Scotland and of Rosse with the Commentarie hee was astonied but beholding the Commentarie with the letters which he thought had beene burned hee brake out into these words I am betraied and vndone by my seruants because I knew not how to distrust which is the sinew of wisdome But hee besought the Commissioners very humbly to speake vnto the Queene in his behalfe promising that hee would hide nothing that hee knew and solemnly protesting that hee approued nothing which might haue beene wrong vnto the Queene or detriment vnto the Realme yea that hee vtterly condemned the purposes and plots to surprize the Queene and the Tower of London and to set free the Queene of Scotland and that hee neuer had a thought to bring in any forraine forces but onely to suppresse the Scots that rebelled against the Queene The same day being examined of fiftie Articles more or lesse he concealed nothing Then all the course of the businesse was laid downe and declared in the Star-chamber a great assembly of Noblemen the Maior and Aldermen of London being present and afterwards to all the Citizens in the Guild-hall by William Fleetwood the Recorder But when the Bishop of Rosse was accused by the confession of euery one of them and by the Duke himselfe also as the contriuer of the businesse a serious consultation was had what was to be done with him that was an Embassadour For he whiles he thought it lawful for him as such kinde of men vse to doe to aduance the affaires of his Prince by any manner of meanes and not to be brought in question of law vpon the inuiolable priuilege of Embassadours in a strange Court had done many things long since turbulently in kindling a commotion and hauing nightly conferences with the Earle of Southampton and others and now againe with the English fâ—gitiues in the Low-Countries the Duke of Alba the King of Spaine and the Pope about the inuasion of England Therefore the cause was put to Dauid Lewis Valentine Dale William Aubrey and Henry Iones Doctors of the Ciuill Law 1 First whether an Embassadour that raiseth or procureth rebellion against a Prince vnto whom he is Embassadour may enioy the priuileges of an Embassadour and not be subiect to punishment as an enemie They answered Such an Embassadour by the law of Nations and ciuill Law of the Romans hath lost all the priuileges of an Embassadour and was subiect to punishment 2 Secondly whether an Agent of a Prince who is depriued by publike authoritie and in whose place another is crowned may enioy the priuilege of an Embassadour They answered If such a Prince be lawfully depriued his Agent cannot challenge the priuilege of an Embassadour since none but they which haue the rights of an absolute Prince can appoint Embassadours 3 Thirdly whether a Prince who shall come into the Kingdome of another Prince and bee kept in prison may haue his Agent and whether he be to be accounted an Embassadour They answered If such a Prince who shall come into the Kingdome of another Prince and bee kept in prison hath not lost his principalitie hee may haue an Agent but whether that Procurator may be reputed an Embassadour that dependeth on the authoritie of his Commission or delegation 4 Fourthly whether if any such Prince doe denounce tell to such an Agent and Prince being in prison That this Procurator shall bee accounted no longer for an Embassadour whether this Procurator by the Law may challenge the priuileges of an Embassadour They answered The Prince may forbid the Embassadour that he doe not come into the Realme and command him to depart out of the Realme if hee doe not containe himselfe within the bounds prescribed vnto an Embassadour yet in the meane time hee may vse and enioy the priuileges of an Embassadour according to the authoritie giuen him by his Commission After these answers of the learned Lawyers Rosse being brought backe out of the Isle of Ely was sharply rebuked and told by the Councellors that hee was no more to be acknowledged for an Embassadour but as a plotter of treasons to be seuerely punished He answered That he is the Embassadour of an absolute Queene vniustly depriued That hee had dealt diligently according to his place and dutie for the libertie of his Prince and the good of both the Kingdomes That he came into England with a sufficient authoritie which hee shewed with the most ample authoritie of an Embassadour and that the sacred rights and priuileges of Embassadours are not to bee violated by any meanes Burghley told him in discreet words that neither the priuileges of Embassage nor letters of publike credit did protect Embassadours who offend against the publike Maiestie of the Prince but that they are subiect to punishment otherwise it might bee lawfull for wicked minded Embassadours to attempt any thing against the liues of Princes Hee on the other side stood still in it that the rights and priuileges of Embassadours were neuer violated by the course of Law but that I may vse his owne words by the way of fact and bitingly willed them not to vse him with more rigour than was vsed to the English Embassadour Throgmorton in France and to Tamworth and Randolph in Scotland who had raised sedition and openly maintained it and had not any other punishment but onely were commanded to depart within a time appointed When they vrged him with the testimonies of English men he with faire words requested them not to doe so since it was a long receiued custome which was growne to a Law as hee said That the testimonie of a Scot against an English man and of an English man against a Scot was not to bee receiued After much altercation whether this was to bee allowed but onely betweene the Borderers of both the Kingdomes and that also in matters of the borders and then whether the English Embassadors had raised and fostered rebellions Rosse was committed to the Tower of London where he was kept very close and answered in briefe to all the interrogatories with that caution and warinesse that his answers could hurt no body Hee excused the Queene of Scotland that she being a prisoner and in her best time and age could not but seeke all the meanes she could of libertie since Queene ELIZABETH excluded her from all accesse vnto her put her out of all hope of her libertie and openly maintained her aduersaries He excused the Duke that he had dealt nothing in the mariage with the Queene of Scotland but with the consent of most of the Queenes Councell neither that he could leaue her though hee had promised so to doe vnder his hand for that there had passed a mutuall repromission of future mariage betweene them before that time Lastly he excused himselfe that he being an Embassador could not without a great offence depart from his dutie and abandon his foueraigne Princesse in her affliction and aduersitie and that hee propounded the taking of Queene ELIZABETH for
the Queene to these conditions namely To acknowledge the Religion established in Scotland To submit themselues to the King and also to Mourton as his Regent and to his successors in the gouernment To renounce the authoritie of all others To account them Traitors by authoritie of Parlament that attempted any thing against the Religion the King or Regent That the sentence against the Hamiltons and the Gordons should be repealed c. But these conditions William Kircaldy Lord of Grange the Lord Hume Lidington and the Bishop of Dunkelden and others who thought the Queene of Scotland to be iniuriously vsed would vpon no termes admit but fortified the Castle of Edenburgh of which Grange was Captaine placed therein by Murrey looking for aid from France and the Duke of Alba but Sir William Drury being sent into Scotland with forces out of England to ioine with the Scots the same Castle was yeelded in the three and thirtieth day of the siege and so the Castle and all the prisoners were deliuered vnto the Regent who hanged Kircaldy without mercie spared Hume and others at the request of Queene ELIZABETH Lidington was sent to Lieth where he died not without suspicion of poison And to the end that England might also bee more secure from clandestine attempts at home on the behalfe of the Queene of Scotland Iohn Lesly Bishop of Rosse who very faithfully had serued his Queene yet with the destruction of many men and danger of more was deliuered out of prison and commanded to depart out of England and went into France fearing Southampton whom by his appeaching he had brought in danger and also Henry Howard the Duke of Norfolkes brother to mollifie whose anger hee wrote an Apologie He was scarce departed but his secret Letter-carrier Henry Cokin was taken and by him was Morgan detected who prompt to doe some exploit for the Queene of Scotland and desirous to haue done somewhat forthwith fled away Atsloe the Physitian for the Papists and Goad Doctors of Physicke and Francis Berty because they had secret commerce of letters with her were put certaine moneths in prison And for the same cause Henry Goodyer and Richard Louder were called into question In the meane while Rosse did not pretermit any part or dutie of a most faithfull subiect to the Queene of Scotland towards the Emperour the Pope the French King and the Catholike Princes of Germanie who euery one gaue good words and hopes but yet performed nothing And also the Duke of Alba in whom he put his greatest trust did at this time depart out of the Low-Countries to his great griefe Anno 1574. HEnry the third of that name King of France and his mother did all that they could by secret deuices to get the young King of Scotland into France and to get Mourton out of his office of Regent sending secretly Scots out of the French Guard for this purpose into Scotland which thing the Queene of Scotland desired much being perswaded that if her sonne were in France out of danger that shee and the Papists in England should be dealt withall more mildly For hereupon she thought it would come to passe that the faction in Scotland hitherto countenanced by the authoritie of the Kings name would decay and come to nothing and that the English men would feare him more and more as hee grew vp in yeeres as well from France as out of Scotland And as much did the French men wish the same secretly fearing lest the Regent of Scotland depending wholly on the English should dissolue the ancient league betweene the Scots and the French Yet when the Regent earnestly requested that a league of mutuall defence betweene England and Scotland might bee made hee was not heard perhaps for that he requested withall that an annuall pension might bee assigned vnto him and vnto certaine other Scots But they were heard who with a small suspicion touched the Queene of Scotland the Countesse and Earle also of Shrewsburie as though they had wrought a mariage betweene Charles Vncle vnto the King of Scotland vnto whom the King had lately in the Parlament confirmed the Earledome of Lennox and Elizabeth Candish daughter to the Countesse of Shrewsburie by her former husband without the Queenes knowledge For which cause the mothers of both them and others were kept in prison and all the fault was laid vpon the Queene of Scotland And when sundry suspicions grew of the intent and purpose of this mariage Henry Earle of Huntingdon was made Lord President of the Councell in the North with new and secret instructions concerning this matter Anno 1575. THis yeere died in Scotland the most Noble Lord Iames Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy and Earle of Arran who was the Grand-childes sonne of Iames the second King of Scotland by his daughter the Tutor of Queene MARIE of Scotland and Gouernour of the Kingdome and heire designed while she was in her minoritie At such time as he had deliuered her vnto the French men hee was made Duke of Chasteauleroy in France then chiefe of the three Gouernours of Scotland appointed by MARIE in her captiuitie Whose cause while he defended most constantly he being a plaine and well-meaning man was vexed with all manner of politike and craftie deuices by turbulent and vnquiet minded people Anno 1577. DOn Iohn d'Austria had made a perpetuall edict at Gaunt to giue satisfaction to the Estates of the Netherlands for their aggrieuances which the Prince of Orange vtterly condemning opportunely heard that Don Iohn intended to marrie the Queene of Scotland on which he willingly laid hold and forthwith certified Queene ELIZABETH thereof by Famier thereby to withdraw her minde from peace yet she as one ignorant thereof by Daniel Rogers shewed her gladnesse of the perpetuall edict of peace though now she had certaine knowledge that Don Iohn by the perswasion of the Earle of Westmerland and the English fugitiues and forward fauour of the Pope and the Guises had in hope swallowed that mariage and withall the Kingdomes of England and Scotland and had already appointed to surprize the I le of Man in the Irish Sea as a fit place to inuade England out of Ireland and the West borders of Scotland wherein the Queene of Scotland had many assured friends as also in the opposite side of England North-wales Cumberland Lancashire and Cheshire where most of the inhabitants were earnest Papists But indeed Don Iohn as wee haue learned of Perez Secretarie to the King of Spaine before now ambitiously minded when hee had lost the hope of the Kingdome of Tunise had dealt couertly with the Pope about the expulsion of Queene ELIZABETH the marrying of the Queene of Scotland and the conquest of England and vnknowne to Philip had preuailed so farre that the Pope as out of the care of the common good moued Philip to make warre against England and Don Iohn himselfe being to depart into the Low-Countries had prosecuted it earnestly in Spaine and afterwards by
out of common charitie whilest they feared not her but were fearefull of the other bound themselues in a certaine Association with their mutuall oathes subscriptions and seales to persecute with all their forces vnto death them who did attempt any thing against the Queene The Queene of Scotland who quickly vnderstood that a way was made by it to make her away wearie of her long miserie and fearing worse things propounded these things to the Queene and her Counsellors by Nauus her Secretarie If her libertie might be granted and that she might be assured of the sincere minde and loue of Queene ELIZABETH that she would binde her selfe in a most strict league of amitie with the Queene most dutifully honour and obserue her before all other Christian Princes forget all offences past acknowledge her the true and most rightfull Queene of England and that she would not challenge during her life any right vnto the Crowne of England nor practise anything against her directly or indirectly and vtterly to renounce the title and armes of England which she had vsed by the commandement of Francis her husband and also vnto the Bull of the Pope about her deposition and depriuation Yea and also enter into that Association for the securitie of the Queene and into a defensiue league sauing the ancient league betweene France and Scotland yet so that nothing be done in the life of the Queene or after her death which may be hurtfull vnto her her sonne and their heires in succession before they be heard in the Assemblie of the Estates of England For more assurance of these things that she will remaine as an hostage in England and if she may haue leaue to depart out of England that she will giue pledges Moreouer that she will alter nothing in Scotland so that the exercise of her religion be permitted only to her and her familie That she will for euer forget all the wrongs done her in Scotland but yet vnder that condition that the things published to her infamie may be repealed That she will commend vnto the King Counsellors which were desirous to keepe peace with England and would reconcile vnto him as much as lay in her the Noblemen that were fled into England if they would humbly acknowledge their fault and that the Queene gaue her word to giue aid vnto the King against them if at any time they fell or departed from their obedience That she would doe nothing about her sonnes mariage without the priuitie of the Queene and that she would not doe anything without the priuitie of her sonne so she requested that her sonne might be ioyned in this treatie whereby it may be made more strong She doubted not but that the King of France would be contented and binde himselfe by promise together with the Princes of the house of Lorraine for the performance of these agreements She also desired that these things might be answered with speed lest any thing might happen in the meane while to hinder it Lastly she earnestly desired that she might haue the fauour to haue more libertie that therein the loue of the Queene might appeare more euidently to her Out of these things as matters of much honour and dutie Queene ELIZABETH seemed to reioyce and it was then thought she was inclined to deliuer her although there were some in England who setting new feares before her