ANE DETECTIOVN of the duinges of Marie Quene of Scottes touchand the murder of hir husband and hir conspiracie adulterie and pretensed mariage with the Erle Bothwell And ane defence of the trew Lordis mainteineris of the Kingis graces actioun and authoritie Translatit out of the Latine quhilke was written by G. B. QUhairas of thynges iudicially determinit within any dominioun to haif accompte demandit by strangeris is to sic as be not subiect to forane iurisdictioun baith strange and also for the strangenesse displeasant to vs aboue all vther it ought to be most greuous quha are driuen to this streight of necessitie that quhase fautes we desire to couer thair liues we are enforced to accuse vnlesse we will our selues be accompted the most wicked persons that lyue But a great part of this gréef is releued by your equitie most excellent Quene quha take it no lesse displeasantly to sée your kinswoman than we to sée our Quene thus in speche of all men to be dishonorably reported quha alswa are for your part no lesse desirous to vnderstand the truth than we for ours to auoide sclaunder Thairfoir we will knit vp the mater as bréefly as possibly may be and declare it with sic shortnesse as we may rather seme to haue lightly runne ouer the chéef pointes than to haue largly expressed tham begynnyng at the Quenes first inconstancie For as in making of her mariage her lightnes was very hedlang rash so sodanely followed either inwart repentance or at least outwart tokens of change of her affection without any causes appearing For quhair before time the king was not onely neglected but also not honorably vsed at length began open hatred to breake out against him specially in that winter quhen he went to Peble with small traine euen too meane for the degrée of a priuate man not being sent thether a hawking but as commandit away into a corner far frō counsell and knawledge of publike affaires Nouther is it necessarie to put in writing those thinges quhilk as thay were than as a spectacle noted of all mens eyes sa now as a fresh image thay remane imprintit in all mens hartes And though this were the beginning of all the euills that followed yet at the first the practises were secrit sa as not onely the commoun pepill but alswa sic as were right familiar and present at the doing of many matters could not vnderstand throughly what thing the Quene than chéefly intended At the last about the moneth of Aprill in the yeare 1566. quhan the Quene was returned from Dunbarre to Edinburgh and was lodged in the castell she keipt her thare till the time of her trauaile of childe After her deliuerance immediatly the secret counsels of the intendit mischeif began to breake out quhairof the effect was this to dispatch away the king by one way or vther howsoeuer and to mary with Bothwell And that her selfe should not be touchit with suspicion of the murder she began secritly by littil and littill to sow sedes of dissentioun betwene the king and the Lordes that were than in Court and by mair and mair inflaming tham to bring the mater to deadly feude And if at any time she espied the suspicions of the one against the vther to languish by and by with new reportes to baith partes she whetted tham on againe to fresch displeasuris persuading the Nobilitie against the king and the king against the Nobilitie that either intendit vthers destruction And she thought nothing so long as to sée the mater come to strokes for douting whether of thā she had rather to haif the victorie she accounted the losse on either side for her auantage as hoping thairby to auance forward one degrée neirer to that quhilk she intendit Finally in short time she so filled all thair hartes with mutuall ialousies one against an vther that thare was not a man of any reputatioun in the Court but he was driuen to this necessitie either with dishonour to yeld to rumors fained against him or to enter into combate with the reporters or to withdraw him home And though we shall passe ouer the rest for desire to hast to the cheif point of the matter yet this one notable sclanderous practise at that time is nat to be omitted For on a time quhen the king had ben in talke with the Quene till it was farre in the night the summe in a maner of all her communicatioun was that almost all the nobilitie had conspirit his death wer deuising how to dispatch him After the kinges departure from her she sent forthwith for the Erle of Murray hir brother wha after was Regēt with this message that the matter was hainous and necessarily requiring his presence without delay He being awaked out of sound sléepe in great feare cast a night gowne ouer his shirt and as he was halfe naked ranne to her in hast To him than she vsed euin the like talke as she had before to the king informing him that the king boyled in such deadly hatrit against him and tooke it so displeasantly that he stood so hyely in her grace that he was fully determinit so soone as any possible opportunitie serued to murder him So as mekle as in her lay she left no meane vnassayit to set tham together by the eares and without all dout had done it in deid if it had not ben Gods gude pleasure to deliuer the innocent persons frō so perilous treasons to disclose her wicked trechery Quhen this attempt failed her she assayit the yong vnexperienced gentlemā with ane new suttilpractise She earnestly labored him that quhile she was great with childe The Quene offreth to be baude to hir owne husband he should choose him some yong gentlewoman quhairof thare was great store quhose companie he might vse in the meane time She promised him her assent and furtherance with pardon and leaue to cōmit the offence She named to him the Erle of Murrayes wife not for that she estemed that most noble Lady most apt for sic a villanie but because she thought by that way to be reuenged of thrée enemies at once the king the Erle and his wife and therwithall to winne a colour and cause of diuorce to make empty bedroome for Bothwell After that she was deliuered of childe though she courteously enterteined all vther yet as oft as word was brought her that the king was come to sée her baith she and her company so framed thair speche countenance as if thay semed to feare nothing mair than that the king should perceaue that thay lothed him and that his comming and presence was displeasant to tham all On the vther side Bothwell alone was all in all he alone was gouerner of all her counsels and all her affaires And so desirous was the Quene to haue her hartie affection towart him vnderstood of all men that if any sute were to be made to her
