Royall Maiesty could exempt her from answering in this kingdome and mildly he admonished her to heare the obiections made against her if not they threatned they both might and would proceed against her by the authority of the law She answered That she was not a subiect and had rather die a thousand times than acknowledge her selfe a subiect since that by acknowledging it she should doe preiudice and wrong vnto the highnesse of the Maiestie of Kings and withall should confesse her selfe to be bound vnto all the lawes of England euen in matters of Religion Neuerthelesse she was ready to answer vnto all things in a full and free Parlament since that she is ignorant if onely for a fashion and a shew this assembly was appointed against her already condemned with their fore-iudgements therefore she closely admonisheth them to looke vnto their consciences and to remember that the Theater of the whole world was farre more spacious than the kingdome of England Lastly she began to complaine of the iniuries done vnto her and the Treasurer to rehearse the benefits of Queene ELIZABETH bestowed vpon her viz. that shee had punished many who did impugne the right she challenged vnto England and had hindered that she was not condemned by the Estates of the Realme for the pursuing the mariage with the Duke of Norfolke the rebellion in the North and other things which things when she seemed to make slight of they went away After a few houres by Powlet and the Solicitor they shewed the heads of the letters Paâ—ents and the names of the Commissioners that shee might see that they were to deale formally and in good fashion vprightly and not according to the quiâ—kes of law and extraordinarily She made no exception against the Commissioners but a bitter one against the new or late Act vpon which al the authority of the Commissioners depended that is to wit that it was vniustly deuised purposely against her that there was no example of the like proceeding and that shee would neuer submit her selfe to triall vpon that Act. She asked by what law they would proceed against her If by the Ciuill or Canoâ— lawes she said the expounders were to be sent for to Pauy or Poytiers and other outlandish Vniuersities since that fit men were not to be found in England Moreouer she added that it was euident by plaine words in the letters that she was accounted guiltie of the fault although she was not heard and therefore shee had no reason to appeare before them and she required to be satisfied of many scruples in these letters which she had noted confusedly and in haste by her selfe alone but shee would not deliuer them in writing for that it did not beseeme a King or Prince to play the scribe About this matter those Commissioners selected came to her againe vnto whom she signified that shee did not vnderstand the meaning of these words Since she is in the protection of the Queene The Chancellor answered This to be apparant enough to any one of vnderstanding but yet it is not the duty of Subiects to expound what the Queene meant neither were they made Commissioners for that cause Then she requested that the protestation which she had made in former times to bee shewed and to be allowed It was answered that it was neuer allowed neither that it was to be allowed now for that it was a wrong to the Crowne of England Shee asked by what authoritie they would proceed It was answered by the authority of the letters Patents and the law of England But you said shee make lawes as you list vnto which it is no reason why I should submit my selfe since that the Englishmen in former times refused to submit themselues vnto the Salicke law of the Frenchmen But if they proceeded by the law of England they should bring a president for their doings since that that law for the most part consisted vpon examples and customes But if by the Canon Law then no other men ought to expound the same but the makers of them It was answered that they would proceed neither by the Ciuill nor Canon lawes but by the lawes of England But yet that by the Ciuill and Canon lawes it might be shewed that shee ought to appeare before them if she did not refuse to heare this neither did she refuse to heare but as in way of communication but not by way of Iustice or triall Hereupon she fell into other speeches viz. that she neuer compassed or deuised any thing to hurt or kill the Queene that she had beene offended at the wrongs and indignities done to her that she should bee a stumbling blocke if she were discourteously vsed That she did by Nauus offer her labour and best meanes for the reuocation of the Popes Bull That she would haue defended her innocency by letters neither was this permitted And to conclude that all her offices of good will for this twenty yeeres haue beene reiected with such like small digressions her going on further they called backe and bade her to say in plaine termes whether shee would answer before the Commissioners Shee replied That this their authority was giuen to them by the new act made to ensnare her That she could not endure the Lawes of the Queene which she vpon good reason suspected That shee hauing beene hitherto of good courage would not now wrong her ancestors the Kings of Scotland by acknowledging that shee is a subiect of the Crowne of England for this is no other thing than openly to confesse them thereby to haue beene rebels and traitors Yet that she refused not to answer so she be not reduced vnto the ranke of a subiect and that she had rather die a thousand times than to answer as a Criminall offender Vnto these speeches Hatton the Vice-Chamberlaine of the Queene said You are accused but not condemned to haue conspired to kill our Lady and anointed Queene You say you are a Queene Be it so But the Royall estate of a Queene doth not exempt you from answering vnto such a crime as this is neither by the Ciuill nor Canon law nor by the law of Nations nor by the law of Nature For all Iustice would be of no force yea be vtterly ouerthrowne if faults of such nature should be committed without punishment If you bee innocent you doe wrong to your credit by flying from triall You protest your selfe to be innocent but Queene ELIZABETH is of another minde and not without cause but truly to her great griefe Therefore to examine your innocency shee hath sent with authoritie most honourable most wise and most vpright men who with equity and with fauour are to heare you and they will reioyce from their heart if you cleare your selfe of this crime Beleeue me the Queene her selfe will be very glad who said to mee at my departure that there could not a thing haue happened more grieuous vnto her than that you are charged with this fault Wherefore laying
in Paris One cannot declare with what applause of all the people with what congratulation of all the neighbour Princes with what Magnificence this mariage was solemnized By this her mariage her husband obtained not onely the Title of King of Scotland in the right of his wife but also another more rich and great which was of the most contented Prince the earth then beheld for that hee was ioyned in mariage with a Princesse who besides many other great vertues composed her selfe wholly to please and to giue content vnto her husband and therein vsed not the ordinary care of a Princesse but more trauell and sollicitude than doe the women of meane condition and qualitie maried vnto great Princes as also appeared after his death which befell not long after by her immeasurable mourning not being able to finde any consolation for her sorrow in that place where shee had lost that which shee had loued better than her selfe so much that the amitie of her kinsfolks and allies could not retaine her nor the sorrow and regret of all France could not call her backe nor the sweetnesse of that Court which inuited her could not stay her but that shee would depart from thence After this on the seuenteenth day of Nouember the same yeere deceased Mary of England at which time the Parlament was holden at Westminster being certified of her death with a vniuersall consent in regard of her most certaine right vnto the Crowne of England of the which none could doubt both the Prelates and Nobles with the Commons agreed to haue the Lady ELIZABETH proclaimed Queene which was done with the generall applause and consent of them and all the people Queene ELIZABETH being established and hauing taken order for things at home and domesticall affaires applied her minde next to settle her affaires abroad For which end it was thought fit to send Embassadors vnto Princes to signifie vnto them the death of Queene MARY and her succession vnto the kingdome Vnto Ferdinand the Emperor was sent Thomas Challenor with letterâ— wherein the Queene vnder her owne hand certified him that her sister Queene MARY was dead and that she by the goodnesse of God was succeeded as her rightfull heire and with the generall consent of her subiects in the gouernment of the Realme and that she desired nothing more than that the ancient League and amitie betweene the families of England and Austria might not only be conserued but also increased Vnto the King of Spaine being in his Low counâ—ries was sent the Lord Cobham with instructions to the same purpose King Philip vnderstanding the decease of Queene MARIE his wife fearing lest England Scotland and Ireland should be adioyned vnto France by mâ—anes of the Queene of Scotland her Title dâ—lt seriously with Queene ELIZABETH by the Conde of Feria whom he had sent before to visit his sicke wife and the then Lady ELIZABETH also about his mariage with her promising to procure a dispensation for the same This motion troubled her much for to reiect the most mightie King of Europe hauing deserued well of her and suing to her for mariage vpon his owne motion This thing no lesse disquieted the French King who was also fearefull that England and Spaine should bee conioyned againe iâ— one by mariage therefore â—ee did all that was possible to be done at Rome by the Bishop of Angulesme that no such dispensation should be granted but yet very secretly lest he should prouoke the Englishmen against him but she put him off with a modest and shamefast answer And when hee saw that he could not obtaine his suit for himselfe and had also giuen it quite ouer being agreed with the French King to marry his daughter yet that the kingdome of England might be retained in his family still he moued the Emperour Ferdinand to commend one of his sonnes to be a suiter vnto Queene ELIZABETH which motion he willingly entertained and for that purpose sent vnto her very louing letters and by Gaspar Preynerus free Baron in Stibing diligently followed and prosecuted the same the King of Spaine himselfe also to bring it the sooner to passe and to further it most courteously offering and promising vnto Queene ELIZABETH his singular loue kindnesse and affection THE LIFE DEATH AND VARIABLE fortunes of the most gracious Queene MARIE STEVVARD Queene of Scotland Anno 1559. THe French King Henrie the second for the benefit of his sonne the Dolphin King and MARIE Queene of Scots casting his eies vpon England did not withdraw his French Souldiers out of Scotland as hee had promised but sent secretly more daily into Scotland and dealt vehemently with the Pope to pronounce Queene Elizabeth an Heretike and illegitimate which the Emperor and the King of Spaine most diligently but couertly sought to hinder yet had the Guises drawne the French King into such a sweet hope of adioyning England vnto the Crowne of France by the title of their Niece the Queene of Scots that hee openly claimed the same in the right of his sonne and daughter in law And commanded them when hee could not obtaine his purpose at Rome to vse this title in all their Letters patents FRANCIS and MARIE by the grace of God of Scotland England and Ireland King and Queene and caused the armes of England together with the armes of Scotland to be painted in the walls buildings and in the houshold stuffe and also to be put into the Heralds coats The English Ambassador in vaine complained that herein great wrong was done vnto Queene Elizabeth with whom he had made lately a league and had not done this to Queene MARIE of England who had proclaimed warre against him But Henries sudden death which happened shortly after made an end of his attempts But Francis the second who succeeded him and MARIE Queene of Scots his wife by the counsell of the Guises who were then of great authoritie in France bore themselues openly as Kings of England and Ireland neither did they abstaine from claiming the armes but set them out more and more And vnto Nicholas Throgmorton the Lieger Embassador a man both wise and stout it was first answered That it was lawfull for the Queene of Scots to beare them with some little difference to shew the nearenesse of her bloud vnto the royall line of England Hee stifly denied it saying that by the Law of Armes none who was not begot of the certaine Heire might beare the armes of any familie Afterward they said they bore the armes for no other cause than to cause the Queene of England to abstaine from bearing the armes of France Yet at length he obtained at the intercession of Mont Morancy who loued not the Guises that they left off the armes of England and Ireland altogether But yet from this title and vsurpation of armes which Henrie made the young Queene of Scots to take on her moued thereto by the Guises proceeded all the euils which came so thicke vpon her afterward as from
her whom she had in her secret purpose appointed husband for the Queene of Scotland that he might be more worthy of that match Baron of Denbigh giuing vnto him Denbigh with the demeasnes and the next day Earle of Leycester to him and his heires males lawfully begotten For whose sake also shee had before created his elder brother Ambrose Baron Lisle and Earle of Warwicke and to his heires males lawfully begotten and to Robert his brother and to his heires males of his body lawfully begotten Dudly aduanced to these honours to purchase fauour and grace with the Queene of Scotland vnto whom hee made suit in mariage studied with all kinde of offices to deserue well of her and forthwith accused Bacon keeper of the great Seale vnto the Queene that hee had dealt in the matter of succession against the Queene of Scotland and that hee was priuie and accessary vnto a Pamphlet made by one Hales who endeuoured to proue the right of the Crowne of England to belong vnto the familie of Suffolke if the Queene died without Heire for the which he had beene put in Prison but Bacon though hee denied the same was with much adoe and after a long time restored vnto the Queenes fauour by Cecill who kept his owne iudgement in this point secret to himselfe and alwaies determined so to doe vnlesse the Queene as he would say commanded him to speake his mind for she could not endure of all things to haue the right of succession called into question and dispute but the wiser and the richer men were troubled with nothing more whilest in the controuersie of Religion the hot Protestants thought the Q. of Scotland was to be put by and reiected because she was of another Religion though her right was vndoubted out of some querks and words of their Law bookes Some of the Romanists and most that regarded equitie and iustice thought she was to be receiued as the true and certaine Heire by the Law And many preferred Margaret Aunt to the Queene of Scotland the wife of Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox and her children as those of whom they hoped the best as borne in England These things were not vnknowne vnto the Q. of Scotland who to preuent it as much as she could by the aduice of the Countesse of Lennox her Aunt sent for Matthew Earle of Lennox to come into Scotland vnder pretence to restore him into his ancient Patrimonie but indeed to aske him counsell in these affaires who by his wiues meanes obtained leaue and also letters of commendations from Queene Elizabeth after hee had beene banished from his natiue Countrie now full twentie yeeres Hee for I will for more perspicuitie and light to the matter rehearse the same somewhat higher was borne of the same stocke of the Stewarts as the royall familie of the Scots was For Marie daughter vnto Iames the second King of Scotland bore vnto Iames Hamilton Iames the first of this stocke Earle of Arran and Marie his daughter wife vnto Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox the first of this Christian name Iames Earle of Arran his first wife being diuorced and yet liuing married Ienet Beton Aunt to Cardinall Beton by whom he had Iames D. of Chasteauleroy whom his aduersaries hereupon accounted a Bastard Marie sister to the Earle of Arran bore vnto Matthew Iohn Earle of Lennox who being slaine by the Hamiltons at such time as he would haue restored Iames the fourth to his libertie left this second Matthew Stewart of whom we speake Earle of Lennox most deare to Iames the fift in regard of his father But Matthew the King being dead and the Hamiltons hauing all the gouernment in their power departed secretly into France from whence hee was sent by Henry the second the French King to see that the common wealth of Scotland tooke no harme by Hamilton the Regent and herein he behaued himselfe worthily but being a plaine and honest minded man and entangled by the craft and policie of Cardinall Beton and Hamilton he fell out of the fauour of the French King in a short time And when hee could neither tarrie at home nor returne into France he came into England and submitted himselfe to King Henry the eighth who accepted him as a man well beloued in the West borders and acknowledged him as next heire to the Crowne of Scotland after MARIE then an infant though the Hamiltons confiscated all his possessions as of a Traitor condemned and married him vnto the Ladie Margaret Douglas his Niece by his eldest sister giuing him lands in England worth yeerely of the old rent 1700. Markes he promising for his part to deliuer into the hands of the King of England the Castles of Dunbritton the I le of Butha and the Castle of Rothsay which peeces being couragiously and valiantly attempted could not yet be gotten This man the Queene of Scotland a woman prudent and circumspect and who applied all her studies vpon the hopes of England sent for to come into Scotland as I haue said pardoned his banishment restored him vnto his ancient possessions as well that shee might oppose him against the attempts of Iames the Bastard as also to put other folkes out of hope of the succession of England by his sonne Henry Darly For if that young man borne of the royall bloud in England and well beloued of the English Nation should marrie with some of the great families of England shee secretly to her selfe feared that he bolstered vp with the power of England might bee a blocke in her way in the right of her succession in England since hee was accounted in most mens opinion the second heire of the Crowne of England after her and there was nothing shee more wished than that the Realmes of England and Scotland might deuolue by her meanes vnto some of the Scottish race and by him might bee propagated vnto posteritie in the ancient surname of the Stewarts This came to the knowledge of Queene Elizabeth and to preuent her purpose shee declared vnto her by Randolph that that mariage was so vniuersally disallowed by the English men that she adiourned the Parliament against the will of her Councell vntill another time lest the Estates moued vnto wrath for this cause should make some act against her right in succession which lest it should afterward come to passe she willed her not to doe so but to giue satisfaction vnto the English men by thinking vpon some other match And now againe she commended Leicester whom she had aduanced vnto the degree of an Earle and especicially for that cause with more earnestnesse to bee her husband Vpon this occasion at Barwicke in the moneth of Nouember there talked together about the mariage with Leicester the Earle of Bedford and Randolph and for her were Murrey and Lidington Commissioners The English men promised firme amitie perpetuall peace and certaine hope of the succession if shee would marrie with Leicester for vpon this condition Queene Elizabeth had promised to
subiects according to the times expressed in their licence The father excused himselfe most modestly in his letters the sonne desired that she would not be against his preferment insinuated that it may be that he may be profitable to his deare Countrie of England and openly professed himselfe a louer and honourer of the Queene of Scotland aboue all others who to giue correspondencie to his loue first made him Knight and afterward Lord Aâ—â—â—â—och Earle of Rosse and Duke of Rothsay and the fift moneth after his comming into Scotland tooke him to her husband with the consent of the most of the Noble men and proclaimed him King Murrey who applied all his wit to his owne priuate ambition and vnder the goodly pretence of Religion had drawne in the Duke of Chasteauleroy an honest minded man vnto his side fretting and others raising tumults and arguing these questions Whether a Papist was to be receiued to be their King Whether the Queene of Scotland might choose her selfe a husband at her owne election Whether the Noblemen of the Land might not by their authoritie appoint her a husband The Queene of England who knew the milde nature of Darly and the plaine and honest minde of the father taking compassion of the young man her Cousin and of the Queene a young woman also who had to deale with most turbulent persons who being aboue this twentie yeeres loosed from the gouernment of Kings could not now endure any Kings tooke it more quietly Neither had she any feare of them when she saw the power of the Queene her aduersarie not increased by that meane match and had the mother of Darly in her hand and foresaw that troubles would arise hereupon in Scotland which began incontinently for many Noblemen of Scotland as Hamilton and Murrey chafing fretting at the mariage this man for that the mariage was made without the consent of the Queene of England the other vpon a spight or priuie malice against the familie of Lennox but both of them vnder the pretext of the conseruation of Religion displaied their banners in manner of warre to disturbe the mariage so that the Queene was of necessitie enforced to leuie forces that the mariâ—â—â— might be celebrated with securitie and then she did so fiercely pursue the rebels by the helpe of the King her husband that she made them flie into England before the bands of English men promised to them could come but the Queene of England did couertly grant a lurking place vnto Murrey who was wholly addicted vnto the English and secretly maintained him with money by Bedford vntill hee returned into Scotland which was the day after the murder of Dauid Rizius The causes which Queene Elizabeth alleadged why shee admitted Murrey and the Scottish rebels into England were for that the Queene of Scotland had receiued Yaxley Standen and Welsh English fugitiues into Scotland and receiued O-Neale a great man of Ireland into her protection had intelligence with the Pope against England and had not done iustice on the theeues on the borders and on Pirates Queene Elizabeth not forgetfull of the Scottish affaires a moneth or two after the mariage sent Tamworth a Gentleman of her priuie Chamber vnto the Queene of Scotland to warne her not to violate the peace and to expostulate with her for her hastie marriage with the natiue subiect of England without her consent and withall to request that Lennox and Darly might be sent backe into England according to the league and that Murrey might be receiued againe into fauour Shee smelling his arrand admitted him not to her presence but in articles deliuered in writing promised in the word of a Prince that neither shee nor her husband would attempt any thing to wrong the Queene of England or her children lawfully begotten or the quiet of the Realme either by receiuing fugitiues or by making league with strangers or by any other meanes yea most willingly that they would make such league with the Queene and Realme of England which might be profitable and honourable for both the Realmes neither that they would innouate any thing in the Religion Lawes and liberties of England if at any time they should possesse the Kingdome of England yet vpon this condition that Queene Elizabeth would fully performe this thing on her part toward her and her husband viz. by Parlament establish the succession of the Crowne of England in her person and her lawfull issue and if that failed in Margaret Countesse of Lennox her husbands mother and her children lawfully begotten As for the other things shee answered That shee had acquainted the Queene with her mariage with Darly as soone as she was fully determined to marie him and had receiued no answer from her That she had satisfied the Queenes demands forasmuch as she had not married a stranger but an English man borne who was the noblest in birth and most worthiest of her in all Britaine that she knew But it seemed strange that she might not keepe with her Darly whom shee had maried or not keepe Lennox in Scotland who was a natiue Earle of Scotland As for Murrey whom she had tried to bee her mortall enemie shee in faire words besought her to leaue her subiects vnto her owne discretion since that she did not intermeddle in the causes of the subiects of England With this answer Tamworth returned not respected as he thought according to his estate and place for to say the truth the malapert fellow had touched the reputation and credit of the Queene of Scotland with I know not what slander and had not vouchsafed to giue her husband the title of King Anno 1566. IN Iune the Queene of Scotland in a happie houre and to the perpetuall felicitie of Britaine was deliuered of her sonne Iames who is now the Monarch of Britaine which shee signified forthwith vnto Queene Elizabeth by Iames Meluin Who although she was grieued at the heart that the honour to bee a mother was borne away before her by her aduersarie yet she sent Henry Killigrew incontinently to congratulate with her for her safe deliuerance and the birth of a sonne And to will her not to fauour any more Shane O-Neale then rebelling in Ireland nor to entertaine Christopher Rokesby fled out of England and to punish certaine theeues vpon the borders Shortly after the estates of the Realme in the Parlament holden at London moued the Queene earnestly to marry and to set downe and nominate her successor but she by no meanes could be drawne to it Yet that it might appeare to the world whom shee thought most rightfull successor shee cast into prison Thornton the Reader â—f the Law at Lincolnes Inne in London at that time of whom the Queene of Scotland had complained that he in his reading had called into question and made a doubt of the right of her succession The time being come for the baptizing of the Prince of Scotland the Queene of England being requested to be Godmother
thrust her into prison at Lochleuyn vnder the custodie of the mother of Murrey who had beene the Concubine of Iames the fift who most malapertly insulted ouer the calamitie of the imprisoned Queene boasting that shee her selfe was the lawfull wife of Iames the fift and that her sonne Murrey was his lawfull issue As soone as Queene Elizabeth vnderstood these things in her minde detesting this barbarous insolencie of Subiects whom she called oftentimes Traitors Rebels vnthankfull and cruell fellowes against a Princesse her sister and neighbour She sent Nicholas Throgmorton into Scotland to expostulate with the conspirators for this insolencie vsed against their Queene and to take some course how to restore her into her former libertie and for the seuere punishment of the murderers of the King and that the young King might be sent into England that order might bee taken for his securitie and not sent into France And what I shall hereafter declare during his abode in Scotland take yee vpon the credit of his letters which is approued He found the most part in Scotland incensed against the Queene who in plaine termes denied accesse vnto her both to him and also to Villeroy and Crocus the French Embassadors Yet could not the Conspirators agree among themselues what to doe with her Lidington and a few others would haue her to be restored vpon these conditions That the murderers of the King should bee punished according to Law The Princes safetie prouided for Bothwell diuorced and Religion established Others would haue her to bee banished for euer into France or into England So as the King of France or Queene of England did giue their words that she should resigne the Kingdome and transferre all her authoritie vnto her sonne and certaine Noble men Others were of opinion that shee should be arraigned publikely and condemned vnto perpetuall prison and her sonne crowned King Lastly others would haue her depriued both of her life and Kingdome by a publike execution And this Knox and some Ministers of the Word thundered out of their Pulpits On the other side Throgmorton out of the holy Scriptures brought many places to proue that obedience was to bee yeelded vnto the higher powers that carry the sword And wittily argued that the Queene was not subiect to the iudgement of any but onely of the celestiall Iudge That she could not be arraigned or brought to triall before any Iudge on the earth And that there is no Magistrate had any authoritie in Scotland which is not deriued from the authoritie of the Queene and reuocable at her pleasure They opposed the peculiar Law of the Kingdome among both the parties before the Commissioners at Yorke On the fifth day after the resignation Iames the Queenes young son was anointed and crowned King Iohn Knox making the Sermon The Hamiltons putting in a protestation that it should be no preiudice vnto the Duke of Chasteauleroy in the right of succession against the familie of Lennox But Queene ELIZABETH forbade Throgmorton to be present thereat that shee might not bee thought to allow the vniust abdicaâ—ion of the Queene by the presence of her Embassador On the twentieth day after the resignation Murrey himselfe returned out of France and the third day after he with many of the Conspirators came vnto the Queene against whom hee laid many hainous crimes and perswaded her to turne vnto God by true repentance and to aske mercie of him She shewed her selfe sorrowfull for the sinnes of her former life she confessed some things hee obiected others shee extenuated others shee excused by humane frailtie and the most matters shee vtterly denied Shee required him to take vpon him the gouernment of the affaires for her sonne and required him earnestly to spare her life and her reputation He said it lay not in his power but it was to bee sought for of the States of the Realme yet if shee desired to haue her life and honour saued hee prescribed these things for her to keepe That she should not trouble nor disturbe the tranquillitie of the Realme That she should not steale out of prison nor moue the Queene of England or the King of France to vex Scotland with forraigne or ciuill warre That she should not loue Bothwell any more or deuise to take reuenge on the enemies of Bothwell The Regent being proclaimed bound himselfe by his hand and seale to doe nothing concerning peace or warre the person of the King or his mariage or the libertie of the Queene without the consent of the Conspirators Hee willed Throgmorton by Lidington not to intreat any more for the Queene for that hee and the rest had rather endure all things than that she being freed should keepe Bothwell companie bring her sonne into danger her Countrie into trouble and also proscribe them We know said he what you English men can doe by warre You may waste our borders and we may yours we know assuredly that the French men in regard of our ancient league will not abandon and forsake vs. He denied also Ligneroll the French Embassador to haue accesse vnto the Queene vntill Bothwell was taken and euery day hee vsed the distressed Queene worse and worse whereas shee had deserued well at his hands and contrary to his promise hee had made vnto the King of France Thus much out of the Letters of Throgmorton Shortly after Murrey put to death Iohn Hepborne Paris a French man Daglish and the other seruants of Bothwell who had beene present at the Kings death But they which Murrey little expected at the Gallowes protested before God and the Angels that they vnderstood by Bothwell that Murrey and Mourton were the authors of killing the King and cleered the Queene from all suspition as Bothwell himselfe prisoner in Denmarke all his life time and at his death did with many solemne oathes and religious protestations affirme that the Queene was not priuie nor consenting to it And fourteene yeeres after when Mourton was to suffer death hee confessed that Bothwell dealt with him to consent vnto the murder of the King which when he vtterly denied except the Queene did command it vnder her hand To that Bothwell did answer that could not be done but that the deed must bee done without her knowledge This rash precipitate and ouer-hastie abdication or depriuation of the Queene and the ouerthwart stubbornnesse of the Conspirators towards the Embassadors both Queene ELIZABETH and the French King tooke very hainously as a thing tending to the reproach of royall Maiestie and began to fauour the Hamiltons who stood for the Queene Pasquier also Embassador from the French King dealt with the Queene of England that she might be restored by force of armes but shee thought it the better way to forbid the Scots all trafficke in France and England vntill shee was deliuered and so by that meanes the common people might bee disioned from the Noblemen who as it seemed were vnited in the conspiracie against the Queene Anno 1568. IN