eyes drew her from it But the matter being well followed and in a manner concluded was most of all hindered by the Scots of the contrary faction who exclaimed that Queene ELIZABETH was vtterly vndone if she were deliuered out of prison and both the Realmes would be vndone if she were ioyned with her sonne in the kingdome of Scotland and if the exercise of the Roman Religion were permitted vnto her if it were but in her Court And some of the Scottish Ministers in Scotland out of their Pulpits and in their meetings railed most vilely against their Queene they spoke ill of the King and his Counsellors and being commanded to appeare in person obstinately and contemptuously denied so to doe as if the Pulpits were exempted from the Kings authoritie and that Ecclesiasticall persons were not subiect to the King but to the Presbyterie directly against the lawes made this yeere in the Assemblie of the States in the which the Kings authoritie ouer all persons both Ecclesiasticall and Laicks was confirmed for euer viz. That the King and his Counsellors are competent Iudges in all causes and they who would not obey the same are to be accounted for Traitors The assemblies of Preâ—byteries as also those of Laicks as well generall as particular were prohibited as hauing arrogated without the Kings priuitie boundlesse authoritie and when they list of meeting together and of prescribing lawes vnto the King and vnto all the Realme And also the popular equalitie of Ministers was abrogated and the dignitie and iurisdiction were restored vnto the Bishops whose vocation the Presbyteries had condemned as Antichristian And the slaâ—derous writings against the King his mother and Counsellors were forbidden and by name the Historie of George Buchanan and his Dialogue De iure regni apud Scotos as those which containe many things fit to be corrected and blotted out of memory And also many men blamed Patrick Grey the Scottish Embassador in England as if he won by brâ—bes had babbled out much matter to the hurt of the King and his mother and had hindered that these most equall conditions propounded from the Kings mother and sent by Nauus were not admitted Whereupon shee hauing her patience oftentimes wronged fell into a grieuous sorrow and indignation and so great was her desire of libertie that she gaue her minde and eares as well vnto the treacherous counsell of her enemies as vnto the pernicious deuices of her friends And so much the more for that as she had perswaded her selfe that the Association was made to endanger her life so now she had an inkling that by the policie of some men she was to be taken away from the keeping of the Earle of Shrewsburie who being an vpright man did not fauour their plots and to be committed vnto new Keepers And that it might be done with a better colour and the credit of the Earle of Shrewsburie which was approued and well knowne might not seeme to be suspected for it was not thought good to call in question the reputation of so great a man which yet they had cracked by secret slanders vpon the finding fault of his vnreasonable wife suspicions were laid hold on as if the plot of getting her libertie had beene begun out of certaine Emblemes sent by some vnto her Those were Argus with many eyes lulled asleepe by Mercury playing tunes on his pipe with this little sentence ELOQVIVM TOT LVMINA CLAVSIT Another was Mercury striking off the head of Argus keeping Io. A graft or cyon engrafted in a stocke and bound with bands yet flourishing and written about it PER
vnto which he was forced to yeeld forasmuch as they triumphed ouer his innocencie he repeateth the vnfortunate deaths of his Ancestors that is to say of his great grandfather who was condemned and neuer called to triall of his grandfather who was beheaded for trifling matters and of his Father who as he affirmed was circumuented by his enemies and who neuer carried any euill minde toward his Prince or Countrey But that he lest he should runne into the same hard fortune his father had forsooke his country that he might spend his time in the seruice of God and in the works tending to the saluation of his soule but not his loyalty and fidelity toward his Prince Before these letters were deliuered he went into Sussex and being ready to take ship in an obscure creeke was taken and apprehended by the treachery of his seruants and discouery of the master of the ship and committed vnto the Tower of London At that time there was prisoner in the same place Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland a man of a liuely spirit and couâ—age brother of Thomas beheaded at Yorke suspected to be priuy vnto the plot of Throgmorton the Lord Paget and the Guises for the inuading of England and deliuering of the Queene of Scotland vnto whom alwaies he had borne a great loue and affection In the moneth of Iune he was found dead in his bed shot thorow with three bullets about the left pappe the doores being bolted on the inside The Crowners quests according to the custome taken out of the next neighbours and sworne by the Crowner viewing the body considering the place hauing found the pistoll with the gunpowder in the chamber his man who bought the Pistall and the seller thereof being examined gaue their verdict that the Earle did murther himselfe The third day after the Noblemen of the Realme came in great number and met in the Starre chamber where Thomas Bromly Lord Chauncellor of England succinctly declared that the Earle had plotted and deuised treason against his Queene and Countrey which being now to come vnto light and to be discouered vpon the guiltinesse of his conscience had murdered himselfe But that the multitude and common people who alwaies conster things to the worst might be satisfied he commanded the Kings Atturney and the Kings Counsell at law to deliuer and explaine at large the causes why the Earle was kept and detained in prison and the manner of his death Hereupon Popham the Queenes Atturney Generall beginning at the rebellion in the North sheweth out of the Records That he was arraigaed for this Rebellion and for purposing to deliuer the Queene of Scotland did then acknowledge his fault and submitted himselfe vnto the mercy of the Queene and that he was fined at fiue thousand marks as I haue said before and that the Queene such was her clemency tooke not a penny but remitted the same and that after the execution of his brother for the same fault she confirmed him in the honour of Earle of Northumberland That he neuerthelesse entred into new practises to deliuer the Queene of Scotland to conquer England and to kill the Queene and to destroy Religion That Mendoza the Spanish Embassador had signified vnto Throgmorton that Charles Paget vnder the name of Mope had talked with him of these things secretly in Suffex That the Lord Paget had insinuated the same things almost vnto Throgmorton and that the same things were euident and apparant by the papers of Câ—â—eycton the Scottish Iesuite and that Charles Paget had told these things vnto William Shelley when he returned out of France Then Egerton the Queenes Solliciter argued wittâ—ly out of the circumstances and the great care taken of concealing it that the Earle was guilty of and priuy to these things that is to say For that the Earle since that none in England could charge him with these things but the Lord Paget who was very familiar with Throgmorton a few daies after the taking and apprehension of Throgmorton made a ship ready for Paget by Shelley in which he passed ouer into France When Throgmorton began to confesse some things hee departed from London and went out of the way vnto Petworth and signified vnto Shelley whom he had sent for vnto him that he was fallen into great danger of his life and of his estate and requested him to conceale the businesse and to send away them who were acquainted with the departure of the Lord Paget and with the comming of Charles Paget which was done forthwith And he himselfe sent a good way off the man whom hee had vsed about Charles Paget Moreouer the Sollicitor said that he being now in prison dealt oftentimes with Shelley by the Keepers whom he corrupted to know what things and of what nature hee had confessed After that Shelley by a poore woman a secret messenger betweene them had certified him that he could not conceale matters any longer that their condition and estate were not like that he should be put on the racke but that the Earle could not in respect of his place and degree and had written those things which he had confessed the Earle fighed grieuously and sometimes said as Panton who waited on him in his chamber confessed that by the confession of Shelley he was vtterly vndone Then the manner and reason of his death is declared out of the testimony of the Enquest of the Lieutenant of the Tower of some of the Warders and of Panton and thereupon it was gathered that he for feare left his house and family should be vtterly destroied and a blemish and blot imposed thereon had laid his owne violent hands vpon himselfe Truly many honest men as well for that they fauour Nobility as also for that he was holden and reputed a man of very great valour were heartily sorry that such a man came to such a lamentable and wretched death What things the suspecting fugitiues talked in corners of one Balliue one of Hattons men who a little before was made Keeper vnto the Earle I omit as a thing of small credit neither meane I to set downe any thing out of idle reports Anno 1586. IN this yeare Philip Earle of Arundell who had laine now a whole yeare in prison was accused in the Starre Chamber That he had releeued Priests against the lawes that he had had commerce of letters with Allan and Persons the Iesuite enemies of the Queene and that he had derogated in writing from the Iustice of the Land and imagined to depart out of the land without licence Hee proâ—essing his dutie and seruice vnto the Queene and his loue and good will vnto his countrey excused himselfe with great modesty by the loue he had to the Catholike Religion and by his ignorance of the lawes and submitted himselfe vnto the censure and iudgement of the Lords who fined him at tenne thousand pounds and to be imprisoned during the Queenes pleasure In the moneth of Iuly a most pernicious Conspiracie against
toward so great a Prince Since the time I came vnto the Crowne I haue seene many Libels scattered abroad against me as against a Tyrant God send the writers of them good lucke I beleeue that they would say some new things and truly it seemeth strange to mee to be noted for a Tyrant I wish it were as strange to heare of their impietie What will not they publish in their writings when they shall heare that I haue consented that the hangman shall â—mbrue his hands in the bloud of my next Cousin I am so farre from crueltie that to conserue my life I would not vse any violence against her neither haue I beene so carefull to lengthen out mine owne life as I haue laboured to conserue the life of vs both and I am immeasurably sorrie that now it cannot be done I am not so void of wit but that I see the dangers that be neere me nor of that peeuish follyâ—â—â— whet and sharpen the sword wherewith to haue my throat cut nor of that carelesse sloth that I will not stirre to saue mine owne life But I imagine this thing with my selfe that there be many who will put their liues in danger to saue the life of their Prince of whose number yet I doe not professe my selfe to be These things I haue considered in my minde But since that many haue written and spoken bitterly against mee let it be lawfull for me to make an Apologie for my selfe that you may see for the safeâ—y of what woman you haue taken so much pain As I doe make a thankfull remembrance of your vigilancie and watchfulnesse so I cannot nor shall not giue you equall thankes if I had as many liues left as euery one of you haue Assoone as I tooke the Crowne on me not forgetting God the giuer thereof I began my Reigne with his worship and Religion in the which I was brought vp and in which as I hope I shall die though I be not ignorant what dangers enuironed me at home for the alteration of Religion and what potent Kings of the other profession abroad shewed themselues my enemies yet neuerthelesse I was not moued for I knew that God whom I chiefly respected would defend mee and my cause Vpon this proceeded and grew so many plots and conspiracies against mee that I might haue wondered how I should escape if God had not holpen me beyond my hope Then that I might make greater progresse in the art of Gouernment I studied much and long what things were the fit parts for a King and I found out by search that it was very necessarie that they should bee furnished with those Cardinall vertues Iustice Temperance Prudence and Fortitude My sex doth not permit me to arrogate vnto my selfe these two latter which belong properly vnto men but of the former and the milder vertues as I may call them I dare say this without vanterie I haue kept the highest and lowest in awe alike I haue raised no man whom I haue not thought worthy I haue not beene credulous of beleefe in hearing tales I haue not corrupted Iudgement with a fore-iudgement without hearing the cause yet I cannot say but that many things may be told me as truth vpon the too much partialitie of the parties For a good and warie Prince is often sold for that he cannot heare all things himselfe But this I can auerre and auow for truth According to my capacitie I haue alwaies made Iudgement subiect vnto Truth As there was one who admonished his friend to make no answer vnto a question before he recited the Alphabet so I did neuer determine any thing rashly and in haste Therefore as concerning your consultations and aduices I acknowledge them to be studied prouident and wholesome for my better conseruation and to grow and proceed from your hearts both sincere and most deuoted vnto mee so that it is my part to striue with all my power not to seeme or to be ingrate vnto them that deserue so well at my hands And as concerning your Petition I beseech and request you that you will be content with an answer without an answer I approue your iudgement I conceiue your reasons yet I pray you excuse the doubtful care of studying and considering in this businesse which tormenteth me Take in good part my most thankfull minde vnto you and also this answer if you thinke it an answer If I shall say that I will not doe that which you request perhaps I shall say that which I doe not think but if I shall say I will doe it I shall precipitate my selfe whom you wish to be conserued into vtter destruction which thing I assuredly know in your wisdome you would not if you consider thorowly the places the times and the manners of men After these things done the Assembly of the Estates of Parlament was prorogued About the same time the Lord Buckhurst and Beale are sent to the Queene of Scotland to signifie the sentence giuen against her and that the same as most iust was approued and confirmed by the authoritie of Parlament and that the States did very much vrge the same in reason of Iustice Securitie and Necessitie and therefore should perswade her that acknowledging her sinnes against God and the Queene she might by this repentance before her death purge and cleanse her from her sinnes insinuating that as long as she liued the Religion receiued in England could not stand firme Hereupon she with an vnwonted alacritie and cheerefulnesse seemed to triumph giuing thankes to God and reioycing to her selfe that she was accounted an instrument for the re-establishment of Religion in this Island And vehemently besought them that shee might haue a Catholike Priest to direct her conscience and administer the Sacraments and vtterly reiected the Bishop and Deane whom they commended as fit men for that purpose and gaue the English nation a bitter taunt in saying oftentimes that the Englishmen had vsed crueltie toward their Kings in killing them now and then so that now it was not strange if also they exercised tyrannie on me borne and come also of their bloud L'aubespineus the French Embassador stopped and staied a little the publication of the iudgement but some Courtiers diligently labouring in it in the moneth of December it was publikely proclaimed thorow the Citie of London the Maior the Aldermen and principall Citizens being present and afterward thorow all the Realme In the preface the Queene did in earnest manner protest that this Proclamation was wrung out and extorted from her not without great anxietie of minde by great necessitie and the most vehement obtestations of the Estates of the Realme though there were some who thought this to be spoken by a womans policie who desire to seeme alwayes to doe that which they doe by coaction though they desire it neuer so much The diuulging of this direfull and dolefull Proclamation being told vnto the Queene of Scotland shee was so farre off from being deiected
