<
Glen Discovery in GlenLyon
Discovery
About us
History
Contact

Campbell of Glenorchy Letters 48-75 - 30th August 1565 to 25th December 1565

48
Date: 30 August 1565
REF:GD112/39/4/19 (SHS ed. No. 48)
Place: Balloch Castle
From: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy (draft)
To: Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
Address: My Lord efter all hartlie commendatiounis of service.


I haif resavit zour Lordshipis writing makand mentioun of my Lord of Murray labour and diligence in my actioun and ye Clangregoris of ye quhilk I thank his Lordship hartlie for it is nocht ye first gud yat his Lordship hes schawin towart me and my house.

I haif consyderit all ye hedis and pointis of zour Lordshipis writing.

And as to MacGregor mariage and releif, I wilbe contentit as befor with sex hundreth merkis.

And as {to ye sycth}ment [1] of murthor, slauchteris and spulze commit be MacGregor and his complicis {against} me and my servantis, zour Lordship knawis yat I haif alreddy referr{it to zour Lordship} and zour frendis being Campbellis yat part and bydis yairat as {yit and will sta}nd at sik deliverans as zour Lordship and ze said freindis will pronunce {nocht doutand bot} ye samyn will be to my honour and weill be resoun of my gret {scayth sustenit be yir} procedingis.

As to yair lyvis gif ye appointment t{akis place I am conten}tit to be saiff bot I wald wit quhow mony MacGregoris {desyris and yair na}mis to be put in bill and yai to be remit be zour Lordship a{nd me and swa mony a}s beis nocht contenit in bill yat MacGregor be enime to ya{me als weill as I.

And} as to ye rowmis and stedingis yat yai haid at ye b{eginning of ye cummer I} sall do my deligence yat yai may bruke ye samyn and {nocht onlie the rowmis} quhilk yai haid befor bot als all vyer rowmis yat yai {may purches for gif yai} be zour Lordshipis servantis and myne I am glayd ya{t yai be weill stakit of ya}ir awin.

As to ye assurans I am contentit yat zo{ur Lordship gif thame ane assuran}ce quhill Candilmes [2] or langar gif zour Lordship plesis {and in the meyne tyme qu}how sone zour Lordship and ye freindis decernis ye appoint{ment may be endit and ye} assurans hes nay thing ado.

Zour Lordship knawis qu{hat scayth I haif gottin vnder a}ssurans yairfor gif zour Lordship giffis yame ony in {my name send me zour Lordshipis} writing yat I be scaythles in ye meyne tyme an{d send me yair namis in bill} yat beis assurit and I sall God willing keip ye {samyn.

As to Duncane Laid}us Oy zour Lordship sall haiff him quhowsone ze send {me ye assurans or ellis I s}all hald hym in fre ward with my self quhill {I speik with zour Lordship and als} sall centenew ze boy yat zour Lordship writis for al{beit he is an Atholl man.[3]

And} quhair zour Lordship writis yat gif I be contentit w{ith ye hedis yat} zour Lordship sall gar me lauch my tyme about at {nychtbouris.

I assur zour Lordship yat} is ye thing yat movis me mair to accept MacGregor {in fawouris nor ony geir} yat euer he may gif me.

For gif he vse him weill in y{at cace he is abill to be r}ewardit.

Atour zour Lordship sall wit yat Duncane MacGregor {at Roro and ye man of G}lenleydnocht hes tane ane thousand pund wort of geir fra{e my seruantis laitlie} yairfor I wald zour Lordship advertesit me gif MacGregor will {haif yame assurit or nocht}.

I am informit yat zour Lordship and bretherine ar to pas with f{orce to ye Lawland for}avansing of ye glorie of God and ye commonwelth.

T{hairfor I pray zour Lordship} to be circumspect and handill ye mater be wisdom for ye {winning and tynsall} of ye hale wair standis yis viage. [4]

And gif I war of a{bilitie as I} haiff bene it suld nocht haif bene counsall yat zour Lordship suld {haif haid in} tyme of say wechtie materis bot rather my awin persone and all yat wald assist me quhilk zour Lordship sall haif God willing schortlie sua I war out of cummer.

I am feirfull for my Lord of Athole invasioun, quhowsone he cummis and gif he puttis at me I man transport my gudis (sic) Glenvrquhay.

And gif zour Lordship levis MacGregor at hame I pray zour Lordship causs him and ye rest of zour lychtmen [5] {to} be reddy in cace I send yame word to cumm in my suport and lat MacGregor {be} assurit yat I sall nocht brek ane word of my promeiss to him.