body able to discharge the most weightie matters of Estate But this is most certaine that the Earle of Athold Tullibardin and Lidington who were also of their counsell did will her to subscribe vnto the Letters Patents of the resignation that she might auoid death assuredly intended and that this would be no wrong nor barre to the prisoner or her heires forasmuch as prison is a iust feare and a promise made by a prisoner by the opinion of the Lawyers is of no force and vtterly void And that Nicholas Throgmorton did perswade her to the same by a schedule written with his owne hand whom she also requested to signifie vnto the Queene of England that she had subscribed by coaction and against her will Moreouer that Lindsey when he brought the Letters Patents of the Cession to bee subscribed threatned her with death and draue her by force to subscribe vnto it which shee neuer read the teares running downe from her eies And that the Lord of the Castle of Lochleuyn refused to subsigne it as a witnesse because he saw and knew for certaine that shee subscribed against her will Also that resignation and renunciation is most vniust in which nothing is assigned vnto her whereon shee may liue nor libertie granted nor securitie of life promised So that to men of indifferencie such like vniust resignation cannot seeme to preiudice her royall Maiestie which as soone as she was free at libertie openly declared she did it by compulsion making a Declaratorie thereof before many Noblemen of the Realme Neither ought those things which they brag they did by the authoritie of Parlament be any preiudice vnto the Queene for where in the Parlaments of Scotland about an hundred Earles Bishops and Barons haue their voices in this tumultuarie Parlament there were present no more but foure Earles one Bishop onely one or two Abbots and six Barons and of that small number some did put in a protestation that nothing should be done to the wrong of the Queene or her successors because she was a captiue Neither were the Embassadors of England nor France admitted to know of her whether she resigned her Kingdome voluntarily although they made earnest suit sundry times And that it is so vntrue that the vsurping Regent hath iustly administred the Common-wealth it is most apparant that impietie did neuer reigne more and with lesse controlment in throwing downe Churches ruinating worshipfull families and afflicting the miserable commonaltie Therefore they request earnestly that the Queene of England would speedily helpe the Queene her Cousin most vniustly and vilely oppressed with her fauour aduice helpe and assistance Thus much out of the originall copies of the Commissioners written with their owne hands which I haue seene When the English Commissioners had heard these things they required that Murrey should produce and proue more sound causes of this great seueritie vsed against an absolute Queene Forasmuch as whatsoeuer had beene hitherto shewed was not strengthened with witnesse but with letters of small credit and Lidington had insinuated that hee had oftentimes counterfeited the Queenes hand He refused to accuse his sister any further before strangers except the Queene of England did repromise to vndertake the protection of the Infant King and vtterly to relinquish the Queene of Scotland When they by the authoritie of their Commission could not promise it one or two of either part are sent for vnto London vnto whom Queene ELIZABETH declared That shee could not yet cleere the subiects from fault against their Princesse yet that shee would intreat her for them and heare if they had any thing else to say for their excuse Murrey who followed them in plaine termes refused to accuse his sister but vpon the condition he had spoken of at Yorke Then were the Commissioners called backe and put out of Commission the Duke being glad at his heart who had alwaies fauoured the Queene of Scotlands right in the matter of succession and thought that all this doing was nothing but to brand her with the marke of eternall infamie and thereupon to exclude her as an vnworthy person with her little sonne of all her right of succession in England And hee thought hee had thereby escaped two perils for he feared if he had pronounced against her hee should doe against his conscience and vndoe her for euer and if hee spake for her lest hee should incurre the implacable indignation of the Queene and the hate of all them that loued her not for Religions sake But whereas at that time the affaires of Scotland were much troubled by the friends of the expulsed Queene and the presence of Murrey was needfull there he began his accusation before the Queene Bacon Keeper of the great Seale the Duke of Norfolke the Earles of Arundell Sussex and Leicester Clinton Lord Admirall William Cecill and Ralph Sadleir Commissioners appointed by new Letters Patents and produced Articles standing vpon coniectures the testimonies of some men and the decrees made in the Parlament but especially certaine amatorie Epistles and Verses written as he said with the Queenes hand to proue her priuie to the death of her husband and Buchanans booke called the Detection hee gaue them to reade which was of small credit with the greater part of the Commissioners because hee was one of that side and wonne by money to write But as for the Epistles and Verses which wanted names subscriptions and notation of the time since that there bee euery where many forgers which can so cunningly imitate and counterfeit other mens hands that hardly the true can be knowne from the false Queene ELIZABETH gaue small credit though there was womanly priuie hatred which carrieth away that sex farre from the right betweene them and shee was well content that some blot of reproach by this accusation was left and remained on the Queene of Scotland But when her Commissioners heard that shee was contumeliously accused by Murrey they were most ready to answer but shee being secretly instructed by many English Lawyers that it was lawfull so to doe forasmuch as the former authoritie and Commission giuen to the Duke and others was abrogated had already taken away their Commission and shee in plaine termes refused the new English Commissioners of whom one or two shee thought to wish her no good but rather ill except the French and Spanish Embassadors might be added vnto them and she herselfe might be publikely admitted to defend her innocencie before the Queene and Murrey detained and brought to triall whom she affirmed might be proued to bee the contriuer of the murder of DARLY Which things when Norfolke Arundell Sussex Leicester and Clinton thought not to be vniust Queene Elizabeth somewhat angry said openly that the Scottish woman should neuer want an Aduocate as long as Norfolke liued and thought it enough to impart the crimes obiected by Murrey vnto euery one of the priuie Councell and also vnto the Earles of Northumberland Westmerland Shrewsburie Worcester Huntington and
Warwicke called together with an oath of secresie lest they should preiudice either partie And when Murrey was called home and Boyde as it was commonly reported plotted to steale away the Queene of Scotland out of prison the matter was put off vnto another time Queene ELIZABETH from her heart hating the insolencie of the Scots in depriuing of their Queene Murrey a little before his departure had craftily proposed vnto Norfolke the mariage with the Queene of Scotland and also secretly by Meluin to the Queene a hope to be restored into her Kingdome as wee shall declare anon and at the same time to draw the loue of Queene ELIZABETH from the Queene of Scotland he had spread rumors that she had transposed her right vnto England vnto the Duke of Anjeou and that the transcription was confirmed at Rome and shewed also letters whether true or forged I will not say which the Queene of Scotland had written vnto her friends in which shee both charged Queene ELIZABETH as though shee had not vsed her according to her promise and bragged of hope of aid from some other persons This put Queene ELIZABETH in great feare yet could not shee coniecture from whence this new hope should arise the ciuil warre increasing so in France that the Bishop of Rhedon was sent vnto her by the King to request her not to intermeddle with the affaires in France and the Duke of Alba who was come the last yeere into the Netherlands to profligate the Protestants Religion had very troublesome businesse come vpon him But as it came to light afterward Robert Ridolphus a Florentine who had liued long at London as a Merchant Factor was suborned by Pope Pius Quintus who durst not send a Nuntio openly to stirre secretly the Papists in England against Queene ELIZABETH which hee did both diligently and secretly A small suspition was also growne out of the secret conferences at Yorke betweene Lidington the Bishop of Rosse and Norfolke whom they besought to ioine his aduice and care to helpe the most distressed Queene offering vnto him also her in mariage which hee as a thing full of danger reiected with a modest answer yet he promised not to abandon the distressed Queene in as much as was lawfull for an honourable man to doe sauing his allegeance to his Queene and Countrie Ligon the seruant of Norfolke a great Papist much increased the suspition by his often going to Bolton the Lord Scroopes Castle where the Queene of Scotland was kept by Francis Knolls vnder the pretence of visiting Scroopes wife who was sister vnto Norfolke Although no certaintie was of this yet for more surety the Queene of Scotland was conueied from Bolton where all the bordering neighbours were Papists farther into the Realme vnto Tutburie and deliuered vnto the custodie of George Earle of Shrewsburie Anno 1569. NOw Murrey who had made himselfe a secure way to returne into Scotland by the hope made to the Queene of Scotland of her restitution and to Norfolke and to others in England for shee had repressed the Scots that lay in wait to kill him and charged them not to impeach his returne As soone as hee came vnto Edenburgh he called the Noblemen friends to the Queene vnder the colour to consult with them about her restitution And when Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy appointed Lieutenant by the Queene and Herris perswaded by the letters of the Queene too much credulous came thither first Murrey fearing some traps circumuented them and staying for no moe put them in prison and forthwith annoied and vexed the friends of the Queene with fire and sword Hereupon were rumours spread in all places of England against Murrey namely that hee had made a pact with Queene ELIZABETH that the young King of Scotland should bee deliuered vnto Queene ELIZABETH to be brought vp in England That the Castles of Edenburgh and Sterling should bee furnished with Garrisons of English men That Dunbritton should be wonne for the benefit of the English That Murrey should bee proclaimed successor vnto the Realme of Scotland if the King died without issue and should hold the Kingdome of Queene ELIZABETH by fealtie and homage These reports increased and with a certaine probabilitie did so possesse mens mindes thorow all Britanie that Queene ELIZABETH thought good for the conseruation of her owne credit and for the good of Murrey to wipe away these blots Therefore in a writing printed she declared in the word of a Prince that these reports were most vntrue and deuised by them who enuied the tranquillitie of both the Kingdomes and that there had beene no pact either by word or writing betweene her or her Agents and Murrey since hee came last into England that she knew of but that the Earle of Lennox Grandfather of the young King had requested that the King if hee could not bee safe in Scotland from the plots of wicked men might be sent into England Moreouer she affirmed that whatsoeuer is said of the paction betweene Murrey and the Earle of Hertford namely that they would giue mutuall helpe the one to the other to get the Crownes of both the Kingdomes to be vtterly false and vntrue Lastly that she was not the cause why the transaction betweene the Queene of Scotland and her little sonne was not concluded and that shee will labour all that shee may that it may bee effected And indeed she did her best endeuour though shee was tossed on the one side with feare out of the inueterate emulation which doth neuer die betweene women Princesses and on the other side with compassion remembring oftentimes the frailâ—ie of mankinde The Queene of Scotland kindled more this compassion and minished the feare with her often and louing letters in which she solemnely promised both for the courtesie which shee had found at her hands and also for the neere bloud of kindred which was betweene them that shee would attempt nothing against her and that shee would not bee beholding to any other Prince for her restitution but onely vnto her Insomuch that Queene ELIZABETH dealt earnestly with Murrey by Wood his Secretarie and with other Scots about the restoring of her vnto her former dignitie and estate and if that could not bee granted then that shee might bee ioined with her sonne and if that could not be granted neither yet that shee might liue a priuate life at home among her friends freely securely and honourably But shee could not stirre or moue Murrey who had all the gouernment in his hand to yeeld a iot About the same time a still rumor went vp and downe amongst men of the better sort that the Duke of Norfolke would marrie the Queene of Scotland which was a thing well taken of many but in sundry manners according as men wished For the Papists hereby hoped to haue some good for their religion and others hoped some profit would arise thereby vnto the Common-wealth But many men who saw the Queene was not minded to marrie
and that forreigne Princes enemies vnto England did cast their eies vpon the Queene of Scotland as the most certaine Heire of England thought it would bee a better way to establish quietnesse and to containe the Queene of Scotland within bounds that shee were maried to the Duke of Norfolke the greatest and most honourable man of England and a man in the loue of the people and bred vp in the Religion of the Protestants rather than to a forreigne Prince who might bring both the Kingdomes into danger by her meanes and also come so to inherit both the Kingdomes which they heartily wished might be consolidated in a Prince of the English Nation if the King of Scotland should happen to die whom they also purposed to bring into England that hee being the true heire of England being brought vp amongst the English might be better loued of the English men And thus all the scruples about the succession might be taken away Queene ELIZABETH should haue no cause to feare the Duke and the Queene of Scotland when she had the King in her hands Moreouer that the Duke should attempt nothing against him but loue him more dearely They determined to espouse Margaret the Dukes onely and little daughter vnto him to bee maried together when they came to riper yeeres Amongst these were the Earles of Arundell Northumberland Westmerland Sussex Pembrooke and Southampton and very many Barons yea and Leicester himselfe whether in pollicie and to worke the Dukes destruction it is vncertaine yet all these thought it good to acquaint the Queene with the matter and to leaue the decision thereof to her pleasure and that she should prescribe the conditions for the full securitie and safetie of her owne person Religion and the Realme But now take the matter briefly if you please from the very beginning out of the written confession of the Duke which I haue seene and the memorials of the Bishop of Rosse who was the greatest dealer in this businesse When the Commissioners met at Yorke the last yeere Lidington and the Bishop of Rosse to winne his fauour talked with the Duke of a mariage to bee made bebetweene him and the Queene of Scotland and so did Murrey himselfe with the Duke at Hampton Court who in priuate talke with the Duke and also with many others fained that he wished nothing more than that matters in Scotland being set in good order the Queene of Scotland his dearest sister might be restored vnto her former dignitie and estate so that onely she would sincerely and vnfainedly receiue into her former fauour and grace her subiects and that all the remembrances of all offences might be quite forgotten Yet he feared if she maried a husband out of her owne choice from France Spaine or Austria that shee would reuenge the iniuries she had receiued change the Religion receiued in Scotland and procure great danger vnto Englâ—â—d To preuent these things he promised to bestow all his labour that where shee who had first maried a boy then a rash and heady young man and lastly too a mad-braine those were his very words might now bee maried to the Duke a man of discretion which thing might turne vnto the tranquillitie of both the Realmes the securitie of both the Princes and especially to the establishing of Religion since he such was his respect vnto the Queene of England might more prosperously containe Scotland in the amitie of the English and might with the more ease draw the Queene of Scotland vnto the true Religion which he professed With these same things Murrey also secretly acquainted the Queene of Scotland by Robert Meluin and offered his labour very officiously toward the effecting thereof But the Duke answered that he could determine nothing about the mariage before that shee did cleere her selfe of the crimes obiected against her yet Rosse as diligently as hee could ceased not to draw him to it being vnwilling A few daies after Nicholas Throgmorton met the Duke in the Court at Westminister vnto whom he profesled and offered his seruice very kindly and signified that Leicester would talke with the Duke about the mariage betweene him and the Queene of Scotland which Throgmorton said seemed strange to him since Leicester himselfe sued for the same mariage not long since But he willed the Duke in friendship if it were so that he should giue the honour of that mariage vnto Leicester who had beene before time a suiter therein But if hee stood stifly in it to denie and refuse it because that the Scots did charge her with very many hainous crimes But yet said Throgmorton I wish from my heart that shee were maried vnto you as well for the good of Religion as also that shee may not depend of any other but on our Queene Yet this I forewarne you if you doe any thing in this matter let Leicester guide you by aduice for you of yourselfe shall hardly get the Queenes consent A day or two after Leicester moued the matter to the Duke who answered iust euen as Throgmorton sorewarned him and when hee came to speake of the crimes Leicester extenuated the same and called Richard Candish witnesse whose seruice though suspected he commended vnto the Duke Then Leicester told Pembrooke of the matter and the Duke told Arundell and they together with Throgmorton in their letters commended vnto the Queene of Scotland the Duke as a fit husband which Murrey had done also before The Duke also wrote and signified his loue and offered his seruice in very louing words From that time he imparted vnto them all the letters he wrote vnto her or receiued from her and they talked oftentimes with Rosse about the manner of concluding it And by Richard Candish they propounded in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred threescore and eight vnto the Queene of Scotland these Articles written with Leicesters hand viz. That she attempt nothing to the hurt of the Queene of England and her children in the succession of the Kingdome of England Shee should make a league defensiue and offensiue betweene the two Realmes Shee should establish the Religion of the Protestants in Scotland Shee should receiue into her fauour the Scots which were now her aduersaries She should reuoke the assignation of the Kingdome of England made vnto the Duke of Anjeou She should marie some English Nobleman namely the Noble Prince Thomas Duke of Norfolke If she gaue her consent vnto these Articles they promised to procure the Queene of Englands assent and that she should bee shortly restored vnto her Realme and also bee confirmed in the succession of England She readily admitted them all but onely that she could say nothing vnto the league before the French King was certified thereof Shee protested that there was no assignation made vnto the Duke of Anjeou yet she would procure him to make a release and renuntiation if they stood vpon it And willed them aboue all things to get the consent of
the Queene of England lest some hurt did come vnto her and the Duke for want thereof which shee had experimented in the mariage with DARLY without her consent Yet they thought best to trie first the mindes of more Noblemen of whom most gaue their consent with this clause So that the Queene was not against it Neither did the Kings of France and Spaine dislike it onely they feared Murrey lest hee that had first broached the matter and promised to further it all that hee could should first hinder it Yet they agreed on this that Lidington who was then expected should bee the first to trie the minde of Queene ELIZABETH In the meane time the Duke imparted to the Lord Lumley whatsoeuer had beene done in this businesse and with much adoe obtained of Leicester to aske the aduice of some other friends Yet a while after he opened the matter by the consent of Pembrooke vnto Cecill also About which time Leonard Dacres deuised and compassed to steale secretly away the Queene of Scotland out of prison at Whinfield where shee was kept by the Earle of Shrewsburie Northumberland being priuie vnto this deuice signified it vnto the Duke who forbade them to doe it for hee feared they would haue deliuered her to be maried vnto the King of Spaine and hoped to obtaine the consent of Queene ELIZABETH â—re it was long But the rumor of this mariage came more plainly to the Queenes eare by the Ladies and women of the Court who smell out cunningly and quickly these loue matters Which when the Duke vnderstood to be true he dealt very earnestly with Leicester both by Throgmorton and by Pembrooke to open the matter speedily vnto the Queene he made delaies and lingred as it were to stay for a fit time to speake But Cecill willed the Duke who was now full of care to open all the matter to the Queene himselfe whereby all scruple might bee speedily taken away from the Queene and from himselfe also Leicester was against it and promised to open the matter to the Queene in the progresse But in the time that hee put it off with smooth words from one day vnto another the Queene being at Farneham set the Duke at her table and bitingly willed him to take â—eed on what Pillow hee laid his head Then at Titchfield Leicester was somewhat sicke or else fained so to bee and vnto the Queene that came to see him and cheered him comfortably and perceiuing his spirit and bloud to bee drawne inward for feare with sighs and asking pardon of his fault hee opened the whole matter from the beginning At which time the Queene called the Duke vnto her in a gallery and chid him very much that without her priuitie he had sued vnto â—he Queene of Scotland in the way of mariage and commanded him vpon his allegeance to cease from further medling therein He promised so to doe willingly and gladly and doubted not to say as though hee cared not a whit for her that his reuenues in England were little lesse than those of the Kingdome of Scotland at this time lamentably impouerished by the warres and also when hee was in his Tennis-court at Norwich he seemed to himselfe to bee equall after a sort vnto many Kings But from that time he began to bee more deiected in minde and when hee saw the Queene to looke and speake to him more sternely and Leicester in a manner estranged and most of the Noblemen to steale away out of his companie scarce saluting or speaking to him hasted vnto London without taking any leaue and went in to Pembrooke who bade him be of good cheere and comforted him very much And on that same very day Queene ELIZABETH reiected with shew of displeasure the Scottish Embassador intreating her very much to deliuer the Queene captiue and bade that she should behaue her selfe quietly lest shortly shee saw them on whom she chiefly relied to hop headlesse And now when the rumor of the mariage was hotter euery day than other and the French Embassador exceedingly vrged her deliuerie more by the perswasion of some English men than by the commandement of the French King as it was after knowne new suspicions from euery place were laid hold on and Cecill who applied all his care for the good of the Republike and Religion was very diligent to finde the depth of the matter and therefore wrote vnto Sussex Lord President of the North who was a familiar friend and neere allied in bloud vnto the Duke to certifie the Queene what he knew of the Dukes mariage But his answer is vnknowne vnto mee And where it had beene obserued that the Duke had many secret conferences with Murrey Regent of Scotland at Hampton Court George Cary sonne to the Lord Hunsdon was sent secretly vnto Murrey to learne of him if the Duke had imparted vnto him any thing about this mariage The Duke in the meane while terrified with a false rumor spread that there was a commotion raised in the North and being certified by Leicester that he should bee put in prison went out of the way into Norfolke whiles his friends in the Court who had promised so much might auert turne aside the storme that hung ouer his head he himselfe might mitigate the Queenes displeasure by his humble letters But there were men set about him to marke and note all his actions When he found no comfort among his friends and Heydon Cornwallis and other worshipfull Gentlemen of those parts perswaded him if he were guiltie of any offence toward the Queene to flie vnto her mercie he wauered and was tormented with diuersitie of cares In this while was the Court in quandarie suspitious and fearefull that he would breake out into rebellion and they say it was determined to kill the Queene of Scotland presently if he did so But hee out of his inbred good nature and out of his conscience that hee had not offended against any Law made treason for that act of marying the Kings sisters or brothers or aunts children without the Kings knowledge made treason by Henry the eighth was repealed by King Edward the sixt and also for feare lest the Queene of Scotland out of suspicion should be vsed more hardly and extremely hee sent letters vnto his friends in the Court and told them that hee stept aside vnto his house that in time and by his absence he might procure a remedy against malicious rumours which are at all times entertained with open eares in the Court and asked pardon most humbly for his offence and forthwith tooke his iourney toward the Court. As he returned at Saint Albans Owen a gentleman belonging to the Earle of Arundell sent secretly by Throgmorton and Lumley who were committed willed him to take all the fault vpon himselfe and not to lay it vpon Leicester and others lest he should make his friends his enemies There Edward Fitz-Gerard brother vnto the Earle of Kildare Lieutenant of the Pensioners met 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
