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Campbell of Glenorchy Letters 11-20 - 1st October 1563 to 6th June 1564

11.
Date: 1 October 1563
REF: GD112/39/2/20 (SHS ed. No. 11)
Place: Carrick Castle (Cowal)
From:  Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll

To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To our trest cousing the Lard off Glenwrquhay.

Trest cousing eftir our maist hartly commendations.

Forsamikle as ze ar rememberitt thatt at our laist deparitting ze desyritt me to send word to Macgregar to desyr hym nocht to perschew Glenurquhay bott afor I gatt his ansuer he haid browntte ane paritt of it as ze her.

And his ansuer wes sen he saw na ralife for hymself nowther be ws nor zow att he wald be doen on the best he michitt.[1]

I heir say yatt ye nwmer of fowirty men quhilk ze desyritt me to send wes owir fewe and be resone of the skaithe done ellis in Glenorquhay afor I culd gett my men send thair.

I wald send nane afor that I advertist zow and knew zowr mynd thairintill and gif ze vill thatt I send ony men thair advertis me with delygens and ye samin sall be done.

Mairowir Patrik MacDoilker[2] is cumin to me schawand thatt thay ar effreyd baithe in body and guidis for zow.

Quhilk in deyd I am enocht perswaditt to giwe creditt to for I beliwe assurittly yatt ze will do na mane harme quhowme ze knaw to hawe our mentynans afor ze wald cause their feillis[3] to be tryitt in our presens.

Quhilk beand done and thair ewill deidis prowin or openly knawin ze sall hawe my sichitt and zour awin in ye samen for satisfaction quhilk giwe thay be fund gilte sall be sair anewche for thaim.

And quhiddir ze pleis this or to hawe the law of thaim ony of tham sall be redy to zow as ze pleis.

And desyris zow effectuisly yat ye said Patrick and his brother be na vdir wayis handelitt nor said is.

Or ellis ze knaw thatt it will nocht stand with our honour quhilk I am assuritt ze will nocht estyme to tham consedering we efferitt to zow all resone as is above wrettin and desyris zour ansuer with deligens in thir premmissis.

Haifand na fardar occasion to wreitt to zow at this present committis zow to God.

At ye Carik the first day of October 1563. Zours, Archibald Ergyll

[1]  Gregor MacGregor was asserting that he was driven to the desperate measure of burning Glen Orchy because he could not get a settlement with either Grey Colin or the 5th earl, MacGregor, thesis, 324-5. For Colin’s furious reply, 4 October 1563[12].
[2]  See MacGregor, thesis, 326-7.
[3] Faults.



12.
Date: 4 October 1563
REF: GD112/39/2/21 (SHS ed. No. 12)
Place: Balloch Castle
From: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy (draft)
To: Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
Endorsement:  My Lord Argyllis writingis anant MacGregor [?later hand]


My Lord eftir maist hartlie commendatiounis service. I haif resavit zour Lordshipis writing makand mentioun yat MacGregor had birnt ane part of Glenvrquhay or zour Lordship gat his anser.[1]

I knaw ye birning is of verite and albeit I haif ye scayth ye dishonour is zour Lordshipis quhilk I regard maist be resoun zour Lordship tuke Glenvrquhay on hand afor ye Secreit Cunsale in Streuiling [2] quhilk causit me to be mair slouthfull nor I wald haif bene.

And quhair zour Lordship writis yat MacGregor anser wes sen he saw nay releif at zour Lordshipis hand nor myne yat he wald be doand ye best he mycht.

As to yat zour Lordship may do to hym as ze pleis bot he sall nevir haif ye gud yat I may hald fir hym or nane of his surname and I hope in God to se ye tyme yat yai quha culzeiss sik ribales and cruell tyrantis [3] salbe eschamit yairof.

And quhair zour Lordship desires me to adverteis zour Lordship gif ze sall send men to Glenvrquhay I can do nay thing bot refer yat vnto zour Lordshipis plesure *according unto zour Lordshipis promis  maid afor ye Cunsale quhilk I hope zour Lordship will perform and better be resoun ye men of Glenvrquhay mon seref [4] zour Lordship als sone as ony vyer within zour Lordshipis bundis for quhair yai mycht haif haid support of ye cuntre* afoir yai man now tak yair furnesing [5] with yame gif yai pas yair be resoun ye cuntre is neir waistit.