IACOB MAG BRIT REG. MATER SERENISSIMA MARIA REGINA The most excellent Princesse Mary queene of Scotland and Dowager of France Mother to our Soueraigne lord James of greate Brittaine France Ireland king THE HISTORIE OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Mary Stuart QVEENE OF SCOTLAND LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Richard Whitaker and are to be sold at the signe of the Kings Head in Pauls Church-yard 1624. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Most Dread Soueraigne ZENO the Philosopher being asked how a man might attaine wisdome answered By drawing neere vnto the dead O the Sepulchers of our Ancestors how much more doe they teach than all the studie bookes and precepts of the learned And herein due praise must needs be ascribed vnto Historie the life of memorie and the mirrour of mans life making those Heroick acts to liue againe which otherwise would be buried in eternall forgetfulnesse whereby the minde a greedy hunter after knowledge is enflamed by affecting the seuerall perfections of others to seeke after excellent things and by feruent imitation to attaine to that glory which is gotten by vertuâ— For these causes most renowned Soueraigne when I considered Plutarke laying aside the studie of Philosophic to thinke the time well imploied in writing the liues of Theseus of Aristides and of other inferiour persons and knowing how farre the lustre and splendor of Princes shineth beyond the brightnesse of others euery one standing for a million of the common people And being sensible that it is infused euen by nature euery man to desire and to be delighted with the relation and story of his owne Ancestors and predecessors For these reasons I presumed to present vnto your Highnesse this Treatise of the life and death of your Royall Mother the Lady MARY STVART Queene of Scotland A History most fit for this your Meridian of Great Britaine and yet neuer published in the English tongue before Wherein although I confesse the slendernesse of my skill in the exornation and beautifying of the stile and thereby may worthily incurre the reproofe of the learned yet if your Maiesty vouchsafe your gracious and Princely acceptation all faults therein shall easily bee couered and blotted out Therefore I become your humble Orator praying no other thing than the Sunne Diall of the Sunne Aspice me vt aspiciar most humbly beseeching the Almighty to blesse your most Excellent Maiestie with a long happie and prosperous reigne Your Sacred Maiesties most humble subiect WIL. STRANGVAGE THE PREFACE TO THE ENSVING HISTORIE IT is a thing most true and some finde it by experience that here below in this world there is nothing eternall And how can it be otherwise when the great Kings and Princes of the earth who seeme to be created of the most pure substance of the Elements of a matter as may bee said for their excellency incorruptible of the fine gold of Euilath and of the best mould to the patterne of the fairest Ideas and beare and carry the Image and Seale of all puissance as the chiefe impression of natures worke in the plaine greatnesse of Maiestie which engraueth their forehead with a gracious statelinesse Yet doe we see them euery day who seeme vnto men to be lasting and durable as eternity it selfe to quit the arches oâ— triumph and to yeeld themselues vnto the triumph oâ— death And more than that the most part of them finish their daies not in the sweet and calme waters like Pourcontrells but by a death disseasoned sometimes in their greene youth and flourishing age by the stormes and tempests as doe the Dolphins within the torrents billowes or waues of the sea tossed by diuers factions And it seemeth that this fatality pursueth ordinarily the most worthy and vertuous persons so that they finish their liues many times with violence or precipitation and not to goe vnto their death in a smooth path but to bee interrupted with some strange accident which cclipseth the bright shining lustre of their greatnesse which dasell the mindes of men that from below beheld them sitting aloft on the throne of Maiestie All which appeared most plainly and euidently to be true in the most worthy and royall Princesse MARY STVART Queene of Scotland who in all her life being tossed and turmoiled with infinite misfortunes concluded it with an vntimely death as followeth in the sequell of this Historie of her life and death MARY STVART Queene of Scotland was daughter vnto Iames the fist King of Scotland a wise and valiant Prince and of the Lady MARY of the Illustrious family of the Dukes of Lorraine whose fame for valour is renowned thorow all Christendome was borne on the eighth day of December in the yeere of our Lord 1541. She was not aboue eight daies old when her father died being left thus young the Noblemen of Scotland being diuided whereof the family of the Hamiltons and the Earle of Lynnox being the heads the one side supported by King Henry the eighth of England and the other by the French King Henry the second she was by the care of her mother who inclined vnto the French King at the age of six yeeres or thereabouts sent into France in the Gallies of Villagagnon a Knight of the Rhodes appointed by the French King vnto this seruice in the which voyage by the West Seas for in the other passage neere the Straits of Calice the Englishmen had laid a strong Nauy to intercept her she hardly escaped drowning by meanes of a storme or tempest that happened neere vnto the coast of little Brittaine in France where she afterward tooke land from whence she was conueyed vnto the Court of France where she was brought vp vnder her Curators the French King and the Dukes of Guise and by their exquisite care she drew in with the aire the sweetnesse of the humours of the countrey and in the end by the singular grace of nature and carefulnesse of her friends and Kinsfolks became with her age the fairest and goodliest Princesse of our time And beside this her rare beauty she had her vnderstanding and intendment so pure and perfect her iudgement so certaine surmounting and aboue the condition of her age and sex that it bred and caused in her a greatnesse of courage which was yet mixt and qualified with such sweetnesse and modesty that you could not see any thing more Royall any thing more gracious Her manners and priuate actions were such and were so well liked of generally that it caused King Henry the second of France and his Queene who was admired for her prudence to marry their eldest sonne Daulphin of France and heire of their Crowne vnto this Lady as vnto one well deseruing to be ioyned in mariage vnto their sonne heire apparant of the greatest kingdome in Europe And so vpon the foure and twentieth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1558. Francis the Daulphin of France and MARY STVART Queene of Scotland were maried in the Church of Nostra Dama
they bound themselues vnder their hands and seales being perswaded if the matter hit right that they might by one labour kill the King vtterly discredit the Queene amongst the Nobilitie and Commons vndoe Bothwell vtterly and bring the gouernment of all the affaires vnto their hands Bothwell being a lewd minded man blinded with ambition and therefore venturous to attempt quickly laid hold on the hope offered vnto him and villanously committed the murther But Murrey had secretly gone home a prettie way off fifteene houres before that he might no way be suspected and that hee might from thence giue aid vnto the Conspirators when any need was and all the suspition might light vpon the Queene As soone as hee returned vnto the Court both he and the Conspirators commended vnto her Bothwell as most worthy of her loue for the Nobilitie of his familie his valour shewed against the English and his approued fidelitie They put in her head that shee being alone and solitarie was not able to represse the tumults that were raised preuent secret plots and vphold the burthen and heauie weight of the Kingdome Therefore she might doe well to take as a Companion of her bed counsell and danger the man that could would and durst oppose himselfe against all trouble And they draue and enforced her so farre that the fearefull woman daunted with two tragicall murthers and remembring the fidelitie and constancie of Bothwell towards her and her mother and hauing no other friend vnto whom to resort but vnto her brothers fidelitie gaue her consent Yet vpon these conditions that aboue all this prouision might bee made for the safetie of her little sonne and then that Bothwell as well might bee cleered from the murther of the King as also from the bond of his former mariage What George Earle of Huntley and the Earle of Argile men of great Nobilitie in Scotland did forthwith protest of this matter I thinke good to set downe in this place out of the originall with their owne hands sent vnto Queene Elizabeth which I haue seene Forasmuch as Murrey and others to cloake their rebellion against the Queene whose authoritie they vsurpe doe slander her openly as priuie and consenting vnto her husbands death Wee doe publikely protest and sweare these things In the Moneth of December in the yeere of our Lord God one thousand fiue hundred fiftie and six when the Queene lay at Cragmyller Murrey and Lidington did acknowledge before vs That Mourton Lyndsey and Ruthen killed Dauid Rizio for no other end but to procure the safetie of Murrey who was to bee attainted at the same time Therefore lest they should bee vnthankfull they wished that Mourton and the rest banished for the death of Dauid might bee brought home againe And this they insinuated could not be done except the Queene were separated by a diuorce from the King which they promised to effect if wee would grant our consents And afterwards Murrey promised vnto me George Earle of Huntley the restitution of my ancient Patrimonie and perpetuall fauour of the banished men if I would fauour the diuorce Then they went vnto Bothwell that hee should consent thereunto Lastly we came vnto the Queene and Lidington in all our names besought her exceedingly to remit the sentence of exile against Mourton Lyndsey and Ruthen He exaggerated the faults and crimes of the King with bitter words and shewed that it was much for the good and benefit of the Queene and the Common-wealth that a diuorce were speedily sued out forasmuch as the King and she could not liue together with securitie in Scotland She answered she had rather depart into France and liue priuately for a time vntill her husband acknowledged his faults for she would haue nothing to be done that should be wrong to her sonne or dishonour vnto her selfe Hereunto Lidington replied saying Wee that are of your Councell will prouide for that But I command you said she not to doe any thing which may bee a blemish to my honour or a staine to my conscience Let things be as they be vntill God aboue doe remedie it That which you thinke may be good for mee may proue euill Vnto whom Lidington said Commit the matter vnto vs and you shall see nothing done but that which is good and that which shall be allowed in the Parliament Hereupon since that within a few daies after the King was most shamefully murdered Wee out of the inward testimonie of our conscience are most assured that Murrey and Lidington were the authors and perswaders of this murder of the King whosoeuer were the actors of the same Thus much Huntley and Argile Now the Conspirators applied all their skill that Bothwell might be cleared of killing the King Therefore without delay the Parliament is summoned for no other cause and Proclamations are set out to apprehend the persons suspected for murdering the King And when Lennox father to the murdered King accused and charged Bothwell as the Regicide and was very importunate that Bothwell might bee brought to triall before the Parliament began This also was granted and Lennox commanded to come in with his accusation within twentie daies On which day when hee heard nothing from the Queene of England and could not bee present in the Citie full of his enemies without danger of his life Bothwell was brought to the Barre and arraigned and acquitted by the sentence of the Iudges Mourton also vpholding and maintaining his cause and openly taking his part This businesse being finished the Conspirators wrought so that the most of the Nobilitie gaue their consent vnto the mariage vnder their hands and seales lest he frustrated of the promised mariage should appeach them as contriuers of the murder But of this mariage of the Queene with Bothwell who was created Duke of the Orkeneis the suspition increased with all men that the Queene was consenting to the Kings death which the Conspirators increased by letters sent into all places and in their secret meetings at Dunkelden they conspired forthwith to kill Bothwell and depriue the Queene Yet Murrey that hee might be thought cleere of this conspiracie obtained leaue of the Queene but hardly to trauell into France And that he might put all diffidence out of her head hee commended all his affaires and estate in Scotland vnto the fidelitie of the Queene and Bothwell Hee was scarce gone out of England but behold the same men which had cleered and acquitted Bothwell from the murder and consented vnto the mariage vnder their hands and seales tooke vp armes against Bothwell as meaning to apprehend him And indeed they secretly willed him to saue himselfe by flight for no other intent but that hee should not be taken and discouer all their plot and withall that they might lay hold of his flight as an argument or reason to accuse the Queene of killing the King But shee being taken they vsed her most contumeliously and in most vnseemely fashion and putting on her an old cloake
pittie of Queene ELIZABETH was vnfained or not is not knowne But certaine it is the Councellors of England did enter into a mature deliberation what should be done with her If she should be kept still in England they feared that she which had an alluring eloquence would daily draw to her part many more to fauour the right shee pretended vnto the Crowne of England who would kindle her ambition and leaue nothing vnattempted to purchase the Kingdome for her That forraigne Embassadors would helpe and assist her purposes and that then the Scots would not faile her when they saw such a faire prey Moreouer the fidelitie of keepers was vncertaine and if she should die in England by sicknesse it would giue occasion of slander and the Queene should bee vexed and turmoiled euery day with new molestations If shee should bee sent into France they feared lest her Cosen 's the Guises would againe pursue the right and claime shee made vnto England vpon a conceit and opinion that she could doe much in England with some for Religions sake with others by the probabilitie of the right whereof I speake and with many vpon a mad desire of innouation Besides that the friendship betweene Scotland and England which is very profitable might be broken and the ancient league betweene France and Scotland renewed which might be more dangerous than in former times when Burgundy was tied vnto England in a stricter league than at this present England hauing now no assured friends but the Scots If shee should be sent backe into Scotland they feared lest the English faction should bee put out of authoritie the French faction raised to the gouernment of affaires the young Prince expoled vnto danger the Religion in Scotland changed the French and other forrainers brought in Ireland more vexed and annoied by the Irish Scots and she her selfe brought into danger of her life by her aduersaries at home Hereupon most of them thought best to detaine her as a lawfull prize and not to bee let goe vntill she had satisfied for the challenging the title of England and answered for the death of DARLY her husband who was a natiue Subiect of England for the mother of DARLY the Countesse of Lennox long since blubbered with teares in her owne name and her husbands also had made a grieuous complaint against her and had besought Queene ELIZABETH that shee might bee arraigned for the death of her sonneâ—â— but shee comforting her with courteous words willed her not to lay such a crime vpon so great a Princesse her nearest Cousin wich could not be proued by any certaine euidence That the times were malicious and vniust spight blinde which doth lay crimes vpon innocent persons but that Iustice which is the punisher of offenders was open eied and sitteth by God On the other side the Lord Herris humbly besought the Queene not to beleeue rashly any thing against the truth against the Queene vnheard and that in Scotland Murrey should not precipitate the Parlament to the preiudice of the expulsed Queene and to the destruction of good Subiects Which though shee vrged exceedingly yet Murrey in the Kings name held the Parlament attainted many that stood for the Queene spoiled and destroied their houses and possessions Hereupon the Queene of