But the Commissioners of the Queene of Scotland reiected this speech as a friuolous excuse For certainly they that had authoritie to depriue the Queene had also authoritie enough to restore and set her at libertie neither needed they to looke for any authoritie from the rest of the Conspirators since that their wicked fact had made them equalls facinus quos inquinat aequat As for the Prince he could not being but fiue yeeres old giue them authoritie and as for the Regent he had committed all the matter to Queene ELIZABETH and to her pleasure Therefore they besought the Commissioners of England that these men might bee compelled to consult thereof or else the matter ended and compounded vpon equall conditions without these men But Queene ELIZABETH when shee saw nothing could bee done to giue her selfe the King and the Realme securitie except both the factions agreed together Shee thought it fitting that the Estates of Scotland which were shortly to assemble did elect and choose out men who should endeuour to make a composition Hereupon Rosse and his associates openly complained that many of the Queene of Englands Councellors did abuse the prudence of the Queene of England and the patience of the Queene of Scotland and to haue deluded forraine Princes with their subtill policies and brought the Scots in a vaine hope to their great hurt And indeed the Queene of Scotland stomacking and complaining of the same and wearie of these delaies called away the Bishop of Galloway and Leuingston and commanded Rosse whom the Queene of England had commanded to depart from London to stay at London by the right of an Embassador which made a suspicion to grow and appointed her friends in Scotland to take armes and not trust any longer vnto the truces which had beene hurtfull vnto them For in the time whâ—n these things were done in England they had sustained great losses many had beene put to execution more slaine and Dunbritton the strongest Fort in Scotland taken and Iames Hamilton Archbishop of Saint Andrewes brother to the Duke of Chasteauleroy as priuie to the murder of the King not so much as arraigned or tried was hanged by the accusation of a Priest who affirmed that he had heard it in confession by one of the Regicides When now the captiue Queene had no hope left and was in great griefe and all her seruants but ten and a Priest to say Masse were sent away and all her hope to obtaine her libertie was gone shee could not refraine but did open that which she had long concealed in her minde Shee therefore sent secretly vnto the Duke of Norfolke a long Commentarie of her purposes which she had written before time and certaine loue-letters in a priuate Character knowne to them two and other letters to be carried to the Pope and the King of Spaine by Ridolphus whom she commended as one very carefull of her good and her very friend Higford the Dukes Secretarie who wrote out this Commentarie and letters in an vsuall hand and letter was commanded to burne it but hee hid it vnder the Matt in the Dukes chamber and that of purpose as it seemed This Ridolph once to the Duke himselfe and more times by Barker reasoned thus That hee had obserued that there were many Noblemen and Commons in England that desired an Innouation and those were of three sorts Some that had bin in credit in the time of Queene Maries reigne now were not accounted of Others that were addicted to the Popish Religion and grudged inwardly that they might not vse it freely And others that were not content with their estate and hoped for better These were ready but wanted some Nobleman to bee their Captaine or Leader and forraine aid There could not be a fitter man for Captaine and more noble than the Duke who had the loue of the Realme And hee had great reason to reuenge the wrongs done vnto him by his long detention in prison and now to his reproach not called vnto the Parlament in which he had a place and voice as the chiefest Nobleman and Earle Marshall of England And to perswade him the more effectually he shewed him a roll of the Noblemen who had vowed to spend their liues and goods for him if he would attempt it As for forraine aid he assured him that the Pope so that the Romish Religion might bee aduanced would defray all the charges of the warre who had already laid in banke a great summe of money the last yeere when the Bull was published of the which money Ridolph himselfe had distributed a great part among the English fugitiues Hee promised that the King of Spaine irritated by the iniuries of the English men would send to helpe them foure thousand horse and six thousand foot which might bee sent ouer and landed at Harwich a Port in Essex whereabouts the Duke had many tenants and Gentlemen holding of him most fitly and without suspicion in the beginning of Summer when the Duke of Medina Caeli was to come with a good Nauie into the Low-Countries Lastly he concluded that such a moderation might be vsed that all suspicion of treason in the Duke might be taken away and prouision made for the safetie of the Queene of England if onely shee would embrace or tolerate the Romish Religion and consent to the mariage of the Queene of Scotland with the Duke The Duke gaue eare to these things as likely but yet refused to subscribe vnto the letters of credit as they call them which Ridolph being ready to depart shewed vnto him Neither would he heare the aduice of Rosse which hee had long studied and put into his head by Barker namely that the Duke with a selected companie of Noblemen to take the Queene suddenly and to disturbe the Parlament and by this meanes the mariage with the Queene of Scotland might bee finished and the Romish Religion set in better state in England without any great stirre and without any forraine aid Which might easily be done hauing so many Noblemen ready and prompt to enter into this action as could not bee assembled againe in one place without suspicion And iust cause there was for that the Duke was kept long in prison against the Lawes of the Realme and not admitted into the Parlament and also for that more rigorous Lawes were deuised against the Papists And to doe this hee brought in the example of Castrutio in Italy and others who by sudden actions had prosperously effected great matters and how fiue Noblemen in Scotland very lately had disturbed the Parlament wherein Murrey was to bee attainted and gotten the Queene into their hands This aduice the Duke who was out of his inbred good nature farre from any villanie detested and disliked as pernicious and dangerous But about the same time Henry Percy offered his seruice vnto Rosse for to deliuer the Queene of Scotland out of prison so that Grange and Carre of Ferniherst would receiue her at the borders of
vpon thy Peeres who haue found thee guiltie therefore this Bench doth adiudge that thou shalt bee lead backe from hence vnto the Tower from whence thou camest and from thence laid on a Hurdle shalt be drawne vnto the place of execution and there to bee hanged cut downe aliue to bee bowelled thy head cut off thy body to bee diuided into foure quarters thy head and thy quarters to bee disposed of at the Queenes pleasure And so our Lord haue mercie on thy soule The Duke hearing this iudgement said with a good courage Iudgement is giuen against mee as against a Traitor I trust in God that excluded from your fellowship I shall enioy the celestiall fellowship I will prepare my selfe to die I request this one thing that the Queene would bee good to my children and seruants and see my debts paid A few daies after Barney and Mather were executed who conspired with Herle a Ruffian to kill some oâ— the priuie Councellors and to deliuer the Duke But Herle presently discouered the matter vnto whom Barney said smiling when hee saw him brought forth to giue euidence against him Herle thou wentest but one houre before me otherwise I had stood there in thy place to giue euidence and thou hadst stood here in my place to be hanged These plots and the like which were many were taken hold of to hasten the Dukes death which yet was staied and deferred for foure moneths But on the second day of Iune at eight of the clocke in the morning the Duke was lead vnto a Scaffold new builded on the Tower-hill and when hee was gone vp and Alexander To these things she first protesting that shee was a free Queene and subiect to none answered with a stout courage and countenance 1 That shee had not vsurped the title and armes of England but that the King of France and her husband imposed them vpon her being very young and vnder the direction of her husband and therefore not to bee laid vpon her for a fault neither that she did weare or vse them after her husbands dâ—ath neither that shee will claime them as long as Queene ELIZABETH and her children liued 2 That she neuer imagined any detriment or hurt to the Queene by her mariage with the Duke of Norfolke being perswaded it would bee for the good of the Common-wealth and that shee did not renounce it because shee had giuen her faith and troth vnto him 3 That she willed the Duke by some meanes to get away out of danger and prison which shee did out of the dutie she ought to him as her husband 4 That shee had not raised rebellion nor was priuie to the same who was alwaies most ready to reueale any attempts against the Queene if shee would vouchsafe to heare her speake 5 That she neuer releeued the English Rebells onely that in her letters shee commended the Countesse of Northumberland vnto the Duke of Alba. 6 That she vsed Ridolph whom she knew to be highly in the Popes fauour in many matters yet receiued no letters from him 7 That she neuer moued any to attempt her deliuerance yet that she willingly gaue eare vnto them that offered their labour therein and for that purpose that shee communicated vnto Rolston and Hall a priuate Character 8 That she had receiued sometimes letters from the Pope very pious and consolatorie in which were no such phrases of speech 9 That shee procured not the Bull That shee onely saw the coppie thereof printed and when she had read it ouer that she burned it 10 That if any in forraine Regions write or name her otherwise than they ought to doe let them answer for it 11 That shee neuer by letters required aid of the Pope and the King of Spaine to inuade England but onely to be restored into her Kingdome by their meanes and that with the Queenes priuitie 12 But if any question or doubt bee made of those letters of effecting the mariage by force of armes she requested since shee was borne of the royall bloud of England that shee might answer personally in the next Parlament that was to be holden And at this time the French King fauouring the Queene of Scotland and her partie and the Queene of England the King and his partie earnestly moued Queene ELIZABETH to deliuer the Queene of Scotland which the Queene of England denied to doe saying In very truth I keepe the Queene of Scotland in custodie after a faire manner as a pledge of mine owne securitie and of the safetie of England But when it was come to light that the Queene of Scotland intended a secret confederacie with the King of Spaine by the Lord Seton who landing in Essex disguised like a Mariner had promised aid of men to the Scots of the Queenes partie from Alba both shee was kept straiter in prison and the kindnesse of the French men toward her waxed key-cold Shortly after the league betweene England and France being concluded at Blois and the Duke of Momorancie being sent into England to confirme the same he in few words in his Masters name requested that as much fauour might bee shewed vnto the Queene of Scotland as might be without danger That there might bee a cessation of armes in Scotland and that concord might be established there by Parlament Hee was answered That more fauour was shewed to the Queene of Scotland than shee deserued and should bee shewed for the French Kings sake although the Estates of the Kingdome who were now assembled thought the Queene could be in no securitie without some seueritie shewed vnto her As for the cessation of armes the Queene had dealt diligently therein and for that purpose had sent very lately Drurie the Marshall of Barwicke with Crocus the French Embassadour and that they by no perswasions could bring Grange and the Garrisons in the Castle of Edenburgh to peace being induced by hope of aid from France and the Low-Countries though Huntley and Hamilton Arbroth for the Duke his father had bound themselues vnder their hands to obserue peace and the others of the Queenes side had giuen their word also Anno 1573. IN Scotland Iames Dowglas Earle of Mourton by the meanes of Queene ELIZABETH was made Regent in the place of the Earle of Marre who hauing his authoritie established in the Parlament did enact in the Kings name certaine Lawes against the Papists and against Heretikes but the custodie of the King hee confirmed to Alexander Areskin for that the Earle of Marre vnto whom the custodie of the King of Scotland in his minoritie doth belong by a peculiar right was vnder age vpon these conditions that is to wit That the Papists and they of the other faction should bee vtterly excluded an Earle might come in with two men a Baron with one man other men alone and euery one of these vnarmed And whereas Queene ELIZABETH by Henry Killigrew had drawne Iames Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy George Gordon Earle of Huntley who stood 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
Mourton deploreth the vnfortunate estate of Scotland and laieth before them the dangers hanging ouer the heads of the King the Common-wealth and themselues hee complaineth that the intercession of the Queene of England is not regarded of the vnthankfull people and couertly aduiseth them to trie whether they can effect that by armes which they cannot obtaine by other meanes and promised them helpe of men and money out of England And so hee drew to his side the Earles of Argile Montros Angus Mourtons brothers sonne Marre Glencarne Ruthen Lyndsey and others But they by and by after â—heir ends and purposes being seuerall when they saw the King wholly to bend his fauour towards Lennox and not to bee terrified with the English forces which were on the borders against which he had opposed his the most of them disagreeing and reuerencing royall Maiestie euen in a young man durst attempt nothing against Lennox and thought it enough if they tooke compassion on Mourton Yet Angus and Marre secretly deuised plots for Mourton and against Lennox of which when the King had knowledge by Wittingham Angus was commanded to depart and liue beyond the Riuer of Spea and Marre was commanded to deliuer the Castle of Sterling vnto the King Randolph doubting some danger to himselfe slipped secretly away to Barwicke and willed Angus and Marre things going against them to looke to themselues either by recouering the Kings fauour or else by resorting vnto the protection of the Queene of England But the English forces were now called backe from the borders and not long after Mourton as priuie vnto the murder of the Kings father was beheaded being first found guiltie of the same For hee had confessed as they say That Bothwell and Archibald Dowglas did communicate vnto him their intent and purpose to kill the King and that hee durst not reueale the same in such a doubtfull world as that was neither could he denie after the murder was committed but that Archibald Dowglas one of the murderers was one of his most inward friends and that hee gaue his faith and word vnder his hand to defend Bothwell if any man accused him for murdering of the King Angus and the other who stood in defence of Mourton fled into England Anno 1582. QVeene ELIZABETH that shee might bee more secure at home purposed to make a composition with the Queene of Scotland by Walter Mildmay but finding out that the Guise was deuising some secret practises with some English sugitiues and to gather forces together vnder pretence to send them into the Low-Countries to serue vnder the Duke of Anjeou but indeed to bee transported into England from Ewe an obscure part in Normandy belonging vnto him the matter was put off vntill another time and she was not regarded But about the same time William Ruthen whom the King had lately created Earle of Gowry not degenerating from his father who bare a deadly hatred against the Kings mother and other conspirators deuised to remoue Lennox and the Earle of Arran from the King vnder the pretence to assure Religion the Kings safetie and amitie of England whereunto they were incensed and whetted on by their Ministers So when Lennox was departed from Perth where the King lay vnto Edenburgh about some affaires of the Realme and Arran also was absent Gowry Marre Lyndsey and others taking the opportunitie inuited the King vnto the Castle of Ruthen where they detained him against his will and would not permit him to ride or walke into the fields threatning him with death They put from him all his faithfull seruants cast the Earle of Arran into prison and compelled the King to call home the Earle of Angus who was banished the Queene of England who was of their counsell making intercession for him and to send backe Lennox into France who being a man of a milde nature gaue ouer the Castle of Dunbritton which he might easily haue defended by the perswasion of the King set on by them and refused not to returne into France But they not content herewith enforced the King against his will to approue this his surprize in letters to the Queene of England and to pronounce the assembly of the Estates summoned and called by them to be lawfull When the French King heard this for a certaintie he dispatched Motfenelan by England and Manninguill by Sea with one and the same instructions into Scotland to wit That they should take some order by one meanes or other to set the King free and confirme the faction of France to allure and winne the Kings minde vnto the friendship of the French and as ioifull newes signifie vnto him that the Queene his mother out of her motherly pietie did grant and bestow vpon him the title of King and admit him very willingly now into the fellowship of the Kingdome to the end that hee might bee taken and acknowledged as a true and lawfull King by all Christian Princes and all the Scots and thereby the diuision and partaking of factions wholly taken away She in the meane time being vexed and troubled in minde oppressed with miseries and pining away with the calamitie of her long lasting imprisonment without any hope of libertie in her long letters written in French which her motherly loue and anxietie of minde extorted from her deplored vnto Queene ELIZABETH her grieuous and hard fortunes and the most distressed estate of her sonne to this effect for I will out of the originall written with her owne hand abbreuiate them When I heard for certaintie that my sonne was taken and surprized by Rebels as I my selfe was certaine yeeres agoe out of a iust feare lest hee should fall into the same and like vnfortunate estate that I am in I cannot but powre out my mournfull complaints and engraue the same if it may be in thy conscience that my innocencie may euidently appeare vnto posteritie and also their ignominie and shame by whose iniquitie I am cast into these miseries But since the policies and cunning reaches of these persons though wicked and lewd haue hitherto preuailed more with thee than my iust complaints let the right and iustice now yeeld and giue place vnto thy power and let force oppresse the truth with men I will appeale vnto the immortall God whom alone I acknowledge to bee superiour of vs Princes of equall right and honour And I will call vpon the same God with whom gloses and deceits are not regarded and will not preuaile that at the last day hee will reward vs two as wee deserue each to other howsoeuer my aduersaries haue skill to cloake their craftie and deceitfull policies with men and peraduenture also with thee In his name therefore and as it were before his Iudgement-seat I present vnto thy minde by what policies some spies vsing thy name drew the Scots my subiects to rebell against me at such time as I liued in Scotland and set on foot all the euils which haue happened there from that day to
serious consultation among the Councell of England and most of them were content that shee should bee deliuered vpon these conditions To wit 1 That she and her sonne should promise to practise nothing hurtfull to Queene ELIZABETH and the Realme of England 2 That she should voluntarily confesse that whatsoeuer was done by Francis the second the French King her husband against Queene ELIZABETH was done against her will and that shee should vtterly disallow the same as vniust by confirming the treatie of Edenburgh 3 That shee should condemne all the practises euer since that time and ingenuously renounce them 4 She should binde her selfe not to practise any thing directly or indirectly against the gouernment of the Realme of England in Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill affaires but by all manner of meanes oppose her selfe and resist such practisers as publike enemies 5 That shee shall challenge or claime no right vnto her selfe in the Kingdome of England during the life of Queene ELIZABETH and that afterward shee will submit her right of succession vnto the Estates of England 6 And to the end shee may not hereafter vse any cauill and say That she condescended to these conditions being a prisoner and by coaction shee her selfe should not onely sweare vnto them but also procure the Estates of Scotland to confirme them by publike authoritie 7 The King himselfe also should ratifie them by oath and by writing 8 And that hostages should be giuen As for the consociation with her sonne in the administration of affaires it was thought fit that the Queene of England should not interpose her selfe but this they referred to the King of Scotland himselfe and the Estates of Scotland But if they were ioined together that they should talke about the league with them iointly if not by themselues These things were consulted of but with no successe For the Scots of the English faction vtterly reiected them crying amaine that many Scots deadly enemies to the English Nation were called out of France by the counsell of the Queene of Scotland And that Holt an English Iesuit was sent secretly into Scotland to take order for the inuading of England The French Embassadours which went into Scotland not obtaining that they came for departed whereupon the Noblemen that had surprized the King grew haughtie in minde as also for that Lennox died at that time which putting them into securitie the King contrary to their expectation disdaining to be vnder the gouernment of three Earles recouered his libertie went to the Castle of Saint Andrewes and with good words willed many of the surprizers to depart from the Court to auoid any stirre and promised them pardon if they would aske it within a certaine time which thing Gowry onely did and called Arran backe to the Court but they were so farre off from doing of that as they secretly practised to take him suddenly againe Hereupon they were commanded to depart out of the Realme by a day appointed Marre Glamis the Commendators of Dryburg and Paslet and others went into Ireland Boyd Zester-Weim Locheluin went into the Low-Countries and Dunfermellin went into France Angus was confined into Angus onely Gowry hauing a new plot in his head tarried after the time prefixed to his owne destruction And then the King to shew himselfe a Prince began to exercise his Regall authoritie And whereas these Conspirators in an assembly called by their owne priuate authoritie had enacted and recorded That this surprize of the King was iust he on the contrary part declared in a great assembly of the Estates that the same was traiterous Although the Ministers as if they were the supreme Iudges in the Realme in a Synod called by their owne authoritie pronounced the same to bee iust and iudged all them that did not approue and allow the same worthy to be excommunicate Anno 1584. IN the beginning of the Spring some of the Scots returned out of Ireland vpon a pact made betweene them and Gowry who had conspired anew with diuers to take the King againe professing that they set before their eies nothing else but the glory of God the truth of Religion the securitie of the King and Realme and the amitie with England against them who by sinister meanes as they gaue out abused the King not yet come vnto sufficient age But the King hearing hereof sent Colonell Stewart to apprehend Gowry who lay at the Hauen of Dondee as if hee had beene going out of the land who after hee had defended himselfe an houre or two in his house was taken and carried away vnto prison In the meane time the other Conspirators tooke Sterling by sudden surprize and the Castle was yeelded vnto them yet by and by they leaue them both because the King displaied his banners as ready to fight not so many met as Gowry had promised and their hope of English helpe failed them and so for feare Marre Glamis and Angus who was come to them and others fled into England humbly beseeching the Queene to releeue their necessities and to intreat the King for them Forasmuch as they had lost all their goods and the Kings fauour for shewing their loue to her and England vnto whom shee thought good to shew some fauour that they might bee opposed against the contrary faction in Scotland and the rather for that the Ministers bruted that the King was vpon the point to fall from his Religion vpon no other ground though they fained other matters but for that hee vpon a fiâ—all loue inclined to his mother and receiued into his especiall fauour and grace those whom he knew to bee most addicted vnto his mother In the meane time Gowry was arraigned before his Peeres at Sterling vpon these points That he intended and began a new conspiracie against the King whom he had also kept prisoner in his house beforetime That he conferred by night with the seruants of Angus to seize vpon Perth and Sterling That he had resisted the Kings authoritie at Dondee had conceiued a conspiracie against the life of the King and his mother Lastly that he had asked counsell of Maclena the Witch and being found guiltie by his Peeres he was in the euening beheaded but his seruants sowing the head vnto the body buried it incontinently About the same time were some practises in England but with no successe in the behalfe of the Q of Scotland of which the chiefest was Francis Throgmorton eldest sonne to Iohn Throgmorton Iustice of Chester who fell into suspicion out of his letters vnto the Queene of Scotland which were intercepted As sonne as hee was taken and began to confesse some things Thomas Lord Paget and Charles Arundel a Courtier fled out of the land into France who with other Papists lamenting their estate among themselues complained that the Queene by the wicked and craftie dealings of Leicester and Walsingham was estranged from them That they were abused with contumelies and reproaches That strange kinds of subtiltie were inuen ted against them
VINCVLA CRESCO Another was a Palme tree much laden but rising againe with these words PONDERIBVS VIRTVS INNATA RESISTIT Also an Anagram VERITAS ARMATA out of her name MARIA STEVARTA the letters being transposed which was taken in the worse part Moreouer there were letters shewne as if they had beene intercepted in the which the friends of the Queene complained that all their hope was quite cut off if she was but put into the custodie of the Puritans Vnder this colour she was taken from Shrewsbury and committed to the custody of Amias Paulet and Drewgh Drury and that of purpose as some thinke that being driuen into desperation she might be more apt to take abrupt counsels and more easie to be intrapped For Sbrewsbury in all that fifteene yeeres had so prouidently kept her that there was no place left of plots from her or against her And now also she dealt more earnestly with the Pope and the King of Spaine by Francis Inglefield to hasten that which was begun and that with all expedition whatsoeuer became of her And Leicester who was thought to study how to deceiue the right owner of the succession secretly sent ruffians as many said to murther her But Drury an honest minded and vpright man detested the wickednesse from his heart and suffered them not to haue any accesse vnto her Yet some spies secretly crept in and there were closely sent as well counterfeit as true letters by which her womanish weaknesse might be thrust forward to her destruction as we will say hereafter And to turne quite away the loue of Queene ELIZABETH from her it was whispered in her eares that Allan for the Catholikes Ecclesiasticks of England and Inglefield for the Laicks and the Bishop of Rosse for the Queene of Scotland with common consent and with the consent of the Pope and the King of Spaine had decreed that Queene ELIZABETH was to be deposed from her Crowne and the King of Scotland was to be disinherited of the kingdome of England as manifest and open Heretiques the Queene of Scotland to be maried to some Catholike Nobleman of England he to be chosen King of England by the English Catholikes and the election to bee confirmed by the Pope The lawfull children of this man by the Queene of Scotland to be declared successors in the kingdome And all these things vpon the credit of Hart a Priest But who this Englishman should be Walsingham made diligent inquiry but he found not who he was But the suspicion fell vpon Henry Howard brother to the D. of Norfolke who was of the chiefe Nobility a single man and an earnest Roman Catholike and amongst them of great reputation and account Anno 1585. IN the beginning of this yeare was a Parliament holden at Westminster where the aforenamed Association was confirmed by the common consent of both the houses And it was enacted that foure and twenty or more of the Priuy Counsell and Nobility of the land chosen by the Queenes letters Patents might inquire of them who shall inuade the Realme raise rebellion or attempt to hurt or kill the Queenes person for any whosoeuer or by them whosoeuer who may challenge right vnto the crowne of England But he for whom or by whom they shall attempt shall bee made vtterly vncapable of the Crowne of England and shall be vtterly depriued of all right thereunto and shall be pursued euen vnto death by all the subiects if he shall be iudged and publikely declared by those foure and twenty men to be priuy to such an Inâ—asion rebellion or hurt There were also acts made against Priests and Iesuits to this effect That they should depart out of the Realme within X L. daies That for them who from thenceforth came into the Realme and staied it should be treason That they who knowing them to be such doe reâ—eeue receiue or helpe them should be fellons so they call all capitall offences vnder treason That they who are brought vp in the Seminaries if within six moneths after proclamation made they doe not returne and doe not make submission vnto the Queene before the Bishop or two Iustices of peace shall be guilty of treason But they who shall submit themselues if within ten yeeres they come vnto the Court or neerer it than ten miles their submission shall be void They whosoeuer shall send any money by any manner of meanes vnto the Students in the Seminaries shall incurre a Praemunire that is perpetuall imprisonment and losse of all their goods If any of the Peeres of the land that is to say Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons Lords of the Parliament shall offend against these lawes he shall be tried by his Peeres They who shall know any such Iesuits and others to lie hid in the Realme and shall not discouer them within twelue daies shall be fined at the Queenes pleasure and put into prison If any man be suspected to be a Iesuite or Priest and doe not submit himselfe vnto examination for his contempt he shall be imprisoned vntill he doe submit himselfe He that shall send his children or any others vnto the Seminaries and Colleges of the Roman profession shall lose and forfeit a hundred pounds of English money And they who are sent shall not succeed in their heritages nor enioy the goods that may fall vnto them by any manner of meanes And so shall they also who within a yeare after they returne home from the Seminaries except they doe conforme themselues vnto the Church of England If the keepers of hauens permit others beside Sailers Mariners and Merchants to passe ouer the sea without the Queenes licence or six of her Counsellors shall lose their places and the Masters of the ship who shall carry them oâ—t shall lose and forfeit their ships and goods and be imprisoned a whole yeere With the seuerity of these lawes the Roman Catholikes in England were very much terrified and amongst them Philip Howard Earle of Arundell eldest sonne vnto the Duke of Norfolke insomuch that he determined to depart out of the Land lest he should offend against them This man by the benignitie of the Queene was restored in bloud three yeeres before this time a little after he fell out of the Queenes fauor grace by the secret insimulation of some great Courtiers had secretly reconciled himselfe vnto the Romane religion and vsed a very austere life Hereupon he was once or twice called before the Counsell and cleared himselfe of the obiections laid to his charge but yet he was commanded to keepe his house After six moneths more or lesse he was discharged and came to the Parlament yet the first day when the Sermon was preached he stole couertly out of the company The Parlament being ended as being resolued to depart away out of the Land in his letters written vnto the Queene which yet he commanded to be deliuered after he was gone ouer he made a long and lamentable complaint of the enuie of his mighty aduersaries
