecteousle to caus deliver ws the
man that is in the castall and the boy for we knaw weill that thair deliverand
will be ane way to draw in the rest of the Clangregor as we dowt nocht
your awin wisdome will considder. For we assuir yow it nocht for na
uther caus we desyre thame bot to the said effect. And so committis yow
to God. Frome Inveraray the xv day of September 1565.Youris.
[PS] Send sum serwand of your awin to the castall to deliver the man
This letter has not survived.
The bribe offered to MacGregor* to change sides and join Atholl and the queen was
the transference of Grey Colin’s tack of Discher and Toyer, the royal lands on the
north and south of Loch Tay, and the Breadalbane lands belonging to the Perth
Charterhouse.Together they comprised most of Grey Colin’s holdings in Breadalbane,
so Gregor MacGregor was being given the chance to replace Campbell power in that
area with his own. Argyll’s confidence that MacGregor would not accept the queen’s
offers was vindicated: MacGregor/MacGregors’, 354-5.