The rest {committ}is vnto zour Lordshipis wisdom and answeir and zour(sic).

Zouris at Ballocht, {ye} penult day of August 1565. [6]

[1] Readings from GD 50/116/195-7.
[2] Candlemas, 2 February.
[3] Grey Colin was agreeing point by point with the proposals of 28 August 1565 [47], though he was anxious to add extra guarantees about damage from raids because he had been caught out before, MacGregor, thesis, 354; 396.
[4] Grey Colin warned the 5th earl to be very careful of hazarding all the hopes of the rebel Lords on one expedition in the Chase-about Raid.
[5] In the event of an invasion of his territory by the earl of Atholl and the Queen’s forces, Grey Colin wanted to be able to call up on Argyll's light cavalry and MacGregors’ men, see Introduction.
[6] The last two lines were added in a different hand with a different ink.



49
Date: 1 September 1565
REF:GD112/39/4/20 (SHS ed. No. 49)
Place: Dunoon (Cowal)
From: Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To our traist cousing Colin Campbell of Glenvrchay


Traist cousing efter hartlie commendatiouns.

We haif resavit zour writing and hes considerit ye contentis yairof at lenthe.

And is weray glaid with all our hart yat ze ar sa weill willing to agre with Makgregor for ye speciall heddis yat ze haif writin in zour bill particularle is ye same weray heddis quhairvpoun we and Makgregor hes condescendit.

As to ye assurans we culd nocht send ye same becaus Makgregor hes nocht spokin hidderto with his men and knawis nocht as zeit quhome for he will assuir bot within sex dayis ze salbe advertist of yame yat Makgregor will assuir for. [1]

And as to ye rest yat will nocht be includit within ye said assurans Makgregor sall be yair enemie and perschewe yame in lyk maner as ze will do.

Prayand zow in ye mein tyme yat nowyir ye taking of horss or ky or mearis betuix zow and yame yat dependit vpoun Makgregor in tymis bygane be ane occasioun to hinder ane guid purposs and agreans.

For Makgregor himself is present heir with ws and his freindis may do by his will quhat thay pleis bot quhow schone Makgregor him self speikis with yame (quhilk wilbe with all diligens) all thingis wilbe stayit.

Meirour we purposs God willing to be in ye hicht of Mentheithe vpoun Tyisdaye nixt to come e west AbirFuill [2] and in ye mein tyme ar advertist yat ye Erle of Atholl is gatherit with all his freindis of purposs to cum fordwartis to do skayth owyir vpoun zow or sum vyiris freindis nairast adjacent to him.

Prayand zow yairfoir all excuis by put to send ws swir advertisment of his proceidingis and purposs and gathering.

For we will burthene zow with ye same to mak ws contenvall advertisment of his proceidingis as ze may best haif intelligens yairof ilk twa or thre dayis annis yat we may prowyd for him ye best we may.

For with Godis grace we haifing intelligens he sall by his pray deir.

And we lippin to haif intelligens be zow quhome we mak watchise man in ye same as we ar assurit ze wilbe redde to support gif neid beis.[3]

The rest of ye contentis of zour bill salbe suirle performit God willing.
And sa committ is zow to ye protectioun of God.

Frome Dunnvne ye first day of September 1565.

Zouris, Archibald Ergyll

[1] Grey Colin had been most insistent, 30 August 1565 [48], that specific names should be provided for those to be included within the assurance and the agreement.
[2] Next to Aberfoyle, on Tuesday, 4 September.
[3] The earl was in desperate need of accurate military intelligence of Atholl’s movements and was relying up on Grey Colin to keep him informed every couple of days.



51
Date: 15 September 1565
REF: GD112/39/4/23 (SHS ed. No. 51)
Place: Inveraray Castle
From: Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To our traist cousing the Laird of Glenvrchay


Cousing efter hartlie commendatiounis.

We wret to zow zesterday [1] with zour awin serwant concerning Makgregor quhome we find weill willing to serve zow with ye rest yat will in ony wayis depend vpoun him.

Nochtwithstanding yairis gret and ernest perswasiounis maid wnto him be ye Erle of Athollis conwoy [2] for we assuir zow yat we haif gottin intelligens yat ye revocatioun of zour few of ye Kingis landis of Braidalbane togidder with all the Chartres landis in yat cuntre ar promisit wnto him be ye Quene to cum and depend vpoun ye Erle of Atholl at hir command.

