much libertie in words, assverations, imprecations, and drink. I desir to take shame. Let the Lord give repentance and forgivnes off sin. Grant cam heir with me at night. I was indisposd for duty thorou my own sinful

way.

18.-I staid this day also at the sam place [Lethen]. O! if I could reflect on my way, there might be great ground of humiliation, and selfe-loathing, and abasment. Let not the Lord enter into judgment with me. I am much abroad upon other men's maters and affairs; bot my oun hart is as the sluggard's vynyard, altogether overgroun with weids and thorns. I spok this day again to Lethen anent his oun effairs, setling, &c. The company was a burden to me; for al night Grant sett on me, and I was drawn into the snare to drink mor than was fitt. He sett on me also as to other maters, and wad neids have me goe to Lethen with som propositions; which I declind. The Lord humbls us in this mater, and dissapoints. I desir to sie and aknowledg the Lord in evrie step of providence.

19.—I cam airlie from that place, being in distemper thorou a giddines in my head. I aknowledg the Lord in His holy, spotles justice and soveraintie. O that anie thing could be as an hedge to withhold me from the paths wherein distroyers goe!

I

20. Die Dom. We wer alon in the family; read Pss. and Calvin on them, and Dickson. Unles the Lord give instruction I will perish. heard Mr. William at Dyk, tho, alas! with litl edification or profit.

21.-I found great dimnes in my sight, and giddines in my head; which are symptoms of natural decay. . . . I was apt to be discuragd with this condition, being threatnd with the loss of my eye sight. I desir to aknowledg the justice and soverantie of God in it. How oft has my eys bein employd to behold vanitie, and look on objects to satisfie my lust! I have folloud the sight of my eyes, and has alloud my sences to take the government and rule of me. Lord! sanctifie this dispensation to me, and spare me, and give grace to use evrie gift and facultie, member and sence, for God, and His honour, and glorie.

22.-This day, or the nixt, Jo. Gordon brought me a letter from Huntly], and cam heir with Tannachie. . . . Let not this be a snar to me, the familiaritie and intimacie, &c. I went with them to Dyk, and thereafter to Granghill. Let the Lord pardon and purge me.

25. We ar reading in the famely the book of the Revelation, and I am

read[ing] Calvin on the Five Books of Moses, on the Commands. . . . The two Jo. Brodies in Forres, and the other in Pluscarden, wer heir.

26.-I was revising Jo. Brodie's contract of mariag with B. Cumming. I perceive that selfe love does blind and misguid me in evrie step. Glengerak cam heir also from Lethen. I had a call from Moortoun to goe there befor he went South.

29.-I went to Moortoun. My bodilie condition trubls and disquiets me. When sal sin and the dishonour of God be my burden and exercise? The Lord letts sie in my natural temper and unsutablnes to drink. O that the Lord wad give the grace of sobrietie of evrie kind!

30.--I found my selfe somewhat unweil in the morning, and cam doun to Mr. James Brodie in Kinloss; mett with the young man Johnston, to whom I promisd the barron's roum. I staid there most of that day. I beheld Mr. James his children, and desirs to sie and aknowledg God in this. I was intangld, or sufferd my selfe to be intangld, at Forres, with young Coubin, and the two or three bailies. Oh! so easie a prey as I am to temptation the Lord knows. I cam hom at night.

31.—I was called to Dyk by Cowbin, elder, bot he did not keip; apointed the nixt day. Brightmanie was heir. I used too much freidom with him now, and on Saturday also. I am a weak creatur, witless and foolish. I went to Granghill to sie my daughter, Katharin.

1 February.—Al". Buchan cam heir to give me a charg of horning anent Moortoun's cautiourie for Crom [artie]. Da. Cumming was heir. I mett with Cowbin, elder, and Mr. William, at Dyk. I found uncertantie in dealing with the first. We appointed to meit again at Monday

nixt.

2.-William Firsl returnd from the South. I had letters from Petgownie, Milton, William, and my aunt, and others. I was told of appeirance of troubl anent the old fines . . . There was som insinuations made to me of some necessitie to goe South. I rol my burden on the Lord. My wiffe went to Lethen. I was writing again South with Moortoun.

3-Die Dom. I read the 110 Ps. anent Christ's kingly office, priesthood, conquest, and suffering. . . . I heard William Falconer on 25 Ps.: "Now for Thy nam's sake pardon myn iniquity, for it is verie great." He was giving intimation of his purpos of giving the Sacrament, which I am not frie or cleir to joyn and partake off, it being a condition of comunion

beyond hearing. Alas! I am unstabl, and dark, and blind, and ignorant, and undiscerning. Let the Lord give me understanding in his fear.

4. This day was apointed to have mett with Cowbin. He cam heir and his son, and Tho. Tuloch, and Mr. William. I took too much libertie. Oh how oft doe I relapse in this, and how oft am I entangld and overcom of evil!

6.-Ja. Ross, the clerk of Nairn, cam to me heir anent Cowbin. Mr. William cam from Clava's, and dined heir. Main also cam afternoon. I did sie and apprehend troubl from the pblct [publict]. I am apt to fear Let the Lord be my dread and fear. I was told by Main, that my wiffe was inclind to hear, and persuaded others, and that it was not a principle. I desir to look to God in all of this.

men.

