The Breadalbane Collection
The Breadalbane Collection, an eclectic gathering of 16th century documents of the Campbells of Glenorchy.
- These 324 letters were recently discovered within the extensive correspondence in the Breadalbane Collection, now housed in the National Archives of Scotland (NAS).
- The original Breadalbane Letters are found in NAS GD112/39 Bundles 1-14 and part of Bundle 15. The earliest letter is dated 1548 and the transcriptions end in 1583 with the death of Grey Colin.
- With some originals having suffered damage, parts of the letters are illegible, though some damaged passages have been reconstituted from the notes in the MacGregor Collection (NAS GD50).
- This collection, edited by Professor Jane Dawson, provides unique insight into Scottish life during the early modern period.
- A selection of 202 letters was published as Clan Campbell Letters 1559-1583 ed. J. Dawson Scottish History Society 5th series Vol 10 1997. This volume is now out of print.
1548-1559
- 18 Oct 1548: Argyll (4th) to John of Glenorchy
- 18 Oct 1548: Argyll (4th) to John of Glenorchy
- 30 Apr 1554: Argyll (4th( to Grey Colin
- c 27 Apr 1555: Lawers to Grey Colin
- 13 May 1555: Lawers to Grey Colin
- c 1555/56: MacLean of Duart to Grey Colin
- c Mar 1556: Lawers to Grey Colin
- 10 Jun 1559: Argyll (5th) and Lord James Stewart to Menteith, Ruthven (3rd), Tullibardine (10th) and Grey Colin
- 26 Aug 1559: Argyll (5th) and Lord James to Grey Colin
1560-1562
- 8 Oct 1560: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 20 Dec 1560: Lords of Council to Grey Colin
- 28 Jan 1561: MacDougall of Dunollie (14th) to Grey Colin
- 11 May 1562: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 27 Jun 1562: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 29 Jun 1562: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 22 Nov 1562: Atholl (4th) to Argyll (5th)
- 30 Nov 1562: Ardkinglas to Grey Colin
- 12 Dec 1562: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
1563
- 12 Feb 1563: Larg to Glenlyon
- 28 Mar 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 3 Apr 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- c May 1563: Neil Malcolm to Grey Colin
- 9 May 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 31 May 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 21 Jun 1563: Atholl (4th) to Argyll (5th)
- 24 Jun 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 1 Oct 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 4 Oct 1563: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 11 Oct 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 13 Oct 1563: Skipnish to Grey Colin
- 25 Oct 1563: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
1564
- 13 Jan 1564: MacGill to Grey Colin
- 13 Jan 1564: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 13 Jan 1564: Morton (4th) to Grey Colin
- 19 Feb 1564: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 2 Mar 1564: Glenlyon to Grey Colin
- 31 Mar 1564: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 6 Jun 1564: MacDonald of Dunivaig to Grey Colin
- c 3 Aug 1564: Grey Colin to Weem
- 11 Sep 1564: Lady Dunivaig to Grey Colin
- 8 Oct 1564: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 11 Oct 1564: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 20 Nov 1564: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- bef 25 Nov 1564: Gregor MacGregor to Katherine
- 25 Nov 1564: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- c 25 Nov 1564: Gregor MacGregor to Grey Colin
- 2 Dec 1564: Gregor MacGregor to Grey Colin
1565
January-March
- 24 Jan 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 25 Jan 1565: Ardkinglas to Grey Colin
- 29 Jan 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 29 Jan 1565: Argyll (5th) to Katherine
- 29 Jan 1565: Ardkinglas to Grey Colin
- 1 Feb 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 1 Feb 1565: Argyll (5th) to Katherine
- 24 Feb 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 25 Feb 1565: Auchinbreck to Grey Colin
- 5 Mar 1565: Alistair MacGregor to Grey Colin
- 6 Mar 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 8 Mar 1565: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 11 Mar 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 14 Mar 1565: Auchinbreck to Grey Colin
- 16 Mar 1565: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 19 Mar 1565: Argyll (5th) to Katherine
- 19 Mar 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 21 Mar 1565: Ruthven (3rd) to Grey Colin
April-August
- 5 Apr 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 22 Apr 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 3 May 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 7 May 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 11 May 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 24 May 1565: John Wood to Katherine
- 5 Jul 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 6 Jul 1565: Ardkinglas to Grey Colin
