9. I got letters from my brother shewing the perplexiti that men wer in anent the taking of the Band: The Lothian regiments goeing to the West Alac! for our confusions.

10.-Die Dom. This morning, William Keth cam from my daughter. Granghil, and told me that Glassach's child, Robert Abercrombi, was dead this night in the bedd, and not known or perceavd till midnight, that they wakd, and found the child dead. . . . My good daughter went to Granghil about noon to visit them under the Lord's hand. Lord! teach and comfort. 11.—I . . . visited my daughter at Granghil, who was much affected for the death of her grand child, Robert Abercrombi.

15.--I did meit betwix Jhon Hay and Miltoun, with Calder, Park and others, and agreid the mariag with Miltoun's daughter, Eliz. Brodi. I heard ther was som reluctanci in the yong woman. Let the Lord inclin and bless,

and turn it to her comfort, that He may be glorified. I heard Seaforth was com hom, and took not the Band, nor D. Hamilton.

16.-Milton cam heir. I spok to him anent his daughter's mariag, and desird him to mari [her] by an conform minister.

20-Spini cam to visit me. ... He told me, that the tenents in the west would hav complied, but the ministers stood out. The Lord knows the truth of this. That the Earle of M. was reaceau'd in great state with coches and canon quhen he cam to Edinburgh. That Lorn was maried on the 12 instant. I becam unweil with the cheuing a litl tobaco. I acknouledg the Lord in my frailti

21.-Yong Gordonston dind with me. He told me, he did adviz the D. H. [Duke of Hamilton] to subscriv the Band.

23.—I heard that the good Ladi Argyl, Ladi Margt. Douglas, died the day efter the Lord Lorna was maried on Ladi Betie Talmash.b

April 3.-I heard that the Duk Hamiltoun, Cassils, and mani Lords and gentlemen, wer gon to Court without leaue, to supplicat the King anent the oppression in the West.

9.—Mr. Ja. Brodi cam hom, and told that thes at London desird others to concurr in the address to the King; for al was at the stake; our hazard was noe less then thers: if the other party prosperd we would be swaloud

a

Archibald, Lord Lorn, afterwards tenth Earl and first Duke of Argyll.

b Lady Elizabeth Talmash was the eldest

daughter of Elizabeth. Countess of Dysart, and Duchess of Lauderdale, by her first husband, Sir Lionel Talmash, Bart.

up with the first; if thes that wer gon up for the conntrie gott ani success, it would not be extended to this countree nor to us. Lord! giue counsel and direction. I desird to ponder and weigh duli what the Lord cald to. . . . Torwoodlie, Cesnok, Jereswood, and others wer gon up. . . .

11.-I heard of Cromartie's death; taken away in a moment, unexpectedlie, suddenli, and almost without sicknes, or witnes, hauing risen from tabl, and gon from Murray the day befor. I desird to consider this, and be instructed. I was grieud and affected with his death as being my relation, and especialli that he died so.

a

12. I heard that Cromarti had Don. Campbell din'd heir, with the Ladi Grant. . . . I desird to bewail Cromarti his dreadful death in stabbing himself with his own hand, his despair, his impatienci of a croce. Oh let others fear, and be afraid of Thy judgments! Let persecutors, oppressours, proud enemies, ambitious, violent, covetous men, sie, and the haters of Thy peopl, giv them a wakining. . . . Mr. Tho. Urquhart's wyf was heir this night. My poor daughter Granghil was passionatli affected with Cromarti his death. Lord! strenthen and giv her a sober, patient, subdud mind to Thy will, and to reverenc Thee in Thy holiness and judg

ments.

I

16.-I wryt to Cromarti, and Newhal, and Mr. Hugh And[erson.] commit it to God. Let it be noe snar to me; for I fear societi and familiarity with them, albeit the Lord knows, I wish them and the famili weil. Grang dind with us. . . . Rob. Don. cam heir. He told me Cromarti had struck himself with a dagger, a sword, a penknif, and a fork. I heard his tutour, Mr. Tho. Urquhart

-a

21. Die Dom. I heard of the death of Mr. Jhon Welwood at St. Jhonstoun, his burial at Dron, the impediments made to his burial, and that it's said Mr. Petkarn' resisted them that would buri him in his kirkyard.

25.-I heard of the Bishop of Argyl's sermon, "Is ther noe balm in Gilead," and, "oh! that my head wer," &c. He said, The rulers and councel had not applied right remedies: ensa recidendum.

26. I drew up a letter to be sent to Torwoodlie, but I feard, and durst

not ventur.

Short-hand in MS.

b Mr. Alexander Pitcairn, minister of Dron, in Perthshire. He afterwards went

to Holland; but was restored to his parish In 1689, and four years later was appointed Principal of St. Mary's College, St. Andrews.

30.-Spini told me [that] the Bishop would cede him nothing. I returnd to Elgin, and heard that the Duk Hamilton had reaceaud smal countenance at Court. Honest peopl wer fearing mor suffering, and that troubl was not at an end.

May 2.-I writ to Edinburgh, by Mr. Ja. Brodi, to Don. Campbell and to my L. Argyll.

10.- . . . This night, about 9 of the clock in the evening, my pets [peats] at the Bankhead wer brunt, whither by ani ignorant heards or out of malic, I know not. But I desir to acknouledg the Lord in it, and to reuerenc and submit to his prouidenc. . .

16.-I did visit the Ladi Cromarti, and did counsel her to tak hart, and to be cheerfull, and not let ani thing discompos her mind, for that will affect the bodie, and draw on distemper.