as if thay regardit nat these thynges yet sometyme the rumors sa nerely prickit them to the quick that thay could by no meanes hyde thair anger Thairfoir discontinuyng thair searchyng for the kynges death they begyn a new enquirie farre mair earnest against the authors of bukes and the sclanderers of Bothwell as thay tham selues termed tham These examinations wer sa rigorously put in excutioun as nouther money nor labor of men nor horses was spared about it All the paynters were callit togither all that earned thair liuing by writyng wer assembled to iudge of the pictures and bukes that had ben set out And if ane painter had nat of hys awn accord confessit that it was he of quhoes worke thay inquirit an vther that was not gilty therof but touchit a litill with a slight suspicioun had suffred for it There was published a proclamatioun agreable with the maner of the Inquisition quhairin it was made death nat onely to set out any sic mater but also to rede it beyng set out by ane vther But these persones that with thretenyng of death practised to stoppe the speche of the pepill yet nat satisfiit with maist cruell murder of the king cessit nat thair hatrit against him quhē he was dead All hys gudes armure horses apparell vther furniture of his house the quene diuidit some to tham that slew hym and some to hys fathers auncient deadly foes as if thay had vpon atteinder come to hir by forfaiture and hys fathers tenantes as though thay had ben alswa part of hir conquerit booty she sa scraped till she brought tham in a maner to extreme beggerie But this was a strange example of crueltie and sic as neuer was heard of befoir that as she had satisfied her heart with hys slaughter sa she wold nedes fede hir eyes with the sight of hys bodie slayne For she lang beheld nat onely without grefe but alswa with gredy eyes hys dead corps the gudlyest corps of any gentleman that euer liued in this age And than sodenly without any funerall honor in the night tyme by commoun carriers of dead bodies vpon a vile béere she causit hym to be buryed hard by Dauid Rizo Quhen these doynges were knawin abrode and that the indignatioun of the pepill had ouercome the threatnynges of penalties and the frāknesse of sorrow surmounted feare by litill and litill she beganne to set hir face and with counterfaiting of mournyng she labored to appease the hartes of the grudgyng pepill For quhair the auncient maner hath ben for quenis efter the death of thair husbandes by the space of fortye dayes not onely to forbeare the companie of men but alswa from lukyng on the open light she attemptit a disguisit maner of mournyng But the myrth of heart far passing the fayned sorrow she shut the dores in dede but she set open the windowes and within fower dayes she threw away hir wayling wéede and gane to behald baith sunne and open skye agayne But this ane thyng fell very ouerthwartly For quhen Henry Killegrée was come from the quene of Ingland to comfort her as the maner is this gentleman strangeris hap was to marre the play and vnuisor all the disguising For quhen he was by the quenis commaundement come to the Court though he beyng an auld courtier and a gud discrete gentleman did nathyng hastily yet he came in sa vnseasonably ere the stage wer prepared and furnished that he found the windowes open the candeles nat yet lighted and all the prouision for the play out of order Quhen of the forty dayes that are apoyntit for the mournyng scarce twelue wer yet fully past and the counterfaityng wald nat frame half handsomely to disclose hir true affections so soone she was somewhat ashamit at length takyng hart of grace vnto hir and neglectyng sic trifles she commeth to her own byace and openly sheweth hir owne naturall conditions She posteth to Setons house with a very few and those not all of the saddest company There Bothwel though it semed that for the great fauor he than had in court and for the nobilitie of hys byrth other respectes of honor he should haue ben next efter the quene most honorably receiued yet was ludged in a chamber hard by the kitchin Howbeit the same was a place not altogether vnfit to asswage thair sorrowes for it was directly vnder the quenis chamber and if any sodein qualme of grefe should haue hapned to come ouer hir hart there was a paire of stayres though somewhat narrow yet wyde enough for Bothwell to get vp to comfort hir In the meane tyme efter the rumor hereof was spred into France Monsieur de Croc quho had often befoir ben Embassadour in Scotland came in sodenly vpon tham God wote full vnseasonably By hys aduise she returned to Edenburgh out of that denne quhilk euen as far as France was infamous But in Setons house were sa many commodious opportunities for hir purpose that how soeuer hir gud name wer therby appeyred nedes she must ga thether agayne There were conselles holden of the great affaires of the realme The end of the consultatioun was that Bothwell shold be arrainit of the murder and acquitit by iudges therto chosen for the nones and constrainit It was concludit that the meaner sorte of the iudges might with fauor and fayre promises be ledde and the rest of the greater and