- 9 Jul 1565: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 3 Aug 1565: Ardkinglas to Grey Colin
- 10 Aug 1565: Argyll (5th) to Katherine
- 13 Aug 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 24 Aug 1565: Moray to Grey Colin
- 24 Aug 1565: Duke and Moray to Grey Colin
- 28 Aug 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 30 Aug 1565: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- summer 1565: Grandtully to Grey Colin
September-October
- c start Sep 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 1 Sep 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 7 Sep 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 12 Sep 1565: Duke, Moray, Glencairn and Rothes to Grey Colin
- 15 Sep 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 17 Sep 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 23 Sep 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 25 Sep 1565: Erroll (7th) to Grey Colin
- c 26 Sep 1565: MacDonald of Keppoch to Grey Colin
- 10 Oct 1565: Argyll (5th) Grey Colin
- 17 Oct 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 20 Oct 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 28 Oct 1565: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 30 Oct 1565: Grey Colin to Grandtully
- 31 Oct 1565: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 31 Oct 1565: Ruthven (3rd) to Katherine
- 31 Oct 1565: Ruthven (3rd) Grey Colin
November-December
- 1 Nov 1565: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 1 Nov 1565: Grey Colin to Grandtully
- c 1 Nov 1565: Atholl (4th) to Grandtully
- 1 Nov 1565: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- c 2 Nov 1565: Grandtully to Katherine
- 3 Nov 1565: Grandtully to Katherine
- 4 Nov 1565: Grandtully to Katherine
- 5 Nov 1565: Ruthven (3rd) to Katherine
- 6 Nov 1565: Grey Colin to Queen Mary
- c 11-16 1565: Gossip to Grey Colin
- 25 Nov 1565: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- c 26 1565: Grey Colin to Grandtully
- c 30 Nov 1565: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- c 30 Nov 1565: Gossip to Grey Colin
- 2-10 December 1565: Gossip to Grey Colin
- c 7-10 Dec 1565: Gossip to Grey Colin
- 11 Dec 1565: Gossip to Grey Colin
- 12-24 Dec 1565: Gossip to Grey Colin
- 17 Dec 1565: Carswell to Grey Colin
- 23 Dec 1565: Ruthven (3rd) to Katherine
- 25 Dec 1565: Gossip to Grey Colin
- 26 Dec 1565: Morton (4th) to Katherine
- 27 Dec 1565: Maitland to Katherine
- c Jan 1566: Cameron of Lochiel to Grey Colin
- 17 Jan 1566: Ruthven (3rd) to Grey Colin
- 13 Feb 1566: Grey Colin to Gossip
- 26 Feb 1566: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 12 Mar 1566: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 13 Mar 1566: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- c 13 Mar 1566: Grandtully to Grey Cullin
- 14 Mar 1566: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 14 Mar 1566: Grey Colin to Grandtully
- 15 Mar 1566: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 7 Apr 1566: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 8 Apr 1566: Moray to Grey Colin
- 9 Apr 1566: Maitland to Katherine
- 18 Apr 1566: Maitland to Katherine
- 28 Apr 1566: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 19 August 1566: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 20 Aug 1566: Douglas of Lochleven to Atholl (4th)
- 20 Aug 1566: Douglas of Lochleven to Grey Colin
- 2-4 Feb 1567: Maitland to Katherine
- 6 Feb 1567: MacDougall of Dunollie (15th) to Grey Colin
- 1 Jun to 1567: Grandtully to Grey Collin
- 11 Nov 1567: Grey Collin to Argyll (5th)
- 5 Mar 1569 Inverawe to Grey Colin
- c 2 Aug 1569: Patrick MacGregor to Katherine
- 20 Aug 1569: Fenton to Grey Colin
May
June
- 13 Jun 1570: Tullibardine (11th) to Glenlyon
- 14 Jun 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 14 Jun 1570: Argyll (5th) to Maitland
- 17 Jun 1570: Maitland to Katherine
- 17 Jun 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 17 Jun 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grandtully
- 19 Jun 1570: Lawers to Grey Colin
- 20 Jun 1570: Tullibardine (11th) to Fenton
- 21 Jun 1570: Grandtully to Grey Collin
- 23 Jun 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grey Collin
- 27 Jun 1570: MacDougall of Dunollie (15th) to Grey Colin
- 27 Jun 1570: Steward of Appin to Grey Colin
- 28 Jun 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 28 Jun 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 28 Jun 1570: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 28 Jun 1570: Argyll (5th) to MacDougall of Dunollie (15th)
- 28 Jun 1570: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 29 Jun 1570: MacDougall of Dunollie (15th) to Grey Colin
- 30 Jun 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
July
- 2 Jul 1570: Countess Argyll to Atholl (4th)
- 7 Jul 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grandtully
- 7 Jul 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 7 Jul 1570: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 8 Jul 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 10 Jul 1570: Murray of Tibbermuir to Katherine
