Series 5 > Campbell Letters 1559-1583

130
CLAN CAMPBELL LETTERS
I sail thank Hir Grace in your name for I haif hying ay sen my cuming
heir. And quhar ye wret that I haif nocht sendis yow the ansuer of sic
heidis as ye wret to me ye sal understand I culd nocht quhill now that I
spak with my Lord Athoill. Quhom I find of gud mynd towart the Lard
your hwsband quha hes wrettyn to John Stewart of Appyne that he ...1
molest nor truble nan of the Lardis bwndis of Lorn and Glenwrchy ...
uncondissonaly swa that nan of the Lardis servandis in thai boundis was at
the herschipe of the said John2 quhilk we... sail resaif and send it as the
Lardis thinkis caus. And als ye sail wyt that my Lord of Athoill declaryt...
this day that sen I and my bedfallow3 spaik to hym in faweris of the Lard
that he hes stand his gud ... will do with out the fell be in hyme self. And
counsaillis hyme that quhen he cumis in thir partiss that he cum... hym
self quhill he be heir and efter he cuming order salbe tain sufficiand for
his weile. And gyf he syuld nocht perf.. .lef to hym he wald nocht gyf
hym his counsall. He desyris yow to bring the wrettyn with yow that ye
per.. .hym and forbyd the Lard to haf ony melynge with the Erie ofArgillis
affaris in cowrt for gyf... his awn besynes will speid the wer.4 As I haif
ordand Androw Quhyt to wret yow and hym I haif ben ewill at eiss this
lang quhill5 lik as I am yit. Nothwithstanding gyf I conwoless and beis
better I intend to be in Pertht or that day quhar we sail commoun on all
thingis at lentht. And quhar ye desyr ane charge of the Kynge and Quenis
Majesties to Jhone Stewart I thoucht it nocht nesyssar for mony cawsis
quhilk nocht I will na wret as ye sail ken efterwert. As to my Lord Gracis
gudnes and the LadyTullybarnes6 towart the Lard it is werry welcum gyf
it cumis. Bot as ane honest man said to me this day the wrettyn wald
helpe mekell. Bot alweyss I haif said gyf I get your ... in this stown.7 I
welbe leyck that ony rakkyng salbe amang yow that ar frindis.8 Forder ye
sail undirstand that the Erll of Argill will get na pwntment9 sa sen I can
parseff. Thairfor ye sail resaif hes wrytting agayn. I think best ye cum to
Sanctionstoun to this end quhen he cumis quhat we sail cont... of an aid
thing. Refarand the rest to that tyme ... yow with the Lard your hwsband
1 Ellipses represent damage to MS.
2 Atholl was trying to stop John Stewart of Appin* from raiding in the west in revenge
for the raids he had suffered (65).
3 Jean Stewart, Atholl’s aunt.
4 This suggests that Katherine would be returning to court with Grey Cohn and that
she was to help to ensure that Grey Cohn kept clear of any involvement in affairs
relating to the earl of Argyh.
5 Ruthven* had been ill since he had reached Edinburgh.
6 Ruthven is sceptical about the value of the goodwill of the dowager Lady Tulhbardine,
Katherine Campbell, Grey Cohn’s aunt, and the duke of Chatelherault, who had just
made his own setdement with the queen.
7 Possible as in ‘stown someone down’ or ruin by secret means.
“ He would be loath that any vengeance should be taken among friends.
9 An appointment or settlement with the king and queen.