grauer sort whom for fashions sake thay were driuen to call to the mater might be drawen with feare to acquite hym For byside libelles therof commonly throwen abrode the kyngis father the Erle of Lennor did openly accuse hym for principall author of the murder The assemblie of the states in parlament was at hand quhilk was to be halden the xiij of Aprill befoir quhilk day thay wald nedes haue the arrainement dispatchit That great hast was the cause quhy in that preceding and triall nathyng hes ben done according to the forme of law nathing in order nathing after the auncient vsage There ought to haue bene publike summons of the accusers the next of the kinne the wife the father and the sonne eyther to be present thamselfis or to send thair proctors The law also gaue tham tyme of forty dayes But hair the father was commaundit to cum within xiij dayes and that wythout any assembly of his frendis wyth hys awne housholde retinue anely quhilk by reason of his great pouertie was now brought to a few quhile in the meane tyme Bothwell with great bandes of men dayly mustered about the towne And bycause he verely beleuit that in sa assurit perill na man would take vpon hym to be hys accuser he grew to sic ane negligence and sic contempt of law and iudiciall procedyng Enditement that the dictay was framit of ane murder supposit to be done the ix day of February quhen in dede the Kyng was slayne the x. day In choosing and
rumors quhilk esteme the sclanders of maist lewd slight persons for sad testimonies and geue credite to these men quho boasting at home that thay are able to do what that list yit neither dare commit thayr cause to the sentence of the Iudges nor were abill to defend tham selfis in battaill And as by giltie conscience of offensis thay fearit iugement so by raige growen of thayr giltinesse thay runne hedlang to battail and from battayll runne cowartly away and now againe quhen standing vpon the aduantage that they haif baith in number and wealth thay scorne the wisedome of thair aduersareis and despise thair power in comparison of thair awin yit distrusting to preuayle by trew manhoode they fall to robbery and turne thayr vngracious minde tormentit with inwart terrouris of giltie cōscience to sclandering cauillyng lesing quhom yet for the gude wil that I beir to my conterymē I waid aduise to cease from thys folly or fury or disease of euill speiking lest in time to come quhen truth shall shine out thay shut vp and stop with hatrit of tham those persons eares to thayr petitiounis quhom now they new fill lode with false rumouris for thare wyll nat alway be place for forgeuenes but as darcknes at the sunne shining so lyes at the light of treuth must vanische away As for the commodious meanes for committing that vile fact and the hoipe of hiding it I neid nat to pursue the declaring of tham in many wordis sith baith the easinesse to do it the opportuteis of placis and all aduauncementis of occasiouns and seasons were in their owne power And to hide the fact quhat neidit thay quhē thay fearit na punishment gif it were publishit For quhat punischment cauld they feir in sa strang a conspiracie quhen baith the force of lawes quhairof tham selfis wer gouernours was vtterly extinguishit and the mindis of maist pairt of men weir eyther snarit with partenerschip of the mischieuous fact or caryit wyth hoip or forestallit wyth rewardis or discouragit and bridelit wyth feare of sa greit a power on the vther pairt But how sa euer thys be yit schall it be gude to see throughly baith the order of the duing the vnaduisidnes inconstancie and end of thayr deuisis For tharwithall schall ye perceiue that thare wanted nat desire to hyde the fact but that the furor of a distracted minde ouerthrew all the order of thair coūsels quhile some time as desyrous to beguyle publike fame thay endeuourit to keip close thayr intendit mischiefe yit thay dealt tharein sa opinly as gif carelesse of thair estimatioun thay seemit to make small accompte howe men iudged of thayr duyngis For the poysoun at his preparyng to go to Glasco was geuen hym secretly and thay thoght thay had sufficiently well prouidit that he should in hys absence from tham be consumit with pynyng sicknesse But the rest of thair dealinges towart hym wer sa cruelly handlit that though his disease shold haue happenit to be naturall yet it wald haue ben suspectit for poysonyng For he hir husband the father of hir onely and first borne childe the father I say of that sonne quhoes Christenyng was solemnisit with sa great pompe and glorie beyng escapit away in maner nakit as it wer out of his house flamyng in fier tormentit by the waye with greuous peine quhē he lay at Glascow of a dangerous sicknesse likely to dye quhat did hys excellent gude wife the quhile Quhat dyd sche At the first newes of it dyd she hast to him in post Doth sche with her presence with hir freindly familiar spech or with hir louyng countenance comfort hym in sicknesse quhen she can nat stay him in life commeth she to receiue his last breath closeth she hys eyes at his deyng doth she the vther kinde duties of honest matrones No. But she that had now let him escape to goe and dye and hopit that he cauld not linger out hys vnhappy life but a few dayes langer getteth hir a cleane contrary way into an vther contrey in progresse and with hir faire Adonis she visiteth noble mens houses and stayneth the houses that harborit them with the spottes of thair vnchastities and iust about the tyme of hir husbandes death as she gessit by the strength and workyng of the poysoun she returneth to Stereline Quhen the mater wrought not sa fast as she lukit for the strength of his youth had wrastlit with the sorenesse of the peine least she shold seme to haue altogether forsaken hir dutie sche daily prepareth to go to Glasco but neuer goeth At the last disapointit of the hope that sche