Letter from [Francis White] to [William Lesley], [1665]

Letter from [Francis White] to [William Lesley], [1665]

Scotland

Mission reports

Other religious orders

Scottish schools

Letter from Francis White to [William Lesley?]. He writes that he has only received the letter from [William Lesley?] in June, as [Alexander] Winster did not want to risk forwarding it, since he did not know where White was. He describes problems between himself and a Dominican, and also with a protestant minister. He writes about the fact that he has so much to do in such difficult circumstances that were he to remain without help, he would have to leave the Highlands. He is grateful, however, for the provision, and for the schoolteacher. White notes that he would like to have another teacher, since on the islands there is a protestant teacher. He asks [William Lesley?] to excuse Eugenio Macalastrio [Alexander Macalister] for not having written the names of the schoolchildren and their parents [actually, Macalister did at least mention family names in his letter to Lesley, see APF SOCG 308, 224r-225v (database item 336)], because they fear that these will be communicated to the court, were these letters to be intercepted. He asks if it could be ordered that his brother Giouanni Bianchi [John White] be sent to help him. He would also need other priests, but they have to be excellent due to Highlanders viewing priests as saints on earth. He writes that the Highlands and islands could soon be Catholic, if only there were enough missionaries. Therefore he urges [William Lesley?] to see to the appointment of new missionaries. The letter is dated 14 June 1665.

Date discussed, 1665-11-09

Additional comments

There is no signature nor address on this document. However, we can be sure that it is written by Francis White, since he refers to John White as his brother. It is probably addressed to William Lesley, since the (copies of) other letters addressed to him use the exact same format. 

[Francis White]

APF SOCG 308, 226r-228r

[1665]

Addressed to [William Lesley]

For a summary of this letter (as well as other letters from the same bundle) and the related decision see APF SOCG 308, 206r-208v, 231v (database item 331).
For the discussion of this letter, see: APF ACTA 34, 203r, 224v-227v (same information; not in this database).

Italian

Letter

337

Origin: Scotland, the highlands

Destination: [Rome]