Research conducted by Dr Katie Barclay at the National Archives of Scotland

For further details, see Katie Barclay, Love, Intimacy and Power: Marriage and Patriarchy in
Scotland, 1650-1850 (Manchester University Press, 2011)

GD345/1145 Letters from Anna Grant to her husband Archibald (1717-1721)

/1 My dearest husband, I believe you will be as rudlie surprised that hav got non of your
letters as I am vexed I have got but on sence you went away and thes is the 13 days sance I
got that on I have sent in janey this day to wet for letters from you I wish you had not
inclosed them in mr fordices he indeed desired hes brother to open them but it seems to me
he hes not doun it I long very much to set you as safe home as I do often in my dreams but
when I do awake I am like a man that thirsts and dreas he drinks but awakes he thirst
continues stel I writ thes latter tou days befor the time I set because it is to be my last and
that it may come as soon to your hand for I expect to see you next week but if you make me
but to hope in vain I shall all ways mak my inclinations as far as lays in my pour go a long
with what is your will you see it is not your latters that puts me in mind of what is my duty
but my own inclinations that hed mad me writ four former I shall add no more but wish you
good health and safe journey and vouage and so rests your most loveing and aft wife till
death anna Hamilton I have ben in very good health since yu left me I hope it is so with
yourself. Sept 10th 1717

/2 Pen 21 aug 1717 my dearest husband, I receved your from Edinburgh and was very glad
you got so good a day to the worst of your jurney but thes day lookes not so promising wich
I am very sorey for but I hope the wather shall be good tell your return to me again wich you
believe will be no smalle satisfaction to me who you cannot but expet will be very
melancholy being absent from so good a friend and what ades more to my sorey is the
thoughts of your long sex weekes being from me I pray you write often to me and shall be
nothing short of you I shall trouble you no more but hopes thes shall fined you well as we
are all hear. Ans so restes your most loveing and affect wife anna Hamilton I pray take good
care of yourself.

/3 my dearest life pen aug 29 1717

I have ben expecting a latter ever sens Monday from you with great impatience but in plea
of on I hear from a servant that you went only from fife on Monday which news I was much
surprised with for it thought you wad have wret to me whean you wer so nier I hear you
wrote to mr fordise and I shall be very sorry to believe you think I hem more consierned
then I your wife who loes you as I do my life and I did not expect thes at your hand but my
dear I shall be very far from thinking it unkindness but there as an oversight I expect to see
your father hear thes day I hope you will stay no longer then you sead you wad whean you
left me nou my dear if I have acused you of any thing that isnot right I hope you will
pardonne your most loving and affect wife anna Hamilton I shall send my letters always by
the fridys post.

/4 To my (ripped) husband pen 20 may 1717

I received yours on the 17 and read it with a gret deal of joy and satisfaction to ear that you
got well to Aberdeen in I can not tell hou unpatient I was or I got it for I did not think it
would have takein so ong a time as eight days to come hear dear mester grant I should be
very much afflictedif I could think with my selfe that you should have any dout but of my
affiction not being as great for you as yours can be for me but I hope we shall live the gether

1
till we shall gavebetter prouf of your affictions in dead youa bsines hes bein a very great
grief to me … letter torn off

/5 my love pen caith may 1721

God in his Holy Providence having ordered it so thet I am deprived of ye comfort of your
preference in my extremity. I have left this line which I have ordered mr simson to write &
which I have subscribed my self. leaving you & our dear children to the gracious conduct &
protection of a merciful God, I have with much earnestness intreated my parents to take the
charge of my children & I do like my wife entreat it of you that you will give them to my
parents care & to abide with them & that to gather with them my marriage tokens may be
put in my mothers hands to be iirsensed for the viz my repeating gold watch& trinkets, my
diamond earrings, my diamond ring, & a stone hair ring set round with diamonds &
promesign myself that you will not refuse thes last desire of your affectionate but dying
spouse. I cimmend you & our children to the rich grace of our blessed redeemer & I am your
most affectionate while

/7 my dear life edin july 22 1720

I expected to have got a latter from you yesternight & owning your falt for omitting so many
ocaisions but was disappointed upon which I sad I would write to you no more but tht
tearant called love who is every day engaging my affections to you more & more brakes
throw all thes resolutions & what ever treatment I receive from yu beds me be stal in my
deuty which I hope throm god I shall ever be to both our satisfactions I know not if I shall get
an answerof this I wish it may find yu well & good diversions at adison & remember her who
is hear your ever loveing & aft wife anna hamiton ler me Jeanne hon the beans?

/8 my dear life mayb 1708

this is to let you know we are all well and came very safely to this place but my for is to live
us this day mr Johnston your brother was with us till this morning & mr fordyes is to go with
my ford I wasvery glas to hear that you kept so good ours tho not in my latter but I am sur
you may believe that I am as much concerned abut your well being and more than any can
be in this world and I wish you may hold on till your return & it wil be a veru agreeable to me
the time of our separation has been very weary to me but now I can satisfy my self with the
thoughts that your comeing hom as fast as you can to on who will receive you with very
great joy and shall be foe ever you loveing and affect wife anna Hamilton

/9 my dearest heart pen april 18 1717

I have expected a latter from you every day this eight days but hes fot no at which I am very
much supresed and you may believe very unesie for you ken that I have a very dangerous
temper and it was my last wordes whene we parted beging of your to write often to me. I
was med a little easier by a letter from your brother frances which sayed he had got a letter
from you & was well but there was non for me at which parenase of strang’d much but the
next but th enext was all stranger to me which that you was so busies that you had not time
to write a long enough on to me which seemeth to me but a very poor excuse for I should
look on my self as worse than an infidel I should find time to write to a brother could not
spear non to write to my husband the reson whay I desire long ketters is because there are
always much to the pourpos & it is seldom but on may ripe emprovement by theme but
either is not hear from you because of that I will take them with no more but your well I
shall shou you how good I am stell if you do so no moe I forgave you this and hopes you did
mind us yesterday as we did you being your marriage day I wish to god that we may love as
hapelay together as we have down thes years by past your daughter kette was weaned
yesterday I wish I would hest homes for the seesion of the got mabe comes on & I hae not

2
be spoke rouns till I sour of you coming homes in time & it is full time they wear be spake
nou I forgot t beg pardon for opining your letter & did it to see if it were worth the sending it
was from mr Johnston & he being so fare from you I thought there might be something in it
that you will desie to know soun so I folded it & sure you read non if it I got it yesterday I am
my life your very loveing and doting wife anna Hamilton