12.-1 mett with the tennents this day concerning the setting off and parting the Mains among them. I found complaints amongst them, which I desyr to wye [weigh] and consider, and seiks grace fra God to be helpd to deal tenderly with them; and I purpos, thorow the Lord's strenth, not to burden them without consideration. In the afternoon I went to Calder; spok with young Kinsterie by the way anent affairs with Park. I staid at Calder al night. The Ladie was brought to bedd of a young son. . . . I wrote to the E. of Argyl, and to Mr. Jo. Campbel.

15.—I . . . went in again by Calder and Lethen, and cam hom at night, being somwhat distemperd with cold. . . . The Ladi Lethen spok to me anent Mr. T. H. [Thomas Hog], and accomodation and cal to him. I desird to remember, and doe what may be proper for me in it.

19. I visited the Ladie Murray at Darnway, and Spynie. Mr. James Urquhart cam heir this night. We got an useful word, which I desir to remember and mak use of upon the 25 Psalm. The nixt day, being Wednesday the 20, I went from this place on my journay South, upon citation befor the Councel for absence from the host.a

13 December, 1680.—Oh! so ill an account I can give of my stay, and abode in this place, where only I am transported with vanitie, idlnes, folly, overcom with sensualitie, intemperance, unsobrietie. Is this to adorn the profession of religion, and the gospel? Oh what a stain and reproch am I to thes! Albeit I confess evils, yet ar they not abandoned and cast off. I was employd in making readie for my jurnay and return homward.

14.—I dind with D[uke] Hamilton and others this day. Ther was litl to edification among us. I visited the E. Cassills. Oh! wher ar the worthie verteus parents, and what is ther coming up in ther roum and place? If the Lord contineu not, and doe not perpetuat the remembrance of His name to succeiding generations, it wil wear out. Let Him Let Him preserve a seid to serve Him.

15-I was detaind thir days past upon the burial of the Lord M'Donald, and for Grant's company. He was buried this day. Ther was a great train. This day I took leave of the Lord Advocate, Register, Salen [Saline],

After this several leaves in the Diary are left blank, and the next entry is "13

December, 1680."

Colintoun, my Lord Argyl and others. I dind with Argyl at Balcarras lodging.

I greive to be coming off in anie mistak with Park, albeit the Lord knows how I have bein willing to carie fair with him. Yet dare I not justifie my selfe in anie thing. I cam doun to Leith at night, and several friends. The night befor ther was sein, and this, and for many days ther after was sein a remarkabl bright shining comett, with a lightning lik a rainbowe in the firmament. Many wer gasing at it.

The Laird of Grant, and others with him, cam doun betwixt one and two in the morning, and disturbd us in our quarter. Their company was unpleasant.

16. This day we crossd the Ferrie to Bruntiland, and found Duffus and his Ladie on the other syd. We dind with them in Captain Seaton's. We wer in som confusion about hyring horse, and other trifls, which did discompos us. We cam to Kenna [Kennoway] at night.

The frost

17. We cam to the Ferrie side of Dundie the nixt fornoon. hinderd our passage many hours. We crosst in a lit boat. We wer in confusion anent our horse and other things. . . . We lodgd at Dundie this night. Our company tended nothing to edification.

18. We cam nixt fornoon to Brichen, and on this Saturday at evening we cam to Fettercairn, wher we purposd to stay the nixt day, being the Sabbath.

19. Die Dom. After our purpose and resolution to stay the Sabbath there, we found it inclining to a change of weather, and fearing the storm in the Kairn, and the waters, we considerd on it as fitt to croce the water of Die. After we had worshipd God, Petgauni, and Windihils, and I, in the morning, we sett upon our way and journay, and cam forward. . . . We cam to Lumfannan, finding no good lodging elswher, and to declin Arthur Forbes[s] company at Kincairn.

20. The nixt morning we cam to Putachie; had verie ill way, and ill crocing off the water of Dolie. The Mr. of Forbes and my daughter have had a feaver since I saw them. The Lord sanctifie everie trial to them. Grant and Petgauni went from that to Whytlumms. I staid there al night. 21. I parted from Putachie the nixt morning, and was detaind at Whytlumms with lord Forbes['s] man, Mr. William Johnstoun. I cam to Mulbenn at night.

22.-This nixt morning I was in a most immanent and apparant danger beyond what ever I was al my lyff tym, at the water of Spey. The boat and al in it was caried doun by the force of the speat and the jaes, and grew not only beneath the first dangerous stream, bot mor than half a myl, neir the bushes belonging to Ortoun. We wer, in the opinion and estimation of onlookers, past al hop and expectation of coming to land, and ther was nothing but a present looking for of death. It pleasd God at last that we wer brought to land to the sam syd of the water which we entred in. I desir to keip the memorie of the deliverance. I cam back to Mulbenn, and staid som hours with company, in whom I took no great pleasur. . . . We crocd Spey in the evining, and cam lait to Elgin.

...

23.—We visited Eliz. Innes, Urkney's relict. . . . The water of Findhorn was great and ill to pass. I sent back my hors to Forres, and visited thos in Granghil, and cam hom at night, where I found the famely in ordinarie health.

25.-I went with Graing to Leathen, and visited thos ther, and did sie the worthie old Ladie infirm and continuing weak. . . . I cam hom by Darnway and visited Spynie.

