Acknowledgement of debt of 500 marks Scots by James Leslie, fear of Otterston, to...

Acknowledgement of debt of 500 marks Scots by James Leslie, fear of Otterston, to George Bell of 'grange of Bar ...' [torn]. Leslie and his sureties, David Reddie of Otterston and James Stevenson of Cowca [? ...], contract to repay the principal, together with £40 'expenses' in case of default, to Bell (or in the event of his decease to his son John Bell, junior of [? Barrhill/Barnhill] by Whit Sunday 1613. [cf. ff.126-128]. The debtor agrees to absolve his sureties from any financial loss arising from the contract. He and they consent to the registration of the obligation in the books of council and session, to have the force of a decree allowing for the penalties of horning, etc. They appoint [blank] as their procurators to appear before the lords to consent to the registration. The writer of the document is Master David Durie of Aberdour. Three witnesses [named, including Durie] to Leslie's signature, and five [named] to those of the sureties. [Followed by] 1. 'Signatures' of the sureties, 'wt or hands led on the pen [by Durie] at our command' because they cannot write. 2. Certificate by Durie that 1. is correct. Latin. Notarial sign. 3. Statement by Alexander Dick, notary public, that [? he has been assigned as procurator], since the sureties cannot write. Latin. Notarial sign. [Signed by] Leslie and five of the witnesses named above. [Endorsed]; 'James Leslie and his caurs obligation ...'. [Several more words, now illegible]. '1612' [Whole document damaged]. Dated at Aberdour.