her heart and mind in that affair to be directed by the Almighty God But this herein her Majesty considereth that to seek out such a Husband as is sought for by your friends in the Emperours Linage will certainly procure at last some misunderstanding and give apparent occasion of dissolving the Concord that is now betwixt the two Nations and an interruption of such a course as otherwise might be taken to further and advance such a Title as your Highness hath to succeed to her Majesty to the Crown of England if she should depart without issue of her Body Then he useth some unfit perswasions and menaces threat'ning that some in England were going about with practices to set forward their pretended right to her Majesties prejudice which she by her discreet behaviour and conformity to his Mistresses pleasure might prevent by moving her thereby not only to proceed in the inquisition after your Majesties right and with her power to further the same but also to hinder that which appears to be to the contrary And now if your Majesty would know what kind of marriage would best content her and her Realm such a one as would breed no jealousie nor trouble betwixt your Majesties and your Countries as did the the marriage with the French King But rather it is to be wished that there might be found out some Nobleman of great birth in England who might be agreeable to you with whom her Majesty would more readily and more easily declare that she inclines that failing of Children of her own Body you might succeed to her Crown otherwise I do plainly tell you that my Soveraign can promise nothing in that matter tending to your satisfaction These were Mr. Randolph's first instructions and propositions unto the Queen concerning her marriage with the Arch-duke Charles But he had a secret Commission to my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun to propose my Lord Robert Dudley and he desired me also to set forward his marriage with the Queen as meetest of all other By this kind of procedure it was apparent that the Queen of England did not relish this proposal of marriage of the Arch-duke Charles to our Queen She gave a farther and more clear demonstration thereof a little after by sending the Earl of Sussex to the Emperour's Court as well to congratulate his Coronation as indirectly to draw on the marriage of the Arch-duke Charles with her self And she was put in hope that it would take effect Yet this design was not so secretly managed but our Queen was thereof advertised by some of her friends in England And from hence arose inward griefs and grudges between the two Queens which within a little time bursted forth occasion thereof being given by the Queen of England For in a familiar Letter to our Queen she appeared therein to give her as formerly a friendly advice which our Queen thought but double dealing remembring as well her late disswading answer from the marriage of the Arch-duke Charles as her late practises in the Emperours Court The Queen of England's Letter was written at the desire of some of the House of Hamiltoun For after that Mr. Randolph had spoken as is above mentioned against the marriage of the Queen with the Arch-duke Charles and had alledged that some Noblemen in England would be fitter matches for her he proceeded so far with my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun as to say What would you think of my Lord Robert Dudly for your Queen But finding small account to be made of him he advertised the Queen his Mistress thereof Whereupon liberty was granted to Matthew Earl of Lennox who dwelt then in England to go to Scotland as desirous to see the Queen and take course in some of his own affairs Now his Eldest Son my Lord Darnly was a lusty young Prince and apparently was one of the two that the Queen of England had told me she had in her head to offer unto our Queen as born within the Realm of England But to return unto the Letter written by the Queen of England unto our Queen she would appear therein to be very careful for the Queen her Sisters quiet Estate and Government desiring her to take heed that in shewing pleasure to the Earl of Lennox she did not displease the House of Hamiltoun seeing thereby trouble and strife might arise in her Country Sundry other such purposes she had which at some time would not have been taken in ill part but now all advices given by the Queen of England were misconstructed partly because of her being instrumental in hindring the marriage with Prince Charles and partly because David Rixio lately admitted to be her French Secretary was not very skilful in inditing French Letters which she did write over again with her own hand The answer then that our Queen did write unto the said Letter declared some suspicions and anger to have been taken and these she manifested in some harsh expressions which were constructed by the Queen of England as a violation of their former familiarity and Sisterly correspondence which had been ever kept up since the Queens return out of France Whereupon ensued so great a coldness that they left of for a considerable time from writing each to other as they had formerly done weekly by Post. So that the Queen resolved to send me to England to renew their outward friendship for in their hearts from that time forth there was nothing but jealousies and suspicions The Queen my Mistress thought that if their discord continued it would cut off all correspondence between her and her friends in England and that Queen had no inclination for War but by all means possible desired to shun trouble or any occasion of expences the King of Spain and she being already entered into controversie For he judged her a foinenter of the troubles in Flanders and the Low Countries and not without reason For she thought her self abandoned by the King of Spain at the late Peace made at Cambray and her chief Councellers thought it convenient for the interest of England that Factions should be nourished in France Flanders Scotland and Spain At my home-coming to Scotland I found the Queen's Majesty at St Johnstoun in the Year of God 1564 the fifth day of May. I was very favourably received by the Queens Majesty and presented unto her Letters from the Emperour Maximilian the Elector Palatine the Duke of Lorrain and Cardinal of Lorrain and Duke of Aumale all in my favours After that I had at length informed her that I found Maximilian was against the marriage of his Brother Charles she likewise understanding the Queen of Englands part therein as is above specified she altogether laid aside any further thoughts of the marriage with the Arch-duke Charles And whereas she had once resolved to have sent me to Germany she takes another resolution intending that I should be sent to England Though I was not yet resolved in setling my self
any promise be made to them and not kept the King nor I are not to be blamed If they desire any other Lieutenant in place of Dosel the King will send one who I hope shall please them After that the Constable had ended his instructions the King laid his hand upon my shoulder and said do as may Cousin hath directed you and I shall reward you So I kissed his Majesty's hand and taking my leave I went through England and found the Queen Regent within the old Tower of Falkland Because that same day her Army under Duke Hamilton and Monsieur Dosel was ranged in battel upon Couper Moor against the Lords of the Congregation at what time her Majesty made a hard complaint unto me of her disobedient Subjects And even as I was speaking with her the Duke and Monsieur Dosel returned from the said Moor without Battel Whereat the Queen was much offended thinking they had lost a very fair occasion I laid my self wholly out to be informed if my Lord James intended as was reported of him to make himself King Mr. Henry Balneavs was then in great credit with him and loved me as I had been his own Son by reason of some acquaintance I had with him in France and small services I had done him there during his banishment He first acquainted me fully so far as he knew of my Lord James his intention and encouraged me to be plain with the said Lord James assuring me of secresie and honest and plain dealing He was a godly learned wise and long experimented Councellor He went with me to the said Lord Prior having shew'n him my Commission which was very acceptable to him he delayed not to advise with any other of his Councel what answer he should give me but instantly and plainly told me his mind in presence of the said Mr. Henry First he declared what acceptable service he and his associates had done to the Queen Regent chiefly of late when the Bishop of St. Andrews had drawn the most part of the Clergy against the transporting the Crown Matrimonial to France Albeit he had been mainly instrumental of sending the Queen thither and in perswading the Governour his Brother to break the Contract of Marriage with Edward of England He told what liberty of Conscience her Majesty had granted unto them until the time that the Master of her Houshold Monsieur Bettancourt returned from France with the news of the Peace and that though since that time she had changed her behaviour and countenance toward him and those who had done her best service he knew well enough that it proceeded not from her own nature but was occasioned by the perswasions and threat'nings of her Brother and friends in France And further he rehearsed unto me all her and their former proceedings whereof mention is made already affirming still his good will to her Majesty's service And he further declared That the more effectually to remove all suspicions from his Sovereign and her Husband of his design'd Usurpation he was content to banish himself perpetually out of Scotland if it would please the Queen and the King of France to grant him and his associates such liberty as the Queen Regent had permitted them till the home-coming of Bottancourt Providing that his rents might come to him to France or any other Countrey where he should reside And for security hereof he offered that sufficient pledges of the Noble-mens Sons in Scotland should be sent to France So that no King nor Queen of Scotland did ever receive more chearful obedience then her Majesty should do notwithstanding of her absence With this answer I took my Journey through England to France and at Newcastle fell in company with an English man who was one of the Gentlemen of the Queens Chamber a Man well skill'd in the Mathematicks Negromancy Astrology and was also a good Geographer Who had been sent by the Council of England to the borders to draw a Map of such Lands as lye between England and Scotland which part was alledged to be a fruitful Soil though at that time it served for no other purpose but to be a retreat to thieves For Queen Elizabeth of England was lately come to the Crown and had been advised by her Council to this course as tending not only to the enlarging of her bounds but rendering these parts civil I know not the reason why they followed it not though I conjecture that the variance which fell out between the Two Kingdoms hindered it The English man and I by the way entered into great familiarity so that he shewed me sundry secrets of the Country and of the Court. Among other things he told me that King Henry the Eighth had in his life-time been so curious as to enquire at Men called Diviners or Negromancers what should become of his Son King Edward the Sixth and of his two Daughters Mary and Elizabeth That answer was made unto him again that Edward should dye having few days and no Succession and that his Two Daughters should the one succeed the other That Mary his eldest Daughter should marry a Spaniard and that way bring in many strangers to England which would occasion great strife and alteration That Elizabeth should Reign after her who should marry either a Scottish man or a French man Whereupon the King caused to give poison to both his Daughters but because this had not the effect he desired for they finding themselves altered by vehement vomitings and purgings having suspected poison had taken remedies he caused to proclaim them both bastards But the Women that attended about Queen Mary alledged that her matrix was consumed For she was several times supposed to be with Child to King Philip of Spain yet brought forth nothing but dead lumps of flesh Therefore to be revenged upon her Father the English man told me that she had caused secretly in the night to take up her Father's bones and burn them This the honest Gentleman affirmed to be truth though not known to many He was a Man of great gravity about fifty years of age When he came to London he shewed me great kindness and made me a present of some Books Upon my return to France I found a great change King Henry the Second being hurt in the head with a shiver of a Spear by the Count of Montgomery at the Triumphal Justings of his Daughter's marriage with the King of Spain dyed Eight days after at Paris And the Constable my Master was commanded to retire him from Court to his House by the new King Francis the Second Husband to our Soveraign who was wholly guided by the Duke of Guise and the Carâ—â—â—al Lorain competitors to the said Constable in Court Emulation Which occasioned that my Voyage and the answer I had got was all in vain for the House of Guise were the chief instruments of all the troubles in Scotland When I did shew the Constable at his House the answer of my
thread himself that bound on the Wax-cloth about the said picture In the mean time I retired me forth of the Chamber and was earnestly fought after the rest of the day but could not be found untill the Constable and Admiral came to their Chamber at Even who inquiring of me the cause of my retiring I remembred the Constable in what a rage the Queen Mother was when I delivered my Commission and that I found my self obliged in honour to stand upon the reputation of my Master who was a free Prince Whereupon they appeared well satisfied approving what I had done but withal they told me that they were the cause of that bad humour the Queen Mother had been in and that she had made a Proclamation that all Ambassadours should Address themselves to the King and her as Regent Therefore they advised me to go the next day to see her at Dinner assuring me that she would not fail to call for me and inquire the cause of my absenting before I had told out my Commission and he instructed me what I should say in answer So soon as her Majesty perceived me she desired me to stay till she had Dined telling me that she would send for her Son the King to come to her Chamber to hear out the rest of my Commission The King being come the Chamber was voided and her Majesty first inquired why I told not out the rest of my Commission the day before I answered as I had been instructed how that it appeared to me for the time she desired not so many auditors and that I stayed upon her better opportunity which answer she appeared much to relish desiring me when at any other time I should be sent again to Address my self only to the King and to her and to no other I answered that among all the King's Servants I was best acquainted with the Constable and therefore had made him my Convoy to both their Majesties No says she I find no fault that you Addressed your self to him yet I knew she entertained a mortal hatred against him So after I had ended the Declaration of my whole Commission first concerning the Congratulation of the Peace and then made excuses in Name of the Confederate Princes of the Empire for sending help to the Prince of Conde during the Wars for Religion with a request to keep the said Peace inviolate and to make such Laws of Oblivion as were wont to be done among the Greeks and Romans after such Civil Dissentions And then I gave a full account how my Lord Elector had proceeded with Maximilian and what his answer was All the time that I spoke she remembred the King to take good notice saying he was much obliged to that good Prince that took such pains for his marriage and the weal of his Kingdom Then she drew me aside entering into a particular discourse with me telling me that she hoped I would not make too long stay in Dutchland but resolve to spend some of my time in the Court of France seeing it was there I had been brought up For albeit she said she had several who could speak Dutch yet there was none about her who were so familiar with the Princes of the Empire as I was or had such favour and credit as she understood I had to do the King and her service Therefore she offered to make me a Gentleman of the King's Chamber to provide me with an honourable pension to advance me to Offices and Honours as if I had been a French-man born and that she would imploy me not only to Germany but also to England and Flanders I gave her Majesty many thanks taking her offer to my consideration In the mean time that I was waiting upon my dispatch the Admiral 's death was conspired by the Brother and Friends of the Duke of Guise to be executed by Captain Charry in great favour with the Queen Mother as Chief Captain of her Guard Commanding six hundred Hagbutiers Gascons The said enterprise being discovered to the Constable by the old Dutchess of Farrara Daughter to King Lewis the Eleventh Mother to the Widow Dutchess of Guise The Constable went to his House four Leagues from Paris and the next day after the said Captain Charry was slain upon the streets of Paris by Monsieur Chattelier the Admiral 's friend Which put the Queen and all the Court into a fear and firm opinion that the deed was done by the Constables's and Admiral 's direction But the Admiral purged himself the Constable was sent for and many requests made to him to settle and establish quietness in the Court and City While I was yet at Paris undispatched I received Letters from the Earl of Murray and Lidingtoun at the Queens Command calling me home to be imployed in her Majesties service in some of her affairs of consequence which I presupposed to be concerning her marriage Whereupon I determined to obey my Queens Commands and immediately after my return to Germany to prepare for a Journey to Scotland Though this resolution of mine was far contrary to the mind of the Constable Admiral and Prince Palatine But his Son Duke Casimir took occasion to desire me to present his picture to Queen Elizabeth I have said already that he was very dissatisfied because I refused to go to England to propose marriage for him to the Queen he having been incouraged thereto by the Videm of Charters lately come hither from the Court of England who thought himself so familiar with that Queen that he sent an Italian Gentleman of his to propose that marriage as he alledged at the instance of the Elector Palatine to whom the Queen gave a general answer desiring the young Prince to come unto England either openly or privately disguised and declaring that she would never marry Man till she might first see him Notwithstanding hereof I still disswaded his Father from sending him alledging that it would be very chargeable to him and that he would reap nothing but scorn in recompence Whereat the young Prince was so moved that he left the Court for three days But the good Prince his Father sent for him threat'ning to discountenance him if he became not my friend Whereupon we agreed that at this time I should carry with me his picture and present it to the Queen of England in my return to Scotland seeing I was so averse from his going thither in person Which I was satisfied to do providing that I might also carry along with me the picture of his Father and Mother and of all the rest of his Brothers and Sisters together with a familiar Letter from the Elector whereby I might have the more easie access and fitter opportunity to bring in the purpose of the pictures as by accident hoping that she would desire to see them especially the picture of the said young Duke So having obtained my desire I parted from Heidlberg where the Elector held his Court for the time who gave me a