18. My nephew Don. Campbell returnd from Edinburgh. . . . I heard of the straits that Argyl was in, and I desird to simpathiz with him, but alace! ther seims a cloud above his head. The Lord scatter it. The tyms wer dark, and we ar under great confusions, and our jarrs and factions strong. .. I heard Leuchers was at his rest.

21.-I did go to Petgauni at night.

22.-Innes and Calder cam to Petgauni, and dind. I trifld som tym at Spinie's hous, and cam hom late with the L. of Calder. I saw the Earl of Murray his letter from London to Spinie, shewing they had not sein the King as yet.

28. My son and his wyf told me of ther purpos that she goe south. I had a dislyk of it. 1. Becaus of her weaknes. 2. I did conceave mor fit a phisician might be broght to her. Yet I determind not to withstand it least it should be constructed that I wanted tendernes.

31.-I heard that thes who went to London had com noe speid, but wer som of them returning, others going sundri ways. This maks troubl and distress. Lord! uphold and guid me.

3 June. This day, my good daughter took journey south, and her daughters Ann and Cathr.

4.-I yesterday reaceavd a boasting letter from the Bishop, and answerd it as I could, but remitted it to Spini, if it might pass. The Lord restrain I again heard of the indiction of a Convention of Estats. 6.- . . . Tarbet cam heir efternoon from Edinr., and he told me they

that man.

could cary al in a Convention. The Lords wer coming hom, and all ther purpos marrd: noe countenanc from the King. He said, If ani ther did send or choos commissioners for the Convention disaffected to the Court, the band and lauborrows would be put to them. Presentli they were doubtful what to do with the general prosecution of the Band. The Parliament of England had put in the King's will to mak peac or warr as he thoght fitt, and yeilded. He cried against our feild conventicls, that they had stoppd all hop of indulgenc. The Duk Hamiltoun, Drum, had moued onli ther oun greiuances, nothing for the countree, except what Cochran movd a litl. That the E. of M. was in great favour with the King. He thoght the Lords would not com to the Convention.

My son cam hom and told me Innes purposd to be Commissioner to the Convention. The E. of Murray had written to them to choos Innes and Dumphail. . . .

8.-Sir Lo. Gordoun cam to me in the evening, and prest me to com to the election, and he was forward for it. I declind, and said, If Innes would goe, I would not withstand him: he has mor forwardnes and couradg than I.

12. I did meit with Innes at the Clous: he chalendgd me and blamd me that I cam not to consult about the election, and was earnest with me to com and elect and countenanc; and he almost persuaded me. Yet I told him I had noe freidom, and I could not vote if I cam. He told me his end was to hav somthing to ansuer for me, and my son, and for his oun. I said, I dislyked the courses and ways of thes men; and desird not to promot and serv them. . . .

13-I did goe to Aldern in some buisines of Grant's with Colin Menzie and Jhon Dumbar. . . . We spok anent the electing Commissioners. They dealt with me to go to Elgin; Grant and Don., Leathin, Calder; but I declind it. Not having bein at ani election this 24 years, I held it not expedient to go at this tym.

15. Mr. Jh. Buchan cam heir. He told me that the L. Huntli caried al in Aberdeen. This is the frame and constitution of our land. They that are great will cari all with them; not what's right, but what they will. I did tak my son with me to Calder, to tak leav of him; for he was goeing south to the Convention of Estats. He said forwardli, he would not goe abrest with the speat. My son heard from Edinburgh, that they wer pursu

ing the Band violenti, sending severals to the plantations. The Band was coming heir. I desird grace to be fitted for thes evels.

17.-. . . The Commissioner his wyf told me that Chisolm was Latherdal's intelligencer. I considerd this, and thoght fitt to imploy som to speak him to giv right impressions of the countrie. Lord! teach me Thy way. ... Don. Campbel wryt for Chisholm to meit him. Shall I mak use of this or not? I was in doubt if I should wryt to Argyl, to my brother, or others anent our vindication.

This night Tarbet and Commissioner Menzie cam heir in their journey south. Alace! I have not a due antipathi with evel. He spoke against feild meetings; so did I. . . . I spok to him to indeauvour to moderation in ther counsels and causes. He promisd to befriend me quhairin he could. I desir not to trust in man. . . . I heard Sir James Stewart's chaplain and others were sent to the Barbadoes, and banishd. Lord! fitt me for coming under this temptation. I read 5 Matth. ; and read a letter from Sir James Stewart. He said, God would appeir.

19.-... Mr. Geo. Kay was heir, and Mr. Ja. Urquhart. I feard Mr. Geo, would discouer; but I commit it to God. . . .

27. I writ to Spini to vindicat myself as to the election, and shewing him my purpos not to medl in ani publick maiters.

28.-I heard Sir Lod. Gordoun was going of the countree, fearing the Band.

Juli 3.—I visited Major Beatman's Ladi at Moyness, and heard from Pa. Fraser that the convention was constitut: [that] E. Crafourd and Carmichal refused the declaration: and that things were lyk to goe as the Court pleased.

6.- I reaceavd letters from my good daughter from Edinburgh: That ther was litl hop of good from the Convention: Som taken at a conventicle: Lorn and his Ladi at variance. . My good daughter's health no better.

13. Mr. Al Dumbar and Mr. Dunoon cam heir from Edinburgh. I heard that they and Mr. Jhon Hepburn were enterd on the ministri. Grang and Culloden cam heir to sie me. . . . I heard it was objected to me, my wylie ways, because I apcird not at the elections, and cam not south.

25-Mr. James Urquhart and Mr. Hugh Anderson wer heir with me. . . . Mr. James Urquhart mov'd, what should we doe as to the paying of this ceзs which was imposed for suppressing honest men. I said, I knew