II

II

ADWISE AND MEMORANDUM to them that succeds me
in ye Parkmilne, how to order it, and ye milne if it continow in ther possession.  Ye 23 dere 1695.

Imp. Rise timeouslie as occasion serves and before you goe abroad, Bliss ye Lord for ye mercies of ye night and beg his assistance through ye day.  Then read two chapters in ye old and on in ye new Testament evry day.  Then look to yor barns and stable and Byer in ye winter season and see yor horse weil dicht, ye goods rightly meated and ye corns weil and clean threshin, then goe to ye miln.........1 see what she hes been doing and what she is to grind all day.  This doe morning and evning and always keep a good servt at Alloway, and a good lass at home for yt effect, and goe als seldom abroad as you can, and seldom to ye tavern, and keep always good companie and stay not late at it, and ere you goe to bed conveene yor familie and pray never forgett yor dutie to God morning and evning in yor closett.

2. Be obedient to yor mother, dutifull to yor friends, and loving to yor brethren and sisteers, discreet to ye people in ye town and uthers yor neighbors, and yor servants hold them in awe of you and be not over familiar wtthm.

3. Have ane high esteem of ye Earle of Mar and his familie, and be not witness to thr prejudice.  Be always redy to ryde or waite on him at all occasiones, especialie when desyred.  For we have ever lived by thr favor for since Alexr Mastertone gott first ye lands of park miln we have always had ye miln free,2 but now we pay 200 merks yearly, and if it shall happen that they alter ye farm throf give 600 merks for both ye milnes before a stranger gett it, for they are worth yearly 60 bols oat meal, 80 bols malt .......1 whyt or thr about.  never sett them, for that will discover ye rent, and always keep thm in good order. Having always milnstons lying besyd thm a year or they be needed, also wheels, axtrees, and other necessars provyd thm always in tyme as ye millars will show you either to buy thm or get thm fra any gentleman as often I have done.  In ye summer cause always ye damheads, milnleads, brigs, and ways to ye miln be mended, for if neglected a year they will ruine, and ten tyme ye price will not mend them.

1 Worn away in original

2 In the original charter the mill is reserved by the superior.

4.  Keep ye land in thrids as it is now, it is all limmed, except ye floors;1  keep always 2 work horse and 2 mares for ye plough, and a better on for yorself, and when ye wood is for pastorage keep 6 milk cows wt thr followers, if you gett grass fra my Lord, if not you must keep but 3 or four, wch wt ye 5 horses will eat all our own grass, wth labour as presently it is, two wards in grass and on Labored three years. Look to ye planting and be ay setting on qr it needs.  for ye arn above the dam head, sell them to any who will give ye pryce you sett upon thm by ye advyce of any who knows best, when they are ye bigness of axletrees and trams, for cutt wood young and it grows ye better.  ye calfward and ducathauch timber will serve yor self.  as for ye ash and oak, cut thm when needed, and hen ye stocks throf by a bitt vyce dyk. For yor middens, delve always a rig in ye spring, weil mucket on evry peece qr ye beans will be, and sow thm wt ye rest so you loss nothing.  Buy always muck in Alloway for ye Cumla bank, and lay it down qr we lay it presently 16d ye load, and lead it to ye Sandyholl in summer, and evry summer if you can carry on ye head dyk w.......2 I have begun and let it not fall down.  Lead home ye coals in summer befor harvest, and mend any houses tht needs.  you must always keep a good ploughman 20lib and his bunteth yearly ; a barnman 16lib, and a goadman 10lib.  It is but some more fiall, for a litle boy will eat als mutch as any of these and not work ye half.  yor women servts what yor wyfe thinks fitt, wch wt 6 days Shearing of evry house will timeously cut down yor cornes.  Iff non of yor servts can big ye stacks on in ye town built always mine.  .......2 be not over hasty but by advice of yor friends marry in ane honest, religious good family, be hir portion what it will, but a good lass is not ye worse of money, but never lett money be your principall concern. 

1 The Nether floris, see p.460 n.1.
2 Worn away in original.

and when you have gotten on, love, respect, and provyde for hir ; be not givn to delicates but convenient food and rayment, thrwithall be content as blissed be God, we have been befor you. Experience will teach you more, and better I hope ; and I desyre for Gods sake and yor own good not to quite yor imployment, for after yor apprentship continow in yor mr chamber.  every session, and take a chamber with any other young man, and dyet at cheap ordinars as others does, and you will both be learning yor airt and getting mony to keep yor self.  yor mother will help you in caise you want, and when you are fitt for it Then enter wreater to ye signet, you will not want imployment, and ever observe Ch. Row directiones yr about, and you will be at home in ye vacance. And ever keep good company, and be not wtdrawn by debosht comerads to mutch drinking, whoring, or gaming.  but above all Fear God and keep ye Sabbath day, For this is a very ungodly Generation.

FR. MASTERTONE.

22 July 1699.

And when it pleased God to remove yor mother by death wch will be a sad death to you all.  If you can gett a Tack of ye milns for six or eight hundreth mrks yearly you may do it.  But never quyt yor imployment for it ; you may sett them att advantage, for deir or cheap year they ar still worth ane thousand mrks.  and set ye land for two chalder bear, on chalder meal at least.  and oblidge ye tenant to keep ane horse sumer and winter for yor coming and going.  Or if yor family stay at home in sumer session you may oblidge ye tenant to keep ane cow.  God almighty enable you and you all to serve him aright, and I pray for Gods blissing to you all.  My blissing I leave you all.  Fare weil now and evermore.

FR. MASTERTONE.