It is with pleasure I observe, that the town of Kilmarnock is soon to be honoured with a new periodical publication. Anxious that such an undertaking should succeed here, I am determined to support it, to the utmost of my abilities, with my pen, or otherwise. Mean time, I send you a copy of a very ancient letter from the Nobility, Barons, and Commons of Scotland, in the year 1320 yet extant, under all the seals of the Nobility, directed to Pope John. Wherein they declare their firm resolutions, to adhere to their King, Robert the Bruce, as the restorer of the safety and liverties of the people, and as having the true right of succession: but withall, they notwithstanding declare, that if the King should offer to subvert their civil liberties, they will disown hum as an enemy, and choose another to be King, for their own defence. Translated from the original in Latin,

If you consider it worthy of preservation in your Magazine, you will singularly oblige, Your's, &c.

KILMARNOCK, AUG. 12th, 1817.

To our most Holy Father in Christ, and our Lord, John, by the Divine Providence, chief Bishop of the most holy Roman

and universal Church, your humble and devoted Sons, Duncan, Earll of Fyfe, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Murray, Lord of Mannia and Annandail, Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March, Malisius, Earl of Strathern, Malcolm, Earll of Lennox, William, Earll of Ross, Magnus, Earll of Caithness and Orkney, William, Earl of Sutherland, Walter, Steuard of Scotland, William de Soules, Buttelarius of Scotland, James, Lord of Douglas, Roger de Moubray, David, Lord of Brechin, David de Grahame, Ingelramus de Umfraville, John de Monteith, Warden of the County of Monteith, Alexander Fraser, Gilbert de Hay, Constable of Scotland, Robert de Keith, Marischall of Scotland, Henry de Sancto Claro, John de Graham. David de Lyndsay, William Oliphant, Patrick de Graham, John de Fenton, William de Abernethie, David de Wemys, William de Monte-fixo, Fergus de Ardrossan. Eustachius de Maxwell, William de Ramsay, William de Monte-alto, Allan de Murray, Donald Campbell, John Camburn, Reginald le Chene. Alexander de Seton, Andreu de Lescelyne, and Alexander de Straton, and the rest of the Barons and Freeholders, and whole Community, or Commons of the Kingdom of Scotland, send all manner of filial reverence, with devout kisses of your blessed and happy feet.

Most holy Father and Lord, we know, and gather from ancient acts and records, that in every famous nation, this of Scotland hath been celebrated with many praises: this nation having come from Scythia the Greater, through the Tuscan Sea, and by Hercules's Pillars; and having, for many ages, taken its residence in Spain, in the midst of a most fierce people, could never be brought in subjection by any people, how barbarous soever; and having removed from these parts above 1200 years after the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, did, by many victories and much toil, obtain these parts in the west, which they still possess, having expelled the Britons, and entirely routed out the Picts, notwithstanding of the frequent assaults and invasions they met with from the Norvegians, Danes, and English; and these parts and possessions they have always retained free from all manner of servitude and subjection, as ancient histories do witness.

This kingdom hath been governed by an uninterrupted suc cession of 113 Kings, all of our own native and royal Stock, without the intervening of any stranger. The true nobility, and merits of those princes and people, are very remarkable, froin this one consideration, (though there were no other evidence for it) that the KING of KINGS, the Lord Jesus Christ, after his passion and resurrection, honoured them, as it were the first (though living in the utmost ends of the earth) with a call to his most holy faith: neither would our SAVIOUR have them confirmed in the CHRISTIAN FAITH by any other instru ment than his own first apostle, (though in order the second or third) St. Andrew, the most worthy brother of the blessed

Peter, whom he would always have to be over us, as our patron or protector.

Upon the weighty consideration of these things, our most holy Fathers, your predecessors, did, with many great and singular favours and privileges, fence and secure this kingdom and people, as being the peculiar charge. and care of the brother of St. Peter; so that our nation hath hitherto lived in freedom and quietness, under their protection. till the magnificent King Edward, father to the present King of England, did, under the colour of friendship and allyance, or confederacy with innumerable oppressions infest us, who minded no fraud or deceit, at a time when we were without a King or Head, and when the people were unacquainted with wars and invasions.

It is impossible for any, whose own experience hath not informed him, to describe, or fulv to understand, the injuries, blood, and violence, the depredations and fire, the imprison ment of prelates, the burnings, slaughters, and robberys, com mitted upon holy persons and religious houses, and a vast mul. titude of other barbarities, which, that King executed on this people, without sparing of any sex, or age, religion, or order of men whatsoever.