Queene ELIZABETH was found out and came to light which I will briefly describe At Easter this yeere Iohn Ballard a Priest of the Seminarie of Rhemes who had visited many Roman Catholikes in England and Scotland returned into France accompanied with Mawd one of Walsinghams spies a most craftie dissembler who had bleared his eyes and talked with Bernardino Mendoza at that time ordinary Embassadour of the King of Spaine in France and with Charles Paget a man exceedingly addicted to the Queene of Scotland about the inuading of England saying that now was a most fit time all the militarie men being absent in the Low Countries and that they could not hope for a fitter time since that the Pope the King of Spaine Guise and Parma were determined to set vpon England by that way to turne the warre out of the Low Countries And though Paget held it cleere that it would be in vaine as long as the Queene liued yet Ballard was sent backe into England being sworne to procure aid and helpe vnto the Inuaders and libertie vnto the Queene of Scotland and that with all speed and as soone as he could At Whitsontide following this Ballard apparelled like a souldier and called by a counterfet name Captaine Foscu arriued in England and talked at London about these things with Anthony Babington of Dethick in Derbishire a young man well borne rich of an excellent wit and learned aboue his yeeres who being addicted to the Roman Religion had a little before stollen ouerinto France without any licence and had beene very familiar with Thomas Morgan one that belonged vnto the Queene of Scotland and with the Bishop of Glasco her Embassador which two in extolling continually the heroicall vertues of such a Queene had shewed such certaine hopes of great honours and preferments by her of which the ambitious young man quickly tooke hold they also commended him thinking of no such matter in their letters to the Queene of Scotland For when he was returned into England she curteously saluted him by her letters and from that time Morgan vsed to send ouer and to conuey letters vnto her by his meanes vntill such time as she was put ouer to be kept by Amyas Paulet For then the young man seeing the danger left off With this Babington I say did Ballard deale about this matter He was fully perswaded that the Inuasion of England would come to nothing so long as Queene ELIZABETH liued But when Ballard had insinuated that she should not liue long that Sauage who had taken an oath to kill her was already come into England Babington did not like that so great a matter should be committed onely to Sauage lest hee should faile in his attempt but rather to six stout Gentlemen whereof he would haue Sauage to be one lest he should breake his oath and Babington deuised a new way to haue the land inuaded by strangers of the hauens where they should take land of the aid that should be ioyned to them how to deliuer the Queene of Scotland and to kill the Queene Whiles he studied earnestly about this matter he receiued by a boy vnknowne letters in a character or ziffre samiliar betweene the Queene of Scotland and him which mildly accused him for his long silence and bade him to send with speed a packet of letters sent from Morgan and deliuered by the Secretary of the French Embassador which thing he did and withall by the same messenger wrote letters vnto her wherein he excused his silence for that he was depriued of meanes and opportunity to send from the time that she was put into the custody of Amyas Paulet a Puritane a meere Leycestrian and a professed enemie of the Catholike faith for so he called him He opened vnto her what he had conferred with Ballard and told her that six Gentlemen were selected to execute the tragicall murder and that he with a hundred other would deliuer her at the same time Hee besought her that rewards might be propounded and giuen vnto the heroicall actors in this businesse or to their posterity if they failed or died in the action Vnto these letters answer was made the 27. of Iuly the forward care of Babington toward the Catholike Religion and her selfe is commended but he was aduised to proceed in the businesse warily and that an Association might bee made amongst them as though they feared the Puritans and that no stir should be made before they were certaine and assured of forraine helpe and forces that some tumult might be raised also in Ireland whilest a blow or wound might be giuen in these parts Arundell and his brethren and Northumberland might be drawne into their side Westmorland Pager and some others secretly called home And the way also of deliuering her is prescribed either by ouerthrowing a Cart in the gate or by burning the stables or by intercepting her selfe when she rode vp and downe in the fields for her recreation betweene Chartley and Stafford Lastly Babington is commanded to giue his word and promise for the rewards vnto the six Gentlemen and the others He had already gotten vnto himselfe some Gentlemen who were earnest Roman Catholikes among the which the chiefest were Edward Windsore brother to the Lord Windsore a milde young man Thomas Salisbury of a worshipfull family in Denbighshire Charles Tilney of an ancient worshipfull house the only hope of his family and one of the Gentlemen pensioners to the Queene whom Ballard had lately reconciled vnto the Roman Church both of them very proper men Chidiocke Tichburne of Hamshire Edward Abington whose father was Cofferer to the Queene Robert Gage out of Surrey Iohn Trauerse and Iohn Charnock of Lancashire Iohn Iones whose father had beene Taylor vnto Queene Mary the aforenamed Sauage Barnwell of a worshipfull family in Ireland and Henry Dun a Clarke in the office of the first fruits and tenths into this society Pooly also insinuated himselfe a man perfectly instructed in the affaires of the Queene of Scotland a notable and cunning dissembler who is thought to haue discouered all their purposes and counsells vnto Walsingham day by day and to haue vrged these young men ready enough to doe euill headlong by suggesting and putting worse things into their heads though Naâ—â—s Secretary to the Queene of Scotland had secretly aduised them to take heed of him Vnto these men Babington communicated the matter but not all things vnto euery one hee sheweth his letters and those of the Queene of Scotland vnto Ballard Tichburne and Dun he moueth Tilney and Tichburne to dispatch the Queene At the first they deny to contaminate and â—mbrue their hands in their Princes bloud Ballard and Babington tels them that it is lawfull to kill Princes who be excommunicated and if one offend it is to be done for the good of the Catholike Religion Herewith they with much adoe perswaded doe consent Abington Barnwell Charnock and Sauage readily and voluntarily sweare to doe it Salisburie could not be perswaded
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
cannot obtaine their request at thy hands SAFETIE it selfe cannot saue and preserue this Common-wealth and the Historians will publish to the succeeding age that the most cleere shining daies of England vnder Queene ELIZABETH ended in a loathsome euening or rather into an eternall darke night The posteritie will finde lacke of our prudence who which thing doth accumulate our miserie could see our euils and could not preuent them and will impute the masse of our miseries not so much to the malice of our aduersaries as to the carelesse and slothfull negligence of these times Let not the life of one Scottish woman praeponderate and be of more weight with thee than the vniuersall safetie of England Let there be no stay nor delay vsed in so great a matter for that forbearance and delay procureth danger neither let space and time be giuen vnto these wicked plotters and contriuers of mischiefe who now will seeke their last succour and helpe by bold and audacious aduentures and besides their impunitie will hope for a reward for their mischieuous action He that doth not beware to auoid a danger as much as he can doth tempt God more than trust in God All the dangers whatsoeuer hang ouer our heads from forraine Princes by her death will be taken away neither can they hurt England but by her What will and power soeuer the Pope hath to doe hurt will cease and come to nothing when shee is gone The King of Spaine hath no reason to be angry for that he himselfe for his owne security made away his only son Charles and at this time doth lie in wait to take away the life of Don Antonio the Portugal to serue his owne ambition The French doth religiously obserue and keepe the amitie with England and it also much concerneth his good that by the speedie death of the Scottish Queene the hopes of the Guises who relying and trusting vpon the hoped and future power of their Kinswoman doe now more insolently insult ouer their King The King of Scotland both by naturall affection and in respect of his honour may indeed be grieued or disquieted yet in his wisdome hee will expect rather to haue things long after with securitie than to haue things in ouer-much haste with danger And the nâ—erer hee is to his chiefest hope the futher forraine Princes will hold off from ioyning to helpe him for as much as it is familiar and ordinarie for them by one meanes or other to stop and hinder the increasing power of another Prince at the beginning They set before her eyes also domesticall examples for as much as that which is done by example deserueth the more to be excused How the Kings of England carried themselues toward their Cousins and Competitours for their owne securitie namely Henry the first toward Robert his eldest brother Edward the third or rather his mother toward Edward the second Henry the fourth toward Richard the second Edward the fourth toward Henrie the sixt and his sonne Edward Prince of Wales and toward his owne brother George Duke of Clarence Henry the seueuth toward the Earle of Warwick the young sonne of the Duke of Clarence Henry the eighth toward De la Pole Earle of Suffolke Margaret Countesse of Sarisburie and Courteney Marquesse of Exceter who euery one for smaller matters if the crimcs be compared were put to death and made away Neither did the Courtiers alone buzze these things into the Queens head but also some Preachers very earnestly and many of the CoÌ„mons also out of hope or fear exercised the fantasie of their brains and wits too saucily and malapertly in this Argument Amongst these pensiue thoughts which made the Queene so carefull and doubtfull that she delighted in solitarinesse and sate without any cheere and sometimes without speaking a word and oftentimes sighing would mutter to her selfe Either beare it or strike home and out of some obscure Embleme Kill lest thou be killed shee deliuered to Dauison one of her Secretaries letters signed with her hand that a Mandate should be made vnder the great Seale of England for the putting of her vnto execution which might be readie if any danger were readie to fall and commanded him not to communicate the matter to any man But on the next day she whilest feare did not allow her owne counsell changing her minde commanded Dauison by William Killigrew that the Mandate should not be made vp He forthwith came to the Queene and told her that the Mandate was made and sealed with the great Seale She chafing reproued him for making such haste neuerthelesse he communicated the Mandate and businesse vnto the Queenes Counsellors and perswadeth them who quickly beleeued that which they desired that the Queene commanded that it should be put in execution without delay Beale than whom there was none more euill affected vnto the Queene of Scotland for Religion is sent with one or two executioners and letters in the which authoritie is giuen vnto the Earles of Shrewsburie Kent Darby and Cumberland with others that she should be put to death according to the Lawes vnknowing to the Queene and although at that very time shee had signified vnto Dauison that shee would take another way and course about the Queene of Scotland yet he did not call Beale backe As soone as the Earles came to Fotheringhay they came to her with Amias Poulet and Drewgh Drury in whose custodie she was and signified the cause of their comming reading the Mandate and in few words admonished her to prepare her selfe vnto death for that shee was to die the next day Shee without feare and with a setled minde answered I did not thinke that Queene ELIZABETH my sister would haue consented vnto my death for I am not subiect vnto your Law but since it is otherwise death shall be vnto me most welcome neither is that soule worthy of the heauenly and euerlasting ioyes whose bodie cannot endure one blow of the hangman Shee requested that she might conferre with her Almoner her Confessor and with Meluin her Steward They in plaine termes denied her confessor to come vnto her and the Earles commended the Bishop or Deane of Peterburgh for to comfort her whom when shee had reiected the Earle of Kent being fiery hot in Religion turned vnto her and amongst other words broke out into these Thy life will be the destruction of our Religion as on the other side Thy death will be the life of the same Mention being made of Babington shee constantly and vtterly denied that shee knew of his plots left the reuenge vnto God And being demanded of that which was done by Nauus and Curlus she asked if euer it was heard that the seruants were suborned and admitted as witnesses to the death of their Masters When the Earles were departed shee commanded them to make haste with her supper that shee might set things better in order She supped sparingly and soberly as her manner was In supper time beholding her men
it vnto Burleigh Burleigh vnto the rest of the Counsellors who all gaue their consent to the quicke dispatch of the execution and euery one vowed to stand to it and to sticke one to another and sent Beale with the Mandate and Letters The third day after when I perceiued that her minde wauered hearing her tell a dreame of the death of the Queen of Scotland I asked if she had changed her minde she said no but said shee another way might haue beene inuented and withall asked if any answer were comefrom Powlet And when I had shewed his letters wherein in plaine termes be refused to take vpon him that which was neither honourable nor iust she chasing said that he and others who had taken the oath of the Association were periured and forsworne men as they who had promised many things but would performe nothing But I shewed her how vniust and infamous this would be and into what danger shee brought Powlet and Drury For if shee approued and allowed the fact shee should draw to her selfe both danger and dishonour with the note of iniustice but if shee disauowed and disallowed the fact shee ouerthrew vtterly those well deseruing men and their posteritie And afterwardshee on the same day the Queene of Scotland was put to death slightly checked mee that the execution was not done What griefe and anger soeuer Queen ELIZABETH conceiued or made shew of for the death of the Queen of Scotland I am sure the King of Scotland her only son tooke it wonderfull heauily who with the most admirable pietie that could bee in a sonne reuerenced his most deare mother and mourned and lamented for her exceedingly For he did not thinke that Queene ELIZABETH in regard of the mutuall loue that was betweene them and the league of stricter friendship lately made betweene them neglecting the so many intercessions of Princes would haue deliuered his mother a Prince of equall estate and her neerest cousin of the Royal bloud into the hands of a base hangman He suffered not Mr. Robert Cary sonne to the Lord Hunsdon who was sent from England to excuse the Queene by laying the fault vpon her Counsellors and Dauison to come into Scotland and hardly would heare him by another man and with much suit receiued the letters he brought Called his Ambassadour out of England and threatned reuenge And some there were that perswaded him that other Princes of Christendome would not let such an iniury done vnto the Maiestie and Royall name of a King goe vnpunished The Estates of Scotland who were assembled in great number professed that they were most readie to reuenge the death of his mother and to defend his right to the Crowne of England yea and to spend their liues and goods in the quarrell and that they could not disgest the iniurie done not onely vnto the King but also vnto the whole Nation of the Scots Some there were who perswaded the King to require aid of ships and of a Nauie of the King of Denmarke vnto whose daughter he began then to sue for mariage Some who were addicted to the Romane Religion suggested vnto him that hee should rather ioyne with the Kings of Spaine and France and with the Pope and so hee might with case get the possession of England And aboue all things to giue no credit vnto the Protestants of England who now ruled all and closely plotted to destroy him also whispering this in his eares He that hath killed the mother will also kill the children if he can Some there were who secretly aduised him to keepe himselfe as Newter openly and to hold both the Protestants and Romanists in suspence For if that hee shewed himselfe openly for the Protestants the Romanists of Europe will lay all their plots against him and would set vp another prop and stay in England to his great danger Some also there were who aduised him to keepe a firme peace with England and not to put his certaine hope vpon the vncertaine fortune of warre And to be constant in his Religion in the which if hee once wauered he should neither get nor purchase friends nor lessen nor diminish his enemies Thus euery man as their fancie gaue or their profit lead them spake But the King being more prouident and more wittie than his age gaue him vsed no haste which is alwaies blinde but weighed their counsels in his minde considerately and maturely a long time both with himselfe and a very few others But Queene ELIZABETH by laying all the fault on Dauison and the rash credulitie of her Counsellors so to mitigate his griefe and sorrow by little and little lest the comfort giuen out of season might more exasperate him and so stayed vntill his sorrow lessened by length of time would suffer it selfe to be handled But when shee saw the French egge on the King to reuenge she fearing lest he by their policies and vpon a burning heat of reuenge should be drawne away from the Religion of the Protestants and the friendship of the English she laboured with all her power to pacifie his minde exulcerated and in a manner alienated from her by all meanes not vnworthy of a Prince Therefore by her Messengers and Agents and after by the Lord Hunsdon Gouernour of Berwicke she proposeth these weightie and important Reasons most diligently First what a dangerous thing it may be for him to breake into open warre against England for this cause which seemed vnto the Estates of England to be as well necessarie for the safetie of the whole Island as also most iust Then let him consider if he be of abilitie to take such a warre in hand for as much as England was neuer better furnished with Military men and Leaders with forces and riches and Scotland exhausted with intestine warres neuer more weake If he depended vpon forraine aid with what great difficultie and how long it would be ere hee can get it and if he doe obtaine it what successe can hee hope for since that England hauing the Fleets of Holland and Zealand ioyned thereunto hath no cause to feare the most mightie and potent Kings of Europe What hope can he place in the French King or the King of Spaine For as much as his power much increased and augmented by the accession and addition of England may crosse or empeach their designes and purposes for that his Religion may be so opposed vnto their profession that they cannot helpe and aid him but with their owne losse and detriment Neither can the French King see with a contented minde the King of Scotland to be augmented with the Kingdome of England for feare lest hee should with warre prosecute the ancient right of the English-men in France or else giue helpe or succour vnto the Guises his Cousins who at this time gape after the Realme of France But the King of Spaine without all doubt will doe all things to serue his ambitious humour for as much as he vaunteth himselfe to be the first Catholike Prince of the bloud Royall of England and the stocke of Lancaster though vntruly In respect of which some Iesuites and others also endeuoured to aduance him whilest the Queene of Scotland was yet liuing vnto the Crowne of England as a man most fit to restore the Roman authority in England the mother and the sonne being not respected nor regarded Moreouer they perswaded him that shee determined in her last Will and Testament to bequeath the Kingdome of England vnto this King of Spaine if her sonne continued in the Religion of the Protestants What may be the meaning of these things and whereunto they may tend and what aid and helpe can be hoped for from the King of Spaine the King may thereby see and perceiue And withall if he shall reuolt and fall from his Religion in the which he hath beene brought vp with what great ignominie he may precipitate and cast head-long his soule into eternall damnation and the whole Iland of Britaine into danger and destruction Moreouer he is to consider and be aduised lest the Estates of England who haue giuen sentence against his mother doe not exclude him altogether from the right of Succession by a new sentence whose loue by yeelding and giuing place vnto necessitie and restraining the passionate motions of his minde he may easily winne and purchase vnto him for as much as that which is done cannot be vndone And at his time he may possesse and enioy quietly the most flourishing Kingdome of England In the meane time he may enioy securitie and may seeme with all men indifferent men that haue vnderstanding and consideration of things to haue receiued no blemish in his honour for as much as when time was he omitted no part of a most pious and vertuous sonne toward his mother And let him assuredly perswade himselfe that the Queene of England would account and vse him most louingly and affectionately as if shee were his owne mother These things shee caused to be beaten into the head of the King of Scotland and that he should not doubt but that his mother was put to death without her knowledge and to confirme him in that opinion shee determined to send vnto him the sentence giuen against Dauison in the Starre-chamber vnder the hands of all the Commissioners and also vnder the Great Seale of England And also another instrument to please him the more signed with the hands of all the Iudges of England wherein they confirmed that the sentence giuen against his mother was no hurt vnto his right in Succession nor could be any preiudice vnto the same And thus an end of this History FINIS 1 2 3 4 5 6
of displeasure I will lay it downe in few words laying aside the person of an Embassadour As soone as the Queene my Ladie and Mistresse was crowned you did vsurpe the title and armes of England which you did not take in the reigne of Queene MARIE Iudge you in your discretion if a greater wrong can bee offered vnto a Prince Such iniuries as this priuate men cannot disgest much lesse Princes But said she my husbands father and my husband himselfe would haue it done and commanded it to bee so After their decease when I was at mine owne hand I left off wholly both those armes and the title but yet I know not how it can be any wrong to the Queene if I also a Queene whose Grand-mother was eldest sister vnto Henry the eight doe beare these armes since others farther off than I bore them I am sure Courtney Marquesse of Exceter and the Duchesse of Suffolke Niece vnto Henry the eight by his younger sister did beare the armes of England with borders for a difference by a speciall fauour When these things did not satisfie Queene Elizabeth who was fully perswaded that shee put in delaies still vpon some more hopes since she had not proposed vnto the Estates of Scotland who had once or twice assembled since her husbands death any thing about the confirmation of the treatie She being vpon her way sent for Throgmorton againe vnto Abbeuille where shee courteously asked him how she might satisfie Queene Elizabeth in word or deed he said by ratifying the treatie of Edenburgh as I haue often said vnto whom shee said Now heare and iudge if there bee not most iust reasons which she calleth delaies and vaine excuses The first Article in it of ratifying the treatie of Chasteau Cambresy betweene England and France pertaineth nothing vnto me The second of ratifying the treaty betweene England and Scotland was ratified by my husband and mee neither can it bee ratified againe when my husband is expressedly named in it The Articles 3 4 and 5. are already performed for the preparations for warre are ceased The French Souldiers are called backe out of Scotland and the Fortresse of Aymouth is demolished I haue not borne nor vsed the title nor armes of England since my husbands death It is not in my power to put them out of the houshold stuffe buildings and Letters patents through France as it is not in my power to send into England the Bishop of Valence and Randan who are not my subiects to dispute about the sixth Article And for the last Article I hope my seditious subiects shall not haue cause to complaine of my seueritie But as I perceiue she will preuent me by stopping my returne that they shall not haue triall of my clemencie what remaineth now in this treatie which may be wrong to the Queene Yet that I may giue her satisfaction more abundantly I will write larger Letters of this businesse with mine owne hand though shee doth not vouchsafe to write backe vnto me but by her Secretarie But I pray you my Lord Embassador doe the part of an Embassador that is rather mollifie than exasperate the matter But yet Queen Elizabeth was not satisfied with these letters in whose minde the iniurie for the vsing of the armes and title of England was deeply imprinted and still shee was afraid lest shee should challenge them againe if shee were not bound and tied thereto by the confirmation of the treatie and the religion of an oath In the meane while the Q of Scotland getting a good gale of wind departed from Calice and in a foggie mist passing by the English ships which some thought were sent to Sea to conuey her with honour others to suppresse Pirates and as others said to intercept and take her arriued safe in Scotland For Iames the Bastard very lately returning by England had secretly willed Queene Elizabeth to take her by the way if she had a desire to prouide for Religion and her owne securitie And Lidington being glad that d'Oysell was detained in England perswaded it also Shee being returned into Scotland vsed her subiects with all courtesie changed not their religion though it had beene brought in by tumults and beganne to settle the common wealth by enacting good Lawes But vnto Queene Elizabeth shee sent Lidington with her owne and the letters of the Scottish Nobilitie in the which shee promised all care to make and conserue amitie with her and requested that a certaine forme of peace might bee made betweene England and Scotland and that there was none more certaine than if Queene Elizabeth if shee should haue no issue would declare her by the authoritie of Parliament the next heire to succeed her in the Realme of England This thing seemed strange vnto Queene Elizabeth who looked for the confirmation of the treatie of Edenburgh promised by word and by her hand writing yet she answered As concerning the succession shee hoped the Queene of Scotland would not by violence take her Crowne away from her and her children if she had any shee promised not to derogate any thing of her right vnto the Crowne of England although she had claimed the title and armes of England through the too much hastie ambition of other men for which iniurie it was meet that she made satisfaction By setting downe her successor shee feared lest their friendship should bee rather disseuered than consolidated for that vnto men established in gouernment their successors are alwaies suspected and hated the people such is their inconstancie vpon a dislike of present things doe looke after the rising Sunne and forsake the Sunne setting and the successors designed cannot keepe within the bounds of Iustice and truth their owne hopes and other mens lewd desires Moreouer if she should confirme the succession vnto her shee should thereby cut off the hope of her owne securitie and being aliue hang her winding-sheet before her owne eies yea make her owne funerall feast aliue and see the same After shee had answered these things thus shee did againe sending her letters vnto her by Peter Mewtas mildly will her to confirme the treatie Neither did the other directly denie it but insinuated that shee could not doe it vntill shee had set the affaires of Scotland in good order Anno 1562. MArgaret Countesse of Lynnox Niece to King Henry the eight by his eldest sister was deliuered as prisoner to Richard Sackuill and her husband the Earle of Lennox was assigned vnto the Master of the Rolls in the like manner for that hee had secret intelligence by letters with the Queene of Scots in which custodie both of them were kept a good space Not long after Henry Sidney was sent vnto the Queene of Scots whose message was that the enteruiew which he had desired to haue with Queene Elizabeth might bee put off vnto the next yeere or vntill the French warres were waxen colder At this time it was consulted whether it was for any good purpose that these two