Bot yat will in na wayis move him for we knaw yat ye erledom of Ergyll wald be promisit to zow or sum vyer of our freindis in lik maner for ye lyk service gif it wald be acceptit.

Quhairfoir ze sall haif na dowt of Makgregoris guid service as we wrett to zow sindry tymes befoir.[3]

Meirour we pray zow weray effecteousle to caus deliuer ws ye man yat is in ye castall and ye boy for we knaw weill that yair deliverand will be ane way to draw in ye rest of ye Clangregor as we dowt nocht zour awin wisdome will considder.

For we assuir zow it nocht for na vyer caus we desyre yame bot to ye said effect.

And so committis zow to God.

Frome Inveraray ye xv day of September 1565. Zouris, Archibald Ergyll

[PS] Send sum serwand of zour awin to ye castall to deliuer the man and keip yis vyer point concerning Makgregor secret because weray few knawis ye same.

[1] This letter has not survived.
[2] Escort.
[3] The bribe offered to MacGregor to change sides and join Atholl and the Queen was the transference
of Grey Colin’s tack of Discher and Toyer, the royal lands on the north and south of Loch Tay, and the Breadalbane lands belonging to the Perth Charterhouse. Together they comprised most of Grey Colin’s holdings in Breadalbane, so Gregor MacGregor was being given the chance to replace Campbell power in that area with his own. The 5th earl’s great confidence that MacGregor would not accept the Queen’s offers was vindicated, MacGregor, thesis, 354-5.



53
Date:30 October 1565
REF:GD112/39/5/5 (SHS ed. No. 53)
Place: Killin
From: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy (draft)
To: William Stewart of Grandtully[1]
Address:Honorabill Sir efter rycht hartlie commendatiouns.


I haif resavit zour writing and quhair ze writ yat my Lord of Athole hes commandit zow declar to me yat gif ye Erle of Ergle or ony vyer perteining to me persewis his Lordshipis cuntre or ony part yairof yat fra yis furth he will wirk all ye wrek he can or may on my hous and me only allegeand yat it wilbe my dracht yat will bring scayth vpoun his cuntre gif ony cumis.

As to yat ze sall wit yat my Lord in ane part desiris yat thing of me quhilk I haif great occasioun to desyre of hym.

For I assure zow gif I get scayth I can wyte [2] nay levand man except my Lord.

Albeit I may nocht nor will say yat I will seik revenge of my Lord as he dois of me.

Bot ye eternall God quhay is ye revenge of all wrangis will wirk according to his plesour.

And quhair my Lord supponis yat I may stay ye force of gret men sik as my Lord of Ergle I pray God yat it war in my power to stay all ewill quhilk I haif done sa fer as I mycht hidderto as I tak God and gud nybouris to witnes and hes obtenit small kindnes yairfore agane.

Gif my Lord beis avisit and consider quhat is his awin honour and dewite it is nocht at me he suld begin to ...eve ... ye offencis yat vyeris makis.

And gif I haif falit to ony man I will ansuer to ye lawis of ye realm for I am responsabill.

And gif my Lord ... allege yat I haif offendit his Lordship in ony sort I am hartlie contentit yat he and vyer freindis sycht ye samyn and gif ye faill be with me I sall me... ... it gif it lyis in my power my Lord doand siclik to me.

And albeit yat God wald suffir my Lord to wrek my hous quhom wrekis he bot his awin ... will never put say kynd ane man in my rowm.

And gif his Lordship wald haif me it is nocht with ouer gret extremite yat I suld be handillit.

Als ze sall wit yat I persaving ye rage of my nyboris of Strathern ... send for sik support of freindis as I mycht haif quhay ar cumand me to swte ony man bot to debait [3] my selff.

Thairfore I wald ze tuke ye pain to adverteis me gif my Lord will stay ye Strathern men as I sall do my deligens to stay yis syd.

Vyerwiss I will nocht put away sik help as I may get.

Gif my Lord be myndit to yis we will lat friendis travell in ony resonabill thing yat my Lord wald haif of me.

And as to brute yat ye Strathern men hes rasit on me yat I suld be at ye away taking of yair geir I priss God I wes never art nor part of sik crymes.

And will debait yair my innocencie yairintill aganis ony man yat I may be peregall to ...neth... [4] wes yair ony yat I mycht stop yair.

I regard yair boist lychtle swa yat my Lord of Athole wald stand ye man to me yat he suld be quhill he fynd yat I mak hym occasioun in ye contrar.

