Heaven first taught letters for some wretch's aid,--
Some banished lover or some captive maid.
Pope.
By dint of unwonted labour with the pen, Jeanie Deans contrived to indite, and
give to the charge of the postman on the ensuing day, no less than three letters,
an exertion altogether strange to her habits; insomuch so, that, if milk had been
plenty, she would rather have made thrice as many Dunlop cheeses. The first of
them was very brief. It was addressed to George Staunton, Esq., at the Rectory,
Willingham, by Grantham; the address being part of the information she had
extracted from the communicative peasant who rode before her to Stamford. It
was in these words:--
"Sir,--To prevent farder mischieves, whereof there hath been enough, comes
these: Sir, I have my sister's pardon from the Queen's Majesty, whereof I do not
doubt you will be glad, having had to say naut of matters whereof you know the
purport. So, Sir, I pray for your better welfare in bodie and soul, and that it will
please the fisycian to visit you in His good time. Alwaies, sir, I pray you will never
come again to see my sister, whereof there has been too much. And so, wishing
you no evil, but even your best good, that you may be turned from your iniquity
(for why suld ye die?) I rest your humble servant to command,
"Ye ken wha."
The next letter was to her father. It is too long altogether for insertion, so we only
give a few extracts. It commenced--
"Dearest and truly honoured father,--This comes with my duty to inform you, that
it has pleased God to redeem that captivitie of my poor sister, in respect the
Queen's blessed Majesty, for whom we are ever bound to pray, hath redeemed
her soul from the slayer, granting the ransom of her, whilk is ane pardon or
reprieve. And I spoke with the Queen face to face and yet live; for she is not
muckle differing from other grand leddies, saying that she has a stately presence,
and een like a blue huntin' hawk's, whilk gaed throu' and throu' me like a
Highland durk--And all this good was, alway under the Great Giver, to whom all
are but instruments, wrought forth for us by the Duk of Argile, wha is ane native
true-hearted Scotsman, and not pridefu', like other folk we ken of--and likewise
skeely enow in bestial, whereof he has promised to gie me twa Devonshire kye,
of which he is enamoured, although I do still haud by the real hawlit Airshire
breed--and I have promised him a cheese; and I wad wuss ye, if Gowans, the
brockit cow, has a quey, that she suld suck her fill of milk, as I am given to
understand he has none of that breed, and is not scornfu' but will take a thing
frae a puir body, that it may lighten their heart of the loading of debt that they awe
