Series 5 > Campbell Letters 1559-1583

166
CLAN CAMPBELL LETTERS
albeit it be halkyn baild1 gyf it pleses your Ladyship to bestow hir on me
sic as ye do to uther of your Ladyshipis freindis I salbe als willing to
recompance as I may with my gude mynd as plessis you to command me.
For I knaw and is informit of your Ladyship hes meikle to do with gude
fallowis and gude bowmen bot quhenewer it pies you to command me
...ane2 bow or may to a gude fallow that will schaw for a ladies saik and in
special thaim that ar ennemeis bayth to God and man. I sail as plessis your
Ladyship to advertess me send your Ladyship sic as I hawe. And nocht
only to send you ony armour that I hawe bot also at your Ladyshipis
command to gyf my body with it sua the actoun be nocht agans God nor
his glore the commonewelth of this pure cuntrey. Bot allace I fear ye have
schakyn handis with Egypt and I never luikit for your punyschment utorly
quhill now. And that becaus I se you enterit in leig and covenant with the
Babilonians in ather of your handis.3 Bot becaus ye ar ane waik veschell
and ane woman God strenthen yow in your afflicciounis as he did to trew
Juda. Bot to impesche your Ladyship with saidis wreit I will nocht bot I
will never be resolut of ye Lard your Ladyshipis husband in my conscience
als I heir of your defecciounis frome God and hym that restis with God4
unto the tyme I speik with yow face to face quhilk salbe als plesis your
Ladyship to command me. Na maruellin thir dayis thot ladeis be onconstant
to God and the varld becaus I se it is na new thing for I fand lordis and all
lesser subiectis to the samyn without the speciale assistance of the spirit of
God. ...Ye man tak my hamelie and scincir wreiting in the best part
becaus the greifofmy herte is sua dolour is to heir of your gryt defeccioun
ffome God. God grant it may be uthervayis. As for newis yowr Ladyship
desyrit me in your last letter wryt me nocht that send yow nane. For the
berar come in to me to onsave ansuer and that becaus he saw the halkis
bac brokyn quhilk your Ladyship sentten belevand I suld hawe bene crabit
thairat quhilk I vess. And I vyst your Ladyship heid ane uther in your
handis to send me quhen your Ladyship plesis. As for newis now thairis
nane heir bot the Kyngis counsall convenis in Edinburg the xii of this
instant to choyss a regent to Hes Maieste quhilk I belewe salbe His Graceis
gudscher my Lord of Lennox.5 As uther newis occurris in ther partis I sail
adverteis your Ladyship with the nixt that cumis betubds. Bot your faccioun
now laikis for France and as for Ingland God grant with hes hevynly will
and plessour we quyl efter that vay. Reffarris the rest to your Ladyship
and adverteisment.And the spreit of the Lord Jesus rest with your Ladyship
A bold or fierce female hawk.
Ellipses represent damage to MS.
These biblical references to Egypt and Babylon were his descriptions of Katherine’s
and Grey Colin’s links with the queen’s party in the civil war: Introduction.
A reference to Regent Moray.
Matthew Stewart, 4th earl of Lennox, the king’s grandfather.