I haif writin to ye Lard of [Tulibar]den [5] freindis to se quhat hes movit his rygor and as I get ansuer ye sall knaw ye samyn.

I pray zow adverteis me of my Lordis mynd towartis me with all haist and I sall do in ye meyn tyme as ze desyre and ye Lord bliss zow.

From Killin ye penult of October 1565.

Zouris at power,
[1] No address but see Grandtully's reply [54].
[2] Blame.
[3] In the sense of defending oneself.
[4] ‘Pegrall’ means petty, mean or greedy, but the rest of the phrase is unclear.
[5] Probably William Murray of Tullibardine, see Memo, October 1565 GD112/1/161/13;31 October 1565 [55]. Tullibardine had been given the escheat of the 5th earl’s fruits of the diocese of Brechin, 28 September 1565, RSS, V i, 2333.



?
Date: 1 November 1565
REF:GD112/39/5/8
Place:Strachur
From:Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
To:Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To our cousing Coling Campbell off Glenvrquhay


Trest cousing eftir hartle commendatioun.

We resavit twa writingis of zouris and vnderstandis by ye samyn sindre hedis quhilk we will nocht ansuer for yis tyme becauss God willing of our schort meting with zou.

Ze sall wit we will be in Straithfillane vpoun Sunday nixt at ewin ye ferd of yis instant November 1565 quhair we pray zou faill nocht to met with ws for ye ending of zouris besines and Makgregoris.

We sall bring with ws als mony men as we may get eslie redy gif ze hef ado for zour support.

As for our counsel towart zour houss delivering we findis it nocht to be done vnto ze tyme at we and ze commoun togidder at mair lenth.

For als lang as we be abill to defend our awin housses we sall defend zouris and spair for nay danger as eftir may follow.

And yis referris all vyer thingis to our meting.

Committis zou to ye protectioun of God.

From Straithcuir ye first of November lait 1565. Zouris Archibald Ergyll



64
Date: n.d. [c. 6 November 1565][1]
REF: GD112/39/15/3 (SHS ed. No. 64)
Place: Balloch Castle
From: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy (draft)
To: Mary, Queen of Scots, and King Henry (Darnley)
Address: It will pleis Zour Maiesties yat I am chargit to compere before Zour Maiesties and Secrete cunsale within sex dayis efter ye charge or ellis pas to ye horne.


And albeit I am willing to cum at Zour Maiesties command nocht onelie on my feit bot on my kneis gif it war possible I am swa vexit with disseis of my persoun at yis present.

And als ye sobir rowmis quhilkis ar left me onwaistit and brint be Zour Maiesties rebellis yir four zeris bigane being vnder ye lik dangear as zit yat I may nocht gudly leif it without it be alluterlie wrekit.

Besekand Zour Maiesties to accept yis my excuiss and creidheyd yis berar my spous[2] quhom I haif send to knaw Zour Maiesties will towart me and quhat I may or can salbe accomplesit at ye command of Zour Maiesties missive as gif my self mycht be present.

And yis efter my maist hwmill commendatiouns of my service committis Zour Maiestie to ye eternall God.

Wretin at Balloch ye my Lord [3] ...

[1] Grey Colin had been summoned to appear before the Council at the end of October 1565 when he was still in Killin. He returned to Balloch to write this letter of apology, but was in Strathfillan on 7 November 1565, GD112/1/161. The Council had issued a proclamation forbidding supplies from Glenorchy going to Argyll, 3 November 1565: RPC, I, 188-9.
[2] Katherine went to Court to plead Grey Colin’s case and to mobilise their friends, see Introduction.
[3] This is at the bottom right hand corner of the page and has been torn through.



66
Date: 25 November 1565
REF:GD112/39/6/23 (SHS ed. No. 66)
Place: Grandtully Castle (near Aberfeldy)
From: William Stewart of Grandtully
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: To the rycht honorabill Laird off Glenwrquhay


Rycht honourable Sir eftir maist hartlie comendationis.

This present is to lat zow wit that my Lord off Attholl at his depairting of Dunde to Edinbruche commandit me to writ to zow desyrand zow that ze wald mak nay onsettis nor causs nane be maid nor molest nor troble Duncan MacGregor of Rorow on nay way till his Lordship returnyng in the countray in the countray(sic) agan.

And giff ze did vyervayis that he wald nocht be contentit yairwithe nor ze wald nocht hef his kyndnes yairthrow.