Queen of England the other that he might shew unto the Secretary Cicil. Item To advertise my Brother what he should do more for my Lady Lennox whose liberty might do much good Now to conclude seeing the great mark which her Majesty shoots at let her Majesty be more careful and circumspect that her desires being so near to be obtained be not all over-thrown for lack of secrecy good management and Princely behaviour having so many factious Enemies lying in wait to make their advantage of the least appearance that can be made Shortly after my coming home Mr. Killegrew the English Ambassadour obtained his dispatch with a friendly answer to his contentment and a fair Chain and with him her Majesty sent these two Letters following to my Brother by his own advice that he might take occasion to let the Queen of England see the one and Mr. Cicil the other partly to serve to put some doubts out of their minds ingendered by Mr. Ruxbie's advertisements for as I have said the Bishop of Ross made the said Ruxbie's address to the Queen for neither he nor the Earl Bothwel desired her Majesties affairs to prosper under my Brother's management because he was not of their Faction so that by their means Ruxbie got that intelligence as put all her Majesties affairs once in a venture until my Brother 's extraordinary intelligence from such as were most intimate with the Queen of England made him cause to apprehend the said Ruxbie with his whole Letters and Memoires as said is so are many good Princes handled and commonly their truest Servants decourted by the envy and craft of their factious Enemies for wicked men who have lost their credit by trumpery and tricks whereby they get no place to do good service to Princes essay to creep unto their favour by wiles flattery and other unlawful means wherby they may decourt such as surmount them in vertue and honest reputation her Majesties Letter to my Brother was as followeth TRusty and well-beloved We Greet you well Whereas your Brother James hath told Us of the friendly and faithful advice given unto you and him by Mr. Secretary Cicil toward the continuation of the amity betwixt the Queen Our good Sister and Us tending also to Our own particular advantage We thought meet to send these few lines to you that you may thank him heartily in Our Name and declare unto him Our meaning and intention as you find opportunity touching the three Points that he did mention at that time The first as we understand touching our towardliness to them of the Religion The second touching strict justice to be observed upon the Borders The third that we will endeavour by no other means to come to the Succession of the Crown of England but by the favour and forth-setting of our good Sister As to the first you shall answer in Our Name That since Our return out of France We have neither constrained nor persecuted any for cause of Religion nor yet minds to do their credit with Us being so manifest that they are intrusted with the principal Offices and bear the chiefest charges in the Kingdom and principally imployed in our most urgent Affairs before all others Sir Nicholas Throgmorton can testifie what he hath seen and heard at his being here thereanent howbeit that contrary Brutes are blown abroad by the malice and practises of our Enemies To the second concerning the borders it is most certain that the principal Officers on both the sides are special instruments of all the disorders taking occasion upon Our late troubles when as they perceived that we might not so well take order with them as We were willing as now when it hath pleased God to grant unto Us more quietness Desiring him also to procure at the Queen his Sovereign's hands that the like diligence be taken for her part as shall be seen used by Us and then we doubt not but that both he she and all other who complain shall be satisfied As to the third and last head you shall shew unto him the tenor of Our other Letter for satisfaction to the Queen and Our other Friends in these parts So with my friendly commendations to him and his wife I commit you to the protection of the Almighty From the Castle of Edinburgh this Year 1566. TRusty and Well beloved We Greet you well We have received great comfort and contentment by the Declaration your Brother hath made to Us of the Queen Our good Sister 's continual affection and constant love towards Us which she hath now shewn unto you and your Brother at his coming as also by her Letters unto Our Self Likewise for the grant she hath made to be Our Gossip and promises to send so honourable a Company of Lords and Ladies for solemnizing the same in her Name for which in Our behalf you shall give her Majesty most hearty thanks and shew unto her that We desire nothing to be done therein but as may conduce best for her advantage and least to her expence praying her always that the principal Man whom it will please her to send be such a one as We have by long experience known to have been most familiar with her to whom We may the more freely open Our mind and signifie divers things which We intended to have spoken by mouth unto her self if God had granted Our desired meeting As concerning Oneel Ruxbie and all other matters We hope that Mr. Killegrew will satisfie her sufficiently and also how that We desire to have no advancement in that Country but by her only means and help hoping and intending so to direct our course and behaviour toward her as she shall have cause more and more to procure earnestly and carefully her self all things that may further Our Weal and Advancement in this Country that Kingdom or any other In the which hope We will do our best to follow such measures as may please her and to avoid all things that may offend her and We give our most strict command unto you to do the like so long as you remain there And wherever you be about Our service even as I gave you Commandment of before nevertheless in the mean time entertain most kindly and discreetly all those in that Country who profess to bear good will unto Us and to our Title yet in such sort as neither you nor they offend the Queen Our good Sister And if there chance to come to you any hasty or seditious persons admonish them gently to cease and if they forbear not shew unto them that We have promised to the Queen to declare the Names and Practises of such unto her and that we will not fail to do it indeed if they cease not So shall it be known that such as are about to sow discord between the Queen our good Sister and Us doth it rather upon particular respects and for their own advantage then for any design to advance her Affairs or Ours These
your travel For first they will never meet together and next there will never be any thing else but dissembling and secret hatred for a while and at length Captivity and utter wrack to our Queen from England My Brother answered he liked not to hear of such devilish news nor yet would he in any sort credit them as being false ungodly and unlawful for Christians to meddle with Bassintoun answered good Mr. Melvil entertain not that harsh opinion of me I am a Christian of your own Religion and fear God and purposeth never to cast my self on any of the unlawful Arts that you mean but so far as Melancthon who was a godly Theologue hath declared lawful and written concerning the natural Sciences which are lawful and daily read in divers Christian Universities in the which as in all other Arts God gives to some less and to others clearer knowledge by the which knowledge I have attained to understand that at length the Kingdom of England shall of right fall to the Crown of Scotland and that at this instant there are some born who shall brook Lands and Heritages in England But alas it will cost many their Lives and many bloody Battels will be fought e're things be settled or take effect and by my knowledge says he the Spaniards will be helpers and will take a part to themselves for their labour which they will be loath to leave again After that the Queens Majesty had demitted the Government when she was Captive in Lockleven in such manner as is rehearsed my Lord of Murray being the first of the Regents of whom I have said something already I intend now to follow forth and shew a part of his proceedings and to begin where I left at her Majesties retreat to England After the Battel of Langside the Regent went through the Country and took up the Escheats and Houses of those who had assisted at the said Battel and caused to cast down divers of their houses distributing their Lands to his Servants and dependers The Council of England being crafty and in special the Secretary Cicil they knew what kind of Men had most credit about him for the time and thereupon took occasion to deal with the least honest most ambitious and covetous of that number and Society who had joined and banded themselves together to assist each other whereby to advance themselves and to disgrace all such true and honest men as had assisted and helped him in all his former troubles This sort of Men were soon perswaded and corrupted to move the Regent to pass unto England and accuse their native Queen before the Queen and Council of England to the great dishonour of their Country and Prince For the Queen of England who had no just cause to retain our Queen who had fled to England in hope of getting shelter and the assistance which had been so oft promised her both before and after her Captivity in Lockleven was very desirous to have some colour and pretext whereby she might make answer to the Ambassadours of sundry Princes who reproached her for her unkindly and unprincely proceedings therein Because the most part of those who had the Regent's Ear were gained to this opinion and the number few who were of a contrary mind he went forward to England accompanied with the Earl of Mortoun the Lord Lindsay the Laird of Lockleven the Bishop of Orkny the Abbot of Dumfarmling Mr. James Macgil Mr. Henry Balnears Mr. George Buchanan the Laird of Pittarrow George Duglas Bishop of Murray Mr. John Wood the Regent's Secretary a great Ring-leader Mr. Nicholas Elphinstoun Secretary Lidingtoun Alexander Hay Alexander Hume of North-Berwick the Laird of Cleesh with divers other Barons and Gentlemen who went there to see the fashion some to wait upon the Regent and Lords and some who could not get the Regent disswaded from this extream folly at home went with him to England to see if by any assistance of such as were friends there to the Union of the Isle and to the Title of Scotland he might be stayed from that accusation For those who were the Queens Lords who came there to defend the Queens part had no credit nor familiarity with the chief faction in England concerning the Title nor durst open their minds but to such as by long acquaintance they were well assured of their honesty and secrecy The names of the Queens Lords were the Lord Herreis the Lord Boid the Lord Fleeming the Lord Livingstoun the Bishop of Ross and some others with my Brother Sir Robert who attended to do all the good he could The Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Sussex and several other Councellors were sent down to York to hear the Regent's Accusation and to be as Judges between the King and Queen's Lords The first day of meeting the Duke of Norfolk required that the Regent should make Homage in the King's Name to the Crown of England thinking he had some ground to demand the same seeing the said Regent there to plead his Cause before the Councel of England Whereat the Regent grew red and knew not what to answer but Secretary Lidingtoun took up the Speech and said That in restoring again to Scotland the Lands of Huntingtuon Cumberland and Northumberland with such other Lands as Scotland did of old possess in England that Homage should gladly be made for the said Lands but as to the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland it was freer than England had been lately when it payed St. Peter ' s Penny to the Poor It appeared still that the Duke drave off time with us as having no inclination to enter upon the terrors of Accusation What was in his head appeared afterward but he was long in a suspence with whom to deal For he thought as he afterward said he neither did see honest men nor wise men At last he resolved to enter in Conference with Secretary Lidingtoun to whom he said That before that time he had ever esteem'd him a Wise man until that now he came before Strangers to accuse the Queen his Mistress as if England were Iudge over the Princes of Scotland How could we find in our hearts to dishonour our Kings Mother or how could we answer afterward for what we were doing seeing it tended to hazard the King her Sons Right to England intending to bring his Mothers honesty in question It had been rather the Duty of you his Subjects sayes he to cover her Imperfections if she had any remitting unto God and Time to punish and put Order thereto who is the Only Iudge over Princes Lidingtoun as he might well do purged himself and declared he came there to endeavour to stop the said Accusation which the Laird of Grange and divers others had endeavoured to do in vain before the Regent's coming out of Scotland And that now he would be glad of any help to hinder that shameful deliberation of the Regents pushed thereto by a company of greedy rash and careless
Councellors the most part of them his Enviers and secret Enemies praying the Duke not to conceive such an Evil Opinion of him but requesting him to draw the Regent apart and enter with him upon those Terms which afterward the Regent would shew him and he should amplifie and set it out the best he could The Duke asked if the Regent would keep secret and being thereof assured by Lidingtoun the next day he took occasion to enter into discourse with the Regent about their first Friendship and Familiarity contracted at Lieth during the Siege and helping to put the Frenchmen out of Scotland Then after that the Regent had promised Secrecy and assured him that their first Friendship should stand till the end of his Life the Duke began to declare how that he would be a Faithful Subject to the Queen his Mistress so long as she lived but that she was too careless what might come after her about the well and quiet of her Country tho it was the Interest of the Kingdom of England more to notice the same by determining the Succession to prevent Troubles that might otherwise ensue That tho they had divers times essayed to do something therein at every Parliament but that their Queen had thereat evidenced a great discontent and hindred the same shewing thereby that she cared not what Blood was shed after her for the Right and Title of the Crown of England which consists only in the Persons of the Queen and King of Scotland her Son which had been put out of doubt e're then if matters had not fallen out so unhappily at home and yet he and other Noblemen of England as Fathers of the Country were minded to be careful thereof watching their opportunity But that they wondred what could move him to come there and accuse his Queen for albeit she had done or suffered harm to be done to the King her Husband yet there was respect to be had to the Prince her Son upon whom he and many in England had fixed their Eyes as Mr. Melvil who had been late Ambassadour there could testifie He therefore wished that the Queen should not be accused nor dishonoured for the King her Sons cause and for respect to the Right they both had to succeed to the Crown of England And further the Duke said I am sent to hear your Accusation but neither will I nor the Queen my Mistress give out any Sentence upon your Accusation And that you may understand the verity of this Point more clearly you shall do well the next time that I require you before the Councel to give in your Accusation in Writing to demand again my Mistress's Seal and Hand-Writing before you show your folly that in case you Accuse she shall immediately Convict and give out her Sentence according to your Probation otherwise that you will not open your Pack Which if her Majestie shall refuse to grant unto you which undoubtedly she will do then assure your self that my Information is true and take occasion hereupon to stay from further accusation The Regent took very well with this Advice of the Dukes and kept it secret from all his Company save