'Sir, I come to accompt to you for my additions to my coins since my last. I begin with a denarius of Trajan quhich may be commone enough (but evry Roman coin is rare with me). It has Trajans head: legend: IMP TRAIANO AUG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P R [sic]; reverse: a woman standing with a veshel at he[r] feet, a cornucopia in on hand, and either a patera or a glob in the left: legend: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI. For moderns, I have a groat of Roberts of the largness of that with Villa de Rokesburg, with Dominus Protector meus et liberator, as ordinary, with VILLA DE PERTH, with 4 revel of spurrs, as ordinary, of the origin of quhich in our coins I desire ane accompt per nixt. I have gote the 3rd part of this same groat with the same about it on both sides. I have likewise gote of one of the Jamess with a scepter in his hand and a cross thus (x) behind the scepter, and beneath his hair on the left side the first figure thus (I); on his right side beneath the hair a flouer de luce and a flouer de luce beneath his chin, and on each shoulder a crosse thus (x x); on the reverse is the ordinary inscription on the outter circle; in the inner circle VILLA EDINBURGH with 2 fluer de luces and benzons quartered thus [drawing]. I desire ane accompte on thir 3 points termed (if I mistake not) benzons. I have gote also a piece of Johns of England withhis head; the reverse: ROBERD ON DIVE; his face is in a circle & not in a triangle as the Archdeacon tells in his Hist. Lib. pt. 3, p. 299. I have likewise gote a birth piece of Charles the 2d: on the on side IN HONOREM CAROLI PRIN MAG BRIT FR ET HIB NAT 29 MAI 1630; on the reverse the armes of Scot. Eng. France & Ireland; legend; HACTENUS ANGLORUM NULLI.'
(EUL, MS Laing III.355, ff.138r-139r; Sharp 1937, pp. 189-91, letter 95; Burnett 2020b, p. 1546)