For he hes inhybite and commandit the saidis Duncan nocht till trowble nor molest nan of zouris quhilk the saidis Duncan will do as he promeissit of befoir as I writ to zow[1] and desyrit me to hef zour ansure in writ agan.

And that zour ansures be nocht indifferent bot that thingis quhilk may be cleir and swir quhilk will pleis zow adverteisse me of in writ with this berar.

Say committis zow to the protectioun of God.

From Grantully this Sonday ye xxiiij of November 1565  [2]

be Zour awyn at powar, William Stewart off Grantullye

[1]  c. 31 October 1565 [54].
[2] Grandtully has made a mistake: Sunday was 25 November.





71
Date: 11 December 1565
REF: GD112/39/5/11(SHS ed. No. 71)
Place: Carrick Castle (Cowal)
From: Gossip (John Campbell of Carrick)[1]
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: Eftir commendatioun.


Ze sall wit eftir yat I had dispasschit zour servand Dowgall I haif spokin with my Lord Boyd [2] and yaireftir hes thocht it necessar to send to our freindis of court to se gif ane licience may be had at ye Quenis hand yat we may send sum of our freindis to Hir Grace to mak ane dress for ws and our freindis quhilk is to all our weillis and quietnis.[3]

And we haif nominat zow ane tobe(sic) in ye commissioun gif ye samen beis granttit.

Quhairfor I wald ze drew zour self neir yir parttis and maid zour self into redines in ye mentyme and advertiss ws quhair ze will meit ws that we may commoun with zow at lenth in all our neidfull besines.

For I beleif gif ye commissioun beis granttit it wilbe schortle at hame.

Alss gif MacGregor be neir zow ze sall send to him and forbyd him yat he mak ony oppin herschippis quhill eftir wart yat we se faryair.

Bot I knaw it is vnpossibill to stop theiffis yairfor I will nocht trubbill me with ye matter.

I beleif to haif ansuer of curt fyve or sax dayis befor zowill [4] yairfor advertiss me howsone ze wilbe neirhand yat I may speik zow.

Yis committis zow to God. Off ye Kerryk ye xj day of December 1565. Zour gossap [PS] Comend me to Kayt gyf swe be cwmin haim [5] and hest me answr.

[1] For identification see Introduction. Although signed ‘your gossip’, this reads as if it were from the 5th earl and was probably the ‘official’ letter which Carrick had been instructed to write, [69].
[2] Robert, 5th Lord Boyd, one of the lords who rebelled in the Chase-about Raid.
[3] Argyll was trying to negotiate a settlement with the King and Queen which included all his kinsmen and supporters, though he had already given permission for Glenorchy, Glenlyon and Lawers to settle separately, 7 November 1565, GD112/1/161. Grey Colin was to be part of the negotiating team sent to Court.
[4] The answer from Court was expected around 19 or 20 December, five or six days before Christmas.
[5] Katherine was at Court, but had left by 23 December 1565 [74].



75
Date: 25 December 1565
REF: GD112/39/5/13 (SHS ed. No. 75)
Place: Toward Castle or Point
From: Gossip (John Campbell of Carrick) [1]
To: Colin Campbell of Glenorchy
Address: Efter my maist hartlye comm endatiounis.


I will nocht wryit on to zou bot efter my acqustomit maner quhilkis mor to subscryve.

Bot yis present is to aidvertiis zow yat MacGregor hes informit me yat ze gaif him lesence to cum and speik with me.

And yairfoir I thynk yat gif sa beis yat cumir is abill to ramane in ye realume yat sik men as he salbe neidfull for my service quhilkis man be with zour lesence and thynk ze nocht yat ye saymin maye be preiuditiall on to zour service.

And yairfoir I praye zou effectiuslye yat ze will send ane tikat with zour avyn hand writ to Makgregor to lesent him to serve me quhen I sall haif to do and ye saymin nocht be in ony wayiss hurtfull on to zour service of him quhen euer ze sall haif to do yairwith. [2]

And ye saymin with yis berrare or ellis sum oderis of zour awyn servandis.

And yis I commit zou to God. Of Towart ye xxv daye off December 1565.

[PS] Gyf ye will nocht send zour hand wryt wyt my boy send it wyt ane of zour awin to me and commend me to zour wyf.

I hayf haldin zour serwand quhill I send zour horses qwhilk wilbe wytin thri dayis.

Zour gossaip

[1] For identification see Introduction.
[2] Carrick wanted handwritten authorisation from Grey Colin that MacGregor could serve him in a military capacity and that this would not be in any way be prejudicial to Grey Colin’s service.