Secretary Lidingtoun and me to whom that same Night he imparted it shewing us his inclination to follow the same in which Resolution we confirmed him At the next meeting with the Council when the Duke demanded the Accusation to be given in the Regent asked for his Security the Queen of Englands Seal and Hand-Writing as was before advised of which the rest of his Faction gave Lidingtoun the full blame because it drew on a delay until the Post was sent to the Court and returned the Queens answer Being come it was told that she was a true Princess her Word and Promise would be abundantly sufficient The Secretary Cicil and Mr. John Wood Secretary to the Regent thought strange of this manner of procedure therefore it was advised to desire the Lords on both sides to go from York toward the Court that the matter might thereto be treated where the Queen was able to give more ready Answers and Replies In the mean time the Regent finding the Information the Duke of Norfolk gave him concerning the Queen of Englands Answer to be true he entred further into Communication with him and in presence of Lidingtoun it was agreed betwixt them as followeth That he in no wayes should accuse the Queen That the Duke should obtain to him the Queens Favour with a confirmation of the Regency The Duke and He were to be as sworn Brothers of one Religion shooting continually at one mark with the mutual intelligence of one anothers minds the one to Rule Scotland the other to Rule England to the Glory of God and well of both the Countries and their Princes so that Posterity should report them the happiest two Instruments that ever were bred in Brittain The Duke was then the greatest Subject in Europe not being a free Prince For he ruled the Queen and all those who were most familiar with her He also ruled the Councel and ruled two Factions in England both Protestants and Papists with the City of London and whole Commons The Great Men who were Papists were all his near Kinsmen whom he entertained with great Wisdom and Discretion the Protestants had such proof of his Godly Life and Conversation that they loved him intirely The Regent being arrived at the Court of England which was for the time at Hampton-Court he was daily pressed to give in his accusation especially by those who were about him when all thought strange that he was so slow in doing thereof until they were advertised by one of the Lords of the Queens Faction of all that had past betwixt the Regent and the Duke of Norfolk For the Duke by a secret hand had advertised our Queen and she again shewed it to one of her most Familiars who advertised the Earl of Mortoun thereof He took this very ill that the Regent had done this without acquainting him or any of his Society of his design But e're he or any of his Company would seem to understand any thing of the matter they laid their heads together and caused Mr. John Wood to inform Secretary Cicill of all that had past desiring him to press forward the Accusation wherein of himself he was abundantly earnest They again left nothing undone for their part to effectuate the same putting him in hope that the Queen would give him her Hand-Writing and Seal that she should convict the Queen in case he accused her Others of the finest of them persuaded him that she would never give her hand-writing or Seal for that end putting him to a strait to see what he would do in case he obtained his desire Mr. John Wood said That it was fit to carry in all the Writs to the Councel and he would keep the Accusation in his bosom and would not deliver it till first the thing demanded of the Queen was granted The
a new faction upon to trouble the King and his Estate And whereas the said Davison had promised before to shew himself a kind Scotsman I perceived him clean altered and a perfect practiser against the quiet of this State whereof I advertised His Majesty After his return England appeared not to have such a fear as it had formerly had at the Earl of Arran For there was a meeting drawn on at the Borders betwixt the Earl of Hunsdon and the Earl of Arran Who had long and privy conference together to keep a great friendship betwixt the two Princes and Countries with a secret Plot That the Earl of Arran should keep the King unmarried for three years under this pretext That there was a young Maid of the blood in England who about that time would be ready for marriage whereupon the Queen would declare His Majesty Second Person This was a deceitful Traffique and kept secret from every Body the design thereof being to hinder the King to deal for any other honourable and profitable Match The Earl of Arran thinking himself setled being now in friendship with the Queen of Englond as he supposed moved His Majesty to send thither the Master of Gray who was entred in great favour and familiarity with His Majesty by some secret dealing and intelligence he had with the Queen his Mother in England by means of some of her friends in France For being there at his Travels and but lately returned he brought some Letters directed from Her Majesty to the King her Son and conveyed the answers back again by an interest he had in England with some who favoured Her Majesty He was a great dealer also between Her Majesty and some Catholicks in England He was a proper Gentleman of a Noble Spirit and fair Speech and so well esteemed by His Majesty that Arran thought fit to absent him from Court by this Ambassage Nevertheless he employed him also in the Course begun betwixt him and the Earl of Hunsdean And yet when he was at the Court of England so well esteemed and treated as was reported by such as were sent back it was alledged by some of the Master of Gray's friends that the Earl of Arran began to envy him and misrepresent him unto His Majesty as if he had discovered unto the Queen of England a great part of the Queen of Scotlands purposes and proceedings However the said Master returned again well rewarded and commended for his behaviour qualities and discretion unto the King's Majesty to the great increase of his Credit with the King Not long after his return he was informed what misreports had been made of him in his absence Which he recompensed the best he could with Court Charity at convenient times so that by little and little he began to Eclipse Arran The Master of Gray also forewarned His Majesty of a notable Person who was upon the way sent unto His Majesty by the Queen of England to do him honour and to bear him company to entertain a stricter friendship between that Queen and Him then any had ever been intended before And that the said Ambassadour called Mr. Wotton would not trouble His Majesty with Business or Country Affairs but would bear him company in his Pastimes of Hunting Hauking and Horse-riding and entertain him with friendly and merry Discourses as one come lately from Italy and Spain expert in Languages and Customs of Countries and a great lover of His Majesty's Title and Right to the Crown of England So that His Majesty was ingaged to love him before he did see him and caused with diligence to write to me to come and entertain the said Ambassadour At my return to Court I was the better taken with that Arran was under some Cloud The Master of Gray was then my great friend For His Majesty had told him that I had ever resisted the Earl of Arran's furious proceedings His Majesty desired me as I would do him acceptable Service to bear good company to the said Ambassadour declaring unto me all his properties and qualifications above specified willing me also to Banquet him at my house But after I had conversed certain days with him I remembred I had formerly seen him in France with Doctor Wotton who was there Ambassadour Resident for Queen Mary of England the time that she was married with King Philip of Spain During which time there were great suspicions and jealousies betwixt France and England For tho there was hot War between France and Spain yet the Peace continued still with the Queen of England who was lately married by the King of Spain She appeared still to keep the Peace with France though in the mean time she sent over to Flanders both Men and Mony to the help of the King her Husband The old Constable of France my Master who for the time had the whole management of the Country Affairs under King Henry the Second reproached the English Ambassadour for that the Queen his Mistress was doing her endeavour to break the Peace The Ambassadour excused his Mistress alledging That if any of his Country-men served in the Wars under the King of Spain that they would be found but Soldiers of Fortune ready to serve any Man for Mony She denied that she knew of their passing into Flanders or that she disbursed any Mony for the Wars Albeâ—t that there was ground enough ministred unto her by reciving and retaining in France all her Rebels and Fugitives giving them Pensions and Intertainment and stirring them up to enterprises against her Life and Estate This the Constable flatly denyed only he said That out of a general good will which was born to English-men in time of Peace they were suffered to live in the Country which bears the name of France because there should be Freedom and Franchise to every Christian. The Ambassadour being wise and subtil perceiving this answer to be but a shift and that Wars would inevitably follow these kind of suspicions he intended by some subtilty to Circumvent the Constable and for that effect had sent to England for his Brother's Son being One and Twenty years of Age as well to employ him as to teach him the French and Italian Languages This youth being arrived in France with an Irish Boy to be his Interpreter who could speak French both apparelled in mean array to be the less suspected to have any practice or policy in their minds Like a Forreign young Man he addressed himself to some of the King of France his Courtiers desiring Audience of His Majesty secretly as having a matter of great importance to propose The King again divers times directed him to deal first with the Constable At last when he came to the Constable he desired also of him that he might first declare unto the King his Errand which was of great importance although he knew that the King spoke with no Man in such matters until the Constable had first sounded him and then told his Opinion to
that Marriage was hindred upon which he sends the Earl Marshal with 2 other Persons to Denmark ibid. Hears of their being at Sea with the Queen and makes preparations for her Reception and being impatient at their long delay lays the fault on his Council p. 180. Directs Colonel Stuart to Sir Robert Melvil and the Author charging them to take care of his Estate in his absence p. 180 and 181. Is perswaded to go in person to Denmark p. 181. Sails to Denmark in person to fetch the Queen and leaves Sir Robert Vice-Chancellor ibid. Three Ships went with him besides his own he lauds at Norway where the Queen waited for a Wind and there Celebrates the Marriage ibid. Returns not that Winter is sent for to Denmark whither he went by Land with his new Queen where he behaves himself libe rally and honourably by the way and at the Court of Denmark ibid. Is much troubled to make those Officers of State agree that were with him there p. 182. Returns the next Spring with the Admiral of Denmark and other Persons of Quality ibid. Treats them all honourably and after the Queens Coronation dismisseth them Magnificently Rewarded ibid. Sends for the Author at his Landing ibid. Repents his anger with Sir Robert Melvil and turns it against the Chancellor who incensed him against Sir Robert p. 183. Rewards the Strangers nâ—â—ly after the Queens Coronation and Banqueting to their great satisfaction p. 184. Desires Sir Robert Melvil and the Author to advise upon some good Rules for the establishing Affairs before his going to Denmark p. 185. Is abused upon the account of Maclean and other Highlanders p. 192 and 193. Sends for Melvil the Author to wait upon the Queen promising him rewards p. 193. takes occasion at Table to discourse advantageously of the Author to his Queen p. 193 and 194. Secures himself in Edinburgh after Bothwel's Attempt on the Palace p. 197. Thinks Sir Robert Melvil not fit for his Office yet continues him still p. 199. Is design'd to be seized at Falkland by Bothwel and his Party p. 201. And miraculously delivered by God from that Conspiracy p. 202. Determines to send Ambassadors to England Denmark France and Flanders about the Birth of his Son Prince Henry p. 203. Requiring them to send Ambassadors to solemnize the Baptism of his first born Son ibid. The Ambassadors are sent p. 203. Jane Kennedie the Wife of Sir Andrew Melvil was a long time in England with his Majesties Mother p. 180. Is sent for by him to wait upon the young Queen who making hast was drowned in the Passage-Boat in a great Storm which was raised by the Witches of Scotland as appears by their own Confession to his Majesty ibid. John de Monluck Bishop of Valence is sent Ambassador from France to the Queen-Mother of Scotland p. 8. Goes first to Ireland by his Masters Command and why ibid. A pleasant story of his Harlot ibid. Was formerly Ambassador from the French King to the great Turk Solyman p. 9. After his Arrival at Paris is sent to Rome p. 10. And wherefore p. 10 11 12 and 13. But to no effect p. 11. Learns the Mathematicks of Cavatius other Sciences by Taggot another knowing Man p. 13. K KEer Henry one of the Counsellors of the Duke of Lennox p. 128. Keeth Sir William is sent Ambassador to Flanders upon the Birth of Prince Henry p. 203. Kieth Andrew Lord is sent Ambassador with the Earl of Marshal to Denmark at the request of the said Earl p. 179. Killegrew Henry is sent Ambassador from England to Scotland p. 68. Complains against Mr. Raxby as a Rebel and Papist harboured there ibid. Upon which he was secured p. 69. Is dispatch't with a friendly Answer some time after p. 72. He carries two Letters from Queen Mary to Sir Robert Melvil in England and to what intent p. 72 73 and 74. Is hasted Ambassador to Scotland after Mr. Randolphs return to England p. 115. Desires the preservation of Sir Robert Melvil's Life as a reward for his labour p. 122. King of Denmark marrieth his eldest Daughter to the Duke of Brunswick p. 177. Excuseth to King James laying the blame upon his Ministers ibid. But promiseth to dispose of his Second Daughter to him if he would send his Ambassadors thither but in the interim dies leaving the same Commission with the Council and Regents ibid. King of Navarre is Governour for the time of the young French King Charles the 9th p. 30. Procures of the Three Estates assembled at Orleans that the Queen-Mother should be Regent of the Realm ibid. King of Spain enters the Frontiers of France with a great Army p. 20. Kings of Scotland never grew rich since they left the High-Lands to dwell in the Low-Lands p. 193. But ever since diminished which his Majesty found true ibid. Knolls Sir Henry is sent Ambassador from Queen Elizabeth at the Dyet Imperial held at Franckfort Anno 1562 p. 39. L LEicester Earl Queen Mary's avowed Friend p. 71. And several other Persons of Quality ibid. Lennox Duke endeavours to free the King of Scots but is chased into the House of Ruthven and saved by the intercession of the Earl of Gaury p. 132. Retires to Dumbartoun ibid. Afterward goes to France and dies p. 133. Lennox Earl is sent for to be made Regent of Scotland in the room of the Earl of Murray p. 104. Proves a true Scotsman p. 106. After he had accepted of the Regency he takes Breechin and hangs the Soldiers found in the Kirk and Steeple p. 107. Is shot in the Back in the Enterprize of taking the Lords Prisoners at Sterling p 114. Dies in few days after and makes a godly end ibid. Lennox Lady the Mother of Darnly King of Scotland is Committed to the Tower and kept there a long time because he Married the Queen of Scots without Queen Elizabeth's advice p. 58. Lidingtoun Secretary to Queen Mary and of great Credit with Secretary Cecil p. 32. He with the Prior of St. Andrews procures a fair Correspondence between the 2 Queens of England and Scotland ibid. And p. 33. He retires with other persons being in danger of their lives p. 65. Goes from Court p. 100. Is Accused of the late King's murther and Imprisoned ibid. Is brought by the Regent to Edinburgh and delivered to the Lord Grange to be a Prisoner ibid. Is set at liberty by the King's Lords p. 105. Taken Prisoner after the surrender of Edinburgh Castle p. 121. dies at Lieth to prevent his coming to the Shambles with the rest p. 122. Logie a young man Gentleman of the Chamber to King James p. 198. Is Accused and Imprisoned for dealing with Earl Bothwel ibid. Lords called the Queen's Lords as the other the King's meet together at Dumbartoun to procure their Soveraign's liberty being against the King's Lords p. 88. Binding themselves in a Bond ibid. They issue out proclamation on both sides to Convene their friends p. 90. Meet and fight but
