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10. We had reports of the dragoons coming, and being cald for. The country seimd to be affrighted this way. I went out to Milton, and in stead of aggreing maters betwixt them, they brok up. This I am humbld in, and desir to be ashamd in it. Oh what a handful of destitut, blind, selfe conceited worldly covetous persons ar we! . . . I usd som fridom with Milton; his passion and rage, and my own broke out much. . . . I cam to Burgie at night. We spoke of the caic of not hearing, and of other things.

15.—I had a meiting with the tennents of thes bounds befor I sud goe off. I minted to exhort them to peaceablnes, good nighborhood, and to shun al occasions of evil.

16.-I met with the Bishop at Elgin. I found that affair of Cowbin's like to com on again. I had account from Da. Ross, Clava's son, of my wiff's being att Edinburgh: that Shaftsbury had gone over seas, Stair and others.

1.7.—I had letters from my wiffe giving account of the expectation of and apeirance of trubl, and that it was desinged by Ld. Dn. [Lord Doun], and that the Advocate and others had hand in it, anent Cromarty's affairs. ... I heard of laying asid the indulged men, and that trubl against my selfe was desingd.

18.-I wrat south to my wiffe. I heard also account last night of my children at Aberdeen. We had a new meiting apointed that day with Cowbin; which took som effect. The Bishop decerned betwixt us. I spok to him anent the appeirance of trubl in the countrey of my selfe and friends. Let not this be a snare to me.

24. The caic of the Lord's churches, the land's, the famelies, friends, the countrey, my own children's caice also, what mater of exercise might al of thes afford! If the Lord be desinging to bring me to trubl, shal I shun or declin it? or sal I recede from dutie, for fear of it? Lord! forbid. Thes things doe not rise out of the dust. I desir to sie, aknowledg and adore the Lord, if he sie fitt to stopp my way and passage from goeing out of this countrey.

From the 20 of November, 82, til the 17 of September, 83, is writ in another litl long whyt parchment book; in which tym I was much abroad, and at Edinburgh twice.

17 September, 1683.--This day or the nixt cam my two friends, Petgownie, and coosing William, heir from the South; of whom I had som account of affairs there, heard the cclr [Chancellor] was com north. A day befor this the good wiffe of Aikinway was heir. Her husband had died in the tolbooth som dais befor. I found her and her son-in-law, Duncan Forbes, in som mistake with William.

23.--Die Dom. I heard Mr. William Falconer at Dyk.a

3 October.-I spok with the Laird and Ladie Calder anent the purpos I was cald for. Ther was a meiting betwixt them and Kilraok anent the mariag of ther two children. We mett at Rait, wher wer Innes elder and several Rosses. The meiting took no effect, bot resulted in appointing a private conference with a friend.

18. I heard that M. Huntly had gone by, and to Invernes, and sent in word that he would cal heir in his return, which did astrict me to abid and remain at hom. I was cald to goe to Calder to the mariag of his eldest daughter with Kilrack. I excusd it on this account.

20. This day I went to Lethen; spok to him of bussines. We had somwhat among us anent Mr. James Urquhart, and purposd to doe som thing with Siddie anent him. The Ladie Lethen was unweil.

22. I heard Calder was summond to present Mr. Tho. Hog against the 1 of November.

23.-I returnd hom [from Forres] at night, where was Calder on his jurnay South, and L[aird of] Park, and others.

24.-I wrat my letters South by coosing William, to Register, Cclr. [Chancellor], my aunt. I had gott an account som dais befor this, of the death of my uncl's son David, the eldest son, of good hope and expectation. The young man favored the best things, had knowledg, learning, and was in the prim, and coming to the flour of his

This is the first occasion on which, since the commencement of his Diary at his father's death, Brodie records his having attended the parish church on the Sabbath; and after this similar entries regularly occur. Down to the 20th of November, 1682, an

age.

entry is made every Sabbath. These Sabbaths he passed wholly in private, reading generally Calvin and Dickson's Commentaries on the Psalms: and Alexander Dunbar, who was licensed for the ministry, often "exercisd" in the family.

25. I took jurnay myself to Castl Forbes. . . . I did sett out, and Alexander Dunbar with me. . . . I went to Mulben at night.

26. We jurnaid to Castl Forbes against their dinner.

27. My stay ther was grivous and burdensom to me. The Lord did sie fitt to exercis me with the passion and weaknes of others, and I find no wisdom or grace to manage such a caice.

29.-I had to doe with much unreasonablnes and weaknes, and yet willfulnes, so that my jurnay ther was for the most pairt lost. My lord Forbes['s] son Arch[ibald] was cald back with the money, letters, and directions to the master. They proposed things most unreasonabl.

30.-I got up early this morning, and took leave of that famely.

6 November.-I... heard of the death of Marie Douglas, Spynie's sister.... She desird to be buried in our burial place, besid my mother; which was accordinglie ordoured.

...

8.-This day was the burial of Marie Douglas att Dyk. I spok to Mr. William Falconer anent our affairs with Cowbin, and with Cowbin himself. I fear my keiping company with Cowbin may be a snare to me. I heard from A. D. som desing of his mariag with the Ladie Altyr. 13.-I was taken up in writing letters south with Petgaunie. . . . Petgaunie retnrnd from Lethen, and went on his jurnay Southward.

