Transactions. 121 



Dumfries. The authorsbip and penmanship of this very rare 

 letter naturally fall to either the vicar of Dumfries or to this 

 Maxwell of Kelton notary. The handwriting is neat, small, and 

 well-formed, although now very indistinct, and looks like the 

 work of some one quite familiar with such undertakings. The 

 whole is contained upon one single quarto gheet of rough letter- 

 paper, and is artistically ornamental in its arrangement and 

 general execution. On the reverse of the quarto sheet is : 



" To our maiit assurit and traist Friend the Gomminsar of Drumfries. 



" Rycht assureit and traist freind, eftir our varye hertlie commenda- 

 tioun ye Maxwell with your wayif with the haill reste of your freinds varaye 

 mekle eonsydering the greit travell and labor that we haif maid baith at 

 my Lordi's handis and my Lady's fir your relief and fauor to be procureit at 

 thaim, quhilk bie my Lady travell and uthir friends, is grantit to you and 

 my Lord Warrand for you, that comes not to his Lordship. It is thocht 

 bie your haill friends that lykis your weill, that ye owther esteme ydin^ 

 wysdome oure greit and bettir nor thairis can be, or ells that ye esteme 

 not my Lordis favor, quhilk will turn to youre rewine, seing that all friends 

 is content to tak thair part of his lordships burding and nane refuisses 

 quhat is thair pairtis. Thay think it meit ye cum to my Lord, with all 

 possibil deligence, or ells ye will caus uss bie hardlie re[iressit with my 

 Lord, and he will think that former taillis spocken of you is trew. Thus 

 not doutting, bot witht all possable deligence yee bee at my Lord this 

 nicht without onie forder delay, or ells say yee not ane uther tyme bot ye 

 ar done for be freinds and advertisit of youre danger gif it cums hoireftir. 

 Sua Committis you to God Almichty. Off Drumfreis this Mondaye the 

 xviii. of Maii 1584. 



" Youris assurit Friends to command, Robert Maxwell in Keltoun 

 Thomas Maxwell, Vicar of Drumfres, and Robert Maxwell in Kirkmaho, 

 with the advise of the haill of your freinds and your Wayif. " 



We have given these larger notes in order to make clearer 

 the following examples of " Discipline," which are rather 

 picturesque in their form. Under the Church of the Reformation 

 began the written chronicle of such transactions. The reverence 

 paid to the person of the priest of the Reformation seems to liave 

 differed little in degree from the usual custom under all manner of 

 belief throughout the world, 



" Apud Drumfrien, 10th Jany., 1573. 



" The Wrvjhts of Drumfries. 



" The directioun of the Wrights of Drumfries by their Conventioun, 



balding in the Tolbuitht of Drumfries in presence of ane nobil and potent 



Lorde, Johne Lord Maxwell, ' Patrick's sone,' and Andrew Maxwell, 



David's sone. 