to Hamiltoun p. 90. After the loss of the Battle of Langside she quite loseth her courage never thinks her self secure till she arrives in England p. 92. Is kept Prisoner in the North parts here p. 99. Endeavours to get her self declared second person of England p. 152. but it proves ineffectual ibid. Receives warning of her death from the Council the night before p. 172. Her carriage and deportment thereupon ibid. Takes her death patiently and dies couragiously p. 173. Receives divers strokes with the Ax through the Executioner's cruelty ibid. Master of Glams is Treasurer of Scotland p. 198. Designes to get the Office from Sir Robert Melvil and manage the Treasury solely ibid. Master of Gray is in great favour with the King of Scots and why p. 158. His Character ibid. Is sent Ambassadour to England and returns with great Credit and Approbation notwithstanding he is misrepresented by the Earl of Arran whom he begins by degrees to Eclipse ibid. Acquaints his Majesty that Mr. Wotton a Man of great Parts is upon his journy from the Queen of England and upon what account p. 158 159. Procures the Earl of Arran's liberty p. 166. Is rewarded for it with the Abby of Dumfarmling ibid. At which the English Ambassadour is enraged but afterward reconciled to him ibid. He retires to Dunkel p. 168. Is sent for again to Court p. 169. And in as great favour as ever ibid. Is deprived of his Benefice of Dumfarmling p. 175. And discharged from the Court ibid. Maurice Duke God-son to the Landgrave of Hesse p. 11. perswades his God-father to come to the Emperor who retains him Captive ibid. Is Cousin to the Duke of Saxony and obtains the Electorate as a gift from the Emperor p. 12. Sollicits the Emperor for the liberty of his God-father but in vain ibid. Lays Siege to Magdeburgh being the Emperor's Lieutenant ibid. A subtile man ibid. Surpriseth the Emperor at Isburgh compels him to fly so clearly out of Dutchland that he never set foot in it again p. 13. Yet he and the Emperor is after reconciled and lay Siege to the Town of Metz tho to no purpose ibid. Maximilian King of the Romans by his Politick carriage between Protestant and Catholick obtains the Empire p. 33. Is skill'd in several Languages p. 34. Proves an enemy to the Match with his Brother Charles the Arch-Duke of Austria and the Queen of Scots though seemingly a friend p. 35. Melvil Sir Andrew one of the undertakers to keep the Castle of Edinburgh p. 120. Is Master of the Houshold to Queen Elizabeth p. 173. After Master of the Houshold to King James p. 180. Marries Jane Kennedy who had been a long time in England with Queen Mary ibid. Melvil Sir James the Author and Brother to Sir Andrew Melvil is sent by the Queen-Mother with the Bishop of Valence to be Page of Honour to her Daughter there Married to the Dauphin p. 8. The kindness of Odocart's Daughter to him promising him Marriage p. 9. His pleasant Discovery of the Two Scots-mens Deceit to whose care he was committed in their Iourney to Paris p. 10. Is design'd to be promoted by the Bishop but prevented and by what means p. 14. Is entertain'd in the Service of the Constable of France by the consent of the Bishop of Valence p. 15. Is Commissionated by the French King and afterward by the Constable to go into Scotland and the purport of his Commission p. 25 and 26. Endeavours to be inform'd of the Prior of St. Andrews intentions who declares his mind to him at large p. 27. In his return to France meets with an English Mathematician and the Discourse between them p. 27 and 28. Gets licence of the Queen of France to Travel the reason thereof he takes his leave p. 29. Is recommended to the Elector Palatine by the Constable his Master and entertain'd as one of his Servants ibid. And is thereupon sent by the Elector to Condole the death of Francis the 2d French King ibid. Receives great Favour from the King of Navarre and Queen Regent dispatching him back with thanks and a gift p. 30. Returns visits the Queen of Scotland Mary in her return home at Janvile with a comfortable Letter from Duke Casimire p. 31. Receives thanks from the Queen for it with favourable offers when return'd from Travel ibid. Is desired by the Duke and his Father to go into England about a Match with that Queen and the Duke but refuseth p. 32. And why ibid. Receives a Letter from Scotland to inquire about the Arch-Duke of Austria p. 33. Is sent for by Maximilian and goes with a Letter from the Elector to him p. 34. The passages between them ibid. Finds the proposition of a Match with the Arch-Duke would prove ineffectual and therefore presseth for a dispatch which at length he obtains p. 35. Receives a Letter from Maximilian to the Queen of Scots ibid. Is sent by the Prince Elector to the Queen-Mother of France with an Answer and Picture to her Propositions of a Match between her Son Charles the 9th and Maximian's eldest Daughter p. 36. Is introduced into her Presence by the Constable ibid. Is profer'd very large offers of Preferment by the Queen Mother if he would reside there p. 38. Receives Letters from Queen Mary to return home ibid. Parts with a Commission to the Queen of England p. 39. Presents the Pictures of Casimire and his Relations to the Queen ibid. Which she returns next day p. 40. Refusing to accept of them ibid. Writes back to his Father and himself a disswasive from that Marriage and receives thanks ibid. Returns into Scotland and presents the Queen with Letters from Forraign Princes p. 43. Receives great proffers from the Queen but refuseth them and upon what ground ibid. Is sent with instructions to Queen Elizabeth and her Friends to procure a Reconciliation ibid. The instructions at large p. the 44th and 45th Being Arrived at London he next morning receives his Answer from the Queen p. 46. Perswades her Majesty to tear the angry Letter she intended to send to Queen Mary in answer to hers p. 47. Which she did ibid. The private Conference between the Queen of England and Melvil being a Character of the Two Queens full of diversion p. 47 48 and 49. Takes his leave and returns to Scotland with many Presents p. 52. Acquaints his Queen with Queen Elizabeth's Answer ibid. After the Queens Marriage begs leave to Travel which she refuseth p. 58. Upon her promises stayes and adviseth her p. 59. Officiates as her Secretary Lidington being absent upon some suspicion p. 67. Rides Post to London to give an account to the Queen of the Birth of a Son in Scotland p. 69. Has a satisfactory Audience p. 70. Shews a Letter to her Majesty from Tho. Bishop against her Marriage with Bothwel and is forced to fly for it p. 79. But returns Bothwel's rage being allayed ibid. Is afterward taken Prisoner when Bothwel seized
p. 198. Is threatned with death by the Captain of the Guards p. 199. But the Queen stood his Friend ibid. Sends his Servant to acquaint the King with Bothwel's Conspiracy against him in Falkland for which he is derided p. 202. Sir Robert is sent Ambassadour to England from King James p. 204. Mortoun Earl is challenged to fight by Lord Herreis upon the account of the King's death p. 100. Appoints 4 men to kill Grange at the entrance of the Regent's Lodgings without the Regent's privity p. 101. Has a great Faction in the Country though disappointed of the Regency p. 116. But is made Regent after the decease of the Earl of Mar by the assistance of England p. 118. Promiseth to the Agreement with the Lords of the Castle of Edinburgh but steers another course p. 120. Anticipates the Marshal of Berwick and gets an Answer from the Queen of England to have the Prisoners taken at Edinburgh Castle and a Commission for their Execution before he could send p. 121. Triumphs a while being with great Assistance from England p. 123. His whole study is to gain riches from England and Scotland p. 123. Of which England too late repented ibid. Holds the Country in a more setled Estate then it had been in for many years p. 124. Grows proud despiseth the Nobility commits several wrongs and prosecutes several Lords ibid. exposeth the Earl of Orkny to great hardship p. 126. Yields easily to his deposition from the Regency retiring to Lockleven ibid. But by his designs gets in again to be Master of the Court ibid. Is Accused by James Stuart of the late King's Murther p. 127. Is condemned at the Assize for it 128. And dies resolutely ibid. Murray Earl takes part with Bothwel p. 201. And is kill'd at his own House Murray Lord and Bedford meet at Berwick about the marriage of Queen Mary with Leicester p. 53. With slenderer offers then expected from him ibid. Murray being one of the banished Lords is sent for from Newcastle and re-entertain'd by the Queen p. 65. Retires from Court p. 78. Obtains leave to go to France before the Queen married Bothwel p. 80. Is appointed by the Queen first Regent of the young Prince p. 85. Whereupon he is sent for from France by the Lords ibid. Accepts the Regency of the Prince after a Refusal p. 87. Enters at first sight upon such injurious Reproaches of her Majesty as were like to break her heart ibid. Takes the Forts and Castles into his hands p. 90. Clears the Borders of Thieves and holds Iustice in Evre ibid. Goes to England accompanied with many Lords to accuse Queen Mary p. 93. Is privately dissuaded from it by the Duke of Norfolk p. 94 and 95. 'T is agreed that he shall by no means proceed in that Accusation p. 95. Breaks his word with the Duke and comes from the Council-House with Tears in his Eyes p. 97. Is despised by the Queen of England for his intention to Accuse her detested by the Duke reproached by his Friends living at Kingston penyless and unregarded p. 97. Is reconciled to the Duke p. 98. Has 2000 l. of the Queen for which the Duke becomes surety and afterward paid it 99. Takes leave of the Queen but discovers again all that ever past between the Duke and himself p. 99. Promising to send the Queen those Letters he should receive in Scotland from him ibid. Sends for Secretary Lidingtoun as being of Council with the Duke of Norfolk resolving to accuse him and writes for him to come to make a dispatch for England p. 100. Being come is Accused before the Privy Council of the late King's Murder and Imprisoned ib. Is misled though well inclined by vain pretences to his own and the ruine of others p. 102. Gives ear to flatterers ibid. Dissembles with Grange and Lidingtoun ibid. His Character p. 103. Is shot by Hamiltoun and dies the same night ibid. N NOrfolk Duke sent with an Army out of England to help the Congregationists p. 29. He and several other Councellors sent down to York to hear the Regent's Accusation of his Queen and be Iudges thereof p. 94. Privately dissuades the Regent from Accusing the Queen for the King her Son's sake p. 95. Is the greatest Subject in Europe not being a free-born Prince p. 96. Ruling the Queen and all ibid. His purposes discovered to the Queen whereby the Regent lost the Duke's favour yet speaks boldly to her Majesty p. 98. Is prevailed with to enter into friendship again with the Regent upon promise of his future secresie ibid. Acquaints the Regent with his resolution to marry the Queen of Scots and that he had a Daughter fitter for the King then any other p. 98 and 99. Becomes Security for 2000 l. which Murray the Regent of Scotland received from the Queen of England which he after paid p. 99. Is sent for by the Queen to come to Court being again deceived by the Regent then in Scotland applies himself to Secretary Cecil who told him there was no danger so that he rode with his Train only ibid. Is seized by the Treachery of Cecil and after a tedious Captivity dies of the Reformed Religion p. 100. Normand Lesly gains great honour in the Wars between Henry the Second of France and the Emperour p. 17. O OChiltrie Lord and divers others in revenge of the death of the Earl of Murray takes part with Earl Bothwel p. 201. Adviseth him to Seize on his Majesty in his Palace at Falkland ibid. Octavians in Scotland who and why so called p. 191. Octavio Duke Son-in-law to the Emperour Charles the Fifth is left to the Pope's discretion and why p. 11. P PArliament Proclaimed at Lithgow for the restitution of the banished Lords p. 170. Parma Duke Governour of Flanders wins the hearts of his Soldiers and Enemies by his prudent behaviour p. 166. Is suspected by the Spanish King to have a design on Flanders which caused him to deny the Spaniard Victuals Ships and landing in his Territories ibid. Paul the Fourth Pope breaks off the five years Truce between the French King and the Emperour p. 19. Peace concluded between Scotland and England and upon what Terms p. 30. Pool Cardinal appointed to be Mediator between the Two Princes p. 16. Prelates of Scotland endeavour to win King James by large proffers and perswasions to their Opinion p. 4. They exasperate his Majesty against the Treasurer by their insinuations p. 5. But he gets well off ibid. Prior of St. Andrews the Lord James Natural Son to James the Fifth King of Scotland p. 25. Afterwards Earl of Murray p. 32. Prior of Pittenweem a great debaucher of Women and Maidens p. 5. Protestants grown very numerous in Scotland p. 24. Q QUeen Mother of France is glad at the death of Francis the Second her Son he being wholly ruled by the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother p. 29. Whereupon she dischargeth the King of Navarre and Prince of Conde who had
regarded my Princess her Interest then mine own I should have accepted the large offers made me by the Earl of Bothwel when he desired me to subscribe with the rest of his flatterers that Paper wherein they declared it was her Majesties interest to Marry the said Earl but I chose rather to lay my self open to his hatred and revenge whereby I was afterward in peril of my life and tell her Majesty that those who had so advised her were betrayers of her honour for their own selfish ends seeing her marrying a Man commonly judged her Husbands murtherer would leave a Tash upon her name and give too much ground of jealousie that she had consented to that foul deed I wanted not fair offers from Randolph and Killegrew Residents here from the Court of England if I would have in so far complied with their designs as not to have divulged what I perceived to be their drifts which I could not conceal finding them so destructive to the Kingdom I had the fair occasion of making a large fortune to my self if I would have gone along with the Earl of Arran by Counselling the King's Majesty to follow his violent advices but finding them so far contrary to his interest I did think my self ingaged to warn his Majesty that he was a dangerous man who gave him such advices that if he followed the same he would run himself upon inevitable Precipices that his Majesty's hearkening to the Duke of Lennox and him the one a Papist the other a wicked and ungodly man would breed jealousies in his Subjects minds which might produce dangerous effects This freedom and many times the like I took which though his Majesty accepted in good part yet I thereby contracted me store of Enemies But it was always my Principle rather to hazard my self by plain speech when 't was necessary than to expose my Master to danger by silence or base flattery And though the Common Practice which I mention'd e're while may seem to thrive best in some Courts for a time yet under Grave and Wise Princes and at long-run the honest Maximes will prove most acceptable and safe Therefore I willingly opened these things to thee that thou mayst as well know what is usually done as what ought to be There is a certain discretion to be used that is free both from Sawcyness and Assentation and a man may many times if he skill it aright give his Prince good Counsel contrary to his inclinations yet without incurring his displeasure This thou oughtest to study if ever thou be called to publique Affairs and though thou mayst bend with the necessity of some Accidents and yield to the times in some things though not going just so as thou would have matters to go and humour the Prince in an ordinary business to gain opportunity of doing greater good to him and thy Country at a more lucky Season yet be sure that thou never Engage in any Disloyalty Cruelty or Wickedness nor suffer any thing to pass that thou seest will tend to his Ruine or grand Prejudice without noticing it to him in some humble manner and though for that time it be dis-relishing or slighted yet when he sees the Effects follow that thou admonishedst him of he will love thee the better and rather hearken to honest Advice for time future And withal thou wilt obtain the Favour and Blessing of Almighty God whom thou must at all times endeavour faithfully and uprightly to serve if ever thou expectest Bliss in this or the other World To whose Gracious Providence I Commit thee with the hearty well Wishes and Benison of Thy Dearly Loving Father IAMES MELUIL MELVILS MEMOIRS In reference to MARY Queen of SCOTS AND JAMES VI. KIng Henry VIII of England being discontent with the Pope for refusing to grant the Divorce from his wife Queen Katharine of Castile For revenge he looked through his fingers at the Preachers of the Reformed Religion who had studied in Dutch-land under Martin Luther and were lately come to England In process of time the hatred betwixt the King and the Pope came to so great a length that he proclaimed himself Head of the Kirk of England and discharged S. Peters Pennies to be paid from that time forth with a strict command to all his Subjects no manner of way to acknowledge the Pope He obtained the said Divorce from his own Clergy marrying another which occasioned to him the hatred of the Pope Emperour and King of Spain and all their Assistants He again desiring to strengthen himself at home conjecturing the probability of a Combination against him found it his Interest to entertain a strict Amity with James V. of Scotland his Nephew For he was determined to Unite this whole Ifle in one Religion and in one Empire failing of Heirs male procreate of his own body Having then but one Daughter called Mary with the divorced Queen which Daughter he declared to be a Bastard Upon which consideration Ambassadors are sent thither inviting that King to a Conference at York whither Henry offered to come and meet him Alledging by such an Interview matters might be more effectually condescended upon conducing for the mutual Interests of both Kingdoms then could be expected from the endeavours of Ambassadors to be imployed in that Affair King James having seriously considered the Overture and advised thereabout with his Council upon their deliberation and advice returns his resolution to attend his Uncle Time and Place appointed With which answer the Ambassadors highly satisfied return to their Master who rejoiced exceedingly at so happy a Success of that matter Whereupon great preparations are made at York for the Entertainment of his Nephew with the greater Solemnity The Clergy of Scotland sworn Clients to the Pope having had several Consultations hereanent were alarm'd with this Proposal and the Accompt they had of the Kings resolution to comply therewith through an apprehension that the Uncles persuasion might oblige the Nephew to trace his Footsteps in overturning Popery in Scotland as he had done in England They therefore resolve to use the utmost of their endeavours for preventing the said intended Interview They addressed themselves to such as were Minions for the time who had most of his Majestiesear These they corrupted with large Bribes to dissuade the King therefrom There having joined with such of the Clergy who were most in favour with the King used many persuasions telling him how King James I. was reteined in England Of the old League with France That upon this consideration it would be prejudicial to his Interest to keep that Meeting seeing the French would not take it well neither the Emperour who was highly incensed against Henry They told him of the Popes interdicting him and what a great Heresie was lately risen up there and had infected not only the greatest part of the Kingdom but the King himself And also that many of the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland were likewise Favourers of the said