17.-I gott a letter from Mr. A Dunbar anent the Ladie Leathen's condition, and their mistake of me, and that she was expected not to putt off that night. I dispatchd and returnd hom, and went to Lethen after supper about 10 or 11 a'cloak att night, wher was my wiffe and other company. The worthie ladie Lethen [died] som two or thrie hours after I cam there. [She] was a person of much knowledg, experience, prudence, and maks a great slapp.

18.-Die Dom. I staid at Lethen this day, being Sabbath. My wiffe returnd hom. . . . Dr. Gordon was there, and cam to me that afternoon anent the way of the burial, shewing their inclination to have ordour and al solemnitys.

21.-Young Granghil had bein at Invernes, and Castle St. [Stuart.] I was affraid of the young man's way and cariage, and his keiping of ill company. Let not this be a snare to him. I was appointing som alteration

Alexander Dunbar, the sheriff's brother.

upon the burial-place of Dyk, the removing of the midd wall, and other things.

28. I had letters from Edinburgh. I heard the E. Murray had no good desings against me, and was unfriendlie. . . . I had account of my eldest daughter's being broght to bedd at London of a son. . . . I heard anent Sir William Scot and his Ladie their sentence.

3 December. I heard of the mariag of A. D. the Shiriff's brother, with the Lady Altyr.

6. I had letters be Thom. Dunbar from Edinburgh. I heard that E. Murray had no good desings against him. I look to the Lord in this and above al instruments. The Lord sies it fitt thus to humbl, and exercise me. 11.-I went to Lethen. This was the day of the burial of the good, worthie, religious ladie Lethen, with whom I was apt to have som mistake with in her liff anent maters concerning Lethen his famely. This is bot selfe, which blinds me. Al that could be broght out of Str[ath]spey and other places wer gathered together. The Marquis H[untly] cam there; whom I desird to com with me at night, bot he declind. I was desird by Lethen to com there at night; which I did, albeit there was endeavours to have shifted

me.

15.—I mett with Milton; perceivd by him that he was purposing South. I did apprehend danger to him. Let the Lord sanctifie evrie rodd and trial to him.

18.--Spynie cam heir with a proposition fra Dumfail anent my daughter Eliz., which I declind to embrace. . . . I told him that I heard anent the E. Murray's unkindnes towards me. We spoke of several things.

4 January, 1684.-This day Grant and his Ladie, and two of my eldest children went to Granghil. Oh what libertie take I to my selfe in my thoughts, and words, and cariage! I perceivd my daughter Katharin to be verie low, and weak, and in a condition which does trubl and make me afraid. Let the Lord pity and shew her mercie, and sanctifie her lott and condition to her. There is litl good to be sein or had among them. Let the Lord visit her in his mercie and grace, and let her soul be precius to him.

5.-I was imployd with Ja. Simson making bargain for som wood. My

wiffe went to Granghil. I heard mor of the poor croced condition of my daughter, Katharin. My bowels yearn for her. They are straitnd to ware upon her in her present condition. I apprehend they will all soon wearie of her. Let the Lord turn away my fears of her.

8.-Thos in Granghil wer unweil, my daughter Katharin, and others of them. I had letters by the post, More, whom I sent south. I heard that the storm was great by the way. Petgownie was gone to Torwodlie anent a mater of Grange's, with his dgr. [? daughter.] I heard the great men wer zealous and forward, that one Mr. Ant[hony] Sha[w], indulgd minister, was to be panneld; that the cclr. [chancellor] was much alon. The Lord sanctifie all thes things, and direct them to his glory.

9.-Mr. William Falconer cam heir anent Mr. Geo. K[ay] and Margaret Stewart. I declind to medl in it. I spok to him of many things. Let not my familiaritie be a snar to me, or a stumbling block to others. Dr. Gordon cam heir. I was not desyring of his company. My wiffe went to Granghil, and staid there that night with her daughter, who was unweil.

10. I went this afternoon to Calder; the way was most dangerous and sliprie. They had a regular discreit famely. O that the Lord would teach me how to walk, and behave, and ordour my conversation in evrie stat and condition, and relation I stand into! I staid there that night. Nixt day 11. I went to Castl Stewart. My thoughts and hart was barren, and fruitless, and no savour of God. What occasions, and seasons, and opportunities doe I lose and miss! Let the Lord purge, cleanse, and sanctifie the wretch wholly. I cam in by Kilrack; did sie the young persons, young Kilrack and his ladie. The night was cold, and I cam to Lethen.

12.- ... Mr. William Falconer had spoke to me formerlie off Tho. Gordon's stay heir, and Al" Dunbar's.

13. Die Dom. I heard of the death of the old goodwiffe of Burrisyeards. Let the Lord prepar me for my change.

14.-I spok to A. Dunbar anent Lethen. My infirmitie is to be too open, and frie, and liberal in expression. I was cutting timber in the wood to Jamie Simson.

15.-This day I went to the burial of the old goodwiffe of Burisyards. Alas! I can give no account of my right improvment off anie occasion. We had som meiting anent the church of Forres, and anent Jo. Brodie's mariag and contract with one Barbara Cumming, Logie's daughter. I took too

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