- 10 Jul 1570: MacDonald of Keppoch to Atholl (4th)
- 11 Jul 1570: Atholl (4th) to Drummond (2nd)
- 11 Jul 1570: Atholl (4th) to Comrie of that ilk
- 11 Jul 1570: Atholl (4th) to Abercairny and Cultybraggan
- 12 Jul 1570: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 13 Jul 1570: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 14 Jul 1570: Countess of Mar to Grey Colin
- 16 Jul 1570: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 18 Jul 1570: Argyll (5th) to Drummond (2nd)
- 22 Jul 1570: MacDougall of Dunollie (15th) to Grey Colin
- 23 Jul 1570: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 24 Jul 1570: Argyll (5th) to Katherine
- 24 Jul 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin (1st letter)
- 24 Jul 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin (2nd letter)
- 26 Jul 1570: Carswell to Katherine
- 27 Jul 1570: Duntrune to Grey Colin
- 27 Jul 1570: Duntrane to Black Duncan
- 27 Jul 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 28 Jul 1570: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 28 Jul 1570: Strachur to Grey Colin
- 31 Jul 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 31 Jul 1570: Grandtully to Grey Colin
August
- 1 Aug 1570: Grandtully to Grey Colin
- 2 Aug 1570: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 2 Aug 1570: Maitland to Katherine
- 2 Aug 1570: MacEwan Cameron to Grey Colin
- c 2 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 3-7 Aug 1570: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 4 Aug 1570: Drummond (2nd) to Argyll (5th)
- 4 Aug 1570: Drummond (2nd) to Argyll (5th) (copy 9/5)
- 4 Aug 1570: Drummond (2nd) to Argyll (5th) (2nd copy 9/5)
- 7 Aug 1570: Maitland to Katherine
- 8 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- c 10 Aug 1570: MacEwan Cameron to Grey Colin
- 11 Aug 1570: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 11 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 12 Aug 1570: Maitland to Katherine
- 12 Aug 1570: Maitland to Grandtully
- 12 Aug 1570: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 13 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 14 Aug 1570: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 14 Aug 1570: Carswell to Katherine
- 14 Aug 1570: Grandtully to Katherine
- 14 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 16 Aug 1570: Grey Colin to Katherine
- 18 Aug 1570: Grey Colin to Gregor MacAne
- 18 Aug 1570: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 18 Aug 1570: Cawdor to Grey Colin
- 18 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 20 Aug 1570: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 20 Aug 1570: Maitland to Grey Colin
- 20 Aug 1570: Gregor MacAne to Grey Colin
- 21 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 23 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin (1st letter)
- 23 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin (2nd letter)
- 23 Aug 1570: Rothes to Black Duncan
- 25 Aug 1570: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 26 Aug 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 27 Aug 1570: Carswell to Grey Colin
September
- 6 Sep 1570: Grey Colin to MacDougall of Dunollie (15th)
- 10-15 Sep 1570: Grandtully to Katherine
- 14 Sep 1570: Sussex to Maitland
- 15 Sep 1570: Hay of Megginch to Katherine
- 17 Sep 1570: Murray of Tibbermuir to Katherine
- 18 Sep 1570: Carswell to Grey Colin
- 19 Sep 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
- 19 Sep 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Grey Colin
- 19 Sep 1570: Morton (4th) to Grey Colin
- 20 Sep 1570: Murray of Tibbermuir to Katherine
- 20 Sep 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- bef 21 Sep 1570: Buchanan to Grey Colin
- 21 Sep 1570: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 21 Sep 1570: Grey Colin to Buchanan
- 21 Sep 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
- 22 Sep 1570: Grey Colin to Katherine
- 24 Sep 1570: Steward of Appin to Grey Colin
- 25 Sep 1570: Murray of Tibbermuir to Katherine
- 25 Sep 1570: Stewart of Doune to Grey Colin
- 25 Sep 1570: Regent Lennox to Grey Colin
- 26 Sep 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
- 27 Sep 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
October
- 1 Oct 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
- 1 Oct 1570: MacLachlan of Craiginterve to Katherine
- 2 Oct 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 3 Oct 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 3 Oct 1570: Argyll (5th) and Carswell to Katherine
- 4 Oct 1570: Auchinbreck to Grey Colin
- 4-7 Oct 1570: MacLachlan of Craiginterve to Katherine
- 7 Oct 1570: MacLachlan of Craiginterve to Grey Colin
- 7 Oct 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
- 15 Oct 1570: AC to Grandtully
- 15 Oct 1570: Auchinbreck to Grey Colin
- c 15 Oct 1570: Ewin MacGregor to Katherine