England being moued with indignation signified by Midlemore vnto the Regent in bitter words That shee could not endure that by a most pernicious example vnto Kings the sacred authoritie of royall Maiestie should be contemned by Subiects and trodden vnder foot at the pleasure of factious people And howsoeuer they had forgotten the dutie and allegeance of Subiects toward their Princesse yet she could not forget any duty or office of good will and pietie towards her sister and neighbour Queene Therefore it was best for him then to come himselfe or else to giue commission vnto fit and apt men for this businesse who should make answer vnto the complaints of the Queene of Scotland against him and his complices and also yeeld iust reasons for their depriuation of her if hee did not that shee would set her at libertie forthwith and restore her to her Kingdome with all the power she could make And withall willed him not to sell away the Queenes apparell and precious ornaments though the Estates had permitted the same Murrey did as she willed him since he had depended vpon no other place but onely vpon England for this course of his fickle gouernment and the Noblemen of the Realme refused to bee sent on that message To Yorke therefore the place appointed for the meeting came hee himselfe and seuen of his dearest and most familiar friends as Commissioners for the King infant namely Iames Earle of Mourton Adam Bishop of Orkeney Robert Commendator of Dunfermellin Patricke Lord Lindsey Iames Mangill Henry Balnaw and Lidington whom Murrey with faire promises enticed to come with him fearing to leaue him at home and George Buchanan one that would sweare it if Murrey spake it accompanied them The same very day came thither Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Thomas Ratcliff Earle of Sussex a little before made President of the North and Sir Ralph Sadleir Knight one of the priuie Councell appointed Commissioners to heare the cause of the depriuation for the Queene of Scotland who tooke it most vnkindly that Queene ELIZABETH would not heare her to speake and yet commanded her Subiects to be heard against her before Commissioners forasmuch as shee being an absolute Prince could not be bound to answer but at pleasure vnto her Subiects accusing her There appeared Iohn Leslie Bishop of Rosse William Lord Leuingston Robert Lord Boyde Gawen Commendator of Kilwiming Iohn Gordon and Iames Cocburne for her When they were met on the seuenth day of October and shewed each one to the other their Letters Patents of their Commission Lidington standing vp and turning to the Scots with a wonderfull bold speech admonished them Forasmuch as it should seeme by the Commission granted to the English men that the Queene of England had no other purpose but that they should defame disgrace and discredit the reputation and good name of their Queene mother to their King and that shee as an vmpire and Iudge should giue sentence that they should consider with themselues discreetly what hate and danger they might draw vpon themselues by accusing her of crimes and bringing her in danger and losse of reputation in this iuridicall and publike forme before English men the professed enemies of the Scottish Nation not onely with the Scots that loued the Queene buâ— also with other Christian Princes and her Cousins in France and what reason they could yeeld for this insolent accusation not without the wrong of the Scottish Kingdome vnto the King when he being riper in yeeres shall thinke this action a reproach and dishonour to himselfe his mother and his Countrie also Therefore he thought it most fit to leaue off the odicus accusation of so great a Princesse except the Queene
of England shall make a mutuall league offensiue and defensiue against all persons that shall trouble them for this matter And thus the Secretarie of Scotland aduised them in the way of friendship They looking one on another said not one word The Commissioners of the Queene of Scotland for the first place of honour was giuen vnto them before they tooke the oath protested although the Queene of Scotland was content that the causes betweene her and her rebellious Subiects should be argued in the presence of the English men yet that shee did not therefore acknowledge her selfe to bee subiect to any or vnder the rule of any being as she is a free Prince and vassall and holding of none The English men protested likewise that they by no meanes admitted that protestation to the wrong of that right which the Kings of England of long time haue challenged and claimed as the superiour Lords of the Kingdome of Scotland On the next day the Commissioners of the Queene of Scotland by writing declare How Iames Earle of Mourton Iohn Earle of Marre Alexander Earle of Glencarne Hume Lindsey Ruthen Sempill c. had leuied an armie in the Queenes name against the Queene taken her vsed her vilely and thrust her into prison in Lochleuin had forcibly broken into her minting house taken away the minting irons and prints all the gold and filuer coined and vncoined and had crowned her sonne being an infant King whose authoritie Iames Earle of Murrey vnder the name of Regent had vsurped and had taken into his hands all the muniments riches and reuenues of the Kingdome And then they shew how she as soone as she was escaped out of prison after eleuen moneths bad publikely declared and taken her oath that whatsoeuer she had done in prison had beene extorted from her vnwilling thereto by force threats and feare of death but yet for the conseruation of the publike tranquillitie that she gaue authoritie to the Earles of Argile Eglenton Cassile and Rothsay to make a composition with her aduersaries who yet set vpon her with their men of warre as shee intended to trauell to Dunbritton by vnknowne waies killed very many of her faithfull subiects lead others away prisoners and banished others for no other cause but for that they had done faithfull seruice vnto their lawfull Princesse That she enforced by these their vile and lewd iniuries retired and withdrew her selfe into England to require helpe which Queene ELIZABETH had oftentimes promised her that shee might bee restored into her Countrie and former estate After a few daies Murrey the Regent and the Commissioners for the King Infant so they called themselues make answer That HENRY DARLY the Kings father being murdered Iames Hepborne Earle of Bothwell Who was accounted to bee the murderer obtained such fauour of the Queene that he tooke her being not vnwilling in the shew of violence and carried her to Dunbar and tooke her to his wife hauing put away his former wife That the Noblemen moued thereat thought it their dutie to punish Bothwell the contriuer of the murder forasmuch as that murder was in euery place laid vpon many Noblemen Conspirators to restore the Queene vnto her libertie to â—nloose her from her vnlawfull mariage and to make prouision for the young Kings safetie and the tranquillitie of the Realme And when the matter was now ready almost to come vnto a bloudie fight That the Queene sent Bothwell away thundred out threats against the Noblemen breathed reuenge So that it was of necessitie to keepe her in their custodie vntill punishment might be taken of Bothwell if he could be found And that she wearied with the trouble of gouernment voluntarily resigned her Kingdome and transferred the same vnto her sonne appointing Murrey to be Regent Vpon this her sonne was with the due rites anointed and crowned King and that all these things were approued and confirmed by the Estates in the Parlament And that the Scottish Common-wealth by the iust administration of iustice reflourished vntill certaine persons enuying the publike quietnesse subtilly gat the Queene out of prison and violating their fidelitie toward the King tooke armes of whom though the King by the fauour of God gat the victorie yet they beare still the minde to worke and threaten all the hostilitie they may And therefore it is very necessarie that the Kings authoritie may be conserued and established against such turbulent subiects To these things the Commissioners of the Queene answer in their Replication hauing first repeated their former protestation and say Whereas Murrey and the Conspirators doe say that they tooke armes against the Queene because Bothwell whom they charge with killing the King was in great fauour with the Queene they cannot with that glose cleare themselues from the marke of traiterous subiects since it was not certaine to the Queene that he killed the King Yea contrariwise that hee was acquitted by the iudgement of his Peeres of the murder and that verdict was confirmâ—d by the authoritie of Parlament with the consent also of them who now accuse him and at that time perswaded the Queene to marrie him as a man more worthy to beare rule than any other and gaue vnto him their word vnder their hands Neither did they disapproue the mariage so much as in word vntill they had by faire words enticed the Captaine of the Castle of Edenburgh and the Prouost of the Towne vnto their side For then late in the night assaulted they the Castle of Borthwicke where the Queene lay and when she by the darknesse of the night escaped forthwith they leuied an armie vnder the pretence to defend the Queene and met her going towards Edenburgh with Banners displaied ready to fight and by Grange whom they sent before they willed her to send away Bothwell from her companie vntill hee should be brought to triall which she to auoid the effusion of bloud willingly did But Grange secretly willed Bothwell to depart away and gaue his word that none should pursue him so that he whom they might easily haue taken then departed with their good leaue But now hauing taken the Queene they passed not vpon him that they might aduance their ambitious purposes and designes And whereas they charge her to haue vsed them with rough and rigorous words it is no wonder since they being her subiects hauing sworne their allegeance vnto her had vsed her more rudely and vilely than becommeth any to vse the Maiestie of a Prince And when she most willingly referred the cause vnto all the Estates of the Realme and signified so much by Lidington the Secretarie they would not so much as heare the motion but by night conueied her secretly vnto Lochleuyn and put her in prison In that they say shee voluntarily made a resignation of the Kingdome for that she was wearied with molestations in the gouernment is altogether vntrue forasmuch as she was not outworne or decaied by age nor weake by sicknesse hut both in minde and
vngratefull vnto his sister the Queene that deserued well at his hands and insulted ouer her womanly weaknesse And these men out of their suspitions and the lewd disposition of many bastards did ghesse and coniecture as though he would not haue spared the sonne hauing already depriued the mother of her Crowne The Queene of Scotland her selfe was very sory that he was taken away by that sudden and violent death before as she said he had purged his sinnes against God his Countrie and Princesse by hearty penitencie But all the English men that fauoured the Duke of Norfolke accused him as farre as they durst for a craftie and false deceiuer The Noblemen of Scotland who stood for the King not admitting the Hamiltons and the rest who had stood for the depriued Queene being to meet for the â—lection of a new Regent required the aduice of Queene ELIZABETH Shee answered shee would not meddle in the creation of a Regent lest shee should seeme to preiudice the Queene of Scotland whose cause was not yet decided and iudged But they chose Matthew Earle of Lenox the Kings Grandfather Regent Queene ELIZABETH being not discontent with it for she knew that hee would bee very louing vnto his young Nephew out of naturall affection and kinde vnto the English men in regard of the benefits he had receiued at their hands And she did not doubt but hee would bee at her becke since shee had his wife in her hands Whiles Queene ELIZABETH shewed fauour thus vnto the Kings side in Scotland the King of Spaine did not abandon the Queene captiue but by the meanes of Hamilton Rector of the Church of Dunbar he sent secretly out of the Low-countries great store of Armour and Gun-powder and seuen great peeces of Ordnance and some money vnto Huntley the Gouernour of the North part of Scotland for the Queene In this while he the Duke of Chasteauleroy and the Earle of Argile Lieutenants of the Queene by a common consent and with the consent also of the Queene sent George Lord Seton Embassador vnto the Duke of Alba who declared his message vnto him in these words That hee was sent out of a Kingdome depriued of publike peace and of a worthy Princesse through the trecherie of disloyall subiects and that the substance of his Embassage consisted on these points That aid may bee giuen vnto them whereby the Queene may bee redeemed out of miserable captiuitie in a forraine land and the Realme deliuered from the oppression of strangers That the Scottish rebels might bee forbidden to trafficke in the dominions of the King of Spaine And that the 10000. Crownes assigned by him to the Queene of Scotland might bee paid The Duke of Alba answered That hee would bee ready and willing to further this her cause vpon all occasions vnto the King of Spaine but that he could not prohibit the trafficke of the Scottish rebels because it was contrarie to the libertie of the Low-Countries and promised that he would disburse the money very shortly for her vse In the meane time the Lord Seton the more to purchase the fauour of the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alba went in disguised apparell vnto the States and drew many of the Scots that serued them vnto a reuolt by faire words good cheere and such like enticements And when he was at the point to bee put to the torture he hardly and with great danger of his life escaped vnto the Duke of Alba who promised to pay ten thousand Souldiers for halfe a yeere but in vaine because hee could not send ouer the Souldiers into Scotland the warres were so hot in the Low-Countries In the meane time the Bishop of Rosse who had followed the businesse of the Queene with good discretion and was committed vnto the custodie of the Bishop of London because he had secretly kindled the rebellion in the North being now deliuered brought to passe that the French King by his Embassadour to wit Montluc dealt very earnestly with Queene Elizabeth about the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland who complained very much that shee was kept straiter in prison and that also vnder the Earle of Huntingdon her professed enemie and competitor since hee as openly made claime vnto the right of the Kingdome of England as she did The same also was vrged exceedingly by the King of Spaines Embassadour in his Kings name The Queene made answer after shee had rehearsed the craftie purposes and deuices of sundry men for the deliuerie of the Queene of Scotland who as she closely insinuated was priuie to the late rebellion that it would be great inconsideration and dangerous folly to let her goe at libertie who doth aspire so openly by such euill courses vnto the Kingdome of England That of necessitie shee was enforced to keepe her straighter in prison to send away many of her seruants from her whom shee had drawne thither in great number and to ioine the Earle of Huntingdon in whom she did acknowledge no right vnto the Kingdome but some kindred with her vnto the Earle of Shrewsburie whom she had appointed to be her keeper who long since began to suspect and distrust the fidelitie of some of his seruants and had perceiued many of them daily wonne to fauour the Queene of Scotland yet that the Earle of Huntingdon had beene remoued from her a good while since Moreouer she promised that she would omit nothing shee can doe to make an end and a composition betweene the Queene and the Scots and protested that shee will not reuenge the wrongs she hath receiued at her hands But yet shee hoped that the Kings of Spaine and France and the Queene of Scotland also will giue her leaue to make prouision for the tranquillitie both of her selfe and her subiects which nature reason and her honour doe claime at her hands If any of them shall deuise any better and more euident meanes to auoid perill and danger that shee would with a good will heare and embrace the same After these things the priuie Councell of England sate oftentimes and consulted whether it was best that she were sent backe vnto her owne subiects or kept still in England and what courses were best to be taken for the best preseruation of the Kingdome the Queene and Religion About which time Pope Pius Quintus had caused his Bull or Sentence Declaratorie against Queene ELIZABETH the pretensed Queene of England and the Heretikes aduering vnto her I vse the very words thereof wherein also all her subiects were declared to bee absolued from their oath of fidelitie and all other dutie c. And they that afterward obeyed her were ex communicated which was dated the fiue and twentieth day of Februarie in the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred threescore and nine to be fixed on the gates of the Palace of the Bishop of London in the night Hereupon suspitions increased that some dangerous matter was in working And forthwith another rebellion was about