had conceiuit in hir hart she taketh hir to vther deuises She commeth to Edenburgh and there calleth to counsell hir aduoutrer and a few vther priuie of those secrets There thay decree that in any wise the kyng must be slayne Yet wer thay nat fully aduisit with quhat kinde of death he should be murderit Quhilk may easily be gatherit by hir letter quhairin she partly compareth hir selfe with Medea a bludy woman and a poysoning witch Alswa by an vther of hir letters quharin she asketh aduise about the poysonyng him The kyng quho had alredy tastit of hir louely cuppe doutyng whether he wer better any mair to beleue hir flattering speches or to feare the shrewdnesse of hir nature though sometime he despeirit not of hir reconciliation yet euer was somewhat mair feareful and suspicious But quhen he saw that nouther his life nor his death wer in his power he was constrainit in silence to purse vp his passit iniuries to dissemble hys present feare and to fayne him selfe some hope for tyme to come Sa was he led out nat as a husband but carried out as a corse or rather drawen as it wer to the shambles The Quene gloriously shewyng hir selfe in pompous maner goeth befoir in triumph ouer the yong gentleman vexit with all kynde of iniuries tormentit with poyson entrappit with treasons and drawen to execution There followe after the triumphant carre the auncient enemies to his fathers house brought thether for the nones that thay alswa might fede thair eyes with that woefull spectacle and quhoes death at hād thay lukit for thay might in the meane tyme take pleasure of the sorow of his hart And that na ceremonie of solemne sacrifices might be wāting Ihon Hamilton Archbishop of of S. Androwes was present as thair priest a man befoir defiled with all kind of wickitnesse pāpered with the spoyles and murders of hys contreymen ane auld conquerour of many murderyng victories The pepill all alang the way lukyng pitiously shewit a foreboding of na gude lucke to come The Quenes companiōs could nouther well enough faine thair sadnesse nor hide thair gladnesse quhen the haynous outrage of the vile fact intēdit held thair vnmesurable ioy in some suspense vpon expectatiō of the successe Thus led they him to
maist wickit man in the warld by hys enemie by his wiefis aduoutrer a house in maner seuerit from all haunt of men fitter for a sclaughter house than for mans dwelling it is prouidit for a yong gentilman vnprouident by youth easie to be trappit in treasoun by loue spoylit of hys seruauntes forsaken of hys frendis a house I say torne solitarie on euery syde not onely nat close but alswa opin to passe through the kayes therof in his enemeis custodie no man lefte within but a yong man nat yit recouerit of sicknesse and an auld man feble by age and twa strangeris vnacquaintit with the places matter and persons no man dwelling neire but hys enemeis and thiefis But as for danger of thiefis the gude forecasting woman had well prouidit for sche had left him na thing to allure a thief withall and as for hys enemeis sche had appointed tham to be but lukers on and nat pairtplayers in this tragedie but the glorie of the fact sche reseruit to hyr self and Bothwell Quhat in the meane time doth the Quenes greit carefulnesse quhat meaneth hir vnwontit resort quhat hir malicious and not obsequious diligence Sche visiteth him daily sche prolongith hir talke with hym many houris together twa nightis sche resteth in a lower chamber vnder him gif giltie conscience of maist haynous duingis can from tormentis of furies suffer that outragious hart to rest at all Sche fearit perdie lest if the lower place of the house were left emptie the noyse of the vnderminers working and of the bringers in of the powder should bring some of the seruantes in some suspitioun of treachery Besyde that sche had a minde to see the thing done her selfe rather then to commit it to the trust of any vther She had a desire to take a foretast of the ioye to come and quhen sche could nat wyth hir earis yit at leist with hir hart to conceiue aforehand the fyre the smoke the powder the cracke of the house falling the fearefull troubill the tumulte the confuse dismayednesse of the doers the thiefis and the pepill All thingis thus preparit for that dolefull night then entreth sche into the last care of hir gude fame sche endeuourith to diuert all suspiciounis from hir sche goeth to hir husband sche kisseth him sche geueth him a ring for pledge of hir loue sche talketh with him mair louingly then she was wont to do and promiseth mair largelie sche faynith that sche hath greit care of his health and yit her companieng with hir adulter sche surceaseth nat Thay that mair nerely notit these thyngis prognosticatit na gude thyng to come For how mekle the greater tokens that the Quene shewit of reconcilit affectioun so mekle the mair crueltie dyd euery man in his hart fore conceiue of all hir intentions For els quhense commeth that sodein chaunge Quhense commeth sa great a care for hym quhom she had poysonit but the moneth befoir quhom euin lately sche nat onely wishit dead but alswa desirit to see hym dye quhoes death sche set hir brother yea baith hir brethren to procure and sche like a mayster of mischef thrust forth the kyng to fight and hir selfe in the meane tyme preparit for his buriall Not past a few monethes befoir sche hir selfe was desirous to dye bycause she lothed to see the king alyue Quhense commeth now this sodeine care for his health I luke she shold say she was reconcilit to him Were you reconcilit to your husband quhom you sent away into y e desert that camp of furies as the Poet calleth it for quhom among brothellhouses of harlottes among beggers cotages among theifes luckyng holes you preparit a house sa open to passe through that you left therin mair entries then men to shut them you that allurit and assemblit ruffians to his