Princesses should come vnto an enteruiew or conference For that the Queene of Scotland required it bred a suspition that she did it for some commoditie or benefit and to espie some aduantage either to strengthen her right in England or else to giue a hope and erect the minds of the Papists in England and her Cousens the Guises in France On the other side others thought hereby a most firme amitie might bee concluded betweene them the league betweene the French and the Scots weakened by little and little and the Queene of Scots wonne by faire words vnto the Religion of the Protestants Others noted that out of such enteruiewes or conferences grew the seeds rather of emulation than of loue when one should hate and repine at the ostentation of the others brauerie wealth and power and for that many times the presence and view is not answerable vnto report and opinion and so of the comelinesse of the body of the beautie of the face and of the gifts of the minde And that one might haue cause and occasion to finde fault with the other Neither did the Queene of Scotland thinke it safe to deliuer her selfe into the hands of Queene Elizabeth with whom she had contended for the right of the Kingdome It made her to stagger and to doubt in the matter and also to which side to incline and sway when shee heard that Queene Elizabeth stood openly for the Protestants in France whilest she considered as shee wrote her selfe that shee came by her father from the English bloud and by her mother from the French that shee was crowned Queene and Dowager of France and the most rightful Heire of England and withall expected the Kingdome thereof That shee was much indebted vnto her Vncles in France which had brought her vp and that shee much desired the loue of Queene Elizabeth Yet she feared such was her piercing vnderstanding lest if shee ioined her selfe with her in a very strict kinde of amitie she might procure the euill will of the French King be abandoned by her Vncles and lose her dowrie out of France by preferring the vncertaine friendship of Queene Elizabeth which to vse her owne words passed not beyond the person before the certaine loue of the French Hereupon the conference which had beene treated of many moneths and the Articles also drawne came to nothing especially when shee by her letters did vtterly refuse to come vnto the enteruiew except she might be designed heire apparant of England by authoritie of Parliament or else bee adopted by Queene Elizabeth to be her daughter to lay a foundation of a most certaine peace and vnion of both the Realmes so often desired If these things were granted she promised to addict her selfe wholly to Queene Elizabeth yea and not to respect and regard her Vncle 's the Guises Also in these lettes shee insinuated that shee vrged these things the more vehemently for that shee had heard that many did secretly deuise to set in another successor and that onely for the cause of Religion though shee did tolerate in Scotland the Religion of the Protestants But when the Cardinall of Lorraine at the same time dealt with the Emperour Ferdinand that shee might marrie with his sonne Charles the Archduke who then sued vnto Q. Elizabeth for mariage Queene Elizabeth threatned her by Thomas Randolph that if shee did consent vnto the Cardinall the mortall enemie of England about that mariage both that the amitie betweene England and Scotland might be dissolued and perhaps she excluded from her hope of the Realme of England and if she would not misse thereof she in friendly manner willed her to choose such a husband in England in whose choice shee might principally giue her selfe content and then giue satisfaction to her owne Subiects and also to the English men in the conseruation of the peace and make the way smoother and plainer vnto her assured succession in England which cannot bee published and made knowne vntill it was certainly knowne whom she would take to her husband Anno 1563. WHen in the heat of the ciuill warres of France the Duke of Guise Vncle vnto the Q. of Scotland was slaine her dowrie out of France was not paid Hamilton D. of Chasteauleroy was depriued of his Duchie and the Scots were displaced from the Captainship of the Guard which things she tooke in very euill part The Cardinall of Lorraine another of her Vncles fearing lest hereupon she leauing the French should cleaue vnto the amitie of England he proposed againe by Crocus the mariage with Charles d' Austria offering to her the Countie of Tyrole for her dowrie Shee acquainted Queene Elizabeth with the matter who by Randolph gaue her those former admonitions about the choosing of a husband as I haue said before and then in plainer termes commended Robert Dudley whose wife being the heire of Robsert was killed a good while since by falling downe a paire of slaires and promised that if shee would marrie him she should be declared by the authoritie of Parliament sister or daughter heire apparant of England if she died without issue As soone as the Queene mother her Vncles heard this by Foixius the French Embassador in England they did so disdaine the mariage with Dudley as altogether vnequall vnworthy to match in a royall stocke and linage as they promised not onely to pay her dowrie but also to restore vnto the Scots all their former liberties and morelarge also if she would persist firmely in the friendâ—hip of France and refuse the mariage offered vnto her and also they suggested and put in her head that Queene Elizabeth did propose this mariage not seriously but colourably as though shee had assigned Dudley for her owne husband And that there was no cause why she should put any trust or confidence in the authoritie of a Parliament since that in England one Parliament may repeale that which another hath enacted Moreouer that the purposes of the English men were no other but by one meanes or other to keepe her alwaies from mariage But yet she referred this matter vnto conference being wonderfully vexed and troubled at home when Murrey cast into prison the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes because he abstained not from saying Masse vnto whom shee hardly got pardon with shedding of teares And the hot spirited Ministers of the Church bolstered by the authoritie of Murrey offered violence without any controlment vnto a Priest who had said Masse in the Court which was permitted by the Law Neither was shee able to represse the tumultuous persons though shee applied all her minde about the good of the common wealth by granting a generall pardon increasing the fees or wages of the Iudges by making wholsome Lawes as making Adulterie to bee death and sitting herself in iudgement thereby to make by Law the highest equall with the lowest Anno 1564. IN this yeere Queene Elizabeth created Robert Dudley Master of her Horse a man in high fauour with
declare her daughter adoptiue or sister by authoritie of Parliament The Scots stood hard to it that it was not for the dignitie of a Queene desired for wife by Charles the sonne of the Emperor Ferdinand the King of France the Prince of Condy and the Duke of Ferrara to abase her selfe vnto the mariage of a new-made Earle and a subiect of England vpon a hope onely and no dowrie being offered saying also it was neither honorable vnto the Queene of England to commend so meane a husband to so great a Princesse her next kinswoman but that this should bee a most certaine argument of loue if she would permit her at her owne choice to elect her selfe a husband who shall keepe peace with England and withall assigne a good annuitie vnto her and confirme the right of succession by the authoritie of Parliament In all this businesse Queene Elizabeth earnestly desired that the succession of both the Kingdomes might be established in the English Nation though she was slow in the same The Queene of Scotland when the matter had hung thus in talke for the space of two yeeres now determined to take Darly vnto her husband did suspect that Queene Elizabeth did not deale sincerely with her but that she did propound this mariage for no other end and purpose but that shee might make the first choice of the best suiter or wooer for her selfe or else might marrie with better excuse vnto Leicester But the Scottish Delegates looking also for their owne purposes determined by one way or other to thrust some obstacle or other in any mariage that â—hey might retaine still their authoritie with the Queene Queene Elizabeth had willed the Commissioners to hinder the mariage with Darly and Leicester himselfe accounting himselfe most sure of Queene Elizabeth willed Bedford secretly by his letters not to vrge the matter much And vpon this hope it is thought he fauored Darly in secret Anno 1565. IN the meane time Darly got leaue with much adoe to goe into Scotland and to stay there three moneths by the earnest and humble suit his mother made vnto Queene Elizabeth vnder the colour that he might bee present at the restoring of his father and so he came vnto Edenburgh in the moneth of Februarie He was a young man of personage most worthy of an Empire of a comely stature of a most milde nature and sweet behauiour As soone as the Queene of Scotland saw him she fell in loue with him and to couer her loue she talked now and then with Randolfe the English Embassadour in Scotland about the mariage with Leicester and at the same time sent to Rome for a dispensation because Darly and shee were so neere of kinne that a dispensation was necessary by the Canon Lawes But when these things came to light shee sent Lidington vnto Queene Elizabeth that shee might marrie with Darly by her consent and not bee kept any longer vnmaried vpon vaine expectations Queene Elizabeth propounded the matter to her priuie Councell who out of the secret suggestions of Murrey easily beleeued that the purpose of the Queene of Scotland tended by this mariage to strengthen and againe to claime the title and her right vnto the Realme of England and withall to deduce it vnto the Romane Religion againe and that many would incline vnto them vpon the certaintie of their succession comming of this mariage and others out of the loue vnto the Romane Religion and forasmuch as they vnderstood that most of the Iustices of Peace were addicted vnto it To preuent these things they thought it most necessarie first to winne the Queenes good will to marrie speedily some husband that out of the certaintie of succession by her and her issue and from none other the affaires and hopes of English men might depend for they feared that if the Queene of Scotland maried first and had issue the most of the people would incline and bend toward her side because of the certaintie of the succession and securitie Secondly that the profession of the Romane Religion should bee infringed or weakened as much as might be and that of the reformed diligently aduanced and established this by dealing more moderately with some hot spirited Protestants about things indifferent and the other by calling in the depriued Bishops vnto their prisons for they had beene dispersed into the Countries in the time of the great plague by giuing vnto the Bishops more ample authoritie to exercise the Ecclesiastical lawes against that terrifying bugge of the Premunire which the Lawyers obiected against them by suppressing bookes comming from the Low-countries into England set out by Harding and the Diuines that were fled ouer the Seas by remouing away certaine Scottish Priests that lurked in England by depriuing the English fugitiues of their Ecclesiasticall liuings which they enioyed vntill this time by compelling the Iudges of the land who for the most part were Papists to take the oath of Supremacie But to disturbe the mariage with Darly it was thought best to put them in feare by mustering Souldiers vpon the borders toward Scotland and by putting a greater Garrison into Barwicke that the Countesse of Lennox mother to Darly and Charles her sonne should be committed vnto Prison the Earle of Lennox and Darly his sonne should be recalled out of Scotland vpon paine to forfeit all their goods before that any league could bee made by them with the Kings of France or Spaine that the Scots enemies to the mariage should be maintained and Catharine Gray with the Earle of Hertfort should be receiued into some fauour of whom as of her competitor in the succession of the Kingdome shee seemed somewhat to bee afraid And this was all that they could deuise to hinder the mariage Hereupon Nicholas Throgmorton is sent vnto the Queene of Scotland who should aduise her to deliberate long on that which was to be done but once that repentance alwaies followed hastie mariage and to commend instantly the mariage with Leicester and that the mariage with her Aunts sonne was contrary vnto the Canon Law for Queene Elizabeth very much desired that by her some of the English Nation might succeed in both the Realmes although some men there were that thought it would be the best for Religion and both the Realmes if she died without issue She answered the matter could not bee recalled and that Queene Elizabeth had no cause to bee angry when according to her counsell shee had chosen not a stranger but an English man and one borne of the royall bloud of both the Kingdomes and the noblest man of birth of all Brittaine Lidington lying in England did often propose the mariage of the Queene of Scotland vnto Leicester colourably and also to the D. of Norfolke as to one more worthy of a Princesses marriage who at that time put off the same with a modest refusall The Queene of England to interpose some impediment vnto this hastened mariage called backe Lennox Darly as her
sent the Earle of Bedford with a Font of massie gold for a gift and commanded expresly that neither hee nor any English men that accompanied him should vouchsafe to call Darly by the name of King That Ceremonie being finished the Earle of Bedford dealt with the Queene of Scotland about other things contained in his commission that is to wit That the domesticall contentions betweene her and her husband might bee compounded for some malicious sworne enemies to them both had craftily broken asunder that most pleasant societie of life and loue betweene them and the treatie of Edenburgh ratified This last thing she vtterly denied alleadging that in the treatie was much matter that might impeach and derogate from her owne and her childrens right vnto the Crowne of England Yet shee promised to send Commissioners into England who should talke about the confirmation thereof changing some words namely that shee should forbeare to vse the title and armes of England whilest Queene Elizabeth liued and her children As though it were meant in the treatie that shee should forbeare to vse them for euer And also should declare vnto her how iniuriously shee was vsed by their villanous deuices that abused the simplicitie and credulitie of her husband more than was to bee suffered And now she being sickly and weake in her letters commended her young sonne vnto the fidelitie and protection of Queene Elizabeth in which letters though she knew I vse the words of the letters that she is the vndoubted rightfull heire of England after Queene Elizabeth and that many imagine and deuise sundry things against that right shee promised that shee would not vrge any more any declaration of her right but that shee will helpe assist and cleaue vnto her alwaies with all her power against all persons Anno 1567. BVt before those Commissioners came from the Queene of Scotland and a moneth or two after the Prince was Christened the King her husband in the one and twentieth yeere of his age in the dead time of the night by a hatefull and abominable villanie which all good men doe detest was strangled in his bed and cast into a garden and the house blowne vp with Gun-powder A rumour forthwith was diuulged in all Brittaine and the fault laid vpon Mourton Murrey and their confederates And they insulting vpon the weaknesse of her sex laid it from themselues vpon the Queene What George Buchanan hath written hereof as well in his Historie as in a Pamphlet called the Detection is knowne to all men by those printed bookes But since hee carried away with partiall affection and with the gifts of Murrey wrote in that manner those bookes were condemned of falshood by the Estates of the Realme of Scotland vnto whom more credit is to bee giuen And he himselfe lamented and bewailed vnto the King whose Schoolemaster hee was reprouing himselfe oftentimes as I haue heard that he had written so spightfully against the well-deseruing Queene And at his death wished that he might haue liued so long vntill hee might wipe out with a recantation or with his bloud the spots and staines hee had falsly laid on her But that as hee said would be to no purpose since he should seeme to doat for old age Let it bee lawfull for me that the other part may also bee heard in few words to lay open all the matter as much as I can vnderstand without any hate or loue as well out of the writings of other men which were set forth at that time but suppressed in fauour of Murrey and vpon hatred vnto the Queene Captiue in England as also out of the letters of Embassadors and of men of good credit In the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred fiftie and eight at the mariage of Francis the Dolphin and of MARIE Queene of Scotland Iames the Queenes Bastard-brother commonly called the Prior of Saint Andrewes disdaining that Religious appellation sued for a more honourable title which when she by the aduice of the Guises her Vncles would not grant he returned into Scotland much offended and began to make broiles vnder a goodly pretence of the reformation of Religion and assuring the libertie of Scotland and effected it so farre that Religion was changed in an assembly of the Confederates without the Queenes priuitie And the French men were remoued out of Scotland by the helpe of the English men they had brought in Francis the King of France being deceased he poasted into France vnto his sister and laying from himselfe whatsoeuer had beene done in Scotland against her profit or credit calling God to witnesse solemnly promised to doe all the kind offices which a sister could expect at the hands of a brother And conceiuing also a hope that she being bred vp from her tender yeeres in the delights of France would not returne into Scotland dealt with the Guises that some one of the Scottish Nobilitie might be named Regent of Scotland and as with his finger shewed himselfe as the fittest man But when he was sent backe into Scotland with no other authoritie but onely with Letters Patents wherein the Queene gaue authoritie to assemble the Nobilitie and to aduise and conferre about the good of the common wealth hee being deiected and â—ustrate of his hope returning thorow England in a rage and furie put into their heads that if they desired or had a care of the preseruation of Religion in Scotland the tranquillitie of England and securitie of Queene Elizabeth they should hinder the returne of the Queene of Scotland into Scotland by one meanes or other Yet shee arriued safe in Scotland passing by the English Fleet in a thicke mist and vsing her brother with all courtesie commended the gouernment of all the affaires into his hands Yet these things did not cut off the branches of his ambition which daily sprang out both in words and deeds For neither could he containe himselfe but that oftentimes amongst his friends he would lament that the warlike Scottish Nation no lesse than that of the English men was subiected to the gouernment of a woman and out of the doctrine of Knox whom hee accounted as a Patriarke hee would often discourse that Kingdomes were due vnto vertue not vnto kindred That women were to bee excluded from the succession of Kingdomes and that their rule was monstrous Hee dealt also with the Queene by his friends that she would substitute some out of the familie of the Stewarts who if she died without issue should succeed one after another in the Kingdome and not to haue any regard whether they were legitimate or illegitimate hoping that he should be one of them being a Kings sonne although illegitimate But the Queene when she out of her wisdome weighed that such a substitution was a thing contrary to the Lawes of the Land and would be a wrong vnto the right heires a most pernicious example and perillous also for the substitutes themselues yea and a barre vnto her to keepe
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
receiued him and conueyed him vnto Burnham three miles from Windsor where the Queene then lay Foure daies after the Abbot of Dunfermelling deliuered the letters of Murrey Regent of Scotland vnto the Queene in which hee shewed her that the Duke dealt with him secretly at Hampton Court to fauour his mariage with the Queene of Scotland and that if hee would not he threatned him exceedingly and that hee promised to fauour it that he might preuent and auoid the await ambuscado laid by one Norton to kill him from whom and others the Duke gaue his word hee should returne without danger And that shortly after the Duke requested him by his letters written in Ciphers to giue his consent vnto the mariage Moreouer that the Duke did signifie vnto him by Boyd that hee would neuer forsake and abandon the Queene of Scotland and further that the agents of the same Queene had almost perswaded the Râ—gent that Queene ELIZABETH had consented to the mariage and also that she had offered to her the hope of the Kingdome of England And Queene ELIZABETH also found out that shee had signified vnto certaine Noblemen of England to winne them vnto her side that shee went about that businesse which would bee very necessary for the most certaine securitie of the Queene of England and the like safetie for both the Kingdomes The Duke who had secret and warie commerce of letters which were sent priuily in Ale-bottles with the Bishop of Rosse Leicester and Throgmorton was about this time examined about this mariage with the Queene of Scotland and his secret conferences with the Bishop of Rosse and confessed most things was sent to the Tower of London vnder the keeping of Sir Henry Neuill Knight being bitterly reproued that hee had departed from the Court without leaue obtained and charged as though he had intended to rebell Two daies after the Bishop of Rosse was examined in like manner and Robert Ridolph the Gentleman of Florence whom the Bishop of Rosse others vsed familiarly is deliuered vnto the custodie of Francis Walsingham The Earle of Pâ—mbrooke is commanded to keepe his house and is priuately examined yet in regard of his Nobilitie and old age hee had the fauour that his examination was not set downe in writing Which thing he required because he could not write Some Noblemen were forbidden the Court as priuie to these matters who humbly confessed that they with the Duke agreed to the mariage which Murrey had first propounded yet so that the Duke the Queene of Scotland and they willed that the matter should bee referred vnto the Queene before the mariage was to be solemnized and desired pardon for their offence In like manner the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland who were of this counsell submitted themselues vnto Sussex Lord President of the North and besought him to make intercession vnto the Queene for their pardon Also sundry Pamphlets came out against this mariage and against the Queene of Scotland and the right by which shee claimed to become heire vnto England wherein they shewed their wits with such malapert saucinesse that the Queene thought once to haue forbidden them by seuere edict and permitted the Bishop of Rosse winking thereat to make answer who forthwith set forth a booke vnder the name of Morgan Philips against them wherein hee defended the honour of his Queene her right to succeed and the gouernment of women for this also was impugned but ingenuously acknowledged afterward in his Commentaries that he had his arguments for her right of succession secretly from Anthonie Browne chiefe Iustice in the common Place and Carrell an excellent good common Lawyer Shortly after befell the rebellion in the North raised by the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland with many other Gentlemen Who when they vnderstood for certaine that the Queene of Scotland whom to set at libertie they had principally taken armes was caried away from Tutburie vnto Couentrie vnder the keeping of the Earles of Shrewsburie and Huntingdon and also moued with the great preparation of the Queene they with a few others fled into Scotland Anno 1570. THe rebellion in England being now quenched Murrey Regent of Scotland laboured diligently that the Queene of Scotland might be deliuered into his hands and for that cause he both offered hostages and also to restore vnto them the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and brought to passe that the Bishop of Rosse as the kindler of the rebellion was committed vnto the custodie of the Bishop of London Then to purchase the good will of Queene ELIZABETH in the moneth of Ianuarie he came with an armie into the borders of Scotland towards England to hunt out the English rebels of whom he tooke a few and those of small account but at last hee found the Earle of Northumberland lurking about Hartlawe amongst the theeues on the borders discouered by his host one of the Grayhams who betraied him and sent him vnto Lochleuin to be kept and in this iourney he annoied and spoiled the borders exceedingly But in the same moneth after hee had taken great paines and thought himselfe in great securitie he was shot from out of a priuie place thorow the body a little beneath the nauell with a Bullet as he rode thorow the streets of Lithquo by one Hamilton who escaped by and by into France and liued certaine yeeres after oftentimes protesting that he did it to reueâ—ge himselfe of a priuate grudge against him hee not being able to endure patiently the iniuries he offered vnto him For Murrey had banished the fellow for that hee had stood for the Queene and imprisoned him threatning now and then to hang him vntill he resigned and gaue away vnto a seruant oâ— Murrey a littleground which came to him by his wife whereupon his wife fell mad and in a furious rage he brake prison and committed the murder Neither could the man after bee perswaded in France when he seemed to be a man fit for a desperate action to attempt the same against the Admirall Coligni oftentimes saying that he was the reuenger of his owne iust griefe for which he was sorie but he would not be the reuenger of another mans neither for gold nor request Hereupon was there much talke of the Regent that was slaine thorow all Britaine The most wondering at vaine matters namely the dreame of his mother of the Lion and the Dragon fighting in her wombe after that King Iames the fifth had had his pleasure on her Among the wiser sort according to their partiall affections commended he was by some for destroying the Romane Religion in Scotland the conseruation of the King a childe the equall administration of iustice and his munificence and liberalitie toward learned men and Bâ—chanan aboue the rest On the other side he was reproued by others as though he tooke religion for a cloake and enriched himselfe and his friends with the spoiles of the Church and how hee was not onely iniurious but also
