MY Brother William can inform you, That I have present use for some Papers of the Earl of Annandals, (which are in the Lady Carlips possession) and hitherto I would not suffer those I intrusted to search these papers, unless you were present; And therefore I shall most earnestly intreat, you may be pleased to favour me so much, as to throw away one Hour with my Brother William and Mr. Allan, for making search of these papers, which I shall acknow­ledge a most singular Obligation, and shall endeavour a Requital: By my Brother John, (who came here Yesternight) I had a very satisfactory Letter from Sir Robert Murray, who expresseth a great deal of Readiness and Dutifulness to sign that Ratification, (which he sent to you in order to your Advice) I did indeed declare to him my Resolutions of not moving in his Com­missions, until that be done; And therefore I hope Sir Robert Sinclair and you will return it me back with their Advice to him for signing of it, which is neither Illative to me of a greater Right, nor prejudicial to himself: Besides, I wish he would satisfie the Sums I really payed for these Apprysings, which I purchased at his Desire, and I should most cheerfully state him in my Condition: I do press solely upon Sir Roberts Account, as retarding his Business, and besides I am loath to appear to undo that Structure, which I have been (not without Success) endea­vouring to rear up; My Brother William will acquaint you with an Addition which I desired to be made to it; I did never state a Difference betwixt Sir Roberts Interest and my own, and I hope both Sir Robert Sinclair and you will acknowledge the same, you being eye Witness of my Carriage this last Winter, when Brouchtons Remission was presented in Exchequer; I shall leave all to your Consideration, and shall say no more, but that I am,

YEsternight I received yours, dated [...] which is all I have had from you since my Brother John came here; And tho I shall not offer any more to press you to sign that Ratification I sent you, leaving it Arbitrary to your self, to do or not do as you shall think fittest, yet (besides that) it seems you absolutely distrust me, (which I wish you had exprest sooner) I shall, I suppose, satisfie these Reasons you adduce, which seem not to me to have that weight you lay upon them; For in the Contract of Wadset past betwixt us, you have therein ratified Sir George Mouats Apprysing, both as it stands, and as to its preference, which enervats that Hundred Thousand Pounds Bond as to that: And all I now desire is, ye do the like as to the rest of the Apprysings I purchast; And tho his be included in that paper, yet the Letter of Reversion I granted will free you from importing double payment of one and the same Sum; And, in that very Contract, you'll find the Warrandice the very same which is in the paper I sent you; Sir, I must tell you freely, that it seems you are now Jealous of this which is meerly designed for my own Safety, being ingaged in a Business full of Intricacies, to which you gave the first Rise; For (besides that it was yout Desire, as I can make appear by your Letters) I was constrained to purchase these Apprysings, for defending the Wadser I had from you, which, if pulled from me, would have imported a considerable prejudice upon your self, and yet Pitscoties are insisting against me; I shall not offer to relat to you what, be­sides all this, you owe me, as notour to your self, and I presume you will not say, that I ever de­clined any thing conducive to your Interest; And I ever designed, that my Brother John should have prosecute the Sute upon my Charges, (which is considerable, I presume, the property being yours) but seing you are not pleased to do it, I shall not offer to create you any more Trouble upon this, only I am sorry you force me to that which I never designed: I intend (God wil­ling) this next Week for Scotland, &yet to demonstrate to the World my unwillingness to relinquish you, if you shall be pleased to send over to my Brother John that paper signed as I sent it you, he shall wait upon you for prosecuting of our Interest, otherways you will be pleased to pardon me for taking another Course; And besides, I do ingenuously declare to you, I never did nor does de­sign any thing to your prejudice, and I wish you meet with as little from others, in whom you seem to repose a greater Trust, I am,