bee sent ouer into Ireland if reciprocally the Irish men be tied with the same condition not to passe ouer into Scotland For the more firme assurance of these things they consented to giue hostages whomsoeuer the Queene of England would name except the Duke of Chasteauleroy the Earle of Huntley Argile and Atholl Moreouer they consented that the Queene of Scotland should bee excluded from all her right of succession in England if she attempted any thing against the right of the Queene of England so that the Queene of England might againe bâ—e tied in some equall penaltie also if shee attempted any thing against the Queene of Scotland Concerning the Castles of Hume and Fast Castle they requested that they may bee restored vnto the Lord Hume the true Lord and proprietarie of them and that the English men would detaine them no longer from him And that to deliuer Fortresses in Galloway or Cantire vnto forrainers was no other thing than to giue a new occasion of warre When they could not agree vpon these Articles and the Commissioners came not from the Regent of Scotland and in the meane time it was reported and bruted that aid was earnestly requested by her friends of the Pope the King of France and the Duke of Alba for the deliuerance and freeing of the Queene of Scotland and the English rebels as Westmerland the Countesse of Northumberland and the rest were conueied secretly out of Scotland nothing came of this Treatie but yet The Bishop of Rosse sent the Articles of this treatie vnto the Pope and the Kings of France and Spaine and insinuated vnto them that the Queene of Scotland must of necessitie yeeld vnto them vnlesse they holpe her both with aduice and other aid very shortly which he did most importunately request at their hands but in vaine for all they were earnestly busied with other matters Anno 1571. A Little before this time Ridolphus the Florentine before named who had vsed much merchandize and trafficke at London fifteene yeeres sent very secretly the Letters of the Pope vnto the Queene of Scotland in the which hee promised his care and studie to the vtmost of his goods and labour to aduance the Catholike Religion and her and required her to shew fauour and giue credit vnto Ridolphus in all things and also that hee may vnderstand by him who now determined to returne into Italy by what meanes he may doe any good and giue any releefe vnto the Catholike Religion and remedy vnto the common mischiefes in England and Scotland Ridolphus also in his owne priuate letters requested the Queene to impart these things vnto the Duke of Norfolke and her friends and that she would commend him vnto them But she delaied her answer though the Kings of France and Spaine and the Duke of Alba wrote to the same effect vntill she saw vnto what end the treatie already begunne would come For there was come as from the King of Scotland to talke of the Scottish affaires the Earle of Mourton Petcarne Abbot of Dunfermelling and Iames Mac-Gill who vnto Queene ELIZABETH commanding them to lay downe euidently the causes of their depriuing the Queene of Scotland and to proue them to be iust shewed a tedious and long instruction or memoriall wherein with a most insolent libertie and bitternesse of speech they endeuoured to proue the people of Scotland to be superiour and aboue their Kings by the ancient priuileges of the Kingdome of Scotland by old forgotten and also late examples collected from all places yea and by the authoritie of Caluin they also endeuoured to proue that the popular Magistrates are appointed and made to moderate and keepe in order the excesse and vnrulinesse of Kings and that it is lawfull for them to put the Kings that bee euill and wickeâ— into prison and also to depriue them of their Kingdomes But they spake much of their lenitie vsed toward their depriued Queene because they suffered her to set her sonne in her place and to appoint gouernours vnto him That it proceeded out of the mercie of the people and not for her innocencie that they suffered her to liue and many other things which turbulent wits doe malapertly deuise and inuent against the royall Maiestie of Kings This memoriall Queene ELIZABETH read but not without indignation and as a libell written in the slander and reproach of Kings condemned it though she said nothing but vnto the Commissioners she answered that as yet shee did not see a iust cause of their abusing and vexing the Queene in that manner and therefore her will was that they should take some speedy course for the quenching the diuision and discord in Scotland Hereupon at the house of Bacon Keeper of the great seale it was proposed vnto the Bishop of Rosse the Bishop of Galloway and the Lord Leuingston Commissioners for the Queene of Scotland That for to giue securitie vnto the Kingdome and Queene of England and vnto the Noblemen that tooke the Kings part the Duke of Chasteauleroy the Earles of Huntley and Argile the Lords Hume and Herris and another Lord should be giuen for hostages and the Castles of Dunbritton and Hume deliuered vnto the hands of the English men for three yeeres They answered it was not to be doubted but the Queene of Scotland who of her free will committed her selfe to the protection of the Queene of England would also most willingly giue her satisfaction in all things which might conueniently bee done but to deliuer such great men and such Fortresses was no other thing but to spoile and depriue the distressed Queene of the succour and strength of all her most faithfull friends and of most strong places But they offered two Earles of whom one should be one of the three named and two Lords to be hostages for two yeeres but that the Holds and Castles by the league could not bee deliuered vnto the English men except others in like manner were deliuered vnto the French men But said Bacon all the Realme of Scotland the Prince the Noblemen and Castles are not all sufficient to giue securitie vnto the Queene and the most flourishing Realme of England and therefore the Queene of Scotland was not to be let goe vpon any securitie the Scots could propose Hereupon they immediatly gathered and said openly that now at length they plainly vnderstood that the English were resolued fully to keepe the Queene prisoner for euer in England and withall to breake off the Treatie since they exacted so earnestly such securitie as Scotland could not by any meanes performe yet the other Councellors of England protested that they earnestly desired the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland so that sufficient securitie were giuen And to that purpose they also talked with Mourton and his associates hereof and of deliuering the King into England who in plaine termes answered that they had no commission to treat or deale either to receiue home the Queene into Scotland or to deliuer the King into England
doe there would bee more danger in him than was in his mother since hee was borne to the certaine hope of both the Kingdomes he might get many moe fautors and now the Scots being bred vp in their warres at home and in the Low-Countries were more exercised and skilfull in marshall affaires Hereupon they thought good to wring Lennox out of the Kings fauour by one meanes or other or else to driue him out of Scotland and that without delay since it was bruted abroad that hee had sent for one Balfure out of France who had gotten I know not what hand-writing of Mourtons wherein it was hoped that Mourton might bee conuinced of the murder of the Kings father and also that he had obtained the Captainship of the Castle of Dunbritton for no other purpose but either to let in forraine forces into Britaine or else to carry ouer from thence the King of Scotland into France It was reported also that he perswaded the King to resigne his Crowne vp to his mother as if shee had beene depriued vniustly and by a most impious example or president by her subiects accepting assurance to take it from her by a lawfull resignation whereby hee should most strongly confirme his Kingdome to him and extinguishing the factions thereby bee acknowledged of all men for a lawfull King Hereupon Robert Bowes Treasurer for the Garrison at Barwicke was sent into Scotland who should challenge and charge Lennox with those things before the King and his Councellors and admonish them to beware of their imminent euils As soone as hee was admitted to speake he required to haue Lennox remoued from the Councell which the Councellors vtterly denied as a thing strange and neuer heard of that a Kings Councellor should bee put out of his place and his cause not heard or not knowne They doubted also whether the Queene did expresly command him so to doe and required him to shew his instructions to maintaine his credit He denied to shew them but onely to the King and vnto one or two more whereupon hee was vnheard forth with called home and tooke leaue of the King who thought of no such matter complaining that the wholsome admonishments of his Lady the Queene who deserued well at their hands were reiected Immediatly vpon this was sent from Scotland Alexander Hume to excuse these things and to learne what these imminent euils were but hee was not admitted vnto the Queene but was sent to Burleigh who with a briefe and discreet speech shewed him That the Queene thought not good to admit him to her speech not that shee did neglect him whom she had tried to be sound in Religion and a man carefull for the good of his Prince Countrie and the tranquillitie of both the Realmes but out of a iust griefe that her Maiestie and the credit of her Embassadour was so contemptuously vsed who had kept himselfe within the compasse and bounds of his Embassade and had beene commanded to shew his commission which was a thing neuer heard of Hee cast all the fault vpon the new Councellors and excused the King who wanted experience through his young yeeres and wished that hee would giue eare vnto the wholsome and profitable aduices of the Queene who bare a true motherly minde vnto him and not to make lesse account of her than he did of his French Cousin and a subiect to the French King matched with a French woman and a Papist in Religion and who perhaps doth seeke the Hamiltons being at this time banished to be designed second person to the King And said Let the King remember that there is no affection more vehement than Ambition and let the Scots remember what broiles the French men had made in Scotland if the Queene by her prudence and power had not preuented them So Hume was sent backe into Scotland and all these things were done of purpose to put the King in feare and to make him beleeue that Lennox had vndertaken dangerous plots and deuices against the King and the Realme Yet for all this shortly after Mourton who was wholly for England was accused of treason by the Earle of Arran and cast into prison Anno 1581. HEreupon in the beginning of Ianuarie Sir Thomas Randolph generall Post-master was sent into Scotland with instructions to conserue the Religion and amitie with the English men and to labour all hee could that no violence should bee offered vnto Mourton to remoue Lennox away out of Scotland and to comfort the Noblemen of the English faction Hee made diligent and earnest intreatie for Mourton alleaging his merits towards the King the honour of Queene ELIZABETH if shee so well deseruing should haue a repulse and the enuie of his accusers The King answered That hee could not out of his Princely dutie but bring to triall a man appeached of treason and that he acknowledged by experience the Queenes good will and that hee would not commit any thing that might iustly displease her by any meanes After Randolph was admitted to speake in the assembly of the Estates recounting the benefits of Queene ELIZABETH towards Scotland and the King himselfe to wit How she had deliuered the Realme from the French men with the bloud of English men defended their Religion and King and yet neuer thought to conuay him away as it was falsly reported or to obtaine an Acre of Scottish ground when yet shee had opportunitie and meanes to conquer Scotland the King being in his Cradle his mother prisoner in England and the Noblemen at dissention But on the other side shee hath bestowed all her care to preserue in safetie the King and his Realme who was tied vnto her with the most strait bonds of bloud vicinitie and Religion whose loue she found most sincere towards her as she had done all the Regents successiuely before that Aubigney Earle of Lennox came into Scotland Since that time hee hath ruled the King as a Ward hath auerted his minde from the friendship of the English men vnto the French men who haue not hitherto so much as acknowledged him for King hath put out of their offices the most faithfull subiects of the King and hath put in others not so faithfull and hath by his letters which he shewed dealt with forraine Princes about the inuading of England He hath moued the King to hate and abhorre the Ministers of Gods word as if they were railers and turbulent people and hath had no care of the administration of iustice betweene the borderers All which things Queene ELIZABETH could not but take in very euill part when she saw a Prince of such vertue and her neerest Cousin alienated and drawne forcibly away by these bad deuices Yet nothing was then effected either to helpe Mourâ—on or against Lennox who most men thought was falsly charged with the crimes and also that the letters which were shewed were counterfeit Therefore Randolph attempted another politike way He vnto the aduersaries of Lennox and vnto the friends of
That secret snares were so cunningly laid that whether they would or no they should bee brought within the compasse of treason and that they had no hope of safetie at home And to say the truth very craftie trickes and deuices were deuised and vsed to trie mens minds counterfeit letters vnder the names of the Queene of Scotland and the fugitiues couertly sent and left in the houses of Papists spies dispersed in euery place to hearken after rumours and to take aduantage of words bringers of tales whatsoeuer information they brought were receiued and entertained very many examined vpon suspicion and amongst them Henry Earle of Northumberland and his sonne Philip Earle of Arundel commanded to keepe his house and his wife deliuered vnto the keeping of Thomas Sherley William Howard brother to the Earle and Henry Howard their Vncle brother vnto the Duke of Norfolke oftentimes examined concerning letters from the Queene of Scotland from Charles Paget c. who escaped very narrowly for all his prudence and innocencie The Lord Paget and Charles Arundel being arriued in France were watched and obserued by Edward Stafford the Queenes Lieger Embassador with the French King but yet he could not finde out their purposes and practises Yet dealt he with the French King that they Morgan and other Englishmen plotting against their Prince and Countrey might be remoued out of France He was answered If they practised any thing in France that the King would punish them according to the Law that the King could not take knowledge and doe iustice on them if they bad plotted any thing in England That all Kingdomes are free vnto them that flie thither for succour that it behoueth all Kings euery one to defend and maintaine the liberties of his Kingdome and that Queene Elizabeth not long since had receiued into her kingdome Montgomery the Prince of Condee and other Frenchmen and that at this very time the Embassador of the King of Nauarre practising some plots lieth in England About such time as these things were done Bernardino de Mendoza Embassador for the King of Spaine in England passed in great secrecie into France fretting and fuming as if he had beene driuen violently out of England and the right of an Embassador thereby violated when he himselfe being a man of a violent and turbulent spirit abusing the sacred right of Embassade vnto treason was to be pursued as many were of opinion after the ancient manner of seueritie with fire and sword and commanded to depart out of the Kingdome for he medled and was accessary with the wicked plots of Throgmorton and others to bring in forraine power into England to dispossesse the Queene And when he was mildly reproued of those things he was so farre from wiping the obiections away with a modest answer that he re-charged againe the Queene and her Counsellors with their detention of the money of the Genowayes with the succours giuen vnto the Estates of the Netherlands and vnto the Duke of Aniou and vnto