Heresies and that it was fit that timously he should prevent the spreading thereof seeing the same would contribute much for his advantage while he might enrich himself by their Estates the names of whom they gave up in a sheet of Paper Which the King put in his Pocket thinking it a very profitable Proposition and therefore with all diligence to be executed The Laird of Grange had been lately made Treasurer and was in great favour with the King He had not yet discovered himself to be a Favourer of the Evangel but the King esteemed him true and desirous to advance his profit and very secret therefore he thought fit to make him privy to this profitable Overture He shewed unto him the written Roll of the Noblemen and Barons names who were given up to be burnt for Heresie telling him what great advantage he would make thereby Whereat the Laird of Grange began to smile and the King to enquire whereat he did laugh The Treasurer desired liberty from his Majesty to tell him the truth Whereat the King drew out his Sword saying merrily to him I shall slay thee if thou speak against my profit Then he put up his Sword commanding him to shew him what reasons he could alledge against the Prelats Proposition The Treasurer declared what troubles his Majesty had been tossed in during his Minority for the Government first between the Queen his Mother and the Lords then betwixt divers Factions of the Lords How that he had been couped from hand to hand sometimes kept against his will as Captive sometimes besieged sometimes brought to battle against his will by the Duglasses to fight against the Earl of Lenox and his best Friends who were slain coming to relieve him the Prelates being Partners for their ambition sometimes with one Faction sometimes with another And how that they could never agree among themselves nor let his Majesty take rest until the Duke of Albany was chosen Governour and brought out of France who had enough to do also For he would have fain done pleasure to France and raised a great many Scotchmen to enter into England who were making Wars in France but he got a rebuke when he when he was at the Border for they would march no further Alledging that the King was but young and Sister Son to King Henry That they saw no reason to enter into War with England to endanger their King and Country to serve France being the King his Father had to no purpose lost his life in their quarrel having entered into England with an Army against his good Brother whereby the whole Country was endangered After that this Duke retired himself your Majesty took the Government in your own hands at the Age of 13 years Yet they clapped again about you and kept you two years as captive And now you are but lately come to your liberty and your Country is not yet so well setled as were needful Albeit your Majesty hath done very much in so short space as to settle the Highland Islands and the Borders It were a dangerous thing if your Nobility should get intelligence that such greedy Fetches should be put in your head under pretext of Heresie to spoil them of their Lives Lands and Goods Wherein you may endanger your own Estate at the instance of these whose Estates are in peril who would hazard you and yours to save their own The Prelates I mean who fear that your Majesty at the example of the King of England of Denmark and several Princes of the Empire will make the like reformation among them Therefore they have no will of your familiarity with the King of England nor that your Estate should be so setled that your Majesty might put order to the abuses of the Kirk Did not one of your Predecessors called S. David give the most part of the Patrimony of the Crown to the Kirk erecting the same into Bishopricks and rich Abbacies Whereby your Majesty is presently so poor and the Prelates so rich so prodigal so proud that they will suffer nothing to be done without them And are also so sworn to the Pope of Rome when they get their Benefices confirmed that they ought not to be credited in any thing that toucheth the Popes Profit or Preferment The Venetians the wisest people in Europe will not suffer any Prelate albeit he be a born man of the Town to abide or stand in their Council-house when they are at Council because they know them to be so strictly sworn to the Pope Then he declared the gross abuses of the Roman Kirk and the ungodly lives of the Scots Prelates which the King and whole Country might see Therefore saith he if your Majesty would be well and be rich you may justly take home again to the profit of the Crown all vacan Benefices by little and little as they may fall by decease of every Prelate He told his Majesty anent his promise to the Ambassador of England there would come great trouble and Wars if it were not kept For King Henry VIII was a couragious Prince and high conceited and appeared to have for the Time an upright meaning his occasions pressing him thereto Having so great turns in hand and so many enemies without succession saving the foresaid Daughter Being corpulent and fat there was small hopes of his having any heirs That therefore it was his interest to be in a good understanding with him being his eldest Sisters Son nearest of blood and ablest to maintain and unite the whole Isle of Britain As for the retaining King James I. in England that was a far different case it was not the like time he was not the Kings Sisters Son nor his apparent heir And what hard success the King his Father had for making War against the King of England his good Brother was too manifestly felt by the whole Subjects And little better to be looked for in case a new unnecessary War be made for your Majesties staying away from the intended Meeting at York The King took such delight in this language that he determined to follow the advice given therein And at his first meeting with the Prelates who had then very great rule in the Country he could not contain himself any longer when they came hoping to see their Plots put in execution After many sore reproofs that they should have advised him to use such cruelty upon so many Noble men and Barons to the peril of his own Estate Wherefore said he gave my Predecessors so many Lands and Rents to the Kirk Was it to maintain Haulks Dogs and Whores to a number of idle Priests The King of England burns the King of Denmark beheads you I shall stick you with this Whingar And therewith he drew out his Dagger and they fled from his presence in great fear The King resolved fully to keep his promise with his Uncle the King of England thinking it both his honour and advancement so to do The Prelates of
Scotland thinking themselves far out-shot and thereby in a dangerous condition consulted together how to bring the King again to their opinion They resolved in the first place to offer to pay him yearly out of the Rents of the Kirk fifty thousand Crowns to maintain hired Souldiers beside the ordinary Subjects which obey the Proclamation in case the King of England should make Wars against Scotland because of the Kings not keeping the appointment at York They thought this would be an allurement to the King who liked well to be rich Yet they concluded that unless the matter were proponed and favourably interpreted to his Majesty by such as had his ear that would not do the business They bestowed therefore largely of their Gold to his familiar Servants and further promised unto Oliver Sinclar that they should cause him to be advanced to great Honours and to be made Lieutenant of the whole Army against England in case that King Henry would intend Wars against Scotland Which they affirmed he would not nor durst not having already so many Irons in the Fire This was communicated by the Prelates to the Minions at Court and chearfully condescended to by them who had by flattery gained greatest favour And chiefly by drawing of fair Maidens to the King and striving to be the first advertisers whose Daughter she was and how she might be obtained and likewise of mens Wives They waited a convenient time when the Treasurer should be absent who was a stout bold man therefore they durst not speak in his presence For he always offered by single combat and at the point of the Sword to maintain what he spoke At this time he was absent from Court for the King had given the Ward and Marriage of Kelly in Angus to his second Son and he was gone there to take possession thereof In his absence then this was proponed to the King and so backed by Oliver Sinclare and such of the Clergy as had been best acquainted with his Majesty as he was induced to give ear thereto They having added several other persuasions at such times as they brought unto him fair Maidens and mens Wives Then they took occasion in the next place to shew his Majesty that the Laird of Grange his Treasurer was also become a Heretick and that he had always a New Testament in English in his Poutch And likewise that he was become so proud and puft up by his Majesties savour that no man might abide him And that he was so extream greedy that he was unmeet to be Treasurer and too bold to have procured for his second Son the rich Ward and Marriage of Kelly worth Twenty thousand pound The King answered That he esteemed him to be a plain frank Gentleman that he loved him so well that he would give him again the said Ward and Marriage for a word of his mouth The Prior of Pittenweem replied and said Sir the heir of Keily is a lusty fair Lass and I dare pledge my life that if your Majesty will send for her presently that he shall refuse to send her to you The King affirming still the contrary there was a Missive written And the Prelates and their Faction devised that the said Prior of Pittenweem should carry the Letter and bring over the Maiden-heir of Kelly to the King But the Treasurer who knew him to be his deadly enemy refused to deliver her to him Alledging the said Prior to have been all his days a vile Whoremaster having deflowred divers Maidens therefore he thought him an unfit Messenger Who was so glad as he to return with this backward answer He and his Associates kindled up the King in so great choler against the Treasurer handling the matter so finely and hotly that they obtained a Warrant to charge the Treasurer to Ward within the Castle of Edinburgh Which they forgot not to do at his first coming to Court He again ghessed that leesings would be made against him therefore used great diligence to be with the King And notwithstanding of their charge past peartly in to his Majesty who was at his Supper in Edinburg but the King looked down upon him and would not speak to him nor know him He nevertheless steps forward and said Sir what offence have I done who had so much of your favour when I parted from you with your permission The King answered Why did thou refuse to send me the Maiden whom I wrote for and gave despiteful language to him I sent for her Sir said he there is none about your Majesty dare avow any such thing in my face As for the Maiden I said to the Prior of Pittenweem that I was well enough to be the Messenger my self to convey her to your Majesty but thought him unmeet whom I knew to be a forcer of Women and the greatest deflowrer of Wives and Maidens in Scotland The King said Hast thou then brought the Gentlewoman with thee Yes Sir said he Alass saith the King they have set out so many leesings against thee that they have obtained of me a Warrant to put thee in Ward but I shall mend it with a contrary command Then said the Treasurer lamentingly My Life Sir or Warding is a small matter but it breaks my heart that the World should hear of your Majesties facility For he had heard that in his absence they had caused the King to send to England and give over the intended Meeting at York Whereat the King of England was so offended in that he had been so publickly scorned and affronted that he sent an Army to Scotland to destroy it with Fire and Sword Albeit the King liked nothing of this War he was still kept in hope that it should tend to his great honour and advantage And that England had so much to do as would busie them elsewhere so that they would soon repent them and be compelled to sue for Peace ere it were long In the mean time their Gold was made ready the more to encourage the King and large promises of much more in case the War continued The King was engaged to raise an Army to defend his Country and Subjects who went to that War to shew their obedience much against their hearts But when they perceived Oliver Sinclare raised up upon mens shoulders and proclaimed Lieutenant over the whole Army at Salway Sands the Lords in dispight that the Court and Country should be governed by such mean men as were Pensioners to the Prelates refused to fight under such a Lieutenant but suffered themselves all to be taken Prisoners So the whole Army being overthrown the King took thereat great displeasure There was great murmurings in the Country that for pleasuring the Prelates the Kingdom should be thus endangered The report whereof and the justness of the complaint made the King burst out with some language against them who had given him so bad advice Which was carried over soon to their ears and they fearing the effects of his displeasure caused
every Repose and shall cause the Strangers to pay more than the custom is and that way shall save our own charges And accordingly the next day they went to put it in execution but I could not forbear laughing in my mind having understood so much French as to know what they were aiming at wherewith I acquainted the young Spaniard and so we were upon our guard yet the two Scotch men would not consent that I should pay for my self hoping that way to beguile the Bishop but the Spaniard and I wrote up every days accompt By the way riding thorough a Wood the two French men lighted off their Horses and drew out their Swords having appointed other two to meet them But beholding our countenance and seeing that we were making for our defence they made a Sport of it alledging that they had done it to try if we would be afraid in case we should be assaulted by the way But these two Rogues that met us left us at the next Lodging and when we came to Paris the two Scotch men never obtained payment of the Bishop for that they had disbursed because of their intended fraud We were 13 days in riding betwixt Brest and Paris where we arrived in the Moneth of April Within a Moneth after our arrival at Paris the Bishop of Valence was sent to Rome and because he took Post he left me behind him having Tabled me in a very good Ordinary and agreed with Masters to teach me the French Tongue and to Dance Fence and play upon the Lute I know not why he did not present me to the Queen as he had engaged albeit afterward he said that he was minded to make me his Heir The cause why he was at this time sent to Rome was this Pope Paul the Third had exchanged some Lands belonging to the Church for Parma and Placentia two Towns appertaining formerly to the Dutchy of Milan and gave them to his Son Piere Luis Farnes who married his eldest Son Octavio to the Bastard Daughter of the Emperour Charles the Fifth The said Piere Luis being murthered for his detestable Vices the next Pope Julius pretended to bring again the said two Towns to the Church in stead of the Church Lands that had been exchanged for them compelling the Duke Octavio finding himself unable to withstand the Popes forces to put the said Towns into the King of France his custody for he was in as great fear of the Emperour his Father-in-Law who had gotten possession of the Dukedom of Millan And for that effect he sent his Brother the Duke of Casters to France to whom King Henry of France gave his Bastard Daughter in marriage The King of France being as earnest to have an Estate in Italy as the Emperour was to hinder him from it by reason of Millan and Naples to which the King claimed a right though the Emperour had them in possession Therefore so soon as he did see the French Garrison within the Town of Parma he took part with the Pope Which made the K. of France endeavour to make a Peace with K. Edward VI. of England by the means of the Duke of Northumberland who had a strict Friendship with France having a hidden mark of his own that he shot at as his Proceedings afterward declared The Peace with England being concluded that King Edward should marry Elizabeth Eldest Daughter to Henry the Second of France and that he should give his consent that the Queen of Scotland who was betrothed to him should be married with Francis Dauphin of France in which Peace Scotland was also comprehended The Bishop of Valence was sent to Rome to endeavour to obliege the Pope to desert the Emperour but he returned without obtaining success in his Expedition which was the cause that the dealing betwixt the King of France and Oneel in Ireland ceased And in the mean time the King of France emits a Proclamation forbidding his Subjects to send to Rome for any Bulls or Confirmation of Benefices which together with the agreement with England put the Pope in great fear that France would become Protestants in despight as Henry the Eighth had lately done before He was the more confirmed in this opinion because an Army was shortly after made ready to pass into Germany to the aid of the Protestant Princes where King Henry himself did in person lead thousand men For then many of the Germans were become Protestants occasioned at first by the insolent avarice of the Pope and the shameless proceedings of his selling of Pardons and by the zeal and boldness of Martin Luther who being persecuted was maintained and assisted by the good Duke Frederick of Saxony the Landgrave of Hesse and other Princes of the Empire Whereupon the Emperour Charles the Fifth took occasion under pretext of maintaining the Catholick Roman Religion to pretend to bring the Empire and all the Dominions thereof as Patrimony to him and his posterity And therefore abandoned his Son-in-Law the Duke Octavio to the Popes discretion for to obtain the greater assistance from him against the Germans Which design the Emperor had once brought near to pass For after that he had vanquished the Protestants in Battle and taken Prisoner Duke John Frederick he passed thorough the most part of the Provinces and Free Towns of Dutchland and took from them their Liberties placing Officers at his pleasure and receiving from them of Gifts and Ransoms Sixteen hundred thousand Crowns and Five hundred Piece of Artillery Yet he doubted the Landgrave who was a valiant Prince and chanced to be absent from the said Battle therefore he dealt with Duke Maurice Godson to the said Landgrave to persuade his Godfather to come in under assurance and promise which the Emperour broke retaining the said Landgrave captive upon the subtlety of a Syllable This Duke Maurice was Cousin to the Captive Duke of Saxony and had obtained the Electorat of Saxony which the Emperour took from his Cousin and gave to him Whereupon he as a fine Courtier assisted the Emperour helping him greatly in his Victories against his Country and Friends for his own promotion But when the Landgrave called him Shelm Pultroon Traitor and deceiver of him whose Daughter he had married he made earnest suit to the Emperour for the Liberty of his Godfather though in vain The Emperour alledging no promise to have been broken to the said Landgrave causing the Letter of Promise and Pacification to be read in his presence in the Dutch Tongue wherein was a written word which admitted of two divers interpretations to wit this word Enig was interpreted by the Emperour Perpetual and by the Landgrave and Duke Maurice it was taken for Null or Nane But they could not help themselves for the Landgrave was two years so straitly kept by the Spaniards that oft in the night they held a light Candle to his face to be assured that he was sleeping and vexed him so that through despight he would spit in their faces