27. Several persons cam heir to visit me: Tho. Gordon, Main, Spynie and others, and some tennents. Al Dunbar, the Shiriff's brother, cam

heir.

30.-I visited thos of Boath and old Kinsterie at Inshoch, who was com from Edinburgh. I cam hom at night. Coltfald and Windihils was heir. I had invitation to Makintosh his brother's burial. It was reported his ill dyet and intemperance had killd him. I saw Mr. James Urquhart. I regret the want of the societie of good men.

1 January, 1681.-I had gott som letters from Edinburgh, bearing Stafford's appointment to dye the 27 December; and som votes of the Houses. I desire to be instructed by al this. What appeirance is there of trubl and confusion!

2.-James Fraser was at Moynes. We expected him heir.

3.-I read Calvin on Christ's being ledd to the wildernes and tempted of Sathan, and the several kinds of temptations, and the way he breaks and reasons against them, and his victorie. . . I was to goe this day towards

Invernes to the buriall of M'Intosh his brother. I cam at night to Calder's where James Fraser, and Major Betman, and Mr. Angus M'Pherson wer. ... We heard of som nois and stirr at Edinburgh, anent the students burning the Pope in effigie, &c.

4. The day was unmeit for travel, the way al lyk glass, so that I did not venture to goe to the burial of Wm. M'Intosh, but sent my excuse.

5. We took som inspection to Donald Campbell his children their effairs, and found them in much dissordour. Ther was appeirance of mistaks among them anent som particulars.

6.—I gott a letter from my wiffe, showing that she had one from Dippil giving account of the Ladie Innes her dangerous sicknes, and that she was past al hopes, and given over; and she was gon there to sie her. This did affect me much, bot thes of the company would persuad me ther was no hazard, after so long continuance of the feaver.

8.-I read Calvin on som pairt of the end of the 4, and beginning of the 5 of Luke.

E. Innes and A[lexander] D[unbar], the Sheriff's brother cam heir in the evining. I heard Calder was in mistak with her and me. I desir to doe nothing to dissoblidg him. The water was great, and so my wiffe was fored to return to Burisyards al night.

We had the woeful, doolful, lamentabl tidings of the death and removal of the precius, worthie, verteus young Ladie Innes; for which my soul has reason to be greivd. Oh what an ornament to the countrey, to her famely! Oh what a dismal stroke and breach! How ominous and prodigius to the land, to this country!

9. Die Dom. I desir to be affected and duelie exercised with the sad stroke this land and the Church of God has gott in the death [of] good young Ladie Innes. "The faithful decay, the godly fail from among the children of men." Is not this for a lamentation, and ought it not [to] be lamented? Such ar ta'en away, and alas! what ar they who ar growing up in the room and place of al the worthies who ar gon? and what seim we to be reservd for who ar behind? She was amongst thes singular ones who ar taking a burden of the Lord's work and interest, and concernd with his glorie. Let God help me to make a right use of this. My wiffe cam hom this morning. She gave us a furder account of the death of our deir and beloved friend, of whom we might have made more use in her lyff tym. . . .

We heard that it did stick with her and affected her, the baptism of her young child by Mrshl. [Marshal]. O what zeal for God! She was bold in the maters of God and her duty.

11.-Urkney's relict went from this, this morning, homward. I desir to be helped to give her singl and honest counsal.

12. This day I went to Burgie, Aslisk, and to Elgin at night; visited the Ladie Moortoun; heard of an address by the II. C. [House of Commons] anent the King's declaring and nominating his successor. The Lord overule al to his oun glorie and honour. We heard read a speich reported to be the Lord Stafford's at his execution. I took too much libertie in Colonel Innes's, where I was al night with Burgie. Let the Lord forgive.

13.-I went to Innes; visited the old Lady, who was unweil; and from that went to Dippill. I desird to be affected with the desolation of that hous and famely. . . . Mr. John Stewart was ther, but had not freidom to speak.

17.—I heard that L. D. [Lord Doun] was com north, bot [on] what desing was not knoun. . . . I heard that L. D. had bein drinking at Tanachy Sabbath day at night. Oh! where is the fear of God? how farr from having place among men?

18. I went East this morning in ordour to the burial of the precious Ladie Innes, younger, the nixt day. I heard by the way of the death of the hopful and godly young man, John Dounie, and that my uncl and his wiffe and famely wer much aflicted with this stroke.

19.—I went airlie to Dippil. Oh! my hart is not in anie sutable fram and postur such as the work of this day might require. . . . Maters wer in confusion and lit ordour. The young Laird went out to the Church. O that the Lord may sanctifie this stroke to him, and to all concernd! I went at night to Elgin, did visit the Lady Moortoun, and Ladie Kilraok at her hous saw the King's return and ansuear to the address: heard that the Parliament was like to be adjurned: heard of som mistak betwixt som of the Privy Council and the Duke. O for a spirit of discerning! I visited E. Innes, and took too much liberti in eating and drinking. Lord! forgive. 22.-I. . . visited Sir Lod. Gordoun, Coltfauld, Windihils famely. Al· Brodie in Kinlos was com from the South. I heard of expectation men have of evil tyms. Lord! prevent.

28.-I heard the Colledg of Edinburgh was brok up. Let the Lord