Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Yours am favoured with for which I return most
hearty thanks I am acquainted with the A Bps Histo-
ry being a Clergy man; but have heard only the Practiques
tho a Scotch Man. The Gen^l bequeathd his Books to W^m & Mary
Colledge & his Widow without advising with his Executors sent
them thither. The ABps history with the Translation of that
of Montrose Wars by Wisheart She reserved but the practiques
are gone The Gen^l kept an Exact journal of his Life;
I proposed to annex it to Some Account of his Family with the
collateral Branches of Which You Sir I find represent the
Stock The ABps history has rendered him immortal and
Lord Clarendon with Monteith of Salmonet Shew that Sir Rob^t
was the Decus & Dedecus Patrie the Ornament of his Country
and a Disgrace to Presbytery May all their Descendants
copy after Such Examples—

I would know Your Nephew's
name & Family and the Names of Your own Children this may
be of Use to them and Your Cousins here: can never be of any
detriment, and We know the Neglect of a Mans Genealogy
has been of ill consequence: let this consideration excuse my
troubling You on this head

I had Sir the honour of
the Gen^ls Acquaintance & confidence I have heard him speak
of Your Family and Since his Death have seen letters from
a kinsman of the Name, probably Your Father, of an Old date,
advising him not to be Sanguin in the Service of the Crown:
Shewing what the Family had done & Suffered, and the bad returns
made them: He was Sensible of the Goodness of the Advice
But it is entailed on the Family to reap honour not profits
in the Service His Motto, was Patior, ut patiar and when
he left his life in the Service which undoubtedly he did; it was
to be hoped his Family might quietly enjoy the fruit of his Labours. But the Sufferings of the Family were
not to end with the loss of his Life highly Valuable to them
yet more to the Publick: for his Successor Col Gooch Sued us
his Executors for a Sum of money advanced on account of the
Expedition, and expects Your Cousins private Fortune Should
make it Good: this as in duty bound I opposed w^t the Aid
of an honest lawier, of no Note, for all that were, appeared
against us, tho the Gov^r presided in Court—in his own Cause
tho he Spoke disdainfully and disrespectfully of the Dead—yet
not with impunity—the jury had honesty & courage aneough
to acquit Us—this may be Strange language to You
but in a Country where a Gov^r & or, counsellors are invested
with Such power; both are necessary to support a Good cause
against them. The Gov^r then obtained a new tryal
and Should we lose the Cause here we Shall carry it before
the King & his Council to know whether his Fortune, like his
Life was to be thrown away in that expedition
We shall want the Countenance of all his Friends, his
Military friends are Great Men, Lord Stair Gen^l Wade
Brigadier Blackney; but I am at a loss how properly
to apply Your Cousin will be obliged to You for Your
Advice and Asistance He lives about 60 Miles from Me
will be highly pleased with Your Letter and I shall be
proud to cultivate on his behalf a Correspondence

ps
pray excuse the inaccuracy
of this Scrawl written in hast
tho meant well

To
John Spottiswood Esq^r
of that Ilk.
Edinburgh