Secretary Anbapin For the King of Spain were the Duke of Alva Prince of Orange and Cardinal Granvel for Queen Mary of England were Commissioners William Bishop of Ely and Doctor Wotton The Commissioners made peace betwixt France Spain England and Scotland The Constable was much for the Peace the Cardinal of Lorrain desired the continuance of the Wars For by the Peace the Constable would get leave to come home to guide the King and Court again as he had formerly done By the continuance of the Wars he would remain still Prisoner leaving the Government of the King and Court of France to the Cardinal and the Duke of Guise his Brother Spain that was victorious took advantage of their strife and emulation France and England lost by the said Peace The King inclined most to the Constables Counsel England appeared desirous that Calis should be restored believing that the King of Spain would not agree till they had satisfaction of their demands Yet they were frustrate of their expectations At length perceiving the two great Kings careless of their satisfaction they appeared content with a scornful mean albeit it was not cast in by the Cardinal of Lorrain to wit that Calis should be restored to them at the end of eight years or else five hundred thousand Crowns And for payment of the said sum in case the said Town was not rendred unto them at the end of the time specified that in the mean time they should have three great men of France to be kept as Pledges for the restitution of the said Town Now the English Commissioners knew that nothing of this would be kept nevertheless they appeared content finding themselves abandoned by Spain So the Peace being concluded Spain obtained all their desires the Constable obtained liberty the Cardinal of Lorrain could not mend himself no more than the English Commissioners However the said Cardinal took this advantage of the said Peace that the first Article of the Peace obliged all of them to leave their partialities and join together to suppress the great number of Hereticks who were so increased through all their Dominions that it was thought hard enough to the Pope the Emperour the Kings of Spain and France together with the Queen of Scotland to reduce them again to the Catholick Faith The said Cardinal proposed to himself another advantage wherewith to recompense his losses for he thought at the end of eight years when England would look either to get Calice restored again to them or else the sum above specified he would cause his Sisters daughter the Queen of Scotland to be proclaimed righteous Queen of England and alledge that Queen Elizabeth was but a Bastard And that way he thought not onely Calice but all England should appertain to the Queen of Scotland As for the Pledges he resolved such men should be chosen that France would make little account of After the concluding of this Peace Ambassadors were sent to Flanders and England The Cardinal of Lorrain out of France to take the King of Spains Oath and to swear for the King of France his observation thereof The Secretary Dardois also was sent out of France to do the like in the name of the Dauphin of France and the Queen of Scotland his Spouse giving them this new stile In the name of Francis and Mary King and Queen of Scotland England and Ireland Dauphin and Dauphinois of Viennois Whereat the Duke D' Alva and Cardinal Granvel smiled saying this will breed some business ere it be long The Cardinal of Lorrain shortly after caused to be renewed all the Queen of Scotlands silver Vessels and engraved thereon the Arms of England The Marshal Montmorancy my Masters eldest Son was sent to England to swear the Peace and to take the Queen of Englands Oath So soon as Sir Nicholas Throgmorton understood of this new Stile and Arms usurped by the Queen of Scotland to which he said she had no right he being Ambassador from the Queen of England to France complained thereof to the King and Council of France though he got but Dutch excuses alledging that in Dutchland all the Princes Brothers Cousins or Children are stiled Princes or Dukes of that same House The Constable advised the King to Commission me to swear the Peace in Scotland But the Cardinal of Lorrain alledged Mounsieur Bettancourt Master of the Houshold to the Queen Regent was meeter because the Instructions tended to declare unto the Queen Regent how that the first and principal Article of the Peace was that the Pope the Emperour the Kings of Spain and France should join together to reduce again the most part of Europe to the Roman Catholick Religion and to pursue and punish with Fire and Sword all Hereticks who would not condescend to the same desiring the Queen Regent to do the same in Scotland and to begin in time before the Heresie should spread any further which was already too far spread by her gentle forbearance as had been reported to the King of France Praying her diligently to take course therein without fear or respect of persons seeing that no Country of it self was able to withstand the whole Forces of so many confederate Catholick great Princes It is above declared that all those Prelats who had great Rule and Authority for the time had assisted the Queen Regent in breaking the Contract of marriage with England and transporting the young Queen to France But the Archbishop of St. Andrews began to think that in case the young Queen died without succession to her body that the Earl of Arran his Nephew might the easilier be Crowned the Governour his Father being already in possession was against the transporting the Crown matrimonial to France And he having for the time the guiding bâ—â—h of the Governour his Brother and of the Country drew easily the most part of the Clergy upon his side Whereupon the Queen Dowager was compelled to address her self to a contrary faction to be the more in a capacity of compassing her design to wit to the Nobility and Barons who were become Professors of the Reformed Re ligion conniving at their secret Preaching for further ingratiating her self with them whereby the Protestants so increased that the most part of the Country became Professors of the Reformed Religion And such as had upon that accompt been formerly banished as upon account of the slaughter of the Cardinal were called home to fortifie the Faction that most furthered her designs In the mean time the Bishop of St. Andrews fell sick so that he lost his Speech and was given over for dead The Queen Dowager looks upon this as a fit opportunity of wresting the Government out of the Lord Hamiltons hands having the concurrence of the Lords that were Protestants and their dependents who were not a little incensed at the said Governour because he had been so influenced by his Brother as by his Council to endeavour the ruine of their Religion And the ways they took
Ears which may serve for little Parenthesises to Historiographers who had not the occasion of being so well therewith acquainted Our Queen then Dowager of France retired her self by little and little further and further from the Court of France that it might not appear that she was any way compelled thereto as of a truth she was by the Queen Mother's rigorous dealing who alledged that she had been despised by her Daughter-in-law during the short Reign of King Francis the Second her Husband at the resignation of the House of Guise Monsieur de Martignes Monsieur Dosel Labrosse the Bishop of Amience and such other French-men as were lately carried out of Scotland in the English Ships resorted to our Queen and declared unto her the whole progress of affairs and the state of the Kingdom These as well as the rest of her friends advised her to return to Scotland encouraging her with the hopes of succeeding to the Crown of England rather then to endure the Queen Mother's disdain in France Desiring her as most conducing for her interest to serve the time to accommodate her self discreetly and gently to her own Subjects to be most familiar with my Lord James Prior of St. Andrews her natural Brother and with the Earl of Argile who had married Lady Jane Stuart her natural Sister and to use the Secretary Lidingtoun and the Laird of Grange most tenderly in all their affairs and in summ to repose most upon those of the Reformed Religion Thus those who were a little before cruelly persecuted are now to be esteemed for chiefest and truest friends Thus can God by his Divine Providence ranverse the finest practises and pretences of mighty Rulers and Potentates and turn all to the best to such as serve him with a sincere heart As on the other hand God abhorreth such Subjects as hypocritically under pretext of Religion take occasion to rebel against their native Princes for ambition greediness or any other Worldly respect The Prior of St. Andrews being advertised of the Queen his Soveraign's deliberation to return to Scotland and to use his and his friends advice He goeth himself to France requesting her Majesty to return to her own promising to serve her faithfully to the outmost of his power And returns again to Scotland to prepare the hearts of her Subjects against her home-coming After this her Majesty went to Janvile the Duke of Guise his dwelling place about the marches of Lorrain and at length went to visit the Duke of Lorrain at Nancy where I chanced to come shortly after in company of the Duke Casimir second Son to the Elector Palâ—â—ine But the Queen was already parted from the Court of Lorrain toward Janvile whither I took occasion to go to tender to her Majesty the offer of my most humble and dutiful service And the said Duke Casimir understanding that I was to ride thither did write a very kind Letter to her Majesty comforting her the best he could offering his service in case any in France should wrong or injure her and that he would bring to her aid upon her Letter Ten Thousand Men. Her Majesty was much refreshed with this friendly offer and she was pleased to give me thanks for the demonstrations I had given of being intirely devoted to her interest shewing me she had been made acquainted therewith while I was at the Court of France She desired me earnestly when I resolved to retire out of Germany to come home and serve her Majesty with very friendly and favourable offers So I returned back to the Duke Casimir who was about contracting a Marriage with the Duke of Lorrain's eldest Sister Which took not effect because the old Dutchess her Mother who was King Christierns Daughter of Denmark begotten upon the Emperour Charles his Sister who also lost the Kingdom of Denmark pretending to make it Hereditable whereas it was Elective The said King Christiernus was kept in Prison till his death This Dutchess his Daughter alledged that the Kingdom of Norway appertained unto her as Heir unto her Father and that the said Kingdom was Hereditary unto her Father albeit Denmark was not and intended then to marry her eldest Daughter unto Frederick King of Denmark and to give over with her said Daughter the Kingdom of Norway But the said Dutchess offered unto Duke Casimir her second Daughter which he refused and dealt with his Father to send me unto England to propose Marriage for him unto the Queen of England But I refused to undertake that Commission having ground to conjecture that she would never marry upon the reflection I made upon that story one of the Gentlemen of her Chamber had told me seeing she knowing her self unable for succession I supposed she would never render her self subject to any Man The said Duke was very much displeased at me because I refused About this time the Cardinal of Lorrain being at Trent took occasion to visit the old Emperour Ferdinand at Isbrack his dwelling place not far from Trent And there the said Cardinal proposed two marriages first the King of France Charles the Ninth to the eldest Daughter of Maximilian Son to Ferdinand lately chosen King of the Romans and co-adjutor to the Empire Then he proposed the Queen of Scotland Dowager of France to Charles Arch-duke of Austria brother to the said Maximilian The Queen was by this time returned to Scotland and apparently had been advertised by the said Cardinal that he had proposed the said marriage and it seems she had relished the Overture Her Majesty returning was gladly welcomed by the whole Subjects For at first following the counsel of her friends she behaved her self humanely to them all committing the chief handling of her affairs unto her Brother the Prior of St. Andrews whom afterward she made Earl of Murray and to the Secretary Lidingtoun as meetest both to hold the Countrey at her devotion and also to beget a strict friendship betwen her Majesty and the Queen of England For my Lord Murray had great credit with my Lord Robert Dudly who was afterward made Earl of Leicester And the Secretary Lidingtoun had great credit with the Secretary Cecil So that these four made a strict and sisterly friendship between the two Queens and their Countries So that there appeared outwardly no more difference but that the Queen of England was the Eldest Sister and the Queen of Scotland the Younger whom the Queen of England promised to declare second person according to her good behaviour So that Letters and correspondence past weekly betwixt them and at first there appeared nothing more desired by either of them then that they might see one another by a meeting at a convenient place whereby they might also declare their hearty and loving minds each to other For our Queen was so nettled with the hard usage she had met with from the Queen Mother of France who had likewise hardly used all her friends of the House of Guise that she was the more
