Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

LETTER FROM ANNANDALE TO }{1.S COUNTESS. CCXCl
Tlie lord coimuissioner ainl the jiailiaineut excused his iion-atLciidaiice.'
Sir Tiiomas Livingstone, tlio coniniander-in-cliief, wrote from Edinburgli, on
8th SepteuiLcr 1G9G, to Aniiandale, Oordially congj-aLuhatiiig his lordship on
the birth of auoLlier ''brave young son."'- Tliis was tlie tliird sou of the
earl and countess, and he was named Lord ."William Johnstone. Corie-
spondence took place previously, in July 1C9C>, between Annandale and Mr.
liobcrt Pringlc, under secretary of state, from which it appears that the
king was anxious that x\nnandale should attend the parliament.^ The
solicitude of Annandale for the health of his countess was quite remarkable.
The following letter, written at a later date, from him to the countess, in
reference to her anxiety as to tlie health of her mother, Lady Craigichall,
illustrates this feature of his eharactor:
—
" Loclnvood, the 7tli off October [post 1G99].
"j\Iy DEARE.ST HEART,— . . . I begg ofF yow doe nott de.'stroy and uudoc your
selfe by 3'our excessive grife for your mothers condition. Consider, itt is Gods
liand and doing in a good ripe old ago ; and wee ought to be thankfull cither for
our selves or our frinds when he allowes soe mannio ycares on tliiss side off tymc.aud
submitt paticntlie and CJiristianlie to his call when wee see itt is the will off God.
" 1 am sensible she is a wortliie good woman as ever wes borne, and have ever
liad a greatt esteem for liir, and I wishe hcartillie itt may be Gods good pleasure
to spare hir mannie yearcs, whiclic is my sincere prayer ; butt iff itt is otherwayes
determined, j-ow owght to submitt Christianlie, and be thankfull for the tynie
yow have had hir, and lett nott your immodcratte grife either wrong your
healthe or lirovocke God. I kuo your fcavrisbe fitts yow speake off proceeds
from tliiss, v.hichc makes me enlarge upon thiss subject; and itt may be easier
for yow that I am nott witli yow, for I should nott be sattisiied to see yow
occasion ybur oun mine, and doe that whiche is neither aggrcable to God nor
man ; for consider butt how few enjoy soe niamiie yearcs as she lies liad in thiss
world alreddie. 1 hope youl take thiss in good parte since it proceeds onliefrom
my conccrne for you, and that what I advise is bothc Cliristian and aggrcable to
Gods holy word and commands. I am again thy oun most intyrlie."*
' Acts of the l'.irli.iim.iits of Scothuid, vol. .x. p. 2.3.
" Vol. ii. of tliis work, p. 1-0. ''
* Origiual letter in Amiainl.ile Cli.irter-cliest.
Ihid. pp. l-H, \io, IJG.