Jane Ruthven's letter to James Pringle, dated October 11, 1651

Source:

Ruthven correspondence. Letters and papers of Patrick Ruthven, Earl of Forth and Brentford, and of his family, A.D. 1615-A.D. 1662, page 127, compiled, edited and published by the Roxburgh Club and William Dunn Macray, 1868

https://archive.org/details/ruthvencorrespon1868roxb/page/126/mode/2up

The letter:

MUCH HONOURED FREAND,

I dout not butt you know what a charge my father hes lefftt to you, and the greatt confidenc I hav you will still continow my freand and pattron as you hav been my Lord's, makes mee now presum to beag your assistanc in my affairs in that conttry. As concerning the greatt loss wee hav had ther, having now lost the hops of regaining on itt by the King's powr, I humbley entreatt you to think of a way to gett som of itt, that is, I mean, the littll part of itt that my father was plleasd to mak my portion, thoug I dow beliv ther wer no injustic to ask for itt all; and thoug thy hav all ready goon beyound the limmitts off tirrany in taking that from ous which I beliv thy will never give us again, yeett I preswad my self thy will consider how greatt an act of charity is to asist a poor orphan whos condition, I am sur, you very well know is very sad, iff thy dow not remediett it with bestowing off that upon mee thy know in justic thy cannot keep from mee. Therfor I earnestly eanttreatt you, Sir, to speak to my Lord of Argill aboutt itt, iff you can with conveniency dow itt. The reson whey I dow not com ther myself is that the Queen of Sweden is gratiously pleasd to lett ous hav subsistanc from her untill the conttry ther bee wons settled. Sir I hav no greatter motiv to mov you to this, but the reward He abov bestows on all thes that asist the widow and fatherless, and allwis the prayers of her who is resolved to liv etternally,

Sir,

Your very reall freand and humble servantt,

JEAN RUTHVEN.

From Stockhollm the 11 of October, 1651.

My Lady hes hear sentt you the coppi of the testamentt, wher in you will find yoursellf concerned. Your partner my Lord of Eythen I beliv wolld hav written to you, butt that hee is nott now in town; his is upon his hows in the conttry, som thriscore mills from henc.

(Addressed)

For my very much honoured freand Whittbank, thes present.