death of that gallant Warriour though I could not conjecture for the time what could move him By frequent conference with him I suspected that he would be an Enemy to the marriage of his Brother with our Queen but to get some further tryal thereof I requested my companion Monsieur Zuliger to drink himself merry with some of his Secretaries and then to cast in the purpose of the marriage of our Queen with Duke Charles whether or no it was desired or relished by the Emperour The said Secretary shew'd him plainly that he was against any such preferment to his Brother whereby he might become King both of Scotland and England by reason of an Essay that the Emperour Charles the Fifth had made once to divide his Dominions among the three Sons of Ferdinand his Brother failing Heirs of King Philip his Son who then had but one Son Don Carlo sickly and of a tender weak complexion whom he afterwards himself killed secretly in Prison suspecting him to be of the Reformed Religion and to keep intelligence with the Princes of Flanders who professed the same And Maximilian hoped to succeed to the whole failing Heirs of the said King Philip as having married the said Philip's Sister and having by her many Children of his own whom he rather desired to be preferred then his own Brother For in case the Arch-duke Charles had been made King of Scotland and England he thought thereby he would have the fitter occasion of usurping the Low Countrys upon the pretext of some old right Having understood this I would wait no longer but pressed daily for my dispatch that I might return to my Lord Elector And the Emperour again used great intreaties to oblige me to stay with him promising to advance me if I would enter into his service but finding no inclination in me to comply with his desire therein he at length willed me to stay with him but half a year But I humbly excused my self pretending that I behoved to be shortly in Scotland which moved him the more earnesty to desire me to stay with him which because I would not grant to do I found he was discontent One night late after Supper he parted in a Boat towards the Town of Lintz and sent his Secretary unto me excusing himself that he did not meet with me before parting seeing an urgent occasion called for his speedy departure and seeing I was to return to Scotland he had written a Letter to the Queen in my favour which the Secretary delivered unto me I told the Secretary that I had not yet seen Italy and that I was purposed first to visit Rome Venice Florence and the most remarkable Cities there e're I returned to Scotland upon which account at first I refused the said Letter but he answered there was no danger how long it was undelivered seeing there was no thing therein contained but what concerned my self The Town of Ausbrugh being the nearest Port of Germany to Venice I agreed with Monsieur Euliger to return toward my Lord Elector and thence I took my Journey toward Venice and Rome And came back through all the fairest Cities of Italy and through Switzerland to Heidlberg where the Prince Elector kept his Court. I have above declared how that the Duke of Guise was slain by Poltrot at the Siege of Orleance It was after the battel of Drues in the which both the chieftains were taken The Prince of Conde for those of the Religion and the Constable for the King The Queen Mother incontinently made the Peace far against the mind of Madam de Guise who earnestly requested her not to make the Peace so suddenly left it should be thought that the Duke of Guise had only had hand in the Wars But nevertheless the Queen Mother went forward with the Peace changing the Prince of Conde for the Constable making them both good instruments of the agreement The Peace being made the Queen Mother began to think upon a Wife for her Son King Charles For that effect she sent unto the Prince Palatine a Secretary called Monsieur Wyllot shewing unto him that the King her Son was very desirous to marry Maximilian's Eldest Daughter intreating him as a trusty friend to propose the matter as of his own head as a steadable Alliance conducing for the weal of the Empire and to send her the picture of the Princess which she thought fit to be done upon some considerations before she would proceed more publickly Which affair he went about most diligently and he was pleased to send me with the answer and picture with a congratulation of the late made Peace At my coming to the Court of France which was at Paris for the time the Constable would needs be my convoy to the young King and Queen Mother who had a misliking of the said Constable for the time because he had brought in the Admiral to Paris against her will who was accused to have promised reward unto the foresaid Poltrot to kill the Duke of Guise The Admiral again desired to come before the Privy Council to purge himself offering to undergo his tryal But the Queen Mother desired not these animosities among the great Men to be removed but rather wished that their hatred might continue and their contentions increase as having laid her Plot to secure her own greatness by the means of their strife as was after manifestly seen For during their divisions the Duke of Guise King of Navarr Prince of Conde the Constable the Marshal de St. Andre with the most notable great Men of France were all slain and because the said Admiral escaped during the Wars the Peace was made for the third time and under the covert of marriage of the young King of Navarr who was afterward King of France the said Admiral was barbarously murdered with all that remained of the worthiest Noblemen and Captains of France But to return to the purpose the Constable and Admiral were at Court at that time against the Queen Mother's will where the Admiral was declared innocent of the Duke of Guise his slaughter And at that time the Constable determined to abide at Court and to maintain himself in his Office of great Master by the authority of his great Office of the Constablry assisted by the force of his friends For he sufficiently understood the Queen Mother's Italian tricks therefore to win credit he presented me to the young King and sate down upon a Stool by him and the Queen his Mother and held his Bonnet upon his Head taking upon him the full authority of his great Office to the Queen Mother's great discontent whereat she was so impatient that she turned away her face when I was declaring my Commission after the delivery of my Letters of Credence to the King and her which the King was very glad to hear being thereby put in hope that the marriage would take effect He was so desirous to see the picture of that young Princess that he cut the
in Scotland seeing small probability of advantage and greater appearance of troubles and disorders then I could ever imagine to find at my home-coming And I was somewhat loath to lose the occasion and offers of great preserment that had been made to me in France and other parts But I found the Queen my Sovereign so urgent and of her self well inclined and indued with so many Princely vertues that I could not find in my heart to leave her requiring so earnestly my help and assistance to draw the hearts of her Subjects to her which were alienated upon account of difference in Religion I knew she stood in need to gain friends and that it was much her interest to keep correspondence with the Queen of England so that I resolved rather to serve her my native Queen for little profit then any other Prince in Europe for great advantage I found her naturally more liberal then her Revenues allowed her For she not only setled upon me in pensions one thousand Marks yearly out of her Revenues in France but she also offered me the heritage of her Lands in Aghtermughtie which I refused to accept alledging I could better want it then she Though another hearing of so liberal an offer a little after sought and obtained it Thus I was ingaged to resolve to wait upon her commands and to lay aside all hope of any other preserment in France and other Countries albeit for the time I had no heritage but my service So within a few weeks I was dispatched to England with these following Instructions out of the Queens own mouth to deal with the Queen of England with the Spanish Ambassadour and with my Lady Margaret Douglass and with sundry friends she had in England of different opinions The general Instructions were written with the Secretary Lidingtoun's own hand subscribed by her Majesty as follows Instructions to our familiar Servitor James Melvil presently directed to our dearest Sister the Queen of England Given at Edinbrugh the 28 th of September 1564. IN the first after that you have presented our Letters and our commendations in most hearty manner you shall declare unto our good Sister That having been upon my progress towards the Northmost parts of our Realm this two months during which time we have had neither Letter nor other Advertisement from our good Sister Therefore for continuation of the mutual Intelligence betwixt us by all good Offices of amity we resolved to direct you towards her to visit her on our behalf to inform her of our health and good estate that at your return you may be able to report the like of her unto us she being the person in the World to whom next our self we wish most good luck and prosperity Item That by Letters of my Lord Robert to Lidingtoun as also of her Secretary to Our Brother Murray and to Lidingtoun We have perceived that Our said good Sister finds some fault with Our Letters written to her in answer of hers in the Earl of Lennox's matter as if We had taken her motion therein in evil part We are most sorry that Our Letters have been so interpreted for of a truth We had no other meaning of her in that matter then that her Advertisement came from a friendly mind and was both worthy of thanks and to be answered with the like good will as We believe We did in Our Letter albeit We remember not presently the very words or substance thereof For We use not to reserve any Copy of Our familiar Letters written with Our own hand whereof We now repent because of that Letter For if We had any Copy thereof We might now clear Our selves of that doubt viz. What words therein could give her ground of offence Therefore you shall pray her in Our Name to let you see in that Letter what words they are which have offended her that you thereupon declaring my meaning may put her out of any such suspicion It is true at the receipt of the Letter We were somewhat offended and judged We had good cause seeing it appeared that Our Nobility were grieved with Our License granted to the Earl of Lennox that his coming was like to disturb the peace and quiet of Our Realm Our Brother and Lidingtoun shew unto Us that they perceived by their Secretaries Letters that they were also thought partakers in this matter and that they mistaking also his coming desired the stay thereof to be procured by these undecent means Though they protested the contrary unto Us and indeed We have better proof of their fidelity toward Us then that We can suspect any such double dealing from their hands they being so far obliged to Us and so much intrusted by us We thought Our selves little indebted to that person whosoever he was that made such report of Our Subjects that they would make known their grievances to any other then Our selves These and the like considerations moved Us to great choller which probably might have occasioned Us to write the more freely and that We were not curious to cover Our passions writing to her with whom We esteemed Our Selves so familiar that We had ground to believe she would take all in good part that proceeded from Us especially what was no ways designed for her offence Therefore you shall pray her to put away all such opinions if she hath conceived any and if there be any word in Our Letter having two senses so that any one may be misconstrued and so give to her occasion of offence intreat that she will rather interpret the same to the gentlest signification and not take it in the worst sense And then I doubt not but the whole Letter shall appear to her as it was by Us conceived and directed that is from one dear friend to another We have further hereupon imparted Our mind to you by mouth which you may enlarge as occasion requires You may desire her to give you an answer conform to the substance of Lidingtoun's Letters written to my Lord Robert and Mr. Cicil. Especially concerning the drawing on another meeting of Men of credit fully instructed with both Our minds and to deal so plainly and frankly as all suspicion may have an end You must also inform your self diligently concerning the proceedings and intentions of this present Parliament of all such as can give you any knowledg therein for what cause it is called what is to be treated in it how longit will fit Endeavour to inform your self if any thing touching Us will be therein handled You may say to that Queen as out of your own head that your Mistress expects that she will suffer nothing to be treated therein that may directly or indirectly tend to Our prejudice We not being by her forewarned thereof She knows that as well Our self as our Ministers whom We have at any time directed to these parts have ever depended upon her only advice and followed the same in all points And seeing the special matter
moved in the beginning of the last Parliament was the establishing of the Succession and that it 〈◊〉 probable that the Subjects would yet be earnest to be at a certainty in that point And if she omits so good an occasion of doing something for Us whereby the World may understand that she useth Us and esteems Us as her next Cousin and only Sister the World will think that her amity is not so great as We take it to be And such as envy our familiarity and would have it broken will hence take occasion to speak that our friendship is rather in words then deeds Mary R. Being arrived at London I lodged near the Court which was at Westminster My Host immediately gave advertisment of my coming and that same night her Majesty sent Mr. Hatton afterward Governour of the Isle of Wight in her name to welcome me and to shew me that the next morning she would give me Audience in her Garden at eight of the Clock She had been advertised by the Earl of Bedford Governour of Berwick that I was upon the way That same night I was visited by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton one of my old and dearest friends by long acquaintance First during his banishment in France in the Reign of Queen Mary and afterward while he was Ambassadour in France for this Queen where I was for the time Pensioner to King Henry the Second and Servant to the Constable This Sir Nicholas was my dear friend and had procured a Pension for me from his Mistress to help to entertain me on my Travels when I had willingly banished my self the Court of France so long as there were Civil Wars between France and Scotland He was a devout friend to the Queen my Mistress and to her Right and Title to the Succession to the Crown of England From him I had full information of affairs and friendly advice how to proceed with the Queen and every Courtier in particular For he was a special instrument of helping my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun to pack up the first friendship betwixt the two Queens and betwixt the Earl of Murray and Lord Robert and between the two Secretaries Albeit he had no great kindness either for my Lord Robert or Secretary Cicil yet he knew that nothing could be done without them Among other counsels he gave me advice to use great familiarity with the Ambassadour of Spain in case I found the Queen his Mistress hard to be dealt with alledging that it would be a great Spur to move the Queen of England to give our Queen greater and more speedy contentment in her desire then yet she had done The next morning Mr. Hatton and Mr. Randolph late Agent for the Queen of England in Scotland came to my Lodging to convoy me to her Majesty who was as they said already in the Garden With them came a Servant of my Lord Robert's with a Horse and Footmantle of Velvet laced with Gold for me to ride upon Which Servant with the said Horse waited upon me all the time that I remained there I found her Majesty walking in an Alley And after I had kissed her hand and presented my Letter of Credence I told her Majesty in French the effect of my Commission as near to the foresaid Instructions as I could and sometimes being interrupted by her demands I answered as I judged most pertinent The reason why I spoke French was that being but lately come home I could not speak my own Language so promptly as was requisite Her first demand was concerning the Letter that the Queen had written to her with such despiteful Language that she thence conjectured all friendship and familiarity to have been given up Which had made her resolve never to write any more but another as despiteful which she took out of her pocket to give me to read she having had it ready written to shew it me She told me she had hitherto delayed to send it because she thought it too gentle till she had written another more vehement for answer to the Queens angry Bill For my part I appeared to find such hard interpretation to be made upon the Queen's loving and frank dealing very strange I told her Majesty that my Mistress could not call to mind what words they were which had given her such offence Whereupon she brought forth the Queens Letter giving it me to read Which when I had perused I said I could find therein no offensive word when I considered the familiarity had formerly been betwixt them Alledging that albeit her Majesty could speak as good French as any who had not been out of the Country that yet she was out of use of the French Court Language which was frank and short and had frequently two significations which familiar friends took always in the best part Intreating her Majesty to tear the angry Letter which she thought to have sent in answer And in revenge of the Queens I protested that I should never let her Majesty know that her true plain meaning had been so misconstructed Having tossed some words upon this matter she being desirous of an honest colour or pretext she appeared the more readyily satisfied in that point For the fear she had that friendship and correspondence should altogether break off our Queen being the first seeker to renew and continue the same by sending me thither thereby evidencing that she did not stand upon Ceremonies with her Eldest Sister in my presence then she did rent her angry Letter with promise of such friendly and frank dealing in times coming as all her good Sister's dealings and proceedings should be interpreted to the best Thus the old friendship being renewed she inquired if the Queen had sent any answer to the proposition of marriage made to her by Mr. Randolph I answered as I had been instructed That my Mistress thought little or nothing thereof but expected the meeting of some Commissioners upon the Borders with my Lord of Murray and the Secretary Lidingtoun to confer and treat upon all such matters of greatest importance as should be judged to concern the quiet of both the Countries and satisfaction of both their Majesties minds For seeing your Majesty cannot so soon find the opportunity of meeting betwixt your selves so much desired which in it self is not so expedient until all other jealousies be first removed and all former doubts cleared by your most trusty and familiar Councellors the Quen my Mistress as I have said is minded to send for her part my Lord of Murray and the Secretary Lidingtoun and expects that your Majesty will send my Lord of Bedford and my Lord Robert Dudley She answered It appeared that I made but small account of my Lord Robert seeing that I named the Earl of Bedford before him but said that e're long she would make him a far greater Earl and that I should see it done before my returning home For she esteemed him as her Brother and best friend whom she would