Don Antonio the Portugall and with the piracies and spoiles made by Drake Yet lest the King of Spaine should thinke that the lewd parts of Mendoza were not reuenged but the rights of an Embassador violated William Waad Clerke of the Counsell is sent into Spaine who should plainly informe him how badly he had discharged the office of an Embassador and withall should signifie lest the Queene in sending him away might seeme to renounce the ancient amitie betweene the Kingdomes that all kinde and friendly offices should be done on her part if he sent any other as his Embassador who was desirous and willing to conserue the amitie betweene them conditionally that the same courtesies might be shewne vnto her Embassadour in Spaine But when the King of Spaine would not vouchsafe to admit Waad vnto his speech but referred him to his Counsellors he taking it in euill part without feare spake openly that it was a most vsuall and receiued custome that Embassadors should be admitted to the presence of Princes euen by their enemies and in the time of the hottest warres And that Charles the fifth the Emperour father to the King of Spaine admitted to his presence the Herald who from the French King denounced warre against him and in plaine termes denied to acquaint the Counsellors with his errand And when Idiaques Secretary to the King of Spaine could by no policie get out of him what his message was at last he receiued all the matter from Mendoza lurking secretly in France Then he laying aside his publike person in familiar manner signified vnto Waad that he was very sorry that there were some who cunningly laboured to breake the amitie and to nourish discord betweene the Princes that wrong was done to the Catholike King himselfe not vnto his Embassadors first to Despes and now vnto Mendoza and that there was no cause why he should accuse vnto the King any more Mendoza who was sufficiently disgraced by his ignominious sending out of England or complaine that he was not admitted And that the Catholike King did no more but like for like since Mendoza had beene dismissed without audience and as she had referred Mendoza vnto her Counsellors so the King in like manner put him off vnto the Cardinall Granuellan When Waad answered that there was much difference betweene him who had neuer offended the Catholike King and Mendoza who had offended grieuously against the Queene and had a long time not vouchsafed to come vnto her and had committed things vnfitting an Embassadour Yet he could not be admitted and not being heard he returned home The most of the crimes which he was to obiect against Mendoza were taken out of the confession of Throgmorton Who being readie to be apprehended had secretly sent a deske wherein his secrets lay vnto Mendoza His other desks being narrowly searched there were found two Rolls or Lists in one of the which the names of the Hauens of England which were fit to land Forces in the other the names of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of England who professed the Roman Catholike Religion were written downe As soone as he saw them brought out and shewne to him he cried out often that he neuer saw them before and that they were foisted in to worke his destruction yea euen when he was examined vpon the racke but laid againe vpon the racke he denied not to answer vnto their Interrogatories Being asked of those Rolls or Catalogues and for what purpose they were written he made this historicall narration That he a few yeeres since going vnto the waters at the Spaw did consult and deuise with Ieney and Fra Inglefield how England might be inuaded and the forme of gouernment thereof altered and changed and vpon that reason that he set downe the names of the Hauens and of the Noblemen That Morgan by his letters had signified vnto him out of France that the Catholike Princes had now consulted and determined that England should be inuaded and the
to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord Compton another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trustie Henry Lord Cheney another of the Lords of the Parlament To our welbeloued and trusty Francis Knolles Knight Treasurer of our houshold another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iames Crofts Knight Controller of our said houshold another of our Priuy Counsell To our beloued and trusty Christopher Hatton Knight our vice-Chamberlaine another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbâ—loued Francis Walsingham Knight one of our chiefe Secretaries another of our Priuy Counsell And also vnto our trusty and welbeloued William Dauison Esquier another of our principall Secretaries of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and welbeloued Ralph Sadleir Knight Chauncellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbeloued Walter Mildmay Knight Chauncellor of our Exchequer another of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and beloued Amyas Powlet Knight Captaine of the I le of Iersey another of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and welbeloued Iohn Wolley Eâ—quire our Secretary for the Latine tongue another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbeloued Christopher Wâ—ay Knight chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench And to our trusty and welbeloued Edmund Anderson Knight Chiefe Iustice of the Common Bench Roger Manwood Knight Chiefe Baron of our Exchequer Thomas Gawdy Knight one of our Iustices of the Kings Bench And William Peryam one of the Iustices of our Bench Greeting c. And not to set it downe verbatim After the recapitulation of the Act made the last yeere these words follow When after the end of the Session of Parlament viz after the first day of Iune in the XXVII yeare of our reigne diuers things haue beene compassed and deuised tending to the hurt of our Royall Person as well by Mary daughter and heire of Iames the fift lately King of Scotland and commonly called Queene of Scotland and Dowager of France pretending title vnto the Crowne of this Realme of England as by diuers other persons with the priuity of the same Mary as it is giuen vs to vnderstand and for that we intend and determine that the said Act should be executed rightly and effectually in all things and by all things according to the tenour of the said Act and that all the offences aforesaid in the aforesaid Act as it is said mentioned and the circumstances of the same should be examined and sentence and iudgement thereupon giuen according to the tenor and effect of the said Act We giue vnto you and to the greater part of you full and ample power faculty and authority according to the tenour of the said Act to examine all and singular things compassed and deuised tending to the hurt of our Royall Person with the priuity of the said Mary and all the circumstances of the same and all the aforesaid offences whatsoeuer mentioned in the said Act as it is said and all circumstances of the same offences and of euery one of them And moreouer according to the tenour of the said Act to giue sentence and iudgement euen as the matter shall appeare vnto you vpon good proofe And therefore we command you to proceed diligently vpon the aforesaid things in the forme aforesaid at certaine daies and places which you or the greater part of you shall appoint and prouide for this purpose c. The most of these came to Fodringhay Castle in Northamptonshire on the xj day of October where the Queene of Scotland was then kept On the next day the Commissioners sent vnto her Sir Walter Mildmay Sir Amyas Powlet and Edward Barker a publike Notary who deliuered into her hands the letters of Queene ELIZABETH which when she had read ouer she with a Princely countenance and quiet minde said I am much aggrieued that the Queene my most deare sister is wrong informed of me and that I who haue so straitly beene kept so many yeeres and being now lame after I haue offered so many equall and faire conditions for my liberty haue laine so long time neglected Although I haue fully forewarned her of many dangers yet I was not beleeued but was alwaies despised although I am most neere to her in bloud When the Association was made and when it was confirmed in the Parlament I foresaw that whatsoeuer danger befell either by forraine Princes abroad or any harebraine fellowes at home or for the cause of Religion I should pay deare for the same I hauing so many deadly enemies at the Court I may take it in euill part and I haue cause for it that a league was made with my sonne without my priuity or knowledge but such like things I pretermit But to come vnto these letters It seemeth strange vnto me that the Queene commandeth me as if I were her subiect to come vnto a triall I am an absolute Queene neither will I doe or commit any thing which may empaire or wrong the Royall Maiestie of Kings and Princes of my place and ranke or my sonne My minde is not so deiected neither will I yeeld and sinke downe vnder calamity I referre my selfe vnto those things which I protested before Bromly and the Lord De la Ware The lawes and statutes of England are to me vtterly vnknowne I am destitute of counsellours I tell you plaine I know not who may be my Peeres my papers and notes of remembrances are taken from me there is none that dare pleade or speake in my cause I am free from all offence against the Queene neither am I to be called in question but vpon mine owne word or writing which can neuer be brought against me But yet I cannot deny but that I haue commended my selfe and my cause to forraine Princes On the next day returned vnto her in the name of the Commissioners Powlet and Barker who shewed this answer put into writing and they asked her if she persisted in the same After she had heard it distinctly read she commended it as truly and rightly conceiued and said she would persist in the same But said she I did not remember one thing which I wish may be put in Whâ—reas the Queene hath written I am subiect and liable vnto the lawes of England and am to be iudged by them because I liued vnder the protection of them I answer That I came into England to aske and craue aid and helpe from which time I haue beene kept and deteined in prison and could not enioy the protection and benefit of the lawes of England and hitherto I could not vnderstand by any body what the lawes of England were In the afternoone many chosen out of the Commissioners with men skilfull in the Canon and Ciuill lawes came vnto her but the Chancellor and the Treasurer declared their authority out of the letters patents and shewed her that neither captiuity nor the prerogatiue of
by the superfluous priuilege of a Royall Estate which can be now of no vse make your appearance for a triall shew your innocency lest by searching of euasions you draw vpon your selfe suspicion and purchase a perpetuall blemish of your reputation I doe not refuse said she to answer in a full Parlament before the Estates of the kingdome lawfully called so that I may be declared next in succession Yea and before the Queene and her Counsellors so that my protestation may be admitted and I may bee acknowledged the next kinswoman of the Queene In plaine termes I will not submit my selfe vnto the iudgement of mine aduersaries by whom I know all the defence I can make of mine innocency will not be allowed and receiued The Chancellor asked her if she would answer if her protestation were admitted She answered I will neuer submit me to the new law mâ—ntioned in the letters Patents Hereupon the Treasurer 〈…〉 Yet we will proceed to morrow though you be absent and continue obstinate in the cause She said Search and examine your consciences haue regard to your honour God will requite you and your heires for your iudgement vpon me On the next day being the fourteenth day of October she sent for some of the Commissioners and requested that the protestation might bee admitted and allowed The Treasurer asked her whether shee would come to triall if the protostation were onely receiued and put into writing without allowance At length she condescended yet with an euill will lest shee as she said might seeme to derogate from her predecessors or successors but that shee was much desirous to cleare the crime obiected being perswaded by the reasons of Hatton which she had better thought on Forthwith met and assembled in the Chamber of presence the Commissioners that were present There was a chaire of Estate set vnder a Canopy in the vpper part of the Chamber for the Queene of England Against it lower and further off neere vnto the railes a Chaire for the Queene of Scotland hard to the walls on both sides benches or formes on the which on the one side sate the Chancellor of England the Treasurer of England the Earles of Oxford Kent Darby Worcester Rutland Cumberland Warwicke Penbroke Lincolne and Vicount Mountacute On the other side the Lords Aburgeuenny Zouch Morley Stafford Grey Lumley Sturton Sandes Wentworth Mordant Saint Iohn of Bletso Compton and Cheiney Next to them sate the Knights of the Priuy Counsell as Iames Croft Christopher Hatton Francis Walsingham Ralph Sadleir Walter Mildmay and Amias Powlet Forward before the Earles sate the two chiefe Iustices and the chiefe Baron of the Exchequer on the other side two Barons and other Iustices Dale and Ford Doctors of the Ciuill law at a little table in the middle sate Popham the Queenes Atturny Egerton the Sollicitor Gaudie the Queenes Serieant at law the Clarke of the Crowne and two Clarkes When she was come and had set her selfe in her seat silence being made Bromly the Chancellor turning to her made a short speech to this purpose The most high and mighty Queene of England being certified to her great griefe and anguish of minde that you haue plotted both the destruction of her and of England and also of Religion according to the duty due vnto God her selfe and people in the which lest she should faile and out of no malice of minde hath appointed these Commissioners who may heare what things are obiected against you and how you can cleare your selfe from the crimes laid against you and shew your innocency She arising vp said that she came into England to seeke and request aid which was promised her neuerthelesse that shee was deteined in prison euer since that time Shee protested that she was not subiect to the Queene but was a free and absolute Queene neither was to be forced or compelled to be brought in or tried before the Commissioners or any other Iudge for any cause whatsoeuer but only God alone the Soueraigne Iudge of all lest that she should doe wrong and iniury vnto her owne Royall Maiesty her Sonne the King of Scotland her Successors or any other absolute Princes But now she was there in person to refell the crimes obiected against her And she requested her friends or seruants to witnesse these things The Chancellor not acknowledging that helpe was promised answered That this protestation was to no purpose for that whosoeuer of whatsoeuer ranke or estate he were in England did offend against the lawes of England may be made subiect to the same and may be examined and iudged by the late new law And that therefore that protestation made to the preiudice of the lawes and of the Queene of England was not to be admitted Yet the Commissioners commanded as well her protestation as the answer of the Chancellor to be recorded Then the letters Patents which as I haue often said were founded vpon the Act of Parlament being read aloud she with a great courage made a protestation against that Act as made directly and purposely against her and in this matter put it to their conscience And when the Treasurer answered that euery man in this Realme was bound to the obseruation of the lawes though neuer so lately made and that shee might not speake in disgrace of the lawes and that the Commissioners would iudge by vertue of that law whatsoeuer protestations or appellations she made At length she said shee was ready and prepared to answer of any act whatsoeuer done against the Queene of England Then Gawdy expounded and made plaine the Act in euery point and affirmed that shee had offended against the same and then he made an Historicall Narration of Babingtons conspiracy and concluded that she knew of it allowed it promised helpe and shewed the waies and the meanes She with an vndanted courage answered that she knew not Babington neuer receiued letters from him nor neuer wrote vnto him neuer plotted the destruction of the Queene And that to proue it effectually the subscription vnder her owne hand was to be produced She neuer heard so much as any man speake it that she knew not Ballard neuer maintained him but that shee had heard that the Catholikes were much agrieued with many things and that she certified the Queene therewith in her letters and had earnestly desired her to haue pitty of them And that many vtterly to her vnknowne had offered their seruice vnto her yet that she neuer moued any to any wickednesse and that she being shut vp in prison could neither know nor hinder the things which they attempted Vpon this out of the confession of Babington shee was vrged that there passed an entercourse of letters betweene her and Babington She acknowledged that she had speech with many by letters neuerthelesse it could not be gathered thereby that shee knew of all their naughty practises She requested that a subscription with her owne hand might be produced and she asked who could haue harme by it
