Transcription of lines 1-8
01. Dort May 21 1681
02. Loving father I thought it fit to lat you knou th[a]t I am com to Dort to
03. schoul & th[a]t Mr Russell by John stirlings ordors given me an letter of re-
04.. commendation & I thanck god I was never in better helth in my lyfe then
05. at this present time & ther ar only tuo scots men in schoul who cam from Edin-
06. bruch & I my self & we are nou learning somwhat of the language & to write
07. & within 10 or 12 days we shall proced to cephering Nether John stirling
08. nor John Miller is come to Rotterdam for ought th[a]t I knou as yet & James Bell

Transcription of lines 9 - 17
09. when I cam from Rotterdam was intended to go home w[i]t[h] Andreu Burnsyd
10. therfor if nether John stirling nor John Miller com to Rotterdam befor Andreu
11. Burnsyde go out of it I thing it fit to send home the calf w[i]t[h] the pile-grass w[i]t[h]
12. Andreu Burnsyd to Barastones Loving father we hear at schoul get
13. very good dayet & have our stomoch wery weel our dayet being alwayes
14. flesch, fisch, butter, chise & syllets S[i]r I am wery desyrous to hear from
15. you if ye be all in good helth being desyrous of nothing mor in the
16. then to hear th[a]t ye ar all weel; since I cam to Dort I have dreamed
17. of my mother 3 or 4 times therfor I intreat you ernestly w[i]t[h] the first occasion

Transcription of lines 18 - 26
18. to let me certanly knou if she be in good helth having written to you from
19. Rotterdam the 8 day of this moneth I expect to hear from you shortly & when
20. you direct your letters direct them to Mr Russell & he will have a caire
21. th[a]t they com to my hand, pen & ink cannot the love of my hert to you all
22. express therfor I shall say no mor bot having my humble service presented to you
23. my loving father & to my dear mother to my tuo dearest brethren & billies
24. James & John to my good brother & to his wife my sister Jean & to all the
25. rest of my brethring & sisters to my Ant & to my Ant Jean Blair being
26. very desyrous to hear from you I rest

Transcription of lines 27 - 32
27. Your Loving and obedient son
28. till death
29. William Dunlop
30. S[i]r
31. Hawe my service presented to James Robertone to patrick Bell & to
32. all friends & acquantences in Glasgou