10. Die Dom. I minted to worship God in the morning, and sett out tymlie to have com hom [from Windihils], bot was weatherbeaten by such great drift and snow, with wind, that I could not winn throu, and was necessitat to take shelter at an hous in Inchdernie, where I staid for four or five hours, until the drift and storm was somwhat calmd and abated. I cam [home] afternoon. There was no sermon at Dyk.

11.—Brightmanie and my neic, Glassach, cam heir. . . . I heard of the death of Jean Innes, young Clava's wiffe.

12.-"The wise man dies, and so the fool; the brutish person perishes." There is nothing of this that a man has to boast or to glorie in. Oh that I wer made to know that God is the Lord, and my God and Father, throu Jesus Christ! How easilie can the Lord frett away man's beautie, as a moth! Dust I am, and to the dust I must return.

I heard that the Bishop was unweil of the gravel. Now albeit I be not considering thes dais ar coming on me, wherein I can have no pleasur, lett the Lord "teach me to number my dais, so as I may apply my hart to wisdom."

14.-I gott advertisment to the burial of young Clava's wife.

18.—I was cald this morning to goe up to Lethen by the Lady Grant. There was great fume and rage amongst them anent the convoiane of Lethen's estait. Grant was taking jurnay South to stopp and hinder it ; and qhow manie threats, boasts, barbarous wicked desings and projects was vented! I traveld among them and reasond with Grant; spok with Lethen, who yet did somwhat to allay the furie and storm, and wrat to his brother

to delay for som season. The Lord humbls us in this mater, and sies it fitt to exercis Lethen, and in him all our famely with this trial. O for grace to sanctifie the Lord of Hosts, and to make him our fear and dread! The storm was somwhat calmd. I went from that to Calder att night, with Major Beatman, that lenth on my way to the burial of young Clava's wiffe. 19.-I worshipd God in the morning there; and Grant cam, and we went together to the burial. . . . I saw nothing among them of being affected with the stroak, but vanitie, ostentation, prid, "the dead burying the dead." I cam with Grant to Lethen att night.

20.—I was detaind there that day. . . . I cam hom at night, and had the account of my daughter, Katharin, being broght to bedd of a dead child before the tym.

21.-My wiffe was unweil and affected with her daughter's condition, and what she mett with in it. . . . I went down there, and visited her at Granghill.

28.—I heard that young Granghill was purposing to Ingland. I pity the poor young man who is so airie and vain, and unsolid.

3 March. I heard of som purpos young Granghil had to goe to Ingland; wherof I had no relish. O that the Lord would make the young man serius, and give him Christian and sutabl imployment!

6. This day was Margt. Stewart and Mr. Geo. Kay maried. . . . Mr. William spok to me anent the Sacrament, and my countenance and exampl. I told him I was not frie. The two bailie Brodies of Forres staid al night. 12.-I spok to B[ailie] Brodie anent his affairs, to cleir them. I had great complaints of his drunkenes. I heard old Innes was verie sick and unweil.

13. I heard of old Clava's death.

14.—I heard from Mr. Alexander] D[unbar] that Lethen had som purpos anent my daughter, and was coming doun. I had no opinion of it. 18. This was the day of the burial off old Clava. . . I cam hom by Both heard of Park's trubl and am affected with it. 22.—I heard of the Lady Calder her cariage to her daughter, the Lady Kilraok, and much of her humor and way.

Alexander Ross of Clavalg, Nairnshire, was served heir male of his father,

Hugh Ross of Clavalg, or Clava, 1st May, 1684.

25. The laird of Grant cam heir this morning, and with him young Cowbin. Grant was on his jurnay to England. I heard Lethen had spok or writ to him anent the raising of dust against him. I spared to tel him anie thing was done at Edinburgh. I went with him to Forres, and Kilboyak, and writ som letters South, and pairted fair with him. . . . I spoke to him of Lethen's mariag, and what I heard anent my daughter, Elizabeth. 26.-I had letters som dais befor this from the South anent Park's condition, anent our affairs with Moortoun, and the Register; which seimd not to be right.

31.-I had a meiting som day befor this at Granghil anent their daughter Grisel and John Maxwell. I perceivd their fault and wrong in giving libertie to the young woman for so long a tyme to engadg her selfe, so as she could not get her selfe ridd.

4 April. I heard that the King had writ doun that the husbands sud be liabl for ther wives ther conformity and abstracting. Evrie thing does shake me as the leaff of a trie. Teach me to cast my burden on Thee. Make me willing to submitt to evrie rodd and trial Thou shalt sie fitt to trist me with.

8.-I went East to Mon[aghti.] . . . From that went to Elgin, . . . and went to Innes att night, visited the old man, who was much altered, and low in his bodily state and condition.

10. I had heard som dais befor of the stat and condition of the Laird of Park, and that he was neir to breaking. I desir to be humbld and affected with this. Let the Lord teach and give me the sanctified use off such a providence and dispensation as this. How litl ar any things on this syd tym to be rested upon! I was purposing to goe West to visit Graing and his Ladie, whom he had broght hom; a daughter of Sir Ja. Melvin of Hahill; bot delayd it til Saturday nixt. The weather was rough.

11. The merchants wer taking up ther victual in Dyk. What am I that I sud be the seller and lender, and others the buiers, and givers, and borrowers! O for grace to honour God with my substance! How far am I from learning this lesson.

12.-I went east this day; did sie Dumfail by the way. Went from that to Altyr and din'd. Main was there. I went from that, and did visit Grang and his young Lady; and from that to Moortoun; spok to her concerning the mistaks her husband was in with coosing William and me. O!