to breake out in Norfolke which was quenched in the beginning some Gentlemen of Norfolke desiring to deliuer the Duke who was exceedingly loued of all men had deuised at Harleston Faire by sounding of a Trumpet to gather a multitude vnder the pretence to expulse strangers out of the land Iohn Felton who had fixed the Popes Bull on the Bishop of Londons gate in the night being apprehended for hee would not flie when hee might being arraigned with a stout courage confessed the deed which yet he would not acknowledge to bee any offence was executed neere vnto the place where hee had fixed the same The same day Felton was arraigned the Duke of Norfolke confessing his offence and shewing great penitence and hauing by his writing giuen his word not to deale any more about the mariage with the Queene of Scotland without the priuitie of Queene ELIZABETH was brought backe from the Tower of London to the great ioy of the people remaining at his owne house vnder the keeping of Sir Henry Neuill And indeed he could not be arraigned of treason by the Statute of 25. of Edward the third as Cecill said who desirous of the Dukes good was earnest to haue him marrie another woman whereby hee might bee lesse feared and the publike tranquillitie conserued Yet some there were that thought hee was let out of purpose that he might be thrust into some greater danger And indeed moe things came euery day to light than he suspected and the credit of his most secret counsellors were corrupted with hopes or with bribes These times were full of suspitions and conspiracies for there conspired to deliuer the Queene of Scotland out of prison Thomas and Edward Stanley the younger sonnes of the Earle of Derby by the daughter of Thomas Duke of Norfolke Thomas Gerard Rolston Hall and others in Derby-shire But Rolstons sonne who was one of the Pensioners opened the conspiracie and they were all cast into prison but Hall who escaped into the I le of Man and from thence vnto Dunbritton where being taken at the winning of the Castle hee was conueied vnto London and there executed as a Traitor And the Bishop of Rosse himselfe lately deliuered out of prison was againe deliuered vnto the custodie of the Bishop of London for that he had secret conference with the Earle of Southampton a man wholly addicted to the Romane religion Queene ELIZABETH her minde being in great doubt of trouble vpon the publication of the Bull and the insurrection intended in Norfolke sent Cecill and Mildmay vnto the Queene of Scotland who then lay at Chattesworth in Derby-shire to consult and deuise with her by what meanes the diuision in Scotland might in the best manner be compounded she restored vnto her former estate and prouision made for the securitie of Queene ELIZABETH and the safetie of her little sonne Shee did nothing but deplore her most distressed estate complaine of the crafty policies of Murrey excuse Norfolke and put all her hope in the benignitie of Queene ELIZABETH They for the making and establishing of a sincere league of amitie betweene the Realmes propounded these Articles 1 The Treatie of Edenburgh should bee confirmed Shee should renounce her title and right to England during the life of Queene ELIZABETH 2 She should not renew nor keepe any league with any Prince against England 3 Shee should not admit or receiue any forraine Souldiers into Scotland 4 She should haue no practice nor intelligence with any Irish or English men without the Queenes knowledge 5 She should restore the English fugitiues and rebels 6 Shee should make amends or recompence for the hurt done vnto the English borderers 7 She should enquire according to the Law for the murders both of Darly and Murrey 8 She should deliuer her sonne pledge into England 9 She should not marrie with any English man without the knowledge of the Queene of England nor with any other against the wills of the States of Scotland 10 The Scots should not passe ouer into Ireland without leaue obtained out of England 11 For the confirmation and assurance whereof the Queene and the Commissioners to be appointed should set to their hands and seales 12 Six hostages whom the Queene of England should name should be sent into England 13 If the Queene of Scotland attempted any thing against the Queene of England by her selfe or by any other she should lose all her right ipso facto which she claimeth in England 14 The Castles of Hume and Fast Castle to be kept by the English men three yeeres 15 Some Fortresse also in Galloway or Cantire should be deliuered vnto the English men lest the Irish-Scots should infest Ireland from thence 16 Lastly the Estates of Scotland should confirme all and singular these things by the authoritie of Parlament To these propositions she out of her discretion did answer warily enough vpon the sudden but shee referred them for a fuller answer vnto the Commissioners sent by her Lieutenants in Scotland who were the Bishop of Rosse her Embasladour in England Alexander Gordon Bishop of Galloway Vncle vnto the Earle of Huntley and William Lord Leuingston who afterward admitted some of these Articles and reiected others They answered That the treatie of Edenburgh should bee confirmed the title renounced during the life of Queene ELIZABETH That they must consider of the ancient league with France which if they did not keepe the Queene should lose her Dowrie the Scottish Nation of the which one hundred men at armes on horse-backe and one hundred foure and twentie Archers are maintained in the Guard Merchants Students many that possesse land by inheritance and that haue spirituall liuings should be put out and lose their pensions immunities and priuileges which they enioy being very great and Scotland should bee depriued of the amitie and aid of a most mightie Nation Which things except the English men did liberally and bountifully recompence they cannot renounce and forsake the French league by any meanes That they will not admit any forraine Souldiers except in case of such a rebellion that cannot bee supprest by Souldiers of their owne Countrie That the Queene of Scotland shall haue no intelligence with the subiects of England so that the Queene of England in like manner shall haue none with the subiects of Scotland to the hurt of Scotland If there bee any English rebels or fugitiues they be in the hands of the Scottish rebels and are to be demanded of them The hurts done are to be examined by Commissioners For the murder of DARLY and Murrey let them be inquired of according to the Lawes of Scotland That they cannot deliuer the King for hostage who is in the hands of them that vse the Kings name as a colour for their rebellion against the Queeene That it is strange and a thing not heard of at any time that a free Princesse should be prescribed in her mariage by a forraine Prince and her owne subiects That the Scots shall not
no other cause but to trie the Dukes minde whether hee stood constant and resolute But the crimes of the other he wittily extenuated and by no meanes he could be induced to tell the names of the Noblemen that promised to helpe the Duke to surprize the Queene But he confessed that he by the commandement of the Queene of Scotland did aske aduice of the Duke Arundell Lumley and Throgmorton by their seruants that came to and fro and the Vicount Mountague by Lumley about the deliuerie of the Castles in Scotland the hostages the deliuerie of the King of Scotland vnto the English men and the restoring of the English Rebels Thus much of these matters this yeere out of the Dukes confessions and the Commentarie of Rosse himselfe written with his owne hand sent to the Queene of Scotland Matthew Earle of Lennox Regent of Scotland Grandfather to the King had summoned an assembly of the Estates at Sterling in the Kings name where liuing securely he was taken on the sudden by the Noblemen of the contrarie faction who held a Parlament at Edenburgh at the same time in the Queenes name He had yeelded himselfe to Dauid Spense of Wormeston who labouring diligently to saue his life was slaine together with the Regent who had gouerned the Realme for the King his Grandchild but foureteene moneths by Bell and Caulder In his place was substituted by the voices of the Kings faction Iohn Areskin Earle of Marre who died after hee had beene Regent but thirteene moneths These dangerous times produced in the Parlament holden in England this Law It was made treason if any attempted any harme or hurt made warre or moued any other to raise warre against the Queene If any affirmed that she possessed not the Crowne rightfully but that others had more right to the Crowne or did say that shee was an Heretike Schismatike or Infidell did vsurpe the right of the Kingdome during her life or shall say that any other hath right to the Crowne or that the Lawes and Statutes cannot define and binde the right of the Crowne and the succession of the same If any in the Queenes life by written or printed booke expresly affirme that any is or ought to be heire or successor of the Queene besides the naturall issue of her owne body or shall print or sell any bookes or schedules to that effect hee and his fautors for the first time shall be imprisoned a whole yeere and lose halfe his goods and for the second offence incurre Premunire that is to lose all his goods and lie in prison for euer This seemed somewhat seuere vnto many who were of opinion that the tranquillitie of the Realme would bee established by the designation of a certaine heire But it is wonderfull what iests somelewd construers of words made of that clause Besides the naturall issue of her body since the Lawyers call them Naturall that are borne out of matrimonie but the legitimate they call out of the forme of words vsed in the Law of England Children of his body lawfully begotten insomuch that being a young man I heard it often said that that word was thrust into the Act by Leicester to the intent that hee might at one time or other thrust vpon them against their wills some Bastard sonne of his as the naturall issue of the Queene An Act was made also at this Parlament that it should bee treason in them who reconciled any to the Church of Rome by any Bulls or Rescripts of the Popes or any that were reconciled they that releeued the reconcilers or brought in any Agnus Dei Grana Crucifixes or other things consecrated by the Pope into England should incurre the penaltie of Premunire And that it should bee misprision of treason in them that did not discouer their reconcilers It was moued in the same Parlament that if the Queene of Scotland did offend againe against the Lawes of England that they might proceed against her according to the Law as against the wife of a Peere of the Kingdome of England but the Queene would not suffer it to passe Anno 1572. ON the sixteenth day of Ianuarie Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke was arraigned at Westminster Hall before George Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie appointed for that day Lord high Steward of England and on both sides of him sate the Peeres namely Reynold Grey Earle of Kent Thomas Ratclif Earle of Sussex Henry Hastings Earle of Huntingdon Francis Russell Earle of Bedford Henry Herbert Earle of Pembrooke Edward Seymer Earle of Hertford Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwicke Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Walter Deuereux Viscount Hereford Edward Clintōn Admirall William Lord Howard of Effingham Chamberlaine William Cecill Lord Burghley Secretarie Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton Iames Blount Lord Mountioy William Lord Sands Thomas Lord Wentworth William Lord Burrough Lewis Lord Mordant Iohn Powlet Lord Saint-Iohn of Basing Robert Lord Rich Roger Lord North Edmund Bruges Lord Chandois Oliuer Lord Saint-Iohn of Bletneshoo Thomas Sackuill Lord Buckhurst and William West Lord De La-ware Silence being made the Letters Patents of the Commission was read then a white wand was deliuered vnto the Lord Steward by Garter King at Armes which hee shortly after deliuered vnto the Serieant at Armes who stood by and held it vp all the while Then the Earles and Barons were called by their names and euery one made answer to his name Then silence was made againe and the Lieutenant of the Tower was commanded to returne his precept and to bring the Duke to the Barre Forthwith he was brought in and Sir Owen Hopton stood on the one side of him and Sir Peter Carew on the other side and next by him stood a man holding an Axe with the edge from the Duke Silence being made againe the Clerke of the Crowne said thus to the Duke Thomas Duke of Norfolke late of Keningale in the Countie of Norfolke hold vp thy hand which when hee had done the Clerke read the Inditement with a loud voice that is to say That in the eleuenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH and after the Duke did traiterously deuise to put her from her Crowne and to kill her and to raise warre against her and to bring in forraine forces to inuade the Realme That whereas he knew MARIE late Queene of Scotland to haue claimed the Diadem of England with the title and armes thereof yet hee without the Queenes knowledge intended to marrie with her and lent her a great summe of money contrarie to the promise he had made vnder his owne hand That whereas he knew the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland Markenfield and others had raised rebellion against the Queene and were fled into Scotland he releeued them with money That in the thirteenth yeere of the Queene hee by letters requested aid of men from Pope Pius Quintus the professed enemie of the Queene the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alba to deliuer the Queene of Scotland and to restore Papistrie into England
Lastly that hee gaue aid vnto Herris a Scot and other enemies of the Queene in Scotland This being read the Clerke asked the Duke whether hee were guiltie of these crimes or no He besought that if it were lawfull by the Law he might haue a Lawyer appointed him to defend or pleade his cause Catlin Chiefe Iustice answered that it was not lawfull The Duke said It is meet that I submit my selfe to the opinion of the Iudges but there bee many darke and obscure points in this businesse neither vnderstood I of my arraignment till within this foureteene houres I was kept from bookes now I see I am to fight for my life without weapons Yet I haue heard that a Lawyer was assigned vnto Humfrey Stafford in a case of treason in the reigne of Henry the seuenth Dier chiefe Iustice of the Common pleas answered that a Lawyer was assigned vnto Stafford about the priuilege of the Sanctuarie from whence he was taken away by force and that he answered for himselfe without a Lawyer for the treason The Duke said I must speake this day for my life my goods for my children and that which is most to bee respected for my loyaltie and honestie let honour goe by yet let me aske one question Whether that the enumeration of the crimes must be holden for true in euery part and to which part I must answer Catlin said When the causes be true the enumeration is also to be accounted true I doe desire to be told said the Duke whether euery singular thing bee treason For I haue heard in the cause of the Lord Scroope in the reigne of Henry the fourth As hee would haue said more the Clerke of the Crowne interrupted him speaking aloud Thomas Duke of Norfolke art thou guiltie or not guiltie He said Not guiltie The Clerke asked him againe How wiltthou betried I commend said he my cause to God and to my Peeres The hainousnesse of my crimes woundeth my heart but the benignitie of her Maiestie from whom I could expect no more doth recomfort me and I beseech you my Lord Steward that I may bee dealt withall according to Law and that my memorie which is slipperie may not be opprest with the confused varietie of things That I haue you my Peeres and Iudges I acknowledge my selfe happy for vnto many of your integrities I would willingly commit my life I trusting vnto mine innocencie did not flie but yet I cannot but ingenuosly confesse that I haue transgressed against the Queene but in no treason I beseech you let not those things of smaller moment be put amongst the other of treason Then said Barham the Queenes Serieant at law The crimes of treason whereof thou art indicted are these Thou didst deuise to depriue the Queene of her Realme and of her life Thou didst intend to marrie with the Queene of Scotland Thou didst send for forraine power to inuade the Realme Thou gauest maintenance vnto the Rebels and didst helpe the Scots enemies to the Queene The Duke interrupted him saying Barham I pray you doe not aggrauate the matter with words in obiecting the mariage and other things which be not treason Barham turning to the Noblemen vrged the matter saying He that would marrie her that claimeth the Kingdome the same man desireth and seeketh after the Kingdome but this the Duke began when he was one of the Commissioners at Yorke to heare the cause of the Queene of Scotland at which time hee was sworne to weigh indifferently and vprightly the accusations and defences on both sides The Duke said That cause hath sundry parts which bee without the compasse of treason The Steward of England bade the Duke not to vse such digressions from the purpose who when Barham still vrged it with a loud voice hee acknowledged that the Queene of Scotland had claimed the Realme of England as due to her but that shee had giuen ouer the claime long since Barham to the contrarie shewed how she had not left off the claime because she had not yet made a release or renunciation thereof and hee accused the Duke hainously that he taught the Delegates of Scotland what to say and this out of the confession of the Bishop of Rosse The Duke confessed that Lidington moued the mariage vnto him and that hee refused it and that hee told them nothing and requested that the Bishop of Rosse might be produced before him Then did Barham prosecute at large many things which I haue mentioned before to proue that the Duke did vnmeasurably desire the Kingdome and stood much vpon this point What other thing could the Duke propose vnto himselfe in his minde without the priuitie of the Queene to marrie the Queene of Scotland a woman without goods without Kingdome her sonne being now established in the Realme of Scotland but that hee might get by her meanes or right the Kingdome of England and consequently depriue the Queene of her life and Kingdome The Duke said These things are farre fetcht to conuince me to haue imagined the depriuation and destruction of the Queene I will come neerer said Barham It is not vnknowne that you deuised with others to surprize the Tower of London which is the chiefest hold of England so that it is of necessitie that you then compassed the destruction of the Queene since Kingdomes cannot endure to haue a partner The Duke denied not that one Hopton put into his head the surprizing of the Tower yet that he reiected the same Why then said Barham didst thou aske the Earle of Pembrookes aduice who disswaded thee Barham went on and vrged him that when the Queene requested of the Infant King of Scotland certaine Castles and the English Rebels out of Scotland to bee deliuered the Duke secretly willed the Scots not to consent thereunto He accused him also that he attempted priuily to steale away the Queene of Scotland out of prison And this was after hee had solemnly promised to meddle or deale with her no more Then Candish was brought in witnesse against him that the Duke had a resolute purpose to marrie her and that hee asked him if hee could draw his Vncle to his side if Queene Elizabeth died The Duke vtterly denied these things and reiected his testimonie as of a needy man and a childish witnesse Moreouer it was shewed that the Duke sent secretly his man to the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland to aduise them not to rise in rebellion as a thing that would proue very dangerous Also the letters of the Queene of Scotland were shewed wherein shee lamented that Northumberland was intercepted before hee was ready to rise For this flying newes was brought to her perchance of set purpose To these things the Duke answered These reasons doe not probably proue that he compassed the destruction of the Queene and that nothing yet brought against him was of any moment but onely the testimonie of the Bishop of Rosse neither was this to be receiued since he was a forrainer
Escouedo sent out of the Netherlands he had desired to haue some Hauens in Biscay granted vnto him from whence hee might inuade England with a Nauie But Philip disliked their intentions and began to neglect him as one ouer ambitious Yet Queene ELIZABETH vnderstood not these things fully vntill Orange informed her In the meane time Don Iohn couertly prosecuted the mariage and at the same time to cloake the matter sent vnto Queene ELIZABETH the Viscount of Gaunt to shew her the conditions of the peace and to request longer daies of paiment for the money lent vnto the Estates which she willingly granted and dealt with him againe by Wilson to recompence the Merchants of England for the hurt sustained in the sacking of Antwerpe He eludeth the matter whiles he seemed to attend about the Perpetuall edict for peace he brake out suddenly into open warre and by policie gat into his hands many Cities and Castles and wrote vnto the King of Spaine that he thought it best to subdue and conquer the Ilands of Zeland before the Inland Prouinces and beleeuing that which he hoped endeuoured to perswade him by his Secretarie that England was easier to be conquered than Zeland Anno 1578. ABout this time Margaret Dowglas Countesse of Lennox Neece to Henry the eighth by his eldest sister widow of Matthew Earle of Lennox Grandmother vnto IAMES King of Great Britaine ouerliuing her eight children departed to the ioies of heauen in the threescore and third yeere of her age and was buried at Westminster with a solemne funerall at the Queenes charge a Matron of worthy pietie patience and chastitie who was thrice cast into prison as I haue heard her speake it not for matter of treason but for loue matters First when Thomas Howard sonne to Thomas Howard first Duke of Norfolke being in loue with her died in the Tower then for the loue of Henry Darly her sonne to the Queene MARIE of Scotland lastly for the loue of Charles her younger sonne â—o Elizabeth Candish mother to Arbella of which mariage the Queene of Scotland was accused to bee a procurer as I haue said before About the same time the credit and authoritie of Mourton began to decay insomuch that hee was remoued from his office of Regent and the administration of all things deliuered vnto the King by the common consent of the Estates and because hee was not past twelue yeeres old vnto twelue of the chiefe Noblemen which were named of whom three euery three moneths by turnes should bee present with the King to giue him aduice and Mourton was one of them that they might seeme to bring him lower not to cast him downe Shortly after Mourton trusting on his sharpe wit long experience and many dependants and retainers thinking nothing well done except he himselfe did it and also not brooking not to be the same man he had beene drew backe all the administration vnto himselfe not regarding his associates and not obseruing the consent of administration set downe hee kept in his hand the King within the Castle of Sterling and shut out excluded whom he pleased and admitted others at his owne choice Wherewith the Noblemen being moued made the Earle of Atholl their Captaine and made Proclamation in the Kings name that all men aboue sixteene and vnder threescore yeeres should meet in Armour with victuals for fifteene daies There met very many and with Banners displaied they marched vnto Fawkirke where Mourton with his friends met them in Armour ready to fight But Robert Bowes the English Embassadour by intreatie and mouing honest conditions kept them from fighting and Mourton forthwith as wearie of businesse went home secretly and the Earle of Atholl died incontinently not without suspicion of poison which the mindes incensed against Mourton tooke to his slander and for this and other things they neuer ceased to persecute him vntill they had brought him to his destruction as we will declare hereafter Anno 1579. THe Scots were in feare of hauing their Religion altered by a French man called Amatus or Esmaus Stewart who came at this time into Scotland to see the King his Cousin for he was the sonne of Iohn Stewart brother vnto Matthew Earle of Lennox who was the Kings Grand-father and called Aubigney of a Towne in Berry which long since Charles the seuenth King of France had giuen to Iohn Stewart of the familie of Lennox who being Constable of the Scottish Armie in France put the English men to flight at Baugy and was afterwards slaine by them in the battell of Herrings and euer since that time it hath belonged vnto the younger sonne of that house This man the King vsed with singular kindnesse gaue him good liuings made him of his priuie Councell and Lord Chamberlaine of Scotland and Captaine of the Castle of Dunbritton and then Earle of Lennox and after Duke This extraordinarie fauour of the King towards him caused many to enuie him who murmured that he was a fauourer of the Guises and of the Roman Religion and sent purposely into Scotland by secret meanes to ouerthrow the true Religion The suspicion was much increased in that hee was familiar with the aduersaries of Mourton and intreated to haue Thomas Carre of Fernihurst recalled home who was the most assured friend to the Queene of Scotland of all others Mourton resisting the same with all his power but in vaine for his authoritie was lesse and lesse with all men although it might seeme that hee deserued well in profligating the Hamiltons and taking the Castle of Hamilton and Daffraine Anno 1580. IN Scotland when many Ministers of the Word and Noblemen perceiued that Lennox was in the Kings high fauour first they raised one Iames Stewart of the familie of Ochiltree Captaine of the Guard and Earle of Arran for hee had vsurped that title from I know not what cession of Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran whose Tutor hee had beene when hee was not well in his wit to affront him But the King in a short time reconciled them When this way serued not their turne they procured him as much hatred as they could at home and accused him hainously vnto the Queene of England as one sent in couertly by the Guises to shake the state of Religion to procure the libertie of the imprisoned Queene and to dissolue the amitie betweene England and Scotland These men were soone beleeued and vpon this matter was kept a serious consultation in England though hee in his letters cleered himselfe to the Queene and openly professed the Protestants Religion For the Councellors of England feared lest he should suppresse the Scots who were friends to England nourish excursions in the borders and entice the King to marrie in France or in some other place vnknowne to the English men whereupon the young King trusting might trouble England and being growne to mature yeeres assume to himselfe the title of the Realme of England as his mother had done before which if hee should
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
this Which thing not to speake of other matters is most euident and apparant by testimonies openly shewed and the confession of Mourtons owne mouth who was for that cause aduanced vnto honour against whom if I had dealt by course of Law and thou hadst not giuen aid vnto the Rebels they could neuer haue stood out so long against mee and my friends While I was detained in prison in Lochleuin Nicholas Throgmorton perswaded me in thy name by sealing Letters Patents to resigne my Kingdome which he affirmed would bee void and indeed all the world accounted it void vntill thou by thy fauour countenance and forces didst giue aid vnto the beginners and procurers of these Letters Patents And tell me in good faith whether thou doest acknowledge thy subiects to haue any such authoritie ouer thee And yet from thenceforth was my royall authoritie taken away from me by thy counsell and helpe and my Kingdome transferred vnto my sonne vncapable thereof by reason of his tender yeeres And when I not long since determined to confirme the Kingdome vnto him in a lawfull manner he was taken away by force by diuers Traitors who questionlesse haue an intent to depriue him of his Kingdome as they did me if not to take away his life also After I escaped out of Lochleuin and was now ready to fight and encounter with the Rebels I implored thy aid sending backe that Diamond which beforetime I had receiued from thee as a token and pledge of thy loue with a large promise of aid against the Rebels not once nor twice also giuing thy fidelitie that if I retired and came my selfe vnto thee for succour thou wouldest come in person vnto the borders and giue me aid And I trusting vpon thy promise freely offered although thy seruants had oftentimes deceiued me resolued to flee for helpe vnto thee as to my last assured Anchor in my aduersitie and so had I done if the way had beene as open and easie for me as it was for them that rebelled against me But before I could come vnto thee I was intercepted guarded with keepers shut vp into strong places and from that time vntill this endured euils more grieuous than death I know thou wilt obiect against mee the dealings that were betwixt the Duke of Norâ—olke and me yet I doe still denie that they were any wrong or hurt to thee or to thy Realme for they were allowed by the chiefe Councellors of the Realme of England and confirmed with their subscriptions who also promised assuredly to obtaine thy consent And how I pray you could such great men promise thy consent vnto that should depriue thee of thy life honour and Diadem But yet thou wilt haue all men to beleeue this But when many of those Rebels did repent though late and saw more plainly by the conference at Yorke betweene our Commissioners how vniustly they dealt with mee they were forthwith besieged by thy forces in the Castle of Edenburgh and of the principall men one Lidington was poisoned and the other Grange in lamentable manner hanged And this after that by thy request I had caused them once or twice to lay downe their armes vpon a hope of peace which God knoweth whether my aduersaries euer imagined to keepe From that time I was resolued to trie whether I could mollifie rigor by patience in suffering whatsoeuer they imposed on mee a prisoner yet I was vtterly barred from all conference with my sonne by letters or messengers for this whole yeere past that the sonne might be disioined by this most lamentable disiunction from the mother if it might be I haue oftentimes set downe and proposed conditions of a peace and concord to bee made betweene vs as at Chattisworth eleuen yeeres since with the Commissioners and with thy selfe by the Embassadours of the most Christian King and by mine owne I dealt also sincerely with Beale the last winter but those conditions were alwaies reiected and delaies made and interposed my aduices and counsells were suspected and all the motions of my sincere minde condemned and disallowed Neither did I reape any other fruit of my long lasting patience than that it grew to a setled custome for mee to bee more rigorously vsed euery day than other not as a prisoner but euen as a Kitchin-maid Assuredly I cannot endure these things any longer and hap what hap will if I die I will make the procurers and causers of my death to bee knowne but if I liue I shall finde meanes I hope that all these wicked attempts and slanderous calumniations against me shall die that I may spend the rest of my life in more tranquillitie Wherefore to take away all displeasure and hatred betweene vs let the testimonies of the Spaniards who were lately takenin Ireland be shewed let the examinations of the Iesuits bee produced let any body haue free libertie to accuse me publikely yet so that in like manner I may haue libertie to defend my selfe and that I be not condemned vnheard Malefactors and persons of the basest sort and condition are admitted to speake and defend themselues and their accusers are brought before their face Why am not I so vsed and dealt withall who am a Queene anointed and thy next Cousin and the lawfull heire of the Crowne after thee But this last thing is the matter which chiefly vexeth and stingeth my aduersaries which studie to keepe vs still enemies and at contention Alas there is no cause why this should vex them I take God to witnesse and vpon mine honour I haue thought of no other Kingdome this long time but onely the Celestiall Kingdome Yet thou art bound in Conscience and tied both by dutie and iustice not to trouble or crosse the most assured right of my sonne after my death nor to further their secret combinations who as well in England as in Scotland doe apply all their wit and power to worke the destruction of me and my sonne which is euident and apparent by the instructions of thy messengers in Scotland who vsed and behaued themselues most seditiously doubtlesse without thy knowledge but Huntingdon being wonderfull eager and diligent therein Is this iust and right that I a mother shall bee forbidden not onely to giue counsell and aduice to my oppressed sonne but also to vnderstand in what distressed estate he is If they had beene sent for my sonnes good perhaps if they had taken mine aduice with them they should haue beene for that cause the more welcome vnto him Verily thou hadst bound and tied me vnto thee more strictly and thou hadst no cause so much to conceale their going thither or to take away at that very time from mee all my libertie Yet that I may speake freely I desire thee not to vse such Agents any more in the Scottish affaires For although I beleeue that Cary Hunsdon will not doe or take any thing in hand which may bee a blemish to himselfe or his honour yet I cannot hope of any good