And quhair zour Lordship writis yat MacDoulkere and his bruyer ar efferd for me and yat yai being vnder zour Lordshipis menteinans and gettand scayth yat it can nocht stand with zour Lordshipis honour.

As to yat I knew nocht yat yai had siclik of zour Lordship bot assuritlie I haif yair bandis vij zeris syne with all securiteis yat yai culd gif and nay man exceptit bot ye Quene Majestie [6] gif yair had bene ony fayth with yame.

And mervalis to quhat effect yai sutit zour Lordshipis menteinans *wythout yai knaw yamselfis giltie or ellis wald gif yair ger to saw ewill seyd betuix zour Lordship and me quhilk I think suld nocht ly in yair power considering I falit nevir* to yame yat I promisit kindnes.

And sen yai haif begin it lat yame be assurit yai sall haif nay gud of me nor nane vytheris of yair surname.

And had I vsit yame and ye rest of MacGregoris cunsaloris as my pwir tenentis hes bene handillit my sober [7]  bundis had nocht gottin say gret scayth as it hes bot I feir it will cum to yat at ye last gif God providis nocht bott haistelie.

Bot yer is naything mair intollerabill vnto me nor se... Lordship regard sik commoun theiffis as MacDoulkeiris mair nor [me and] ye waisting of my cuntre quhilk I knaw zour Lordshipis fader [wald nevir] haif estemit alik.

And supponit zour Lordship wald nocht sufferit ye samen on revengit albeit I had been deyd and specialie [ye landis] yat I hald of zour Lordshipis self.

Bot wald zour Lordship [gif me y am e yat I] haldin of ye Quene Majestie I wald gif zour Lordship zit for all ye scayth I haif sustenit mair silver nor all ye Clan Gregor may gif and nevir cummer zour Lordship with yame in tymes cuming. [8]

Bot to keip ye auld kindness yat wes betuix zour Lordshipis hous and myne I beseik zour Lordship to call vnto zour rememberans yat I mycht haif bene at quietnes als weill as vyer nybouris war nocht zour Lordship desirit me to be participant of ye revenging of ye cruell murther of zour Lordshipis kinismen and servantis and promisit yat nay deligens suld be omittit on zour Lordshipis syde albeit zour Lordship be sumpart satillit. [9]

Bot ye eternall God will steir wp zour Lordshipis mynd agane or ellis sum vyeris to revenge ye gret effusioun of blude sched within zour Lordshipis bundis and myne by all ye rest of yis realme.

And I tak God to witnes yat I wes nocht ye occasioun yairof and swa committ is zour Lordship to ye Lord God from Balloch ye fird [10]  of October 1563.

[1]  This was the letter from the 5th earl to Grey Colin, 1 October 1563 [11]. For Gregor MacGregor’s raid on Glen Orchy, MacGregor, thesis, 315; 325-6.
[2] Precisely what the 5th earl had promised to the Privy Council at Stirling concerning Glen Orchy was a matter of dispute between Grey Colin and him, 22 September 1563, RPC, I, 248-50.
[3] Those who entertain kindly such rebels and cruel tyrants.
[4] Serve.
[5] Supplies.
[6] According to Grey Colin the bond with MacDoulker was made 7 years before (i.e. 1556) but the
extant bond with him was dated 11 March 1560, GD112/24/1/2, fo. 17, and those from his Balquhidder kin were 9 March 1560; 17 April 1561, GD112/24/1/2 fos. 16-17; 20; MacGregor, thesis, 304; 326.
[7] Either humble or weak.
[8] Grey Colin was offering to buy out the 5th earl so that he could hold Glen Orchy direct from the Crown, an offer which the earl vehemently rejected, 11 October 1563 [13].
[9] Settle, in the sense of yielding a little. Grey Colin suggested that he had entered the feud with the MacGregors in the first place at the earl’s request to revenge the murder of the 5th earl’s kinsmen, the sons of Campbell of Oib and Campbell of Barbreck, GD112/1/126/141-2; MacGregor, thesis, 315; 327.
[10] Fourth



13
Date: 11 October 1563
REF: GD112/39/2/22 (SHS ed. No. 13)
Place: Ayr
From: Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address:
To our traist cousyng ye Lard of Glenwrquhay be yis delyverit


Traist cousyng efter hartlie commendatiounis.

We haiff rasavit zour twa letteris fra zou concernand syndrie heidis. [1]

As to ye first heid quhair ze say yat I tuik in hand to keip Glenwrquhay quhilk I did never quhill ye xx day of yis instant as ye Queneis Grace ordenance proponittis.

