He is ashamed to ask it, but will Craighall please be satisfied with his interest and 2000 merks at the term. This is because he has just received a charge to pay 5000 merks that he owes to Balmanno's children. He also has a great lawsuit against the Earl of Southesk one of the children's tutors, and this has to be prosecuted with vigour because he knows that if they could the Carnegies would break him.