We are couplit[40] with twa fals races; the devil sinder us and God knit us togidder for ever, for the maist faithfull coupill that ever He unitit. This is my faith; I will die in it.
Excuse I wryte evill, ze may ges ye half of it; bot I cannot mend it, becaus I am not weil at eis; and zit verray glaid to wryte unto zow quhen the rest are sleipand, sen {since} I cannot sleip as they do and as I wald desyre, that is, in your armes, my deir lufe, quhome I pray God to preserve from all evill, and send yow repois; I am gang and to seik myne till ye morne, quhen I sall end my Bybill; bot I am faschit {troubled} that it stoppis me to wryte newis of myself unto zow, becaus it is sa lang. Advertise me quhat ye have deliberat to do in the mater ze know upon this point to ye end, that we may understand utheris {each other} weill, that nathing may thairthrow be spilt.
I am irkit {weary}[41] and ganging to sleip, and zit I ceis not to scrible all this paper in sa mekle as restis thairof. Waryit mot this pockische man be that causes me haif sa mekle pane, for without him I suld have an far plesander subject to discourse upon. He is not over mekle deformit,[42] zit he hes ressavit verray mekle. He hes almaist slane me with his braith; it is worse than your uncle's;[43] and zit I cum na neirer unto him, bot in ane chyre[44] at the bed feit, and he being at the uther end thairof.
The message of the father in the gait {way}.
The purpois {talk}[45] of Schir James Hamiltoun.
Of that the Laird of Lusse schawit me of the delay.
Of the demandis that he askit at Joachim.
Of my estait.
Of my company.
Of the occasioun of my cumming;