Bot ye thyng yatt I promiissit(sic) was to haif send sum number of men to help to keip ye said boundis alssone as I mycht accumin to my cuntray ye quhilk I said yat I wald do of benewolence to zou bot nocht of na command of ye Queneis Grace becaus Hir Grace wald nocht command me mair nor my nychtbouris. Thairfoir allege nocht on me bot yat thyng yat is trewth.

And as for the Clangregor quhay are ye Quennis rybellis I sall God willyng do my delegence in ye persuit of yaim as I may for ye awansement of ye Quennis service within ye boundis yat is committit to my charge. [2]

And als I merwell of zou yat desyiris me to gif zow over ye superieoretie of Glenwrquhay for I belief yat my foirbearis gait it nocht so lychtly.

And I am werie sorie yat ze suld wryit sik ane propositioun quhilk compellis me to gif yat ansure yat I wald be laith to do.

For suirlie be ze assurit yat howlang yat I leif yat I will nocht give zou ye said superieorietie.

For I thynk me worthy of ye samin suppois it ware better nor it is for I thynk to keip yat thyng yat my foirbearis haid.

And so I will nocht wryitt ony fardar at yis present [3] bot committis zou to God.

Of Air ye xj day of October 1563. Zouris, Archibald Ergyll

[PS ] As for zour tennenttis of Glenwrquhay yat ze wryit to me to send hame againe ze sall wit yat I will nocht stop nane of yame yat plesis to gang hame /1563 (sic) Yairfoir send for yame gif ze pleis.

[1] Only one of Grey Colin’s letters, that of 3 October 1563 [12] has survived.
[2] The earl and Grey Colin had two different interpretations of what had been agreed in the Council concerning the Commission against the MacGregors made on 22 September 1563, RPC, I, 248-50.
[3] The earl was horrified by the suggestion that he should sell or hand over the superiority of Glen Orchy to Grey Colin and was so angry that after the firmest possible rejection he ended the letter. Skipnish described the earl as ‘sum pairt crabit’ in his letter to Grey Colin, 13 October 1563 [14].



14.
Date: 13 October [1563 [1]]
REF: GD112/39/6/31 (SHS ed. No. 14)
Place:  Auldmuir (Ayrshire) [2]
From: John Campbell of Skipnish
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address:
To ane rycht honorabill man and his eme ye Lard of Glenowrhar


Rycht honorabill Sir and eme eftir hartlie commendatiouns.

Yis present is to adverteiss zow yat my Lord let me se zour wryttin ze sen to his Lordship and I ded persaife be ye saming it apperit ze war in greif in tyme of ye wryttin of it.

And me Lord was sum pairt crabit yat ze wraite safar as ye deide.

For he denyit ye first poynt of zour wryttin yat he tuik on hande to keip Glenowrye befoir ye Cownsall and als he was discontentit for yat ze desirit schayngin [3] of superiouris anentis ye landis of Glenowrye.

And he(sic) Lordship thinkis yat ze ar oyer extreme ar apon ye twa MacCowlkerss yat his Lordship wrait to zow in yair favoris. [4]

I rasonit with his Lordship apon ye poynttis of zour wryttin ye best I culd.

And I said till his Lordship yat it was nocht his dewety to do for yaim geif yat yai war ye men yat ze callit yaim in zour wryttin.

And it apperit veill yai war fre in safar as yai raquistit me Lord to do for yaim yai nocht beand put at.

Attour  I paite me Lord in remembrance  of ye beginnyng of yir cummris betuix zow and ye Glengregor and of ye poyntment quhilk yai offerit zow quhilk ye schawe [?me] Lord in Santjonson and of his Lordshipis ansuer till zow.

And yat hes Lordship knaw himself exsem and his concensence how his Lordship haid usit anentis zow sensyn.

His Lordship was sum part offendit with me yat I extenuit [5] him safar.

Efter lang rasonnyng, I was raquistit to wryte to zow to se geif yair was ony appoyntment yat ze wald heir betuix zow and ye Glengregor.

And I sperit [6] geif yair was ony speciality or zeit geif ony man hald comissioun and yai said nay.

For yai ar dispairt yat ye will heir ony appoyntment.

And geif ze will yat I enter in ony fardar commonnyng I sall dryfe it to ane speciality [7] and adverteiss zow in wryte geif ze think it guid.