Queene of Scotland deliuered vnder the conduct of Guise as Generall who wanted nothing but money and some bands of men in England to ioyne with him to his helpe To procure these things that Charles Paget vnder the counterfet name of Mope was sent secretly into Sussex where the Duke of Guise determined to land his Armie That he acquainted Mendoza who had notice and knowledge of these things already by the Conspirators with the matter and told him the names of the Hauens and Noblemen Neither did he denie that he promised his furtherance and withall to haue admonished Mendoza with what Noblemen he being a publike person should treat of this matter which he being a priuate man could not doe without great danger and that he shewed a way to him how some principall Catholikes as soone as the forraine Forces were landed might leuie souldiers in the Queenes name and then to ioyne them to the forraine Forces These things he voluntarily confessed Yet at the Barre in the Guildhall of London being accused of these things he precisely denied euery one of these things and auerred that they were meere deuices of his owne head to auoid the torment of the racke againe and openly accused the Queene of crueltie and the examiners of falshood deuising an escapatorie or starting-hole by the space of time which was betweene the fault committed and the iudgement Forasmuch as in the thirteenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH certaine things were made treasons for the which none should be arraigned except the delinquent were indited within six moneths after the fault committed and the crime was proued by the testimonie and oath of two men or by the voluntary confession of the offender without violence and that this time was expired long since and that therefore he was not to be arraigned for the same But the Iudges told him that the crimes obiected vnto him were not of that kinde but that he was liable to the Law by an ancient law of treason made in the time of King Edward the third which admitteth no circumscription of time or proofe and that by that law the sentence of death was pronounced against him Being afterward perswaded he fled vnto the mercy of the Queene and againe confessed in a writing more fully all things which he had said before which things not perseuering in his words he began to denie againe at the gallowes but in vaine M. Waad being returned out of Spaine was sent to the Q. of Scotland about a treatie to be had between her and Sir Walter Mildmay which was propounded two yeeres since and interrupted as is said before vnto whom she affirmed with great protestations with what sinceritie she hath dealt about this treatie and withall deuoteth herselfe and all her labour vnto the Queene and promiseth to depend wholly on her if onely shee would vouchsafe her so much loue and honour Moreouer she firmely promised so that the treatie might goe forward that she would intercede yea and bring to passe that her sonne should receiue Angus and the other Noblemen of Scotland into fauour and also that the Bishops of Rosse and Glasco her Agents and Ministers in France should not plot any thing against the Queene and Kingdome of England and that shee would haue nothing to doe with the Rebels or Fugitiues of England Queene ELIZABETH was glad to heare these things and whereas that Angus Marre I Hamilton and Glammys were fled into England and making vse of the opportunitie offered sent Beale vnto the Queene of Scotland who together with the Earle of Shrewsburie should shew her that if shee continued in the same minde with which shee had acquainted Master Waad that Mildmay should come forthwith vnto her and treat with her about her libertie and then should talke with her in the meane while to entreat her sonne the King to restore the Scottish Fugitiues and to tell her that they had committed no fault against the King but against some violent Counsellors who gaue him euill counsell and lastly that as much as they could they should get out of her the practâ—ses of the Guises She being a wise woman answered That she much desired that the treatie might goe forward and that shee requested earnestly of Queene ELIZABETH as of her eldest sister vnto whom shee gaue all honour That shee had propounded nothing vnto Master Waad but vpon condition and that hee whom shee thought to bee an honest man would not say otherwise For the restoring of the Scots that her labour therein would be very necessary and should not be wanting if she certainly knew any good would redound to her selfe and her sonne so that they would humbly submit themselues vnto the King and be obedient vnto him but if that were not done that then the Queene should giue aid vnto her sonne that they might bee reduced vnto their obedience Moreouer she doth not cloake nor hide it that she when she was sickly committed her selfe and her sonne vnto the care and trust of the Guise her most deare Cousin of whose purposes or intents shee knew nothing neither would she discouer them if she knew them vnlesse a firme assurance were giuen her of her libertie for that it was the part of an vnaduised person to forsake her assured friends for an vncertaine hope She requested that she being an absolute Prince might bee no more dishonourably vsed than Queene MARIE did sometime deale with her selfe being at that time her subiect and imprisoned or than the French King did vse the King of Nauarre being also his subiect and bore armes against him Shee also requested that the treatie might bee brought to an end before any in Scotland were sent Embassadour about that matter And for that the French King had acknowledged her ordinarie Embassadour and Seton sent by her sonne into France as Embassadours from Princes of the same authoritie and conioyned she gaue that honour to the Queene to publish this Association of her and her sonne in Scotland and besought her not to preiudicate the same These things were heard but by terrors obiected shifted off and deluded by the meanes of them who know how to nourish the hatred betweene the women that bore no in ward good will one to the other especially by the discouerie of the papers which Chreycton a Scottish Iesuite sailing into Scotland and intercepted by some Sea-rouers of Holland tore in peeces but the torne papers cast out of the ship were cast againe into the ship by a contrary wind not without a miracle as Chreycton himselfe said and glewed together by the great labour and singular skill of Waad laid open and discouered new plots of the Pope of the King of Spaine and the Guises about the inuading of England Therefore to occurre vnto and preuent the wicked counsels and secret policies of seditious persons and to prouide for the Queenes safetie vpon the which both the Kingdome and Religion depended Many men Leicester being the beginner of all estates in England
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
by any meanes to kill her but for the deliuery of the Queene of Scotland he offered himselfe voluntarily vnto Sauage and the others Babington designed Tichenor of whose fidelity and valour he had a great opinion but he was gone to trauell Babington charged them not to impart the matter vnto any before they had sworne them to bee secret The Conspirators confer sometimes of this matter in Pauls Church in Saint Giles fields and in the Tauernes in the which they kept many feasts puffed vp with the hope of great honours now and then extolling the valour of the Nobility of Scotland who had lately intercepted the King of Scotland at Sterling and Gerard the Burgonian who had killed the Prince of Orange And they proceeded to that foolish vanity that they caused them who were designed and appointed to kill the Queene to be painted in tables to the life and Babington in the midst of them with this verse Himihi sunt Comites quos ipsa pericula ducunt But for that this verse as too plaine did not so well like them they tooke it away and in the stead thereof they put this Quorsum haec aliò properantibus It is reported that these tables were intercepted and secretly shewne vnto the Queene who knew none of them by the countenance but Barnwell who had oftentimes come vnto her about the causes of the Earle of Kildare vnto whom hee belonged but by other tokens which she was told she knew the man Truly one time walking forth for her recreation she espied Barnwell and looked earnestly on him without feare and turning vnto Hatton Captaine of her Guard and others said Am not I well attended and guarded that haue not in my company so much as one man that weareth a sword These words Barnwell himselfe told after to the conspirators and shewed them how easily she might then haue beene dispatched if the conspirators had beene there and Sauage affirmed the same Now nothing troubled the minde of Babington more than lest he should be deceiued of the forraine forces Therefore to make that sure and certaine hee determined to goe ouer himselfe into France and to send before Ballard ouer secretly for that purpose for whom he had got a license vnder a counterfeit name by a bribe he had giuen and that he might cleere himselfe from all suspicion by the before named Pooly he insinuated himselfe vnto Walsingham and with great earnestnesse sued vnto him to obtaine of the Queene for him a license to goe into France promising to doe good seruice in searching and discouering the most secret plots of the fugitiues for the Queene of Scotland He commended the purpose of the young man promised him not only a license but many and great matters if he performed it Yet he delaied from time to time the matter which they thought that not so much as the Sunne had knowne hauing gotten it out by the cunning wit of his owne and of others but especially by â—he intelligence of Gilbert Giffard a Priest This man borne at Chellington in Staffordshire not far from Chartley where the Queene of Scotland was kept and sent about this time by the fugitiues into England vnder the counterfeit name of Luson to remember Sauage of his oath he had taken and to lie hid to send the letters to and fro betweene them and the Queene of Scotland when they could draw neither the Countesse of Arundell nor the Lord Lumley nor Henry Howard nor George Sherley into so dangâ—rous a businâ—sse The fugiâ—iues to trie whether the conueying of letters by Giffard was safe first sent Blankes made vp like packets which when they vnderstood by answers to be deliuered they being more confident sent also others in ziffres of their affaires now and then But Giffard whether tormented in conscience or corrupted by bribes or terâ—ified with feare came secretly vnto Walsingham and told him who he was and for what purpose he was sent into England and offered all his seruice out of his loue towards his Countrey and Prince and promised to communicaâ—e vnto him all the letters he receiued either from the fugitiues or from the Queene of Scotland Walsingham embracing the occasion offered vsed the man courteously sent him into Staffordshire and wrote vnto Powlet that he should suffer some of his seruants to be corrupted by Gâ—fford and to wincke thereat He as vnwilling as he said that any of his seruants should be made a Traitor in a dissembling manner yet as loth he suffered him to corrupt the Brewer or the man that kept the prouender who dwelt hard by Giffard quickly corrupted the Brewer for a few Angells of gold who by a hole in the wall into the which a stone was put so that it mâ—ght be taken out secretly sent in and receiued backe letters which by posts appointed came to the hands of Walsingham who vnsealed and wrote them out and by the rare skill of Thomas Philips he found out the ziffres and so sealed them againe by the skill of Arthur Gregory that none could iudge them to haue beene vnsealed and so sent them vnto those men vnto whom they were directed So were those former of the Queene of Scotland vnto Babington and the answers of him vnto her and others vnto him in the which was crafâ—ily added a postscript in the same character bidding him to send the names of the six Gentlemen if not the other and also the letters sent the same day vnto Mâ—ndoza the King of Spaines Embassader vnto Charles Paget the Lord Paget the Arch Bishop of Glasco and to Fra. Inglâ—field euery one of which were copied out and afâ—eâ— aâ—d conuered as they were directed Queene ELIZABETH as soone as shee vnderstood by these letters that such a terrible storme hung ouer her head on the one side from her subiects at home and on the other side from forâ—aine enâ—mâ—es commanded Ballard to bee apprehended thereby to suppresse the conspiracie betimes So on a sudden hee was taken in the house of Babington in the very instant when he was ready to goe vpon â—is iourney into France Hereat Babington was wonderfully perplexed and was in a thousand mindes and went to Tichburne and asked his aduice what was to be done his counsell was that the conspirators should scatter and fly sundry waies but his owne was secreâ—ly to send Sauage and Charnock and that speedily to dispaâ—châ—th Queene yet that they might come with moâ—e facility vnto her to prouide some richer and more courtlike sutes for Sauage and of this matter he talked with them in Pauls Church but by and by changing his minde and concealing his inward cares stinging his heart he vrged Walsingham being then absent and at the Court that his licence to trauell into France might be now at length granted and withall intreated him to let Ballard free whom he should haue great occasion to vse in that negotiation Walsingham delaied and held him on with faire promises from day to day and as concerning
Ballard and taking of him he laieth it vpon Young that cunning hunter out of Romanists and as it were in friendship secretly aduised him to take heed of such fellowes and easily perswadeth the young man to lie all night in his house in London vntill the Queene signed his passeport and he himselfe returned to London that they might talke of such important affaires with more secrecy and lest the fugitiues when he came to France should gather any manner of suspicion out of his often going to and fro thither In the meane time Scudamore one of Walsinghams men was commanded to watch him very diligently and to accompany him in euery place vnder the colour that he might be the safer from the Purscuants Hitherto had Walsingham contriued and wrought the businesse the other Counsellors of the Queene being ignorant thereof and would haue proceeded further and lengthened it but the Queene would not lest as she said in not taking heed of a danger when she might she should seeme more to tempt God than to hope in him Therefore out of the Court from Walsingham a scroll was sent vnto his man to watch Babington with more care This being not sealed was so deliuered that Babington sitting next to him at the Table read it also Hereupon being guiltie in conscience and suspecting that all things were discouered the next night when he Scudamore and one or two more of Walsinghams men had in the Tauerne supped with good cheere he as if he would haue paid the reckoning arose leauing behinde him his sword and cloake and got to Westminster by the darknesse of the night where Gage changed clothes with him who forthwith put on Charnocks clothes and together got closely into S. Iohns wood neere vnto the Citie vnto which place came also Barnwell and Dun. In the meane time they were proclaimed Traitors thorow all England They lurking in woods and by-wayes when they had in vaine requested money of the French Embassador and horses of Tichburne they cut off Babingtons haire and disfigured his face with the greene shels of walnuts but being compelled by famine went to the Bellamies house neere to Harrow on the Hill who were much addicted to the Roman religion there they were hidden and releeued with victualls in the barnes and apparelled in husbandmens apparell and being found after ten daies were brought to London the citizens witnessing their publike ioy with ringing of bels making of bonfires in the streets and singing of Psalmes so much that the citizens receiued great commendations and thankes of the Queene for the same The other conspirators were soone after taken most of them neere vnto the citie Salisbury in Cheshire his horse being thrust thorow with a halbard and Trauerse with him after they had swomme ouer the riuâ—r of Weuer and in Wales was taken Iones who being acquainted with the intended inuasion had also hidden them in his house after he knew they were proclaimed traitors and had moreouer furnished Salisbury in his flight with a horse and his man who was a Priest with a cloke hee lent him Onely Windsore was not found Many daies were spent in the examination oâ— these men who in their confessions appeached one another concealing nothing that was true All this time the Queene of Scotland and her seruants were so narrowly kept and watched by Powlet that these things were kept from her knowledge though publikely knowne in all England As soone as these men were taken Tho. Gorge was sent who in few words should certifie her of these things which hee purposely did vnto her nothing dreaming thereof euen as she had taken horse to goe on hunting neither was she suffered to returne but vnder shew of honour lead about to Gentlemens houses that dwelt thereabouts In the meane time I. Maner Ed. Aston Rich. Bagot and William Waad by commission from the Queene kept Nauus and Curlus her Secretaries and other seruants seuerally that they should haue no communication with themselues nor with the Queene And breaking open the doores of her closet sent all her cabinets and deskes wherein her papers were laid sealed vp with their seales vnto the Court Then Powlet so commanded seazed on all the money lest she should corrupt any body with bribes and gaue his word to restore it The caskets and deskes being searched before Queene ELIZABETH there were found the letters of many strangers the copies also of letters vnto many about 60. kinds of Ciphers and also the letters of many noblemen of England offering their loue and seruice which yet Queene ELIZABETH dissembled in silence but they smelling it out did afterward all they could against her that so they might not seeme to haue fauoured her Now Gifford hauing serued their purpose in this manner was sent into France as a man banished leauing first with the French Embassador in England a paper indented with this charge not to deliuer any letters from the Queene of Scotland or from the fugitiues and came to his hands vnto no other man but him that brought the counterpaine thereof which he secretly sent to Walsingham Being returned into France after some moneths he was cast into prison for his wicked life and suspected of these things died wretchedly confessing most of these things to bee true which were also found to be true out of the papers in the deskes On the XIII day of September seuen of the conspirators were brought to the barre and arraigned and acknowledged themselues guiltie and had iudgement of treason On the next day the other seuen were brought to the barre and pleaded not guilty vnto their enditement and put themselues to bee tried by God and the countrey who were proued guilty by their owne confessions and were likewise condemned Pooly only though he was priuy to all for that he affirmed that he had told some things vnto Walsingham was not at all arraigned On the XX. day of the same moneth the first seuen were on a paire of gallowes set vpon a scaffold in Saint Giles his field where they had vsed to meet hanged and cut downe and their priuities cut off bowelled and quartered as they were euen aliue not without the note of cruelty that is to say Ballard the contriuer of the wickednesse asking pardon of God and the Queene with this condition if he had offended her Babington who without feare beheld the execution of Ballard whiles the other turning their faces away and on their knees were earnest at their praiers ingenuously acknowledged his fault and being let downe from the gallowes sundry times plainly cried out in the Latine tongue Parce mihi Domine Iesu Sauage the rope breaking fell from the gallowes and was strait pulled away and his priuy members cut off and bowelled aliue Barnwell extenuated the fault with the pretext of Religion and conscience Tichburne humbly acknowledging his wickednesse moued all the multitude to compassion and so likewise did Tilney being a very proper man and modest in behauiour Abington being of
a turbulent spirit and nature casting out threats and terrors of the bloud that was ere long to bee shed in England On the next day the other seuen were drawne vnto the same place but vsed with more mercy by the Queenes commandement who hated the former cruelty for euery one of them hung till they were quite dead before they were cut downe and bowelled Salisbury the first was very penitent and aduised the Catholikes not to attempt the restitution of Religion by force or armes and the same did Dun who was the next Iones protesting that he had disswaded Salisbury from this enterprise and that he vtterly condemned and disliked the haughty and rash spirit of Babington and the purpose of inuasion Charnock and Trauerse fixed wholly to their praiers commended themselues to God and the Saints Gage extolling the bountifull liberality of the Queene toward his father and detesting his owne treacherous ingratitude toward a Princesse so well deseruing Hierom Bellamy who had hidden Babington after he was proclaimed traitor whose brother priuy to the same offence had strangled himselfe in prison ashamed and silent was the last of this company These men being executed Nauus the Frenchman and Curlus the Scot who were Secretaries to the Queene of Scotland being examined about the letters copies of letters and little notes and Ciphers found in the Queenes closet of their owne will acknowledged by their subscriptions that the handwritings were their owne endited by her in French taken by Nauus and turned into English by Curlus Neither did they deny that she receiued letters from Babington and that they wrote backe by her commandement in such a sense as is aforesaid Yet this is certaine out of letters that when Curlus did at this time aske Walsingham for what he promised that Walsingham did reproue him as one forgetfull of an extraordinary grace as that he had not confessed any thing but that hee could not deny when Nauus charged him therewithall to his face The Counsellors of England could not agree what should be done with the Queene of Scotland some thought good that no seuerity was to be vsed against her but to be kept very close as well for that she was not the beginner of this plot but onely made acquainted with it and also for that she was sickly and not like to liue long Others for the securitie of Religion would haue her dispatched out of the way and that by the course of Law Leycester had rather haue it done by poyson and secretly sent a Diuine to Walsingham to shew him that this was lawfull but Walsingham protested that he was so farre from allowing that any violence should be vsed that long agoe hee crossed and broke the aduice of Morton who had perswaded to send her into Scotland that she might be killed in the very borders of both the kingdomes They were moreouer of different opinions by what law or Act they should proceed against her whether out of that of the XXV yeare of Edward the third in which he is a traitor who deuiseth to kill the King or the Queene or moueth warre in the Kingdome or doth adhere vnto his enemies Or whether by that Law or Act of the XXVII yeare oâ— Queene ELIZABETH which is set downe before At length their opinion preuailed who would haue it by this latter law as made for this purpose and therefore to be accommodated thereunto therefore out of that law enacted the former yeare that enquiry might be made and sentence pronounced against them who raised rebellion inuaded the kingdome or attempted to hurt the Queene many of the Priuie Counsell and Noblemen of England were chosen Commissioners by letters Patents which was this after the Lawyers forme and stile ELIZABETH by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queene Defender of the faith c. To the most Reuerend Father in Christ Iohn Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of all England and one of our Priuy Counsell And to our beloued and trusty Thomas Bromley Knight Chauncellor of England and another of our Priuie Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Burghley Lord Treasurer of England another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our most deare cousin William Marquesse of Winchester one of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Edward Earle of Oxford great Chamberlaine of England another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin George Earle of Shrewsbury Earle Marshall of England another of our Priuy Counsell and to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Kent another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Darby another of our Priuy Counsell And to our most deare cousin William Earle of Worcester another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Edward Earle of Rutland another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Master of our Ordnance another of our Priuy Counsell and to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Pembrooke another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Robert Earle of Leicester Master of our horse another of our Priuy Counsell And to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Lincolne another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Antony Vicount Montague another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Charles Lord Howard our great Admirall of England another of our Priuy Counsell And to our welbeloued and faithfull Henry Lord Hunsdon our Lord Chamberlaine another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord of Aburgeuenny another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Zouch another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Morley another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Cobham Lord Warden of our fiue Ports another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Stafford another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to oâ—r welbeloued and trusty Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord Lumley another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord Sturton another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Sandes another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord Wentworth another of the Lords of the Parlament To our welbeloued and trusty Lewis Lord Mordant another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord St. Iohn of Bletso another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Thomas Lord Buckhurst another of our Priuy Counsell And