But at length it pleased God, who only can heal after-wounds, to restore us to liberty, from these innumerable calamitys, by our most Serene Prince, King, and Lord, Robert, who for the delivering of his people, and his own rightful inheritance from the enemie's hands. did, like another Josua or Maccabeus, most cheerfully undergo all manner of toil, fatigue, hardship, and hazard. The divine providence, the right of succession by the laws and customs of the kingdom (which we will defend till death), and the due and lawful consent and assent of all the people, made him our King and Prince. To him we are obliged, and resolved to adhere, in all things, both upon account of his right, and his own merit, as being the person who hath restored the peoples' safety, in defence of their libertys. But after all, if this Prince shall leave these principles he hath so nobly pursued, and consent that we or our kingdom be subjected to the King or people of England, we will immediately endeavour to expell him, as our enemy, and as the subverter, both of his own and our rights, and will make another king, who will defend our liberties: for so long as there shall but one hundred of us remain alive, we will never give consent to subject ourselves to the dominion of the English. For it is not Glory, it is not Riches, neither is it Honour, but it is Liberty alone that we fight and contend for, which no honest man will loss, but with his life.

For these reasons, Most Reverend Father and Lord, we do, with most earnest prayers, from our bended knees and hearts, beg and entreat your Holiness, that you may be pleased, with a sincere and cordial piety, to consider, that with Him whose Vicar on earth you are, there is no respect nor distinction of

Jew, nor Greek, Scots nor English; and that with a tender, and Fatherly eye, you may look upon the calamities and straits brought upon us and the Church of God. by the English; and that you may admonish and exhort the King of England, (who may well rest satisfied with his own possession, since that kingdom of old used to be sufficient for Seven, or more Kings) to suffer us to live at peace, in that narrow spot of Scotland, beyond which we have no habitation, since we desire nothing but our own; and we, on our part, as far as we are able, with respect to our own condition, shall effectually agree to him in every thing that may procure our quiet.

It is your concernment, viost Holy Father, to interpose in this, when you see how far the violence and barbarity of the Pagans is let loose to rage against Christendo:n, for punishing the sins of the Christians; and how much they daily incroach upon the Christian territories. And it is your interest to notice, that there be no ground given for reflecting on your memory, if you should suffer any part of the Church to come under a scandal or ecclipse (which we pray God may prevent) during your

time.

Let it therefore please your Holiness. to exhort the Christian Prince not to make the wars betwix them and their neighbours, a pretext for not going to the relief of the Holy Land, since that is not the true cause of the impediment: the truer ground of it is, that they have a much nearer prospect of advantage, and far less opposition, in the subduing of their weaker neigh. bours. And God (who is ignorant of nothing) knows with how much cheerfulness both our King and we would go thither, if the King of England would leave us in peace; and we do hereby testify and declare it to the Vicar of Christ, and to all Christendom.

But if your Holiness shall be too credulous of the English misrepresentation, and not give firm credit to what we have said, nor desist to favour the English to our destruction; we must believe, that the Most High will lay to your charge all the blood, loss of souls, and other calamities that shall follow on either hand, betwixt us and them.

in Your Holiness, in granting our just desires, will oblige us, every case, where our duty shall require it, to endeavour your satisfaction, as becomes the obedient sons of the Vicar of Christ.

We cominit the defence of our cause to Him, who is thẹ Sovereign King and Judge: we cast the burden of our cares upon Him, and hope for such an issue as may give strength and courage to us, and bring our enemies to nothing The Most High God long preserve your Serenity and Holiness to his holy Church. Given at the Monastery of Aberbrothock in Scotland, the sixth day of April, in the year of grace M,CCCXX. and of our said King's Reign the XV. year.

INTERESTING NOTICES RESPECTING HOLLAND:

ONE of the first appearances which impress a foreigner on his arrival into Holand is that of the houses, which are built of very small bricks, very lofty, and filled with large windows; projecting, moreover, so far forward as they ascend, that many of them are upwards of two yards out of the perpendicular. If these houses had not the appearance of being perfectly stable from the freshness of their outsides, a stranger would think that they would every moment fall upon his head. No scene, however, can at first be more novel and interesting than that which Rotterdam presents; masts of ships enlivened by gay streamers, beautiful stately trees, and lofty leaning houses, appear mingled together, and at one view he sees before him the characteristical features of the country, the city, and the sea.

The appearance of many of the men in long flowered waistcoats, and of the women in short plaited petticoats, blue stockings, and large round silver buckles, was very whimsical. Many of their dresses are hereditary, and father and son have, in regular succession, proceeded to the altar in the same nuptial breeches.

One of the most singular objects to a stranger in Holland are the shell houses, or licensed brothels, which disgrace every town through the states. In a street, in an inferior quarter of the town, the sound of fiddles and dancing announces the approach to one of these houses. The fiddles play in an Orchestra, and upon benches, at the opposite end of the room, are seven or eight females, painted and dressed in all their finery, with large silver buckles, loose muslin robes, and massy gilt ear rings. The Dutch are so familiarized to them, that parents frequently carry their children to see them, and the most modest women in the town have no hesitation in being present in the rooms.

In listening to conversation one is forcibly struck with the strong similarity to the Scottish. Four words out of six are perfectly Scottish.

Some of the women in Holland are very handsome, though, generally, they are too pale and white for an English taste, pretty and healthy children are rarely to be seen; in general they look pale and squallid, owing to an abominable system followed in rearing them. They are accustomed for the first two or three months to breathe the atmosphere of a room,