Me Lord passis to Enraraye [8] and hes ane conwencioun of his freyndis yair ye xv day of yis instant moneth.

And yaireftir cumis to Dumbertane and derectis certain folkis to ye Breiss of ye Lennoxe and to udir plecis contenit in his commissioun [9] quhilk he excepit afoir ye Consall to persew ye Glengregor geif yai cum within yai bowndis.

I will nocht cumer zow with langor wryttin.

Bot ze ar wyss anewcht excep and zour wisdom in zour awin mater it is ane ill taile yat may nocht be hard.

Referrand ye rest to zour ansuer. And ye eternall God haif zow in his kepin.

Of ye Ald Mwre ye xiij day of October. Be zowris eme at powar in ye auld man[ner], Johne Cambell of Skipperniche

[1]  Reference is made to the letters from Grey Colin to the 5th earl of 3; 11 October 1563 [12-13].
[2] Probably Auldmuir, just west of Dalry in Ayrshire, owned by Sir James Chalmers of Gadgirth, RSS, V i, 574.
[3] Possibly a form of exchanging or excambion.
[4] For the two points at issue, the promise to the Council and MacDoulker, see 1; 3; 11 October 1563 [11-13]
[5] Pushed to the limit.
[6] Inquired.
[7] Drive it to a detailed conclusion.
[8] Inveraray.
[9] The commissions against the MacGregors, 26 July 1563, GD112/1/134, AT VI, 16; 22 September 1563, RPC, I, 248-50.



?
Date: 25 October 1563
REF: GD112/39/2/23
Place: Inveraray Castle
From: Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To our cosing the Lard of Glenwrquhay gyf yis


Cosing eftir hartly commendatiouns.

I hayf rasawit zour lettir and as to ye schayit yat zour cwntry hes gotyn I am als sory of ye sam as ony man and thinkis ye sam doun als weill to me as to zow.

And quhar ze wryt yat ze ar informit yat Makgregoir is in Cowaill and yat ze will not parswif yaim yar.

As I sall answir to God gyf it be it is onknawin to me and gif he be yar yar sall nane parswif hym bot my self and yat wyt als gryt hest as I may and I belyf it sall not be fund of trowit.

As to zour tenandis we sall gar proclam yat ya pass haim.

But to promis to warand yaim we can nocht do it.

Bot we sall promiss yat quha yat dois yaim ony skait salbe our enemeis.

As to ye aitis yat ze desyr we haif nain off our awin bot we hayf comandit Doncan Charlis son to serse the cwntry and to get zow als mekill als he may yarfar send to hymself.

Qwhon ze wryt to me yat my fryndis ar miscontentat wyt zow trwly I knaw not ye samin nor na cawis yat sa ... be.

As to John Makallister WeikNahcton gyf he hes doun ony thing yat is wrang ye sall hayf ane swfysent amendis for I knaw not ye matar yarfor I can nocht safa... to...t we can nocht compell zour tennandis to pass hame ... we hayf maid ye proclematioun yis day ...

I comit zow to God. Of Inwirraray ye xxv day of Octobar 1563. Zouris Archibald Ergyll

15.
Date: 13 January 1564
REF: GD112/39/3/1 (SHS ed. No. 15)
Place: Edinburgh
From: James MacGill of Nether Rankeillour
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To ye rycht honorable Lard of Glenvrquhy


Rycht honorable Sir eftir maist hartlye commendatioun.

Pleis zow wyt I haif spokin at lenth wyth my Lady zour wyff in yir caussis concernyng zow wyth ye Clangregor.[1]

And as I belief ye Quenis haldand fordwart to Sanct Johnestoun for doing of justice in yai materis vpoun sik men of ye cuntre as he s nocht done yair dewitte I beleiff yat way sall put ane stay to all yir trowbillis.[2]

Ze salbe assurit yat all thingis as I may do is awir reddy and salbe to zow.

I haif at mair lenth in all behalfis spokin to my Lady zour wyff as scho will declare to zow.

Committand zow to ye keping of ye Almychty God.

Of Edinburgh ye xiij day of Januar 1563. Zour man at his vter power, Mr James Makgill

[1] Katherine was in Edinburgh pressing the case against the MacGregors with the result that the Council had issued new commissions for Grey Colin against the MacGregors themselves and their resetters, 8; 10 January 1564, RPC, I, 255-8; MacGregor, thesis, 330. See also Morton's letter of 13 January [16].
[2] When in Perth the Queen and Privy Council renewed the commission against the MacGregors, 18 March 1564: RPC, I, 269-70; MacGregor, thesis, 331-2.

