Transcription of lines 1-8
1. Loving father
2. Having the occasion of this bearer John Stirling who his bine
3. ane stedable friend to me sinc I cam to this countray with vhom
4. I thought it fit to vrite not having receved any letter from
5. you as yet at vhich I am sore grieved thincking that somthing is
6. befallen sume of you having tuice vritten once by post vhen ve hire
7. at Rotterdam had landed and once with our schipper Andreu
8. Burnsyde vhom I thought should had a good care in bringing
Transcription of lines 9 - 17
9. of it to your oun hand I long greatly to hear if ye be all in good
10. health therfor I humbly requist you as a son should a father
11. to lat me knou vith every occasion if ye be all in good helth
12. mind clothes th[a]t I got at my sisters marriage shall soon be skuffed
13. becaus I have not another sout that I can put on for you knou
14. mind other clothes is so short that I cannot put them on vithout
15. mind riding cott be aboun them & th[a]t I cannot induer the vader is so
16. vehement varm & if it please god th[a]t I shall soon be in this countray in
17. the vinter season I shall not be able to vear them for stretnes
Transcription of lines 18 - 25
18. becaus I cannot put on an little cott beneath them, They ar 5 scots-
19. men hire in dort at shcoul vith me therfor I cam doun to Rotterdam
20. to advice vith John Stirling & Mr Russell in that case for our
21. Master in dort can teach littel or no book holding he teaches only
22. the language, vritting, & Cifering, cifering & vritting I shall
23. attine unto in on quarter therfor if it be your will I thinck it great
24. folly to remain hire in Dort halfe a year when the last quarter I
25. shall learn nothing bot the langauge therfor I vent to Mr Russel
Transcription of lines 26 - 32
26. vith John stirling & he advices me the nixt quarter to com to Rotter-
27. dam to on th[a]t teaches book holding for he says th[a]t ther ar no other
28. about th[a]t can teach it perfectly bot it shall be very dear Mr Russel
29. informs me th[a]t I shall pay 60 gulders in quarter for my bording
30. & 50 gulders mor to th[a]t sam man for bookholding & if I shal hire
31. remaine an halfe year I shall cast myself to com hom in the dead of vin-
32. ter for I entred to schoul in ther dett hire in Holland the 14 of May
Transcription of lines 33 - 41
33. & you knou mind half year shall be run out in the
34. 14 of Novemb[er] therfor if it pleas god that I shall hire remain half
35. an year I am affrichted that the river be frosine & ve shall not
36. wine home till the spring & th[a]t shall be 3 quarters vhich shall be very
37. expensive & I pray you to advice the best & send me word with first
38. occasion befor mind quarter be out in dort I have no mor at this occasi-
39. on but my service presented to you my Loving father I rest
40. your loving son till death
41. William Dunlop