slaughter and theifes to his spoyle you that droue away hys seruantes that shold haue defendit his life you that thrust hym out nakit alone vnarmie among theifes to be slayne quhen in all this miserable state of your husband your adulterer in the meane tyme dwelt in your palace dayly hauntit your chamber day night all doores wer open for hym quhile your poore husband barred from al companie of the nobilitie his seruants forbiddē to come at hym or sent away from him was forsaken and thrust away into solitarie desert for a mockyng stocke and I wald to God it had ben for a mockyng stocke onely Of his vther seruantes I enquire nat I do nat curiously questioun why thay went away why thay then specially forsoke the kyng quhen he chefely neded thair helpe and seruice quhen he was newly recouerit quhen he began to go abrode and had none vther companie Of Sawnder Durain I can nat kepe silence quhom you had for his keper and your spie Quhat was there for hym to espie was there any thyng for him to bryng newes of to an honest matrone louyng to hir husband faithfull in wedlocke and fearefull of a partener of his loue Fearit she least he a yongman beautifull and a king shold cast wanton eyes vpon some vther woman in her absence Na God wot For that was it that she maist desired For sche hir selfe had practisit to allure him thereto befoir she hir self had offrit hym the occasions and of hir selfe shewit him the meanes This was it that most greuit hir quhile she was sekyng causes of diuorce that she could nat finde in hym sa mekle as any sclender suspicioun of adulterie Why then were spies set about hym to watch him was it not that none of the nobilitie none of his seruantes nor any stranger at all should come at hym that na man should speake with him that might disclose the treason and warne hym of his daunger This same very Sawnder how carefully sche saueth quhen she goeth about to kill hir husbande how late sche sendeth hym away quhen the reste were gone euen at the very point of hir husbandes death quhen she had now na mair nede of espialles For the day befoir the murder committit there was none of the ministers that were priuie of hir secret counsels left behinde but onely Sawnder He quhen he saw that night no lesse dolefull then shamefull to approche prepareth as hymselfe thought a fine suttle excuse to be absent so as rather chaunce might seme to haue driuen him out then he him selfe willingly to haue forsaken his maister He putteth fire in his awne bedstraw and quhen the flame spred further he made an outcrie threw his beddyng halfe singit out of the kyngis chamber But the next day quhen that excuse seruit nat sa handsomly as he desirit for that in the Quenis hearyng the kyng very swetely entreatit him nat to leaue him alone that night and alswa desirit him to lye with him selfe as he had often vsit to do for the kyng entierly louit hym aboue all the rest
be confessit And though all vther thingis wantit these thingis that folowit the murder do plainly declare the doer namely that at y e slaughter of hir husband she sorrowit nat but quietly restit as after a gay enterprise well atchieuit that sche mournit nat but in maner openly ioyed that sche could abide not onely to luke vpon his dead body but alswa gredely beheld it that sche secretly in the night buryit him without funerall pompe or rather hid him like a thief for that fame so inconstant counterfeiting of mourning did plainly bewray it selfe For quhat ment that remouing to Setons quhy shonned sche the townis resort and peoples eyes Was it because sche was aschamit to mourne openly or because sche could nat wel cloke hir ioy or secretly to giue hir self all to sorow No for at Setons sche threw away all hir disguisit personage of mourning sche went daily into the fieldes among ruffians and nat only resortit to hir former custome but alswa affectit to exercise manly pastimes and that among men and opinly So lightly sche despisit the opinioun and speich of her countrey But I beshrew that same Kiligree and that saim Monsieur de Croc that came vpon hir sa vnseasonably and schewit to vther hyr counterfeited person vnuisorid For had not they bene many thingis that were done might haif bene denyit many thingis might haif bene handsomely faynit and mikle the matter might haif bene holpen by forgit rumouris But they will say thare was a solemn enquirie for the murder Forsooth by Bothwell him selfe principally and by some vther that than laboured and yit at this day do labour to deliuer the persons giltie thereof from punischement of law and do now plainly shew quhat they than secreitly meant But wyth quhat diligence with quhat vpright seueritie was that enquirie handlit A few poore saules the nexte dwelling neighbouris to the Kingis lodging being callit neither durst tell quhat thay had seene and heard and gif thay touchit any thing neir the matter eyther they wer with feare put to silence or dispisit as of na credite the wiser sort of them durst not offende Bothwell that sate among the Iudges Ane or twa of the Kingis seruantis that eschapit the mischaunce wer examinit quhilk way the murderaris came in Forsoth sayit thay we had not the kayes Quho then had them It was aunswerit that the Quene had them So began the secrets of the Court to break out Then was y e enquirie adiornit neuer recontinuit Quhat can be more seuere and vpright then this enquirie yit they preuailit nathing by it For quhat the examiners wald haif had kept secret that the pepill cryit out opinly that quhilk they supressit bursteth forth that quhilk they cloke in secreit breaketh out into broad light But there was a proclamation set forth with pardon of the fact and promise of rewart to him that wald vtter it Why quho had ben sa mad that he durst in sa manifest perill of his life beare witnesse or geue information agaynst the iudges tham selues in quhoes power lay hys