School of History, Classics and Archaeology Teaching Collections

Letter by Simon, Lord Lovat, to the Laird of Grant, 31st October 1735

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Title

Letter by Simon, Lord Lovat, to the Laird of Grant, 31st October 1735

Number of Facsimile

269

Type

Letter

Date

31/10/1735

Language

English

Originator(s)

Simon, Lord Lovat

Recipient(s)

The Laird of Grant

Transcription

My Dr. Laird of Grant It is impossible for me to Express the reall Joy that I had in reading the last Letter that I had the honour to receive from you. To see you well married was one of The things in the world that I desired most, & that I was most anxious about it, so you may Judge what – comfort it is to my Soul to see you well married to a Young Lady of such a Noble ancient and good family a Lady not only beautifull in her person but much more by the Singular Character she has of good sense and understanding & of a Sweet and Angelick Temper: All Those that love your person and family should thank God for your great happiness, and I can freely say That except yourself Alone there is not a man alive more glad than I am at this great and happy Event for your person and family, for which I sincerely Thank God Almighty and pray to him That all the Blessings of Heaven may light upon you & your Lovly Young Bride. May the offspring of your Lady and hers be great numerous and flourishing and may they reign in Strathspey & in your other Territories as long as this is a Stone Subsisting in Castle Grant or a drop of water in the River of Spey. You may easily believe that nothing would give me greater pleasure in life than the paying of my Duty to the Bride Groom and Bride at Castle Grant and to the Earl and Countess of Finlater on this occasion. Your very good friend and mine Evan Baillie of Uperiachane who does me the honour to carry this Letter can freely Testafy the Great Anxiety, vexation, and uneasiness that he and the Marquis D’Lethen that was here saw me in for not being able to pay my Duty to the Bride Groom and Bride at Castle Grant on this occasion: Mr Baillie knows that the forewheels of my Chariot are broke ever since I came home, & could not get ane occasion to carry home the new set of wheels that I caus’d make at Edin. There being none in the Country that can make Them; I Likewise had the misfortune to break my sheze when I went to Sr. Robert Munro’s, So that I could not go now to Castle Grant any way but on Horseback which really would not only anger my health but my life, for I have not got rid of my Cough that had almost made ane end of me at Edin. and I am very Sure that you would be as much troubled as any man alive if my Going to Strathspey would Destroy my health & Life. That I am fully resolved to employ to serve your person and family as long as There is breath in me, & since I cannot be so happy as to join your other friends and Relations at Castle Grant in paying my Duty to you on this occasion I will solemnize it in the most conspicuous and best manner I can; I will have all my friends here to day to dine and Sup with me and in the Evening I will have a bonefire on the Castle hill where I will drink with my friends; health and prosperity to the Bridegroom and Bride under the Discharge of Some platoons, and I have sent my officers through all the parishes this Side of Lochness of the L’p of Lovat to order every Tennent to make a bonefire in the most Conspicuous place about his house this evening at the same time that my Bone fire is to be put on, so that all the Aird and the Barrony of Beaulie will be better Iluminate this Night Than the City of London was last night for King Georges Birth day: I wrote to John Grant to Urquhart that he might have his bonefires this Night, and I have writ to Stratherrick and Abertay that they may have their bone fires on Munday at the same time with Glenmoriflore, So that in five or Six Days There will be Six Countrys Illumi-nated of above a hundred miles Circumference with bonefires & since the memory of man there has not been Such a Joyfull and Publick Solemnization of any marriage in the Highlands of Scotland. I have Communicate my mind to our Faithfull friend and Trustee Evan Baillie, & desired him to give you my advices as your old Uncle and Parent which flow from the bottom of my heart and Soul, and if you will be so good as to follow Them, I am very sure you will increase the honour and respect that mankind has for you, & your family & Estate will visibly reap benefite by it. While I am Solemnising your marriage this night with my friends of the Aird and Stratherrick that are with me; our good friend Evan Baillie will Solemnize it with all our friends of Inverness and about it at your own house of Muirtown. I humbly beg that you may not only accept of my most Humble duty to My Lady Lovat to yourself & to your Illustrious Bride, but be so good as to assure the worthy Earl of Finlater & the Countess of my most humble & sincere respects. I hope this alliance will make ane additional friendship betwixt his family & mine since I have the honour to be related to him & was always very well with his worthy & himself. I beg to hear from you as often as you can, You will have a letter from me every week & I am while I live with all the affection and zeal that I am capable of & with the greatest respect imaginable for your parson and family

My Dr. Laird of Grant
Your affectionate Uncle &
Unalterable & faithfull slave
Lovat

Beaufort 31st October 1735

Size

193mm x 229mm

Number of copies held

56

Date recorded

09/06/2015

Citation

“Letter by Simon, Lord Lovat, to the Laird of Grant, 31st October 1735,” School of History, Classics and Archaeology Teaching Collections, accessed November 11, 2024, http://collections.shca.ed.ac.uk/items/show/272.