▁ ▁Some ▁sources ▁state ▁that ▁Richard ▁was ▁the ▁brother ▁of ▁Mr ▁Arch ib ald ▁Douglas , ▁but ▁in ▁his ▁letters ▁to ▁Arch ib ald ▁he ▁calls ▁himself ▁" ne p hew ". ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁he ▁wrote ▁to ▁his ▁uncle ▁Arch ib ald ▁Douglas ▁describing ▁a ▁meeting ▁with ▁the ▁Secretary , ▁John ▁M ait land ▁of ▁Th irl est ane . ▁He ▁had ▁convey ed ▁Arch ib ald ' s ▁messages ▁according ▁to ▁instructions . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁month ▁he ▁wrote ▁to ▁his ▁brother , ▁William ▁Douglas ▁of ▁Wh itting h ame ▁from ▁Wh itting eh ame ▁Tower ▁mention ing ▁a ▁law suit . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁he ▁mentioned ▁the ▁departure ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁diplom at ▁and ▁poet ▁Guillaume ▁de ▁S all ust e ▁Du ▁Bart as . ▁The ▁poet ▁left ▁from ▁D umb art on ▁Castle ▁for ▁La ▁Ro ch elle ▁l aden ▁with ▁presents . ▁James ▁VI ▁h ired ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁ships ▁in ▁Scotland ▁for ▁him , ▁kn ight ed ▁him , ▁and ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁gold ▁chain , ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁gold ▁crow ns , ▁" with ▁a ▁table tt ▁of ▁gold , ▁having ▁in ▁it t ▁his ▁Maj est ies ▁pour tra ict ", ▁besides ▁several ▁hack ney ▁horses ▁and ▁other ▁presents ▁from ▁the ▁nob ility ▁and ▁cour ti ers . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 5 8 9 ▁he ▁wrote ▁to ▁Arch ib ald ▁that ▁the ▁La ird ▁of ▁W emy ss ,