17.
Date: 19 February 1564
REF: GD112/39/3/4 (SHS ed. No. 17)
Place: Stirling
From: Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To our traist cousing the Lard off Glenurquhar


Cousing eftir maist hartly commendatiouns.

Forsamekle as ze sall witt thatt I send word to Argyle to swmmon of zour tennandis of Glenurquhay to desyir tham to pas haim to manwir thair landis.

Quhais ansueris wes thatt thay wer noichitt suir in quhatt manir thay suld pas haim for thay stand in dowitt giwe ze will requer malis for this zeris profittis thatt thay brownitte [1]

In to quhilk giwe ze do thay will nocht pas haim albeid thay be letient [2] be MacGregor.

Quhairfor ze sall advertis me assurittly of zour mynd with this berar anentis the samin and I sall do my vtir deligens thereftir.

Alis ze sall witt thatt Gregar MacEin is contenttit to manwir all the rowmis thaitt he haid in his awin hand togiddir with his fadiris thatt lay wast giwe ze pleis as said is.

And he sais that he is contettitt to submitt hym to me and to zowr self in all manir of thyngis ze hawe to lay to his charge and zour ansuer in thir premissis with delygens.

Haifand na fadir to wreitt to zow att this present. Committis zow to ye protectioun of God.

At Streuelyng ye xix day of Februar 1563. Zouris, Archibald Ergyll

[1] This suggests that Grey Colin was regarded as an exacting landlord if the rumour (whether true or not) was circulating that he would still be collecting the rents, even though the lands had been despoiled.
[2] Permitted.



18.
Date: 2 March 1564
REF: GD112/39/2/13 (SHS ed. No. 18)
Place: Slatich (Glen Lyon)
From: Duncan Campbell of Glenlyon
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To ye rycht honorable ye Lard off Glenvrquhay


Rycht honorabill Sir efter maist hertlie commendatiounis with servis.

Yis present salbe to adverteis zour Mastership yat I haif spokin with yis berar quha hes schawin me sum credit be..ing and amangis ye rest hes schawin me yat zour Mastership suld heir yat I suld be assurit togider and vnfreindis ye Clangregor.

As to yat I wald nocht yat zour Mastership suld iuge my pvir wit say yat I wald be ye first man yat suld agre with thayme insafar as I wes ye man yat yai handlit maist vnfrendlie of ye hous yat I am cumit of.

Trewlie I wald nocht for all ye heretaig yat ye rest of ye Clangregor hes yat is now lewand bot I suld be ye last man yat suld agre or be assurit with yaim of ye surnam I beir insafar as thay haif done to me ye maist inguris yat yai can at yis present. [1]

I wald nocht yat I haid preiffit ye fuill in yai efferis bot suld haif bein better avisit with freindis nor I haif.

Concernin ye begynning of yir materis I cann nocht stope ye ruvmor of vulgar pepill and specialy of my vnfreindis neviryeless zour Mastership sall wit yat Macgregor and his freinds yat is with him present at yis tyme send in ane messaige with ane callit Makneskar.

Ye quhilk messaige I wald nocht haif hard war nocht I were consalit with sik company as I haid for sik causis as I ba[de] Johne Leiche [2] schaw zour Mastership.

Ye messaig wes yis yat Magregor(sic) desyrit of me yat I wald be ye causar to relax him and ye rest of ye menne yat wes put to ye horn. [3]

Secundlie till lat Duncan Magregor occupy hes awin takis and ples hes tenentis in yair awin rwmes.

Treidly to put samony tenentis as I put out of yair rwmes in Glenlyoun of ye Clangregor to put yaim in yair rwmes againe.

And ferdly to lat Patrik Johne Dowgalsone to liberte.

The anser yat I gaif to yir artikilis is nocht honest quhilk I sall schaw your Mastership with ye sythment [4] yat yai wald do to me, I doand ye samen.

Nocht ellis as now bot refferis ye rest to advertisment or meting quhilk I pray God be sortlie as ye boy hes schawin me. And ye eternall God haif zow in his keping.