that may be hurt and dammage to my most deare sister vnwitting to mee let them bee punished for their inconsiderate boldnesse I certainly know if they were here present they would in this cause acquite mee of this fault And if I had my papers here I could answer vnto these things in particular Amongst those things the Treasurer obiected that she had determined to send her sonne into Spaine and to assigne ouer vnto the Spaniard the right that shee challenged in the Kingdome of England Vnto whom shee answered That she had no Realme that she could giue away but yet it was lawfull to giue away her owne things at her will and pleasure When the Alphabets of Cyphers conueyed vnto Babington the Lord Lodouick and to the Lord of Fernihurst were obiected vnto her out of the testimonie of Curlus shee denied not but that she had set downe more and among the rest that for the Lord Lodouick at such time as shee commended him and another vnto the dignitie of a Cardinall and as shee hoped without offence forasmuch that it was no lesse lawfull for her to haue commerce of letters and treat of her affaires with men of her Religion as it was for the Queene with the professors of the other Religion Then they pressed her thicker with the agreeing testimonies of Nauus and Curlus repeated againe and shee also repeated her former answers or else repulsed them with precise denials protesting againe that shee neither knew Babington nor Ballard Among these speeches when the Treasurer put in his verdict saying that she knew well Morgan who secretly sent Parry to kill the Queene and had giuen him an annuall pension she replied she knew that Morgan had lost for her cause all that he had and therefore she was bound in honour to releeue him and that shee was not bound to reuenge an iniurie done by a well deseruing friend vnto the Queene but yet that shee had terrified him from making any such attempts But yet pensions said shee were giuen out of England vnto Patricke Grey and to the Scots that were mine enemies as likewise to my sonne The Treasurer answered At such time as the reuenues of the Kingdome of Scotland were much diminished and impaired by the negligence of the Viceroyes the Queene gaue some liberalitie vnto the King your sonne her most neere allied Cousin Afterward was shewed the contents of the Letters vnto Inglefield and to the Lord Paget and vnto Bernardino de Mendoza concerning forraine aid And when to those shee had made answer These things touch not nor concerne the death of the Queene if so be that strangers desired and laboured to deliuer her it was not to be obiected against her and that she had sundry times signified vnto the Queene that she would seeke for her libertie The matter was adiourned vnto the next day On the next day she repeated againe her former protestation and requested that it might be recorded and a copie thereof deliuered vnto her lamenting that the most reasonable conditions which she had propounded oftentimes vnto the Queene were alwaies reiected yea when she promised to giue her sonne and the sonne of the Duke of Guise for hostages that the Queene or the kingdome of England should take no harme by her That she saw long ere now that all waies of libertie were stopped but now that shee is most basely vsed to haue her honour and estimation called into question before Petifoggers and Lawyers who draw euery circumstance into consequences by their quiddities and trickes since that anointed and consecrated Princes are not subiect nor vnder the same lawes that priuate men are Moreouer when they haue authoritie and commission giuen them of examining Things tending to the hurt of the Queens Person yet notwithstanding the cause is so handled and letters wrested that the Religion which she professeth and the immunitie and maiestie of forraine Princes and the priuate commerces betweene Princes are called into question and she below her Royall dignitie is brought to the barre as it were to be arraigned and to no other purpose but that she may be wholly excluded from the fauour of the Queene and from her right in the Succession when she appeared voluntarily to confute all obiections lest shee might seeme to haue beene slacke in the defence of her honour and credit Shee also called to their memorie how ELIZABETH her selfe had beene drawne into question for the conspiracie of Wyat when yet she was most innocent Religiously affirming that although she wished the good and welfare of Catholikes yet she would not haue it to be done by the death and bloud of any one That she had rather play the part of Hester than of Iudith make intercession vnto God for the people rather than to take away the life of the meanest of the people And then appealing vnto the Maiestie of God and vnto the Princes that were allied vnto her and repeating againe her protestation she requested that there might be another assembly about this matter and that shee might haue a Lawyer assigned vnto her and that since she was a Prince that they would giue credit to the word of a Prince for it was extreme folly to stand vnto their iudgement whom she most plainly saw to be armed with fore-iudgements against her Vnto these speeches the Treasurer said Since that I beare a twofold person the one of a Delegate or Commissioner and the other of a Counsellor First take of me a few things as from a Commissioner Your Protestation is recorded and the copie thereof shall be deliuered vnto you Wee haue authoritie giuen vs vnder the Queenes owne hand and the great Seale of England from the which there is no appellation neither come we with a fore-iudgement but to iudge according to the rule and square of Iustice The Lawyers aime at no other thing but that the truth may appeare how farre forth you haue offended against the Queens person We haue ful power giuen vs to heare and examine the matter yea in your absence yet we desire to haue you present lest we should seeme to diminish your honour or credit neither haue we thought to object vnto you any thing but that you haue done or attempted against the Queenes person The letters are read for no other purpose but to lay open the practise against the Queene and other things pertaining thereunto and are so mingled with other things that they cannot be separated And therefore the whole letters and not parcels taken out of sundrie places of them are read for as much as circumstances doe giue credit vnto the things of which you dealt with Babington Shee interrupting him said That the circumstances might be proued but not the deed that her integritie depended not vpon the credit and memory of her Secretaries though shee knew them honest but yet if they haue confessed something out of feare of the racke hope of reward and of impunitie it is not to be admitted and receiued out
of iust causes which shee may declare in another place that the minds of men are carried away by sundrie kinds of affections that they would neuer haue confessed such things but either for gaine or vpon some hope that letters may be directed vnto others than vnto whom they are written and that many things which she had not dictated had many times beene inserted if her papers had not beene taken away and that shee had a Secretarie she could with more ease confute their obiections But nothing said the Treasurer shall be obiected but from the nine and twentieth day of Iune neither will the papers doe any good since the Secretaries and Babington himselfe without torture haue affirmed you to haue sent letters vnto Babington which thing although you deny let the Commissioners iudge whether more credit is to be giuen vnto their affirmation or your deniall But to come to the matter As a Counsellour I tell you this you haue made many propositions about your libertie at sundrie times that nothing came thereof was long of you or of the Scots and not of our Queene for the Noble-men of Scotland absolutely denied to deliuer the King for hostage And when last of all there was a treatie for your deliuery Parry was sent secretly by Morgan to kill the Queene Ah said shee you are my professed enemie Yea rather replied he I am an enemie to the enemies of Queene ELIZABETH but enough of these things Let vs therefore proceed vnto proofes when shee denied to heare Yet we will heare said he and I also said she in another place and will defend my selfe Now were read againe the letters vnto Charles Paget in which shee told him there was no other way for the Spaniard to bring the Netherlands into subiection than by placing a Prince in England who might doe him good the letters vnto the Lord Paget to hasten aid and forces to inuade England the letters of Cardinall Allan in which he saluted her as his high and soueraigne Ladie and signified that the businesse was commended vnto the care of the Prince of Parma As these were in reading she interrupted them saying That Babington and her Secretaries accuse her to excuse themselues that shee neuer heard of the six Ruffians that the other things were not to the matter that shee esteemed Allan to bee a reuerend Prelate that shee did acknowledge no other head of the Church than the Pope of Rome that she was not ignorant in what regard and estimation shee was with him and with forraine Princes nor could shee hinder it if they in their letters called her Queene that her Secretaries since they did against their office faith and fidelitie confirmed by oath vnto her deserued no credit that there was no credit to be giuen to them that were once forsworne though they swore againe by all the oathes of God neither that they did thinke themselues tied with any oath whatsoeuer in conscience since that they haue sworne vnto her before that loyaltie and secrecie neither for that they were not subiects of England that Nauus had written oftentimes otherwise than she had dictated and that Curlus had written all whatsoeuer Nauus had bidden but that she would maintaine and vphold their faults in all things but those that might blemish her honour Perhaps also these fellowes did confesse to doe themselues a benefit whilst they might thinke not to hurt her with whom as with a Queene they thought mildnesse should be vsed that shee heard nothing of Ballard but of one Hallard who had offered his seruice which yet she had refused for that shee had heard that the same man had beene belonging to Walsingham Afterward when the notes out of the letters vnto Mendoza which Curlus had acknowledged that hee wrote out in a priuate character were read before her and she was vrged out of them as if shee had compassed to transfer the right in the Kingdome vnto the Spaniard and that Allan and Parsons staied now at Rome for that purpose and intent Shee complaining that her seruants had broken their fidelitie confirmed by oath answered When I being in prison and languished with care A without hope of libertie and there was not any more hope left of euer bringing to passe those things which very many expected of me in my sicknesse and declining age Many thought it sit that the Succession of the Realme of England should be established in the Spaniard or in a Catholike English-man and a booke was brought to proue the right of the Spaniard which being not admitted by me I offended many But all my hope in England being now desperate I am resolued not to reiect forraine helpe The Sollicitor admonished the Commissioners secretly what might become of them their Honours goods and posteritie if the Kingdome should be so transferred but the Treasurer shewed them that the Kingdome of England could not be transferred but to descend by the right of succession according to the Lawes Shee requested that shee might be heard in a full and open Parlament or that shee her selfe might speake to the Queene whom she hoped would haue respect vnto a Queene and the Counsellors And then rising from her seat with a cheerefull countenance she spoke a few words aside with the Treasurer Hatton Walsingham and the Earle of Warwicke These things being done the Assembly or meeting was adiourned vnto the fiue and twentieth day of October in the Starre-chamber at Westminster Thus much of this matter out of the Commentaries of Edward Barker principall Register to the Queenes Maiestie and of Thomas Wheeler a Notarie publike Register of the Audience of Canterburie and of other credible persons that were present And in this manner the Queene thought good to haue her tried although the Lawyers who are so curious in the examining of words and following of formes rather than in the expounding of the Lawes themselues that according to their forme of law she was to be called to triall in the Countie of Stafford and to be brought to hold vp her hand at the barre publikely before the Bench and to be tried by twelue men saying this indeed was a sweet and goodly forme of iudgment against a Prince But to auoid and put away such absurdities shee thought it better to referre so great a cause vnto the Noblemen of the Land and Realme and to the Iudges and this scarce sufficeth when as said shee all mens eies are cast vpon vs Princes as being set aloft as on a high scaffold so that in vs euen the least blemish or spot is seene afarre off so that we are carefully to prouide that we doe nothing vnworthy of our selues But to returne where I left At that day met all the Commissioners but the Earles of Shrewsbury and Warwicke who were then sicke and after that Nauus and Curlus had affirmed and confirmed before them that euery and singular the letters and copies of letters which were produced before to bee most true vpon their oathes
viua voce voluntarily without hope or reward the sentence against the Queene of Scotland was pronounced and confirmed with the seales and subscriptions of the Commissioners and recorded in these words By their assent consent and accord they doe pronounce giue and say their Sentence and Iudgement at the day and place last rehearsed that after the end of the aforesaid Session of Parliament specified in the aforesaid Commission viz. after the aforesaid first day of Iune in the 27. yeere aforesaid and before the date of thesaid Commission diuers things were imagined and compassed within this Realme of England by Anthony Babington and others with the priuitie of the said MARIE pretending title vnto the Crowne of this Realme of England tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royall person of our said Ladie the Queene And to wit that after the aforesaid first day of Iune in the seuen and twentieth yeere abouesaid and before the date of the aforesaid Commission the said MARIE pretending title vnto the Crowne of this Realme of England compassed and imagined within this Realme of England diuers things tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royall person of our Lady the Queen against the forme of the Statute specified in the aforesaid Commission Of this Sentence which depended wholly on the credit of the Secretaries neither were they brought face to face according to the first Statute of the 13. yeere of Queene ELIZABETH her selfe was very much speech and different amongst men some iudging them vnworthy of credit and others againe thought them worthy to be beleeued I haue seene the Apologie of Nauus written vnto King Iames in the yeere 1605. in the which hee doth laboriously excuse himselfe in protesting that hee was neither the Author nor perswader nor first discouerer of that plot or deuice neither that hee failed at all in his dutie through negligence or incircumspection but rather that he stoutly did impugne the heads of the accusations against his Ladie this day Which thing yet doth not appeare by the publike records But the same day it was declared by the Commissioners and by the Iudges of the Realme That that Sentence did derogate nothing from IAMES King of Scotland in his right or honour but him to be in the same place estate and right as if that Sentence had not beene giuen at all In a short time after there was a Parlament holden at Westminster in the which the Estates of the Kingdome who had approued and confirmed by their voices the sentence pronounced against the Queene of Scotland by one consent and accord deliuered by the Chancellor vnto the Queene a supplication in which they most earnestly besought her that for the conseruation of the true Religon the tranquillitie of the Realme safetie of the Queene the good estate of them and of their posteritie the sentence giuen against MARY Queene of Scotland according to the Law might be published They fetcht their reasons from