lyfe and his death It was likely forsothe that they quhilk had murderit a kyng wald spare him that shold disclose y e murderer specially quhen all men saw that the enquirie of the kingis slaughter was quite omittit and the vther enquirie seuerely pursuit concernyng bukes accusing the slaughter What maner of iugement it was quhairby Bothwell was acquitit you haue heard Forsothe by hym selfe procurit the iudges by him selfe chosen the accusers by him self subornit lawfull accusers forbidden to be present vnlesse thay wald yeld thair throtes to thair enemies weapons the assise apointit nouther to a day accordyng to the law of the land nor after the maner of the contrey nor to enquire of the murder of the kyng but of sic a murder as was allegit to be committit the day befoir that the king was slayne Here quhen Bothwell by his frendship and power and the Quene by prayer threatenings trauailit with the iudges do you now expect quhat sentence men chosen agaynst law and agaynst the custome of the land haue pronounced In thair iugement thay touchit the mater nathyng at all onely this thay haue declarit that it was na lawfull iugement in this that with ane speciall protestatioun thay prouidit that it should nat be preiudiciall to tham in tyme to come Then that all men might vnderstand what it was that thay sought by sword fire and poisoun thay iumble vp mariages one is diuorcit an vther is conplit and that in sic posting spede as thay might scant haue hastit to furnish a triumph of some noble victorie Yet that in those vnlawfull weddinges some shew of lawfull order might be obseruit the gudely banes were openly proclamit For publishyng wherof though the Minister of the Kirk were thretenit with death if he did it not yet at the tyme of his publishyng hym selfe openly protested that he knew cause of exceptioun why that mariage was nat lawful But in sic a multitude assemblit how few wer thay that knew it nat sith all could well remember that Bothwell had then alyue twa wiues alredy not yet diuorcit and the thyrd nouther lawfully marijt nor orderly diuorcit But that was nat it that was intendit to obserue the ceremonies of lawful order but as thay vse to do in enterludes thay prouidit a certain shew or disguisit counterfayting of commoun vsage For he that hath oft broken all humane lawes and hath cast away all conscience and religion could easily neglect the course of Gods law Now I suppose I haue brefely declarit in respect of the greatnesse of the mater and yet perhaps in mair wordes then nedit the playnnesse of the proues considerit of quhat purpose by quhat counsell and vpon quhat hope that hainous murder was attēptit with what cruelty it was executit by quhat tokens aduertisements testimonies and letters of the Quene hir selfe the whole mater is prouit and sa plainly prouit that it may be as openly seene as if it lay befoir your eyes yet will I shew fourth the testimonie of the hale pepill quhilk I thinke worthy nat to be neglectit For seuerall men do commounly deceiue ar deceiuit by vther but na mā deceueth all men nor is deceiuit by all This testimonie of the pepill is this Quhen at the Quenis going abrode amang the pepill the greatest pairt of the commōs were wont to make acclamations wishing hir well and happily with sic speches as either luif enforceth or flatterie inuenteth now at hir going after the kingis slaughter to the castell through y e chiefe and maist populous strete of the towne there was all the way a sad glūming silence And quhen ane woman alone of the multitude had cryit God saue the Quene an vther by and by sa cryit out as all men might heare hir Sa be it to euery
nat aunswere I besech you that an opinioun of vther persoun be nat hurtfull in your minde to my constancie Mistrust me but quhen I will put you out of doubt and clere my selfe Refuse it nat my dere life suffer me to make you some profe by my obedience my faithfulnes constancie voluntarie subiectioun quhilk I take for the pleasantest gude that I might receaue if you will accept it and make no ceremony at it for you could do me na greater outrage nor giue mair mortall greefe ¶ An other letter sent from Stereline to Bothwell concernyng the practise for hir rauishment MOnsieur helas pourquoy est vostre fiance mise en persōne si indigne pour soupçonner ce qui est entierement vostre I'enrage vous m'auiez promis c. ALas my Lord. Why is your trust put in a persō so vnworthy to mistrust that which is wholly yours I am woodde You had promisit me that you would resolue all and that you would send me word euery day quhat I should doe you haue done nothing thairof I aduertisit you well to take heede of your false brother in law he came to me and without shewing me any thing frō you told me that you had willit him to write to you that that I should say quhaire and quhan you should cum to me and that that you should do touchand hym and thereuppon hath preachit vnto me that it was a foolishe enterprise that with mine honour I could neuer marry you seing that being maryed you did carry me away that his folkes would not suffer it and that the Lordis would vnsay themselfis and would deny that thay had sayd To be short he is all contrary I tolde hym that seing I was cum so farre if you did not withdraw your selfe of your selfe that no perswasioun nor deith it selfe should make me fayle of my promise As touching the place you are to negligent pardon me to remit your selfe thereof vnto me Chuse it your selfe and send me worde of it And in the meane tyme I am sicke I wil differre as touching the matter it is to late It was not long of me that you haue not thought therupō in time And if you had not mair chaungit your mynde since myne absence than I haue you should not be now to aske such resoluing Well there wanteth nothing of my part and seing that your necligence doth put vs baith in the daunger of a false brother