92 Memoir of John Napier, 



ing Napier to be a learned man, and something of a necro- 

 mancer, he proposed to him to engage in the discovery, 

 which the latter undertook, as may be seen, in good faith 

 and honour, under the titles and clauses in the following 

 contract, which we translate from the Scotch text: 



" At Edinburgh, the — day of July, the year of our 

 Lord, 1594, it is appointed and agreed between the under- 

 signed persons, that is to say, Robert Logan, of Restalrig, 

 on the one side, and John Napier, holding the manor of 

 Merchiston, on the other side, in the form, manner, and 

 deeds, as follow, viz. Forasmuch as there exist divers 

 ancient traditions, reasons, and appearances, that there 

 is in the dwelling of the said Robert, at the place called 

 Fast-Castle, a sum of silver money and treasure, secretly 

 deposited and concealed, the whole of which has not been 

 discovered by any one : the undernamed John will make 

 all possible and exact diligence to seek for it and find it 

 out, and endeavour to extract the sum in question : and, 

 by the Grace of God, either he shall find the said sum, or 

 he shall assure himself that the like deposit has not been con- 

 cealed there : the whole, as far as his labour, diligence, and 

 his science, can assist him : For which the said Robert shall 

 give, and, according to the tenor of the present writing, 

 gives and grants to the said John, the exact third of what- 

 ever silver, or treasure, the said John shall find, or which 

 shall be found by his means and industry, in the said place 

 of Fast-Castle, or its neighbourhood : And this to be 

 divided, by just weight and balance, between them, without 

 any fraud, opposition, and contention whatever, in such a 

 manner that the said Robert shall have fully two parts, 

 and the said John justly the third part of the whole, ujx>n 

 their faith, word, and conscience : And for the sure return 

 and safety of the said John, from the above mentioned 

 place of Fast-Cas + le to Edinburgh, without being robbed 

 of his third part, as well as without receiving any damage 

 in his person, or in the effects which belong to him, the 

 said Robert shall convey in safety the said John, and 

 accompany him whole and safe, in the manner above men- 

 tioned, to Edinburgh : To which place, if the said John 

 shall return without difficulty, it will behove him, in 

 presence of the said Robert, to efface and destroy the pre- 

 sent contract, as a full discharge of the two parties having 



