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until I disburden my conscience of those sins I have been guilty of during my sinful life which I repent of when too late O my son I have ruined my immortal soul to gain a fortune for you, the ways I took to get the money I left you makes my soul & heart so tremble within me when I think upon it. the first way I took to raise my fortune was killing an English drover, & taking a 100l off him that he had to buy cattle in the Highlands, With the money I bought the good will of this farm, hut not content with that I killed old ready money John & burnt his house over his head for fear of a discovery, yet I was not satisfied. By this time I began to buy up meal and transport it to the common enemy, or any where I could get a great price, I began to lay up great stores of it buying it up in all parts that I could get it, stopping at no price, knowing that the poor must have bread at any rate. I could not endure the sight of a poor person near my house. One day a poor old sailor came to ask charity, I struck him several times with my cane, then set my mastiff dog at him who tore him in several places so as he died in a few days after in a poor man’s byre who lived near by, & was
