Honourabill and loving brother,
Pleas understand I have sent over with this boat sex naigs of the ages, cullours and markis conforme to the note incloseit heirin. The boat gois no further then Stronsay. I have directit to delyver the naigis to Oliver and Henrie Rowsayis to be keipit at Rothisholme till a boat be sent for them be yow. What difficultie I haid to have them, and at what raitis is scarcelie credible, with much trouble in the transport for I coft them all in Fetlar and Unst and transportit them be ferrie. This is lyk to prove a hard yeir for thair is litle or no butter heir this yeir, and the Dutches brought very litle money to the countrey. Many of them hes nocht to pay thair customes, and I know nocht how to behave my self towardis them. Thair is great jarris, sturris and divisiounes heir, both amang the clergie and gentrie, and I heir that thair is to much thairof in Orknay also. It is lamentable, God amend it. I have lookit long for yow or Rapnes to have come heir, and am daylie looking thairfoir. The tyme speeds; justice is not ministrat; our awin busines lyis abak, and what salbecum of our 2 yeirs wodmell, God knawis. I heir that ye ar purposit south, and Rapnes hes bein of purpose heir this 14 dayis bygane. I think that the tyme of yeir for doing any thing to the castell is almost past. What materiall may be brought wer good, bot workmen wold have guid sommer weather for that work. Ye will mak choose of four of the naigs if they can do your turne, and reserve twa to me if ye can, and caus William Sinclair delyver these twa to Gilbert Copland in Hunclet to be keipit and gersit thair till it pleas God I returne. I thought to have haid twa or thrie ma naigis to have sent home at this tyme, and have given money out thairfoir, bot they ar not come as yit. Thair wes some that spak to me for twa or thrie befoir I cam fra Orknay, bot of thir serve your self first. Thair is in this toun ane Cathnes minister callit Mr James Thomsone that cum throw Orknay, and cam heir in the begining of Junij last. It is thocht that he fled for nocht subscryveing the Covenant, and that he is excomunicat thairfor. If ye can meit or have occasioun of intelligence fra my Lord Sinclair befor Rapnes come over it wer not amiss to acquaint my lord thairwith, that we may know how to behave ourselfis towardis him, for it is no reasoun that excomunicat persones for sik a caus sould have shelter heir, for it may do evill and give utheris of his dispositioun occasioun to do the lyk, for we heir that thair were some gentillmen in Bughane purposit heir with a boat that cam heir laitlie, bot were stayit be the Laird of Philorth. Thir tymes makis many of this people to cair litle for a chairge of horning, and I am loth to caus denunce whill it pleas God that we heir of sum guid setlings. Lord, mak us thankfull and give us patience for we have a hard and dangerous tyme in this our employment. I wreat sindrie lines to yow of befoir and lookit for advertesment fra yow with this boat when she cam last heir, bot have resavit no answer fra yow at all. Also I sent over to yow in ane letter with Hew Dinisoun a bill of exchange for 550 dollours that Yan Sour gave us the last yeir, acceptit be the factour with his ticket upon the bak thairof. Bot Court Warnekin, howsoever, I am certanlie informit he payit his money also tymouslie, brought nocht over his bill forgetting the same behind him. Yit I think if William Dik be adverteis from the factour he can nocht refuise to allow both. I know ye will not omit to learne and adverteis how the butter and oyllie, howsoever litle, how it sall be transportit and to procure warrand tharfoir. Swa refering these and all uther our adois to your cairfull considderatioune, beseiking God to bles yow and all your endevoiris, my dewtie rememberit to your self, your bedfellow, childrein, and all our guid freindis and nychtbouris, I rest,
Your loving brother,
A. Smyth.

Scallowaybankis, the 13 of August 1640.

I have coft no fishes as yit for they hold them exceiding deir, bot I expect them some cheaper when the Dutches ar away.

With the letter is a note describing the ponies sent to Orkney, viz:

Sex Yetland naigis sent to Orknay with Hew Dinnisone upon the barron of Brughis boat, to be delyverit to Patrik Smyth of Braco, of the ages, cullouris and markis as followis, 12 August 1640:
1. Ane din naig of 7 yeir ald bygane, with ane bit out of ilk lug, out of the ryght lug befoir and left behind, both abone.¹
2. Ane broun naig of that age, with ane bit befoir on the right lug and a sheir mark on the left.²
3. Ane blak naig of yeir auld bygane, with a bit on his right lug behind and a holl in his left.³
4. Ane uther blak naig of that age, with a bit befoir on his rycht lug and a bit behind on his left.
5. Ane broun naig of thrie yeir auld, with a bit behind and ane befoir on his rycht lug, with a blunt sheir mark on the left.⁴
6. Ane uther broun litle naig of that age, both his luggis croppit aff abone.

All thir naigis ar markit on the hippis with this mark PS.

And ar directit to be delyverit to Oliver and Henrie Rowsyis at Rothisholme untill a boat come for them.