if it succeede not well I wyll neuer rise agayne I send this bearer vnto you for I dare not trust your brother with these letters nor with the diligence He shall tell you in quhat stait I am and iudge you quhat amendment these new ceremonies haue broght vnto me I would I wer deid for I see all goeth ill You promisit vther manner of matter of your forseyng but absence hath power ouer you quho haue twa stringis to your bow An other wife Dispatch the aunswere that I fayle not and put no trust in your brother for this enterprise for he hath tolde it and is also all against it God geue you gude nicht ¶ An vther letter to Bothwell for the practise and deuise to excuse the rauishyng DV lieu de l'heure ie m'en rap porte à vostre frere à vous ie le suiuray ne fauldray en rien de ma part Il trouue beauc oup de difficultez c. OF the place and the time I remitte my selfe to your brother and to you I will folow him and will fayle in nathing of my pairt He findeth many difficulties I thinke he doth aduertise you thereof and quhat he desireth for the handling of him selfe As for the handling of my selfe I heard it once well deuisit Me thinketh that your seruices and the long amitie hauing the gude wyll of the Lordes do well deserue a pardon if aboue the duetie of a Subiect you aduaunce your self not to constrain me but to assure your selfe of such place nigh vnto me that vther admonitions or forraine persuasions may not let me from consenting to that that you hope your seruice shall make you one day to attayne and to be schort to make your selfe sure of the Lordes and free to marry and that you are constraynit for your surety and to be abill to serue me faithfully to vse an humble request ioynit to an importune action And to be short excuse your selfe and perswade them the most you cā that you are constraynit to make poursute aganis your enemies You shall say enough if the matter or ground do like you and many fayre wordes to Ledinton If you like not the deede send me worde and leaue not the blame of all vnto me ¶ An vther letter to Bothwell of the practise for hir rauishement and to aduise hym to be strang to do it MOnsieur depuis ma lettre escrit vostre beau frere qui fust ▪ est venu à moy fort triste m'a demandè mon conseil de ce qu'il feroit apres demain c. MY Lord since my letter written your brother in law that was cam to me very sad and hath askeit me my counsaile quhat he should do after to morrow because there be many folkis here and among vtheris the Erle of Southerland quho wald rather dye considering the gude they haif sa lately receiuit of me than suffer me to be caryit away they conducting me and that he fearit there should sum trouble happen of it of the vther side that it should be sayd that he wer vnthankfull to haif betrayit me I told him that he shold haif resoluid with you vpon all that that he should auoyde if he could those that wer most mistrustit He hath resolued to write thereof to you by my opinioun for he hath abasshit me to see him sa vnresoluit at the neid I assure my selfe he will play the pairt of an honest man But I haue thought good to aduertise you of the feare he hath that he should be chargeit and accusit of treson to the ende that without mistrusting him you may be the more circumspect and that you may haif the more power For we had yisterday more then iij. C. horse of his and of Leniston For the honour of God be accumpanyit rather wyth more then lesse for that is the principal of my caire I goe to write my dispatch and pray God to send vs a happy enteruiew schortly I write in hast to the ende you may be aduisit in time ¶ Of the Billes of proclamatioun and combat set vp by Bothwell and the aunsweres IMmediatly after the death of the kyng quho was murtherit and hys house blowen vp with gonnepoulder the ix day of February in the night 1567. Proclamatioun was made that quhosoeuer could bewray the murtherers of the king should haue two thousand pound Unto the quhilk proclamatioun reply was made and set vp priuely vpoun the tolbuith doore of Edenburgh
the 16. of February in this maner Bycause proclamatioun is made that quhosoeuer will reueale the murther of the kyng shall haue two thousand pound I quho haue made inquisitioun by them that were the doers therof affirme that the committers of it were the Erle Bothwell If this be not true spere at Gilbert Bawfoord M. Iames Balfoure the Persoun of Flisk M. Dauy Chambers Blacke M. Iohn Spence quho quhas principall deuiser of the murther and the quene assentyng thairto through the persuasioun of the Erle Bothwell and the witchcraft of the Lady Bucklowgh Upon this new proclamation was made the same day desiryng the setter vp of the sayd Bill to come and auowe and subscribe the same and he should haue the summe promisit in the first proclamatioun and further accordyng to his abilitie and sight of the quene and hir counsell The aunswere thereunto was set vp in the place aforesayd the morrow after being the xix of the same month FOrasmekle as proclamatioun hath bene made since the settyng vp of my first letter desiryng me to subscribe and auow the same For aunswer I desire the mony to be consignit into an éeuenly mans hand and I shall compéere on Sonday nexte with iiij some with me and subscribe my first letter and abide therat And further I desire that Senior Frauncis Bastian and Ioseph the quenes goldsmith be stayit and I shall declaire quhat euery man did in particuler with their complices To quhilk bill none aunswer was made The xiiij day of Aprill the Erle Bothwell commyng to the Sessions at Edenburgh with antesigne displaide the stréetes full of armed men of hys factioun was arreynit for the murther of the kyng and acquit of the same by a pariurde iury quhairupon he set vp a challenge to fight hand to hand with any man beyng no person diffamed that wald auow the matter Hereunto aunswere was made by an vther