erstand.

THE BISCHOPPIS LETTER TO THE OLD ERLE OF ERGYLE.

MY LORD, After maist hartlie commendatioun. This is to advertise
your Lordship, we have direct this berar, our Cousing, towart your
Lordschipis, in sick besynes and effaris as concernes your
Lordschipis honour, proffeitt, and great weall; lyk as the said
berar will declare your Lordsehipe at mare lenth. Praying your
Lordschipe effectuously to adverte thairto, and geve attendance to
us, your Lordschipis freindis, that ay hes willed the honour,
proffeit, and uter wealth of your Lordschipis house, as of our
awin; and credite to the berar. And Jesu haif your Lordschipe in
everlesting keaping.

Of Edinburgh, the XXV day of Merche, Anno 1558.

(_Sic subscribitur_,) Your Lordschippes att all power,
J. SANCTANDROIS.

FOLLOWIS THE CREDITE.--Memorandum to SCHIR DAVID HAMMYLTOUN, to my Lord
Erle of Ergile, in my behalf, and lett him see and heare everie
Articule.

_In primis_, To repeit the ancient blood of his House, how long it
hes stand, how notable it hes bein, and so many noble men hes bein
Erles, Lordis, and Knychtis thairof; how long thei have rong in
thei partes, ever trew and obedient bayth to God and the Prince,
without any smote to thir dayis in any maner of sorte: and to
remember how many notable men ar cuming of his house.

Secoundly, To schaw him the great affectioun I bear towardis him,
his blood, house, and freindis, and of the ardent desyre I have of
the perpetuall standing of it in honour and fame, with all thame
that ar come of it: quhilk is my parte for many and diverse
caussis, as ye shall schaw.

Thridly, To schaw my Lord, how havy and displeasing[709] it is to
me now to hear, that he, wha is and hes bein sa noble a man, should
be seduced and abused by the flattery of sick ane infamet person of
the law[710] and mensworne apostate, that under the pretense that
he geves him self furth as a preachcar of the Evangell and veritie,
under that cullour settis furth schismes and divisionis in the Haly
Kirk of God, with hereticall propositions, thinkand that under his
mantenance and defence, to infect this countrey with heresy,
perswading my said Lord and otheris his barnes and freindis, that
all that he speakis is Script