Of Slattyche ye second of Merche 1563. Duncan Campbell of Glenlyown

[1] Glenlyon was denying the rumour that he had made a private agreement with the MacGregors by pointing out that of all the Campbells he had suffered the most damage, but he was the father-in-law of Gregor MacGregor, see Appendix C.
[2]  John Leche or Leech for doctor, probably a MacLachlan of Craigenterve, made a bond with Grey Colin, 4 August 1552, GD112/24/1/2, fos. 9-10. As a member of a Gaelic learned order, John was probably acting as a scribe and confidential messenger or negotiator rather than a doctor, see J. Bannerman, ‘The MacLachlans of Kilbride and their manuscripts’, Scottish Studies, 21 (1977), 7-9.
[3]To lift the sentence of outlawry from the MacGregors.
[4] Payment, in the sense of paying them back in their own coin.



19.
Date: 31 March 1564
REF: GD112/39/3/5 (SHS ed. No. 19)
Place: Dunkeld
From: John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: Rycht traist cousing efter hertlye commendatiounis.


I haif resawit zour wryting proporting yat ye Clangregor hes done sum skaithe to zowe and to zour cousing Jhone Campbell of ye Lawers in Glenloichaye, [1] and tuk ye wouthe but tarye [2] and yat ze ar nocht certane quhat cuntrie yai ar in nowe bot yat ze will pass zour self to ye west end of Lochtaye.

Thairfoir desyring me to causs all ye ferrymen one Taye and Tummell [3] yat yai be not feriet over nene of yai watteris quhilk God willing salbe *done within my boundis*.

And lykwais sall send word to causs tak attendance in sic braies of my cuntraye as ze wryt yat yair sall cum nene of yame yair and gif yai cum yat yai salbe scharplie put at.

Forder quhan ze wryt yat ze beleif yat yai salbe sa scharplie put at on ye west hand yat yai salbe constrenit oder to cum on my boundis or zouris.

As to yat ze salbe assurit God willing gif yat yai cum yair yai salbe sua handlit yat yai sall haif als lytill refuge in yir partis as one ye west hand. [4]

Swa refaris ye rest to zour nixt advertissment. And God preserve zow.

Of Dunkeld ye last of Merche 1564. Yours at pouir, Atholl

[1] The MacGregors had made a raid upon Grey Colin’s lands and on Campbell of Lawers' lands in Glen Lochay and Grey Colin had written to Atholl asking him to block up likely escape routes. Atholl was part of the renewed commission against the MacGregors, 18 March 1564, RPC I, 269-70; MacGregor, thesis, 332.
[2] Wrou(r)the but tarye of wear awa: to slip away quickly and quietly.
[3] Blocking the ferries was an important service because it was necessary to cross either the Tay or the Tummel rivers to get out of Breadalbane to the east.
[4] Grey Colin was planning to block the western routes out of Breadalbane so that the MacGregors would be driven east, MacGregor, thesis, 333.



20.
Date: 6 June 1564
REF: GD112/39/3/6 (SHS ed. No. 20)
Place: Saddell Castle (Kintyre)
From: James MacDonald of Dunivaig
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address:
To ye rycht honorable man Colline Campbell of Glenurchay [1] deliver yis


Richt honorable Sir efter my hartlie commendatiounis.

This is to advertiss zow that at my being in court last Makgregor and his cumpany past to Ireland and feid yame selfis with ane brother of myne Sorle MacConaill without ony command or directioun of myne quha vndirstude na freindis to be offendit yairat be reasoun of my absence of ye cuntre for ye tyme.[2]

And now I thocht guid to advertiss zow that ye samin wes done without my advyss.

Quhairfoir gif ze be offendit that ye said Clangrigor be with my brother ze sall lat me knaw zour mynd yairin and according yairto I sall caus yat mater to be vsit safar as I may with my honestie and reasoun howsoune thair terme be rwn furth.

And sa refferris all vyiris to zour ansuer. And sa commit is zow to God.

Off Syadull ye sex day of Junii 1564. Zouris, Jammis MacOnnill of Dwneveg

[1] The name 'Ardkinglass' was crossed out.
[2] James MacDonald had the difficult and embarrassing task of explaining to Grey Colin how his youngest brother, Sorley Boy MacDonald, had, without consultation and when James was at the Scottish Court, hired the MacGregors to fight for the MacDonalds in Antrim. For the episode of the MacGregors in Ireland, see letters 11 September; 8 October 1564 [22-3]; MacGregor, thesis, 333-4.