exercise any Regalities Moreouer that she hath lost by her fault absolute Gouernment and that subiects euen in their habitation or house may commit treason And as for kindred there is no Alliance neerer vnto any one than their Countrey that is to be vnto vs another God and our prime and dearest Parent And as for the promises of humanitie and courteous entertainment promised that they be not priuileges to commit wicked facts afterwards without punishment That promises are to be vnderstood Things remaining in the same state and not changed He that hath committed a fault deserueth not to enioy the securitie promised And indeed that the law and right of a guest entertained are holy but that the right of our Country is more sacred Princes doe neuer binde their owne hands and that all are bound and obliged more strongly vnto their Countrey than to their owne promise And if shee were to be dealt withall as with one taken in the war they obiected I know not out of what Author Those captiues are only to be spared from whom we doe not feare any vexation or trouble and not any others That the equall hath power vpon the equall as often as he doth submit himselfe vnto the iudgement of his equall either expressedly in words or couertly in contractation or in offending within the iurisdiction of his equall That the Pope did adnull and abrogate the sentence of the Emperour against Robert King of Siailia for that the fact was not committed in the Territorie of the Emperour but in the Dominion of the Pope That Ambassadors because of the necessitie of Ambassades are fauoured and allowed to be inuiolate by the law of Nations but not Kings practising in the Dominions of another King Furthermore that in treason the affect without the effect is to be punished And that to plot to kill the Prince yea to know it and to conceale the plot is accounted treason That many Kings haue beene condemned and put to death namely Rhescuporis King of Thraçia by Tyberius Licinius and Maximianus by Constantine the Great Bernard King of Italy Conradinus King of Sicily c. Moreouer which may stand in stead of all That the safetie of the people is the chiefest law and that no law is more sacred than the safetie and welfare of the Common-wealth That God himselfe hath enacted this law that all things that were for the good profit and benefit of the Common-wealth should be accounted lawfull and iust Moreouer that Secretaries were not to be reckoned amongst bond-men and that the testimonie of ones houshold is to bee receiued about those things which were done secretly at home But it was argued more narrowly whether accusers voluntarily sworne and accessarie in criminall matters are to be produced face to face to defend and proue their accusation Lastly it was granted that there is no great example extant which hath not some iniquity therein These and such like were debated and argued to and fro in euery mans mouth In the meane time the King of Scotland so great was his pietie vnto his mother laboured all that possibly he could by William Keith neither did he omit any thing fit for a good and pious sonne and a most prudent King but with no successe at all forasmuch as the Scots were torne in pieces with factions amongst themselues and more fauoured Queene ELIZABETH than the captiue Queene in so much that many of them did priuily solicite Queene ELIZABETH by their letters to hasten her punishment and the Scottish Ministers being commanded by the King to commend the safetie of his mother vnto God in their prayers in all their Churches such was the hatred vnto the Religion shee professed that they obstinatly refused so to do yet he as he had before with often messengers and almost continuall letters made request vnto the Queene Now he plied her exceedingly with more often and most vehement messages and letters In which hee complained That it was most vniust and vnfit for the Nobilitie Counsellors and Subiects of England to giue sentence vpon a Queene of Scotland and shee borne of the Royall bloud of England and a thing no lesse vniust euen but to thinke that the Parlamentarie Estates of England by their authority had power to exclude the true and certaine Heires of their right of succession and lawfull inheritance which many men now and then threatned to feare him He sent also Patrike Gray and Robert Meluin who signified to the Queene That he for the great loue and familiaritie between them cannot beleeue but she would conserue her famous renowne she had acquired in euery place by her vertues but especially by her clemency vnspotted without all staine of crueltie and would not by any means defile and pollute the same with the bloud of his mother who was of the same Royall condition of the same bloud and of the same sex and the which he for as much as the bloud of the mother did possesse in him a great reuerence could not leaue vnto the tyrannie of them who for a long time since haue thirsted for the destruction of him as well as for his mothers destruction now In other letters after he had at large discoursed how he was grieued and tormented in minde and distracted concerning so great a matter that touched and bound him both in respect of nature and honour and into what danger and losse of credit he was cast if any violence was vsed vnto his mother he out of his inward griefe and filiall affection propounded vnto Queene ELIZABETH whereupon shee might studie attentiuely How much it concerneth his Honour who is both a King and her Sonne if his most deare mother and the same also an absolute Prince should be put to an infamous death by her who is most neerely ioyned by the bands of bloud and league Whether by the law of God any thing may be done iustly by forme of law vnto them whom Almightie God hath appointed the soueraigne Ministers of Iustice whom he hath called Gods on the â—arth whom he hath anointed and being anointed forbade to be touched will he suffer them to be violated without punishment How prodigious a thing it is to subiect an absolute Prince vnto the iudgement of Subiects yea how monstrous a thing it were that an absolute Prince should giue first this pernicious example to prophane their owne and other Princes Diadems Moreouer what should vrge her vnto this seueritie Honour or Profit If Honour she might acquire more honour by sparing her for so with the eternall praise of clemencie shee might binde him and all the Princes of Christendome with a benefit whom otherwise shee could not but alienate with losse of her good report and marke of crueltie But if Vtilitie moued her she was to consider whether any thing can be profitable but that which is iust and honest And ended beseeching her that his Ambassadors might bring backe such an answer that may be most worthy of a most pitifull Queene
a punishment iustly inflicted cannot be thought to be bloudie no more than a medicine prepared and made as it ought fitly for the sicknesse can be accounted violent Howsoeuer the Guises cousins vnto the Scottish Queene take it the Queene hath more occasion and it concernes her more to respect and regard rather the safetie and good of her Nobilitie and people of whose loue shee wholly dependeth than the displeasure of any other whosoeuer and that matters were now come vnto that passe that that old prouerbe of the two Princes Conradino the Sicilian and Charles of Anjou may be vsed and truly said of the two Queenes THE DEATH OF MARIE THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH AND THE LIFE OF MARIE DEATH OF ELIZABETH That the promises of the French King and of the Guises cannot giue assurance of securitie vnto the Queene and the Realme much lesse make amends for her death if she be made away That the French King cannot finde out the secret plots contriued against him at home much lesse against the Queen of England For that treason is closely handled and therefore ineuitable and vnauoidable If the wicked fact be once done what will it doe good to challenge their promise How may the losse for the death of an incomparable Prince be repaired or recompenced and what remedie may be found for the Republike giuing vp the ghost with her in a most lamentable confusion of all things The hand-writings of the Guises who thinke it a meritorious act to dispatch them who are enemies to the Pope and may very easily obtaine and get dispensations for their oath be of small moment or importance or of none at all And what English man is it that will accuse them for killing the Queene ELIZABETH after her death and after that the Queene of Scotland being of the Family of the Guises is enstalled in the Crowne of England What can one recall her backe vnto life thereby But in that the Ambassadors haue called this iudgement rigorous and extraordinarie they haue said it without due consideration for as much as they haue neither seene the processe nor the probations and haue too bitterly taxed the Estates of the Realme of England men of great account chosen for their nobilitie vertue prudence and pietie yea moreouer that they haue absolutely spoken such like words as if they came from the French King very inconsiderately making shew that they would feare with their threats and menaces the Queene and the Estates of the Realme That the English-men are not accustomed to be terrified with threats of the French-men from taking a course and means to establish and settle their securitie for as much as they in the meane time did not shew nor demonstrate any fit or conuenient way or meanes of auerting or putting away the instant and imminent dangers of England But the malitious and spightful enemies of the Queen of Scotland tooke occasions all they could of hastening her death and caused the more to affright Queene ELIZABETH knowing well that in the greatest danger of safetie feare doth exclude all mercie false rumours to be spread in euery place of England daily with fearefull out-cries viz. That the Spanish Eleet were alreadie arriued in the Hauen of Milford that the Scots had inuaded England that the Duke of Guise was landed with a strong armie in Sussex that the Qu. of Scotland was escaped out of prison and had leuied many souldiers that the Northerne men were vp in rebellion that there were other Ruffians who had conspired to kill the Queene and to burne the Citie of London yea and that the Queene was dead and other things of like kinde which either craftie people or men afraid vse to faine in their owne conceits or to increase out of an inbred desire or humour to nourish and vphold rumors and Princes who are vpon curiositie credulous take quickly hold of By such like bugges and formidable arguments the Queenes minde wauering and in great care was by them drawne so farre that shee signed letters by which the mortall sentence of death was commanded to be put in execution and one of the chiefest perswader as the Scots say was Patricke Gray a Scot sent by the King of Scotland to disswade the Queene from putting his mother to death who oftentimes would beat into the Queenes eares that old word Dead men doe not bite But she being by nature slow in her doings began to ballance in her minde whether it were better to take her out of the way or to spare her Not to put her to death these things moued her Her inbred clemencie lest she should seeme to vse crueltie against a woman and she a Princesse and also her kinswoman feare of infamie with the posteritie out of the histories and the dangers hanging thereon as well from the King of Scotland who should then come a step neerer vnto the hope of England as from the Catholike Princes and desperate fellowes who then would aduenture on any thing But if she spared her she fore-saw no lesse dangers at hand That the Noblemen who had giuen sentence against the Queene of Scotland would closely purchase fauour with her and her sonne not without her danger that the rest of her subiects that were very carefull and desirous of her safetie would take it in euill part when they saw themselues to haue lost their labour and thenceforth would neglect her safetie many more would ioyne themselues vnto the profession of the Papists and conceiue greater hope when they saw her conserued as it were by the decree of heauen vnto the hope of the kingdome that the Iesuits and Seminarists when they see her sickly and feare shee will not liue long would bestirre themselues to accelerate the death of Queene ELIZABETH that their Religion may be restored The Courtiers also without any intermission suggested these things and the like Why dost thou spare her that is faultie and iustly condemned who subscribed vnto the Association for thy safetie yet forthwith resolued to vse crueltie against thee being innocent and by thy destruction to tyrannize ouer Religion the Nobilitie and Commons That mercie is a royall vertue but is not to be shewed to them that haue no mercie Let the vaine and idle shew of mercie giue place and yeeld vnto wholesome seueritie Your clemencie hath sufficient cause of commendation in that it hath pardoned her once before to spare her againe is no other thing but to pronounce her not guiltie and to condemne the Estates of the Realme of iniustice to encourage the hearts of her agents to hasten and accelerate the accomplishment of their wicked designes and to dishearten the faithfull Subiects to conserue the Common-wealth Religion the Common-wealth thy owne incolumitie the loue of thy Countrey the oath of Association and the care of the Posteritie with conioyned prayers doe beseech thee that she who ouerthroweth and subuerteth all these seuerall things may with all speed be rid and dispatched out of the way and if they
and maid-seruants mourning and weeping with an vndaunted minde she bade them be of good cheere and to abstaine from sorrow but rather to reioyce for that shee was to depart presently out of an abysse of euill And turning vnto Burgon her Physitian asked him if he did not obserue that the force of truth was great They said I must die for that I was of counsell to kill the Queene neuerthelesse the Earle of Kent insinuateth that there is no other cause of my death but that they feare their Religion by reason of me Neither is my offence against the Queene but their feare they haue of me hath hastened and procured my death whilest many seeke priuately their owne ends and purposes vnder the borrowed cloake of Religion and the publike good Toward the end of supper shee drinketh vnto all her seruants who pledged her on their knees in their order mingling their teares with the wine and asking pardon for the neglect of their dutie as she also of them After supper shee read ouer her testament readeth ouer the inuentory of her goods and mouables and writ on them the names of them vnto whom shee appointed them vnto some she gaue money with her owne haud Shee writeth vnto her Confessor to pray vnto God for her and also she wrote letters of commendation vnto the French King and vnto the Duke of Guise for her seruants Shee went to bed at her ordinary houre and slept certaine houres being awaked she spent the rest of the night in prayers The fatall day beginning to breake viz. the vi Ides of February she apparelled her selfe neatlier and finer as shee vsed to be on Festiuall daies and calling her seruants together read ouer her Will and requested them to take in good part the legacies she gaue since that her abilitie was not to bestow any more And then setting her minde all vpon God with all humility in her Chappell besought him to giue her his grace and fauour with sighes teares and prayers vntill the time that Thomas Andrewes Sheriffe of the Shire told her that shee was to come forth Shee came forth maiestically in stature beautie and shew with a cheerefull countenance matron-like apparell and very modest her head being couered with a linnen vcile and the same hanging very low her beads hanging down at her girdle and carying a Crucifix of Iuory in her hands In the gallery the Earles and other Gentlemen receiued her where Meluin her seruant on his knees and with teares in his eies lamented his fortune that he should carrie this heauie and sad newes of the wofull death of his Ladie into Scotland Shee comforting him said Doe not lament but rather be glad thou shalt straight-waies see MARY STVART deliuered and freed from all cares You may tell them that I die constant in my Religion and firme in fidelitie toward Scotland and France God forgive them who haue thirsted for my bloud as the Hart doth after the spring of water Thou our God who art truth it selfe and perfectly and thorowly dost know the most secret corners of my heart dost know how much I desire that the Realmes of England and Scotland might be vnited in one Salute my sonne and certifie him that I haue done nothing that may be preiudiciall vnto the Kingdome of Scotland Will him to keepe friendship with the Queene of England and see that thou serue him faithfully And then teares falling from her eies she bade Meluin farewell againe and againe And turning to the Earles shee requested that her seruants might bee courteously vsed and that they might enioy those things which she had bequeathed them that they might stand by at her death and be sent into their Country with a safe-conduct They promised the former things but the Earle of Kent shewed himselfe strange fearing some superstition Shee said Feare not these wretches desire to giue mee their last farewell I know my sister ELIZABETH would not deny mee so small a fauour as to haue my maids to be present if it be but for woman-hood sake I am most neere of kinne vnto her I come from King HENRY the seuenth I am Queene Dowager of France and the anointed Queene of Scotland When shee had said thus and turned away she was permitted to haue those of her seruants present whom shee would name Shee nominated Meluin Burgoine her Physitian the Apothecarie and Chirurgeon and two maids and others of the which Meluin bore vp her traine So the Gentlemen two Earles and the Sheriffe of the Shire going before her she came to the â—caffold which was set vp in the vpper end of the Hall in the which was a chaire a cushion a blocke and all couered with blacke cloth As soone as she sate downe silence being made Beale read the Commission and shee heard attentiuely as if it had beene another matter Then Fletcher Deane of Peterburgh began a tedious speech vnto her of the condition of her life formerly past and the present and that to come Once or twice she interrupted his speech and desired him not to trouble her and protested that she was setled in the ancient Catholike Religion and was readie to end her life in the same And when he perswaded her earnestly to doe true penance and with a firme faith to put her hope in Christ shee answered that shee was borne and bred and would now end her life in that Religion And vnto the Earles saying that they would pray for her she said she would giue them many thankes if they would pray with her but I should offend much if I did communicate in prayer with you who are of another profession Then they bade the Deane to pray and when the whole company there assembled prayed together shee falling on her knees carrying the Crucifix before him in her hands together with her seruants prayed in Latine out of the Office of our Ladie After the Deane had ended his prayers shee in the English tongue commended vnto God the Church her sonne and Queene ELIZABETH and besought him to auert his indignation from this Isle and professed that shee reposed her hope in the bloud of Christ and lifted vp the Crucifix and desired all the company of heauen to make intercession vnto him for her she forgaue all her enemies and kissing the Crucifix and signing her selfe with the Crosse shee said As thy armes O Christ were spread abroad on the Crosse so with the stretched out armes of thy mercy receiue me and forgiue mee my sinnes Then shee forgaue the Executioners who asked pardon And when her maids had taken off her vpper garments shee hastening them they cried out amaine shee kissing them and signing them with the Crosse and smiling bade them farewell Her face being couered with a linnen cloth lying on the block she said the Psalme In te Domine confido ne confundar in aeternum Then as she stretched out her bodie and oftentimes repeated In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum her head
was cut off at two blowes The Deane saying aloud So let the enemies of Queene ELIZABETH perish the Earle of Kent saying the same and the multititude sighing and grieuing thereat Her bodie was embawmed and was after buried like a Prince in the Cathedrall Church of Peterburgh And her funerals were kept most magnificently at Paris at the charges of the Guises who performed all the best offices of kindred for their Cousin both aliue and dead to their great commendation In this lamentable manner ended her life MARIE Queene of Scotland the great grand-daughter of Henry the seuenth by his eldest daughter in the XLVI yeere of her age and the XVIII yeere of her captiuitie A woman most constant in her Religion adorned with a wonderfull pietie toward God wisdome aboue her sex and was also very faire and beautifull And is to be accounted one of those Princes whose felicitie was changed into aduersitie In her infancie shee was with strife desired for wife by King Henry the eighth of England for his sonne Edward and by Henry the second King of France for Francis the Dolphin At the age of fiue yeeres she was carried into France and at the age of fifteene yeeres married vnto the Dolphin Shee flourished and was Queene of France one yeere and foure moneths Her husband being dead she returned into Scotland and was maried againe vnto Henry Stuart Lord Darley and had by him IAMES the first Monarch of Great Britaine Tossed and turmoiled by Murrey her bastard brother and other her vngrate and ambitious subiects deposed from her Kingdome and driuen to flie into England and circumuented and entrapped as men speaking indifferently thinke by sundry English-men carefull of the conseruation of their Religion and of the safetie of Queene ELIZABETH and thrust forward by others desiring much to restore the Roman Religion and oppressed by the testimonies of her Secretaries who were absent and as it seemed corrupted with rewards Neere to the graue an Epitaph in the Latine tongue was affixed and forthwith taken away MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA REGIS FILIA REGIS GALLORVM VIDVA REGINAE ANGLIAE AGNATA ET HAERES PROXIMA VIRTVTIBVS REGIIS ET ANIMO REGIO ORNATA IVRE REGIO FRVSTRA SAEPIVS IMPLORATO BARBARA ET TYRANNICA CRVDELITATE ORNAMENTVM NOSTRI SECVLI ET LVMEN VERE REGIVM EXTINGVITVR EODEMQVE NEFARIO IVDICIO ET MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA MORTE NATVRALI ET OMNES SVPERSTITES REGES PLEBEII FACTI MORTE GIVILI MVLCTANTVR NOVVM ET INAVDITVM TVMVLI GENVS IN QVO CVM VIVIS MORTVI INCLVDVNTVR HIC EXTAT CVM SACRIS ENIM DIVAE MARIAE CINERIBVS OMNIVM REGVM ATQVE PRINCIPVM VIOLATAM ATQVE PROSTRATAM MAIESTATEM HIC IACERE SCITO ET QVIA TACITVM REGALE SATIS SVPERQVE REGES SVI OFFICII MONET PLVRA NON ADDO VIATOR Which may be Englished thus MARY Queene of Scotland daughter of a King widow of the King of France kinswoman and next heire to the Queene of England adorned with Royall Vertues and a princely spirit hauing often but in vaine implored the right of a Prince the ornament of our age and the true princely light is extinguished by a barbarous and tyrannical crueltie And by the same wicked iudgement both MARY Queen of Scotland is punished with a naturall death and all Kings liuing are made common persons and punished and made liable vnto a ciuill death A strange and vnheard kinde of grant is here extant in which the liuing are included with the dead for with the ashes of this blessed MARY know thou that the Maiestie of all Kings and Princes lye here depressed and violated and because the Regall secret doth sufficiently admonish Kings of their dutie O Traueller I say no more Out of this lamentable fortune of so great a Prince the disposition of the diuine prouidence most euidently appeared as some wise men haue obserued For those things which the Queenes ELIZABETH and MARY chiefly wished and studied to procure by this meanes came to passe Queene MARY which also shee said at her death desired nothing more earnestly than that the diuided Kingdomes of England and Scotland might be vnited in the person of her deare sonne And the other wished for nothing more than that the Religion by her established in England might be kept and conserued with the safetie and securitie of the people And that almightie God did heare their praiers England to her vnexpected felicitie doth now see and with great ioy acknowledge As soone as word was brought to Queene ELIZABETH that the Queene of Scotland was put to death shee not thinking thereof she heard it with great indignation shee looked heauily and could not speake a word and readie to swound for sorrow in so much that she put on mourning apparell and grieued exceedingly and lamented very much Shee caused her Counsellors being reproued and forbidden her presence to be examined and commanded Dauison to be brought into the Star-Chamber And as soone as her dolour would permit her she in great haste wrote this letter following vnto the King of Scotland with her owne hand and sent it by Mr. Robert Cary one of the Lord of Hunsdons sonnes Deare brother I would to God you did know but not feele with what incomparable griefe my minde is tormented and vexed by reason of the lamentable euent which hath befallen contrary to my minde and will which you shall vnderstand fully by my Cousin for as much as I cannot abide and endure to set it downe by writing I beseech you that as God and many others can beare witnesse vnto my innocencie in this matter so I desire you to beleeue that if I had commanded it I would neuer haue denied the same I am not of that base minde that for any terrour I should feare to doe that which is iust or to deny it being done I doe not so degenerate from my Ancestors nor am I of such an ignoble minde But as it is not the part of a Prince to couer and cloake the sense of his minde with words so will I neuer dissemble nor glose mine actions but I will performe that they shall come to light and appeare to the world in their colours I would haue you be assuredly perswaded that as I know that this was done vpon desert so if I had imagined it I would not haue put it ouer vpon any other neither yet wil I impute that to my selfe which I did not so much as thinke He who shall deliuer you these Letters shall acquaint and impart other things vnto you As for me I would haue you to beleeue that there is none other who loueth you better and beareth better affection to you or that will haue a more friendly care of you and your affaires If any one suggesteth or putteth other things into your head I would haue you to think that he beareth more good will and affection to others than to you God Almightie keepe you in health and preserue you alwaies In the meane time that Mr. Cary
Scotland the captiue Queene vpon the second day of May escaped out of prison in Lochleuin by the meanes of George Dowglas whose brother had the custodie of her vnto the Castle of Hamilton where hearing the testimonie of Robert Meluin and others a sentence Declaratorie was made by the whole consent of all the Noblemen which were there met being very many That the Resignation extorted by feare from the Queene was void from the beginning and that the same was extorted is confirmed by the oath of the Queene there present Hereupon such a multitude came vnto her from all places in a day or two as shee had an armie of six thousand valiant men which yet Murrey easily put to flight because they were so fierce and would not bee ordered in the fight The fearefull Queene terrified with this vnfortunate successe betooke herselfe vnto flight riding that day threescore miles and afterwards by iournies in the night came vnto the house of Maxwell Lord Herris and was more willing to commit her selfe vnto the protection of Queene ELIZABETH than to trust her owne Subiects Yet she sent before one Iohn Beton vnto her with a Diamond which she had before receiued of her as a token betweene them of beneuolence who should signifie vnto her that shee would come into England and aske aid of her if her Subiects pursued her any farther by warre vnto whom Queene ELIZABETH promised very largely all loue and sisterly kindnesse But before the messenger returned she went into a little Barke her friends much disswading her with the Lords Herris and Fleming and few others and landed the seuenteenth day of May at Worlington in Cumberland neere vnto the mouth of the Riuer Derwent and the same day wrote Letters in the French tongue with her owne hand vnto Queene ELIZABETH Of the which the chiefe heads since they doe comprize a longer Historicall narration of the things done against her in Scotland than I haue declared I thinke good to set downe out of the originall which is in this manner You are not ignorant my best sister how many of my Subiects whom I haue aduanced vnto great honour haue conspired to oppresse and imprison mee and my husband and how at your intercession I receiued the same men into fauour whom I had expelled out of my Kingdome by force of armes But yet these men brake into my Chamber and cruelly killed my seruant I being great with childe beholding it and shut me vp in prison When I had againe forgiuen them behold they laid vpon me a new crime which themselues had wrought and signed with their owne hands and shortly after were enranked in battell against me in the field but I trusting in mine innocencie to auoid the shedding of bloud put my selfe into their hands forthwith they thrust me into prison sent away all my seruants but one or two maids a Cooke and a Physitian enforced me by threats and feare of death to resigne my Kingdome and in the assembly of the Estates called by their owne authoritie denied to heare me and my Agents spoiled me of all my goods and kept me from the speech of all men Afterwards by Gods helpe I escaped out of prison and accompanied with the flower of the Nobles who came ioifully vnto mee from all parts I admonished mine enemies of their dutie and allegeance I offered them pardon and proposed that both parts might bee heard in the assembly of the Estates that the Common-wealth might not any longer be torne in sunder by these intestine mischiefes I sent two messengers about this matter they cast them both into prison they proclaimed them that assisted me Traitors and commanded them forthwith to leaue mee I requested that the Lord Boyd might talke with them vnder a safe conduct about a composition but they also denied the same vtterly Yet I hoped they might haue beene recalled to acknowledge their dutie by your intercession But when I saw I was to vndergoe either death or imprisonment I intended to haue gone vnto Dunbritton but they met mee in armes vpon the way and put my friends vnto flight I gat mee vnto the Lord Herris with whom I am come into your Kingdome vpon a certaine hope of your approued beneuolence that you will helpe mee friendly and by your example excite others to doe the same Therefore I earnestly request you that I may bee brought vnto you speedily for I am now in great distresse which I will tell you more at large when it shall please you to haue compassion on mee God grant you long and happy life vnto me patience and comfort which I hope and pray I may obtaine of him by your meanes Queene ELIZABETH in her Letters by Francis Knowles and others comforted her and promised to protect her according to the equitie of her cause but denied her to come to her presence for that by report she was charged with many crimes and commanded that she should be conueied vnto Carlile as vnto a safer place if her enemies attempted any thing against her by Lowder Lieutenant of the place and the power of the Gentlemen of the Countrie Shee hauing receiued this answer and the accesse denied both by her Letters and also by Maxwell Lord Herris shee earnestly besought her That shee might as well shew the iniuries receiued by her as also cleare her selfe of the crimes obiected against her in her presence That it was most iust that Queene ELIZABETH her nearest kinswoman of bloud should heare her in her presence being banished and also restore her vnto her Kingdome against those whom being banished for their villanies committed shee had restored vnto their estates at the intercession of Queene ELIZABETH and that to her owne destruction except it were speedily auerted Therefore she humbly requested that either shee might bee admitted to her speech and holpen or that she might speedily bee permitted with her leaue and fauour to depart out of England to craue helpe from some other place and not to be detained any longer like a prisoner in the Castle of Carlile forasmuch as shee came voluntarily into England trusting on her loue oftentimes promised by Letters Messengers and tokens Through these letters and the words of Herris Queene ELIZABETH seemed for who can reach into the secret cogitations of Princes and wise people conceale to themselues their owne purposes from her heart to haue compassion of this Princesse her kinswoman being in very great distresse who was taken by her Subiects by force thrust into prison brought into danger of her life condemned and yet neuer heard speake in her owne defence which is neuer denied to a priuate man and had fled into England vnto her vpon an assured hope of helpe and reliefe Moreouer she was much moued that the distressed Queene had voluntarily offered to haue her cause argued and disputed of before her and had taken vpon her to proue her aduersaries guiltie of all the crimes whereof they had accused her who was innocent Whether the
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