great
matter for that, a better man than I is in the same case; he has
only one scrub, one which he got made since he came, and no right
riban. I believe ther's neither of that kind of blew nor green riban
to be got at Edinburgh; but if you could get some tolorablie like
it, you send some of both. Wine is like to be a more sensible want.
We got a little Burgundy for the King, but it is out; and tho' we
know of a little more, I'm affraid we shall scarce get it brought
here; and he does not like clarit, but what you'l think odd, he
likes ale tolorably well. I hope they will send us some from France,
but with this wind nothing can come from thence. George Hamilton
saild on Saturday last, and I belive is there long e'er now, which I
heartily wish he may, and I hope you shall soon see the effects of
his going with what he caried with him.

"I am affraid Macintosh's men in England may be in hard
circumstances for want of money. The King has ordred some for them,
which is this daye given to a friend of theirs who was sent to me
from the North, who sayes he knows how to get it remitted to them.

"By the news I see the Parliament is to have no mercie on our
Preston folks, but I hope God will send them salvation in time.

"I wish you would send us the newspapers oftner for we get them but
seldome; the soonest way of sending them is by A. W. at Kirkaldy,
who will find some way of sending them to us, notwithstanding of
their garisons in Fife.

"I'm affraid what I wrote to you of formerly to be in danger will
never be recovered, for it could not at this time, tho' it was
try'd; and I fear shall not the next either, tho' we are to do all
we can about it, and it was too much to go that way.

"We have heard nothing further as yet from the goodman of the house,
as you call him, which I am surprized at. I can say no more now, so
Adieu."

If we may believe the public prints of the day, dissensions now arose
between the Chevalier and the Earl of Mar: the former blaming his
general for having urged him to come over, when he had so small a force
to appear in his favour; the latter, recriminating that the failure of
aid from the Continent had discouraged the Chevalier's friends. The Earl
of Mar was severely blamed, to quote from the same source, for having
deceived the Chevalier in making him believe that the forces i