the dangers hanging ouer the heads of their Religion her Royall Person and Realme by her who nursed vp in the Religion of the Papists and sworne one of the Holy League to root out the Religion of the Protestants had challenged long the Realme as due to her and had thought it a most iust thing to oppugne a woman excommunicate and meritorious to depriue her of her life She had subucrted and ouerthrowne the flourishing families of the Realme and laid fewell vnto all plots contriued and tumults in England To spareher was no other thing but to vndoe the people who will take it in euill part if she be suffered to escape without punishment and will not beleeue themselues freed from the oath of the Association except she were put to death Lastly they called to her remembrance what fearefull examples of Gods punishment there were against King Saul for that he killed not Agag and vpon Achab for that he killed not Benadad Thus said the States of Parlament The Queene with a maiesticall countenance and voice answered vnto this effect The benefits of Almightie God are so great and so many toward me that I doe not only acknowledge them most humbly but doe admire them as miracles forasmuch as I cannot expresse them in words Although there be no mortall man more beholding to the Maiestie of God than I my selfe so oft times deliuered from dangers not without miracle yet I am not indebted more than for this only thing which I account as a miracle that is to say That as I receiued and tooke vpon me the gouernment of the Realme with the full consent and good will of all so I see perfectly the same if not your greater loue and good will toward me after that XXVIII yeeres be expired and if I should faile therein now and that it did not continue still I might perchance be perceiued to breathe but surely not to liue But now although attempts be made against my life neuerthelesse nothing troubleth me more than that she who is of the same sex of the same stocke and linage and also of my bloud and kindred hath beene accessarie to the same And I am so farre off from being malicious toward her as that when some plots against me came to light I wrote vnto her that if she would confesse them in her priuate letters vnto me they should be wrapped vp in silence Neither did I write thus with this minde to ensnare her for that whatsoeuer she could confesse was knowne to me Yet neuerthelesse though things are come to this passe that they are if she would truly repent and that none would vndertake her cause against mee and that hereupon my life only and not the safetie of all the people did depend I would not haue you thinke I faine I would truly most willingly forgiue her yea if England by my death might flourish more and haue a better Prince I would most readily lay downe my life for I doe desire not to liue but for the good of the people and not of my selfe Neither is there any cause hauing liued in that manner as I haue why I should desire to liue or feare to die I am not ignorant of all kinde of lifes for I haue obeyed and I haue gouerned I haue had good neighbours and also euill I haue found treacherie where I trusted I haue euill bestowed benefits and I haue beene euill reported of when I haue done well When I call these things past to minde see and behold the things present and expect future things I thinke them most happie who die soone against such euils as these I put on a manly minde that whatsoeuer befall vnto me death may not take and finde me vnprouided As concerning these treasons I will not so preiudicate my selfe or the lawes of my Kingdome that I doe not thinke but that she the author and contriuer of this treason is a subiect and liable by the ancient lawes although this new law had neuer beene made the which
neuerthelesse was not enacted directly to entrap her as many folkes that fauour her doe suspect and imagine It was so farre off from being made to ensnare her that it was rather done to premonish and deterre her from attempting any thing against it And since that it hath the force of a law it was thought meet to proceed against her by the same But you Lawyers be so curious and precise in examining the words and letters of the law and following your formalities rather than in the expounding the lawes themselues that by your formes she was as is said before within the Countie of Stafford in person to be arraigned standing at the barre and holding vp her hand and to be tried by the verdict of twelue men Assuredly it were a goodly forme of iudgement vpon a Prince To auoid such like absurdities I thought it most fit to referre so great a cause to be examined by the Nobilitie and Iudges and this is scarce sufficient for that the eyes of all men are fixed on vs that are Princes standing aloft as it were on a Theater or Stage and in vs the least blemish is seene be it neuer so farre off so that we are very carefully to prouide and beware that we commit and doe nothing vnworthy of our selues But you by this new law haue brought me into a very great strait that I should set downe the determination for the punishment of her who is a Princesse most neere to me in bloud and whose attempts and plots haue so grieued my heart that not to increase it by hearing the same rehearsed I willingly ablented my selfe from this assembly of Parlament and not for feare of some lying in wait to kill me as some imagine yet I will vtter this secret though I be no blabbe I saw with these eies and read the oath wherein some haue bound themselues to kill me within a monâ—th space From hence I foresee your danger and I will take a great care to refell the same Your Association for my safetie I haue not forgotten yet I neuer so much as thought of such a thing before the same was shewed mee vnder their hands and seales The same hath tied me vnto you in strong bonds of good will for your loue vnto mee who seeke for no other solace and comforts than from the loue of you and of the Common-wealth But for as much as the matter which is now treated of is seldome seene and for that there be few examples thereof and is a matter of very great moment I intreat you not to expect that I should make an answer and set down my certaine determination for it is my vse and custome euen in smaller matters to be aduised a good space in things which are but once to be determined I will desire earnestly Almightie God to powre the shining beams of his light into my minde that I may perfectly see and bâ—hold what may bee best for the good and profiâ— of the Church the Common-wealth and your safeâ—ie Yet lest delay may bring danger I will in conuenient time signifie vnto you what my minde is And so the twelfth day after when shee had considered more aduisedly on the matter shee as it were in her doubtfull minde distracted and not able to resolue what to doe requested them sending the Chancellor vnto the Nobilitie and Puckering vnto them of the Lower house more diligently to aduise and consult of so weightie a matter againe and to deuise some more wholesome remedie whereby the life of the Queene of Scotland might be spared and her securitie procured When they had deliberated and consulted much and a long time and had iudged both the good and the euill of the Prince to concerne all men they fall againe to the same opinion with one voice and for these causes For that the Queene could not be in safetie as long as the Queene of Scotland liued except shee repented seriously and acknowledged her crimes or else was tied and kept in a straiter prison and with deeds of writing vnder her hand or by oath or should giue hostages or depart out of the Realme They hoped for no repentance in her since that she had euill requited the Queene who had giuen her life vnto her and had not yet acknowledged her crimes They held and accounted straiter custodie writings vnder her hand oath and hostages as nothing for as much as these things vanished in smoake presently as soone as the Queene was dead or made away but if shee departed out of the Realme they feared shee would forthwith aduance her Standards to inuade the Kingdome When the Chancellor and Puckering Speaker of the Lower house had declared these things at large vrging to haue the sentence put in execution For as much as it was iniustice to deny the execution of law if it were to any one of her subiects that desired it much more to all the Englishmen efflagitating it so much with one voice and one heart Vnto whom the Queene made a Speech in this manner That iourney is very grieuous by the which both whilest it is going and when it is ended nothing is gotten but trouble and vexation I am very much troubled and vexed this very day as much as at any time whether I should speake or hold my tongue If I shall speake and not complaine surely I shall faiâ—e If I hold my tongue your labour is lost but if I complaine it may seeme strange yet I confesse I haue much wished that for your securitie and withall for my safetie some other way might haue beene deuised than that which is now propounded So that I cannot but complaine before you though not of you since that I vnderstand by your petitions that my safetie dependeth wholly on the death of another If any thinke that I haue prolonged the time to procure vaingloriously the commendation of clemencie they doâ— me much wrong which thing God who searcheth the secrets of al mens hearts knoweth best It thâ—re be any that thinke that the Commissioners durst not pronounce any other sentence lest they should seeme to displease me or to haue beene carelesse of my safetie they wrong me exceedingly for either my seruants failed in doing their dutie or else they signified on my behalfe vnto the Commissioners that my wil was and that I commanded that euery one should doe freely according as they thought in their minds and that they should priuatly impart vnto mee those things which they would not vtter publikely It was out of my abundant good will toward her to desire to haue another course or meanes deuised for this mischiefe But now since it is most certaine that I and my safetie are in a deplorable estate except shee be rid and made away I am sorrie at my heart that I who haue pardoned and giuen life to so many Rebels and haue neglected so many Treasons by conniuing or holding my peace may seeme now at the length to vse crueltie and â—eucritie
and not vnworthy of the King and her most louing Cousin But when as the Ambassadors out of season mingled threats amongst their requests they were lesse acceptable and sent away within few daies with very small hope Pomponius Bellieurus who was sent by the French King for the same cause when he was come vnto the Queene hauing in his company L'aubespineus of Castro Nouo the ordinary Ambassador and had in few words signified how the French King was distracted on this side for his singular loue toward her and on that side for the strait familiaritie and affinitie betweene him and the Queene of Scotland he propounded in writing these things and the like once or twice The most Christian King of France and all other Kings are interessated that a Queene and free and absolute Princesse be not put to death The safetie of the Queene may be more endangered by the death than by the life of MARY that she being deliuered out of prison can attempt nothing against the Queene for that shee was sickly and could not liue long That shee challenged and claimed the Kingdome of England was not to be laid to her charge as a fault but was to be ascribed to the tendernesse of her age and her naughtie counsellors That she came into England to intreat helpe and fauour and therefore the lesse iustly detained and that now at length she was to be let loose vpon some ransome agreed vpon or else to haue mercy vsed to her Moreouer that an absolute Prince is not to be called in question of his life in so much that Cicero said It is so vnusuall for a King to be arraigned that it is a thing neuer heard before this time If she be innocent then shee is not to be put to death if faultie to be spared for this would proue more to her honour and vtilitie and it should be the eternall example of the clemencie of England To this intent the historie of Porsenna was rehearsed who pulled the hand of Mutius Sceuola who had conspired to kill him out of the flames of fire and dismissed him That the first precept of reigning well is to spare bloud that bloud calleth for bloud that it cannot be otherwise thought but to be cruell and bloudie to vse tyrannie toward her That the French King will do all his labour and vse all diligence that the attempts and endeuours of all that plot any thing against the Queene may be repressed and stopped And that the Guises the kinsmen of the Queene of Scotland would sweare the same and confirme it with their hands and seales who if shee be put to death will take it in very euill part and perhaps will not suffer it to be vnreuenged Lastly they requested that she should not be vsed according to that rigorous and extraordinarie iudgement if not that the French King could not but take it in very euill part and be much offended howsoeuer all other Princes may take it Vnto these writings answer was made in the margin vnto euery article thus That the Queene of England doth hope that the most Christian King of France will haue no lesse regard and respect vnto her than vnto the Scottish Queene who plotted to kill an innoccnt Prince her next cousin and the Kings confederate And that it is behouefull vnto Kings and Common-wealths that mischieuous actions specially against Princes be not left vnpunished That the English-men who acknowledge only Queene ELIZABETH to be Supreme Gouernour in England cannot at once acknowledge two Soueraignes free and absolute Princesses in England neither that any other whomsoeuer whilest she liued was to be taken as equall with her Neither could they see how the Scottish Queene and her sonne that now reigneth can be accounted at one time soueraigne and absolute Princes Whether that the Queenes safetie may be exposed vnto greater dangers if she be put to death dependeth vpon contingencie and vncertaintie hereafter that the Estates of England who haue studied seriously on this point thinke otherwise to wit that there will neuer want occasions of ploâ—ting mischiefes during her life especially for that matters are now come to that passe that there is no hope left for the other except the other be extinguished or taken away and this sentence may come often to minde Either I her or shee me The shorter her life is with the more speed the conspirators for this cause will accelerate and hasten the execution of her plots That shee would not hitherto renounce and giue ouer the right shee claimeth and challengeth vnto the Realme of England and that for that cause she hath beene most rightfully detained in prison and is still to be detained although shee came for succour and helpe into England vntill shee haue renounced and giuen ouer the same And that she ought to sustaine punishment for the faults she hath committed in prison for what cause soeuer she was put into prison That the Queene also hath pardoned her most mercifully when shee was condemned by the consent of all the Estates for the Rebellion raised in the North to make the mariage betweene her and the Duke of Norfolke and to spare her againe were a fond and cruell kinde of mercie That none are ignorant of that saying of the Lawyers An offender in the territory of another and there found is punished in the place where the â—ault is committed without any regard or respect of dignitie honour or priuilege And that the same is euident as well by the lawes of England as also by the examples of Licinius Robert King of Sicilie Bernard King of Italy Conradinus of Elizabeth Queen of Hungarie of Ioan Queene of Naples and of Deiotarus for whom Cicero pleading said it was not vniust for the King to be arraigned though it were vnusuall For the words goe thus Quod primùm dico de capite fortunisque Regis Quod ipsum etsi non iniquum est in tuo duntaxat periculo tamen est ita inusitatum c. That she who hath beene found guiltie by a lawfull iudgement is to be put vnto execution forasmuch as that which is iust is honest and that which is honest is also profitable That the History of Porsenna did not agree vnto this matter proposed except one should thinke that there is a long traine of them who seeke to hurt the Queene and could perswade her to dismisse her without any hurt out of feare and some little respect of honour but no regard of her owne safety as Porsenna sent Mutius away when he had auowed that there were other three hundred who had conspired to kill him Moreouer that Mutius ventured vpon Porsenna in a war proclaimed and by the sending of Mutius away he perswaded and assured himselfe that he had escaped all danger Bloud is to be spared that is the innocent God commanded this It is true that the voice of bloud crieth for bloud and that France before the massacre of Paris and afterward can witnesse this That