Bill set vy in the same place anone after That for asmickle as the sayd Erle Bothwell had set vp a writyng subscribed with his awne hand quhairby he dyd chalenge any man nat diffamed that would or durst say he was giltie of the kyings death and therwithal did giue the ly in his throte to him that wald auouch the quarell a gentleman a man of gude fame did by those presentes accept the offer and offers and wald proue by the law of armes that he was the chefe author of that foule and horrible murther albeit an inquest for feare of death had slyghtly quyte hym And bycause the kyng of Fraunce and the quene of England had by thair Ambassadours desired that tryall and punishement might be had for the same he maist hartily thairfoir craued of thair Maiesties that thay wald desire of the quene hys souereine that by hir consent thay might appoynt the day and place within their dominions for the triall therof accordyng to the law of armes in thair presences or in thair deputies Quhilk day place he promised by the faith of a gentlemā to appeare at and to do his deuoyre prouided alwayes that thair Maiesties by open proclamatioun shall giue assurance too hym and to hys companie too passe and repasse through thair countryes without hurt or impediment Quhat iust cause he had too desire the kyng of Fraunce and the quene of England too be iudges in the case he remitted too the iugement of the readers and the hearers warnyng by those presentes the rest of the murtherers to prepare them selues for thay should haue the lyke offer made vnto them and thair names giuen in wrytyng that thay might be knawin too all men ¶ The confessioun of Iohn Habroun Young Talla Dagleish and Pourie vpon quhom was Iustice execute the 3. of Ianuarie the yeare of God 1567 IOhn of Bowton confessit that nyne was at the deid doing my L. Bothwell the Lord of Ormistoun Hob Ormistoun himself Talla Dagleish Uilson Pourie and Frentch Paris and that he saw na moe nor knew of na vther companies Item he knowis nat vther but that that he was blowin in the ayre for he was handillit with na mens handes as he saw and if he was it was with vthers and not with tham Item as touching Sir Iames Balfour he saw not his subscriptioun but I warrand you he was the principall tounsallar and deuiser Item he sayd I confesse it is the veray prouidence of God that hes brought me to his iudgement for I am led to it as an horse to the stall for I had schippis prouidit to flie but coulde not escape Item he sayd let no man do euill for counsell of great men or thair maysters thinking thay shall saue tham for surely I thought that night that the deid was done that although knowledge should bene gotten na man durst haue sayde it was euill done seing the hand writtis and acknowledging the Quenis minde thairto Item speaking of the Quene in the Tolbuith he sayd God make all weill but the langer deirt is hydden it is the stronger Quho liues our daithes will thought na newis Item hinmest he confessit he was ane of the principall doers of the daith and thairfoir is iustly worthy of daith but he was assurit of the mercy of God quho callit him to repentance ITem Talla confessit vt supra agreing in all pointes as concerning the parsons number and blowing in the ayre Item he affirmit that in Setoun my Lord Bothwell callit on him and sayd quhat thought you quhen thou saw him blowen in the ayre Quho aunswerit alas my Lord quhy speake ye that for quhē euer I heare sic a thing the words wound me to death as thay ought to do you Item that same tyme he saw Syr Iames Balfour put in his owne name and his brothers vnto my Lord Bothwelles remissioun Item he knew of the deid doing three or foure dayes or it was done or therby Item he sayd after that I came to the court I left the reading of Gods worde and imbrasit vanitie and thairfoir hes God iustly brought this on me Quhairfoir let all men flee euill cumpany and to trust not in mē for redy are we to imbrace euil as redy as hardes to receaue fyre And further in the Tolbuith he requirit Iohn Brande minister of the congregation to passe to my Lord Lind say say my Lord hartily I forgeue your L. and al 's my Lord Regent and all vthers but specially tham that betrayit me to you for I know if ye could haue sauit me ye would desiring you as ye will aunswere before God in the latter day to do your diligence to bring the rest qhuo was the beginners of this worke to iustice as ye haue done to me for ye know it was not begunne in my head but yit prayses God that his iustice hes begunne at me by the quhilk he hes callit me to repentaunce ITem Daglishe sayd as God shall be my iudge I knew nothing of the kinges daith befoir it was done for my Lord Bothwell gangand to his bedde after the taking of of his hose quhilke was stockit with veluet Frenth Paris cum and roundit with him thairefter he taryed on me for vther hose and claithis his riding cloke and sworde quhilke I gaue him herefter cum vp the gait to the Lord of Ormistouns lodging taryit for him and therefter that he passit to ane wynd beside the blacke Fryers and cum to the slope of the dike quhaire he gart me stand still and as God shal be my iudge I knew nathing quhill I heard the blast of powder and after this he cum hame lay downe in his beid quhill M. George Hakit cum and knockit at the doore and if I dye for this the quhilke God iudge me gif I knew maire quhat shal be done to tham quho was the deuisers counsallars subscriuers and fortifiers of it Now iudge Englischmen if it be gud to change Quenis O vnityng confounding Quhen rude Scotlād hes vomited vp ane poisoun must fine England lick it vp for a restoratiue O vile indignitie Quhile your Quenis enemy liueth hir dangir cōtinueth Desperate necessitie wyll dare the vttermost O cruell mercie O ambitioun fed with prosperitie strēgthned with indulgence irritated with aduersitie not to be neglected trusted nor pardouned