- 17 Oct 1570: Katherine to Ewin MacGregor
- 17 Oct 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Grey Colin
- 19 Oct 1570: Grandtully to Katherine
- 19 Oct 1570: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- c 19 Oct 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
- 22 Oct 1570: MacCorcadill to Katherine
- c 26 Oct 1570: Ewin MacGregor to Grey Colin
- c 27 Oct 1570: Grandtully to Katherine
- 28 Oct 1570: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
- 28 Oct 1570: Atholl (4th) to Grey Colin
November
December
1571
- 28 Aug 1570s: Dalwany to Grey Colin
- 7 Jan 1571: Ruthven (4th) to Katherine
- 28 Apr 1571: Countess Mar to Grey Colin
- 20 May 1571: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 11 Jun 1571: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 12 Jun 1571: Regent Lennox to Grey Colin
- 14 Jun 1571: Countess of Mar to Grey Colin
- c 19 Jul 1571: Ewin MacGregor to Grey Colin
- 16 Sep 1571: Black Duncan to Drummond (3rd)
- 16 Sep 1571: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 16 Sep 1571: Katherine to Lady Drummond
1572
- c 23 Apr 1572: Grey Colin to Weem
- 26 Jul 1572: George Johnson to Grey Colin
- 28 Jul 1572: Regent Mar to Grey Colin
- 27 Aug 1572: Regent Mar to Grey Colin
- 31 Oct 1572: Ruthven (4th) to Grey Colin
- 2 Nov 1572: Morton (4th) to Grey Colin
- 2 Nov 1572: Morton (4th) to Grey Colin (copy 14/7)
- 3 Nov 1572: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 5-8 Nov 1572: Grey Colin to Argyll (5th)
- 8 Nov 1572: Argyll (5th) to Morton (4th)
- 15 Nov 1572: Argyll (5th) to Grey Colin
- 29 Nov 1572: Regent Morton to Grey Colin
- 29 Nov 1572: Regent Morton to Grey Colin (copy 14/12)
- 23 Dec 1572: Regent Morton to Grey Colin
1576-1583
- 19 May 1576: MacGill to Grey Colin
- 14 Jun 1577: Mar (2nd) to Grey Colin
- 25 Dec 1580: Argyll (6th) to Grey Colin
- 28 Dec 1580: Tullibardine (11th) to Grey Colin
- 20 Jan 1581: Drummon of Midhope to Grey Colin
- 29 Jan 1581: Argyll (6th) to Grey Colin
- 7 Feb 1581: Argyll (6th) to Grey Colin
- 8 Feb 1581: Ruthven (4th) to Grey Colin
- 3 Feb 1582: Grey Colin to Black Duncan
- 15 Jul 1583: Fenton to Katherine
For ease of reference, the letters have also been catelogued by date and by bundle.
All corrections received will be posted on this page.
- GD112/39/2/12 n. 3 Campbell of Glenlyon's first wife was a daughter of Blair of Balgillo. This has been corrected on the webpages but not on the transcript. [My thanks to Andrew B W MacEwan]
- GD112/39/6/20 The letter was dated Tuesday 1 June 1567. In 1567 1 June was Trinity Sunday so the date was probably a mistake for 1 July, a Tuesday. This means it was written after the battle of Carberry, rather than before. [My thanks to Andrew B W MacEwan]
- GD112/39/12/1 Lynthinthie - this might be Lethindy in Perthshire rather than Linlithgow, though in 1570 Linlithgow was the location for many of the negotiations of the civil war. [My thanks to Andrew B W MacEwan]
Please send feedback and any comments or corrections to the Letters to Professor Jane Dawson.
Background
16th century and the collection's historical background.
Ownership and Copyright
The manuscript letters are owned by the National Archives of Scotland, and the copyright of the letter transcripts is held by Prof. Jane Dawson, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh. You may download these transcripts but, if citing, please give the correct NAS reference and acknowledge this site.
The following conventions have been adopted:
- The information in the headings follows modern usage where possible, providing the standardized form of place-names and the usual modern form of personal names and titles.
- For Gaelic names the conventions used in Acts of Lords of the Isles eds. J & R.W. Munro [SHS 1986] p. lxxxiii, have been followed. In the body of the letters 'Mc' and 'Vc' have been treated as abbreviations and expanded to 'Mac' and 'Vic'. In dating the year is taken to begin on 1 January, though the dates within the letters have been retained as written.
- The original internal layout of the letters has been retained and within the text of the transcript the start and end of each line corresponds to the lines within the manuscript.
- The entire text of each letter, even those badly damaged, has been included. Damaged portions of the manuscripts have been indicated by unspaced points, viz ..., and uncertain readings have been placed in brackets. Sections within asterisks have been inserted into the main body of the text from their original position in the manuscript margins.
- The original spelling of the manuscript letters has been retained and the characters 'thorn' and 'yogh' have been transcribed 'y' and 'z' respectively [in the SHS edition they are transcribed 'th' and 'y'].
- To aid reading capital letters and minimal punctuation have been inserted and all abbreviations and contractions silently expanded.
- Readings from the MacGregor transcripts [GD50] have been placed within brackets.