have her self married had she ever minded to have taken a Husband But being determined to end her life in Virginity she wished that the Queen her Sister might marry him as meetest of all other with whom she could find in her heart to declare her second person For being matched with him it would best remove out of her mind all fears and suspicions to be offended by any usurpation before her death Being assured that he was so loving and trusty that he would never permit any such thing to be attempted during her time And that the Queen my Mistress might have the higher esteem of him I was required to stay till I should see him made Earl of Leicester and Baron of Denbigh which was done at Westminster with great solemnity the Queen her self helping to put on his Ceremonial he sitting upon his knees before her with a great gravity But she could not refrain from putting her hand in his neck smilingly tickling him the French Ambassadour and I standing by Then she turned asking at me How I liked him I answered that as he was a worthy Servant so he was happy who had a Princess who could discern and reward good Service Yet says she you like better of yonder long Lad pointing toward my Lord Darnly who as nearest Prince of the Blood did bear the Sword of Honour that day before her My answer was That no Woman of spirit would make choice of such a Man who more resembled a Woman then a Man For he was handsom beardless and Lady faced And I had no will that she should think that I liked him or had any eye or dealing that way Albeit I had a secret charge to deal with my Lady Lennox to endeavour to procure liberty for him to go to Scotland where his Father was already under the pretext of seeing the Countrey and conveying the Earl his Father back again to England Now I found the Queen of England was determined to treat with my Sovereign first concerning her marriage with the Earl of Leicester and for that effect she promised to send Commissioners unto the Borders In the mean time I was very favourably and familiarly used For during nine days that I remained at the Court it pleased her Majesty to confer with me every day and sometimes thrice in a day in the morning after Dinner and after Supper Sometimes she would say that seeing she could not meet with the Queen her good Sister to confer with familiarly that she was resolved to open a good part of her inward mind to me that I might shew it again unto the Queen She told me she was not so much offended with the Queens angry Letter as that she seemed so far to disdain the marriage of my Lord of Leicester which she had caused Mr. Randolph to propose to her I answered That it was probable he had let fall something thereof to my Lord of Murray and Lidingtoun but that he had never proposed the matter directly to her self and that as well her Majesty as those who were her most familiar Councellors could conjecture nothing thereupon but delays and driving off time concerning the declaring of her to be second Person which would be clearly tryed at the meeting of the Commissioners above specified She replied That the tryal and declaration thereof would be hasted forward according to the Queens good behaviour and applying her self to follow her pleasure and advice in her marriage And seeing the matter concerning the said declaration was so weighty and of so much import she had ordered some of the best Lawyers in England diligently to search out who had the best right and she heartily wisht it might be found to be her dear Sister rather than any other I said I was very confident that her Majesty was ingenuous in that Declaration and that my Mistress expected no other at her hand But I lamented that even the wisest Princes did not sufficiently pry into the hidden designs of their familiar Councellors and Servants except it were such an honourable and rare Prince as Henry the Eighth her Majesties Father of happy memory who of his own head was determined to declare his Sisters Son King James the Fifth Heir apparent to the Crown of England failing Heirs to be gotten of his own Body while her Majesty was not yet born but only her Sister Queen Mary and that for the earnest desire he had to unite this whole Island She said she was glad he did it not I said that then he had but one Daughter and expected no more Children and yet he had not so many suspicions in his head as your Majesty hath though you are certainly convinced you will never have any Children seeing your Majesty declares your self resolved to dye a Virgin Yes says she I am resolved never to marry if I be not thereto necessitated by the Queen my Sister 's harsh behaviour toward me I know the truth of that Madam said I you need not tell it me Your Majesty thinks if you were married you would be but Queen of England and now you are both King and Queen I know your spirit cannot endure a Commander She appeared to be so affectionate to the Queen her good Sister that she expressed a great desire to see her And because their so much by her desired meeting could not be so hastily brought to pass she appeared with great delight to look upon her Majesties picture She took me to her Bed-chamber and opened a little Cabinet wherein were divers little pictures wrapped within Paper and their Names written with her own hand upon the Papers Upon the first that she took up was written My Lord's Picture I held the Candle and pressed to see that picture so named she appeared loath to let me see it yet my importunity prevailed for a sight thereof and found it to be the Earl of Leicester's picture I desired that I might have it to carry home to my Queen which she refused alledging that she had but that one picture of his I said your Majesty hath here the Original for I perceived him at the farthest part of the Chamber speaking with Secretary Cicil Then she took out the Queens picture and kissed it and I adventured to kiss her hand for the great love therein evidenced to my Mistress Se shewed me also a fair Ruby as great as a Tenis Ball I desired that she would either send it or my Lord of Leicester's picture as a Token unto the Queen She said if the Queen would follow her counsel that she would in process of time get all she had that in the mean time she was resolved in a Token to send her with me a fair Diamond It was at this time late after Supper she appointed me to be with her the next morning by Eight of the Clock at which time she used to walk in her Garden She inquired several things of me relating to this Kingdom and other Countries wherein I had travelled She caused me
have appeared desirous of that marriage I should have offended both the Queens and lost their favour He intreated me to excuse him at her Majesties hands and to beg in his Name that she would not impute that matter to him but to the malice of his Enemies Being landed at London our Dinner was prepared by the Earl of Pembroke who being great Master yet humbled himself so far as to serve the said Table as Master of the Houshold himself He was a devout friend to my Queens Title of succeeding to the Crown of England After Dinner I took leave of the French Ambassadour and the Spanish having received divers advertisements from them My Lord of Leicester beside what he had spoke to me did write to my Lord of Murray to excuse him at the Queens hands The day appointed I received my dispatch from Secretary Cicil together with a Letter of Credit and a more ample Declaration of the Queens mind touching the same answers she had made me her self He gave me also a Letter to Secretary Lidingtoun For as is abovesaid Secretary Cicil and Leicester my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun ruled both Queens and as yet kept good correspondence together When I took my leave Secretary Cicil conveyed me through the Close to the outer Gate of the Palace where he himself put a fair Chain about my Neck My Lady Lennox and Sir Nicholas Throgmorten sent many good advices to the Queen to be followed according as occasion offered My Lady Lennox sent also Tokens to the Queen a Ring with a fair Diamond she sent an Emerauld to my Lord her Husband who was yet in Scotland a Diamond to my Lord of Murray a Watch set with Diamonds and Rubies to the Secretary Lidingtoun a Ring with a Ruby to my Brother Sir Robert For she was still in good hope that her Son my Lord Darnly would come better speed concerning the marriage of our Queen then the Earl of Leicester She was a very wise and discreet Matron and had many favourers in England for the time At my return I found the Queens Majesty still at Edinbrugh To whom I declared at large my manner of proceeding with the Queen of England and gave her Majesty her answers to the special heads of my instructions in writing Her Majesty answered to the first that whereas the Queen thought the time very long since she received either word or writ from her whereby she might understand of her good estate and had sent me thither to visit her in her behalf that she thought the time as long albeit she had conceived some displeasure concerning the angry Letter Which was the greater in respect it appeared that she disdained the offer of the best good she had to give to wit the Man whom she esteemed as her Brother And whereas she had sent me to visit her she was more satisfied with my coming then she would have been with any other being formerly of her acquaintance with whom she could the more familiarly declare her inward mind to the Queen my Mistress seeing she could not meet with her self so soon as she desired As I might declare how familiarly she had conferred with me acquainting me with all her inward griefs and desires and how well she was satisfied and how willing to continue all good offices of amity and that she would for that effect send shortly down to the Border Commissioners who were named by her self to meet with my Lord of Murray and Lidingtoun As for the Parliament it was yet in doubt whether it held or not If it held the Queen should get no hurt in her Right neither directly nor indirectly but she should be forewarned in due time Then I shewed her Majesty at length of all other purposes that fell out occasionally betwixt that Queen and me together with the opinions and advertisements of divers of her friends in England as well Catholicks as Protestants I gave her at the desire of the Spanish Ambassadour the intimation of his Kings good will toward her Her Majesty was very glad that matters were brought again to this pass between her and the Queen of England having thereby occasion of getting intelligence from a great number of Noblemen and others her friends in England For she was also afraid that the blame of the discord would have been laid upon her if it had continued After that her Majesty had at great length understood all my management and proceedings in England she inquired whether I thought that Queen meant truly toward her inwardly in her heart as she appeared to do outwardly in her speech I answered freely that in my judgment there was neither plain dealing nor upright meaning but great dissimulation emulation and fear lest her Princely qualities should over soon chace her from the Kingdom as having already hindered her marriage with the Arch-duke Charles of Austria It appeared likewise to me by her offering unto her with great appearing earnestness my Lord of Leicester whom I knew at that time she could not want Shortly after my Lord of Murray and Bedford met near Berwick to treat concerning the marriage with Leicester with slenderer offers and less effectual dealing then was expected But the said Earl of Leicester had written such discreet and wise Letters unto my Lord of Murray for his excuses that the Queen appeared to have so good liking to him as the Queen of England began to suspect that the said marriage might take effect Her apprehensions of this occasioned the Lord Darnly his getting more readily license to come to Scotland in hope that he being a handsome lusty youth should rather prevail being present then Leicester who was absent Which license was procured by the means of the Secretary Cicil not that he was minded that any of the marriages should take effect but with such shifts to hold the Queen unmarried so long as he could For he perswaded himself that my Lord Darnly durst not proceed in the marriage without consent of the Queen of England first obtained to the said marriage his Land lying in England and his Mother remaining there So that he thought it lay in the Queen his Mistress her own hand to let that marriage go forward or to stay the same at her pleasure And in case my Lord Darnly should disobey the Queen of Englands command to return upon her call he intended to cause for fault him whereby he should lose all his Lands Rights and Titles that he had in England The Queens Majesty as I have said before after her returning out of France to Scotland behaved her self so Princely honourably and discreetly that her reputation spread it self in all Countries She was determined and of her self inclined to continue so unto the end of her life desiring to entertain none in her company but such as were of the best conversation abhorring all vice and vicious persons In this her resolution she desired me to assist her by affording her my good counsel what way was
not to be supposed but the too much owning of Rixio a known Minion of the Pope would give ground of suspicion that some design to the prejudice of the Established Religion would be by him contrived That to prevent this her Subjects would find themselves obliged to use all their endeavours to ruine a Man and a stranger from whom they could expect no good office as being a known Enemy to their Religion For the Nobility would certainly take it as an high affront upon them to see her so visibly more countenance a stranger then them her native Subjects I told her Majesty very freely what advice I had given to Rixio She answered me that he medled no further then in her French writings and affairs as her other French Secretary had done formerly And that whoever found fault therewith she would not be so far restrained but that she might dispence her favours to such as she pleased I remembred her Majesty what displeasure had been procured to her by the rash mis-behaviour of a French Gentleman called Chattellier who transported to miscarry himself by her affability had thereby highly injured her Majesty I told her Majesty that a grave and comely behaviour toward strangers not admitting them to too much familiarity would bring them to a more circumspect and Reverend carriage I told her how necessary it was that she particularly noticed all her actings seeing those of her Subjects who were not of her Religion were easily allarumed with any thing which could be therein misrepresented That if their hearts were once lost there would be great difficulty of regaining that place in their affections which yet they found her due as their Sovereign Princess She thanked me for my continual care evidenced in this free advice and ingaged to take such order in reference thereto as the case required I have already told how that my Lord Darnly was advised to ask License to come unto Scotland At his first coming he found the Queen at Weems making her progress through Fiffe Her Majesty took very well with him and said That he was the properest and best proportioned long Man that ever she had seen for he was of a high Stature long and small even and straight He had been from his Youth well instructed in all honest and comely exercises After he had haunted Court some time he proposed marriage to her Majesty which proposal she at first appeared to disrelish as that same day she her self told me and that she had refused a Ring which he then offered unto her I took occasion freely hereupon to speak in his favours and to convince her Majesty that no marriage was more her interest then this seeing it would render her Title to the Succession to the Crown of England unquestionable I know not how he came to fall in acquaintance with Rixio but I found he also was his great friend at the Queens hand so that she took ay the longer the better liking of him and at length determined to marry him This being made known to the Queen of England she sent and charged him to return She also sent her Ambassadour Sir Nicholas Throgmorton to Scotland to disswade the Queen from marrying him and in case the Queen would not follow her advice to perswade the Lords and so many as were of the Protestant Religion to withstand the said marriage till the said Lord Darnly should subscribe a Bond to maintain the Reformed Religion which he had ever professed in England The Queen again perceiving the Queen of Englands earnest opposition to all the marriages that offered unto her resolved to delay no longer But my Lord Duke of Chattellerault my Lords of Argile Rothes Murray Glencairr and divers other Lords and Barons withstood the said marriage Who after they had made an Essay to take the Lord Darnly in the Queens company at the Raid of Baith and as they alledged to have sent him to England Failing in this their enterprise they took them to the fields to her Majesties great dissatisfaction and heart-breaking Her Majesties Forces were sooner ready then theirs so that she persued them here and there whereby they were so straitned that they could never have the opportunity of drawing together And at length they were compelled to flee unto England for refuge to her who by her Ambassadours had promised to hazard her Crown in their defence in case they were driven to any strait because of appearing against the said marriage Though this was expresly denyed them when coming to demand help For when they sent up my Lord of Murray to that Queen the rest abiding at New-castle he could obtain nothing but disdain and scorn till at length he and the Abbot of Kilwinning his Companion in that message were perswaded to come and confess unto the Queen upon their knees and that in presence of the Ambassadours of France and Spain that her Majesty had never moved them to that opposition and resistance against their Queens marriage For this she had desired to satisfie the said Ambassadours who both alledged in their Masters names that she had been the cause of the said Rebellion and that her only delight was to stir up dissention among her Neighbours Yet by this cunning she overcame them For she handled the matter so subtilly and the other two so cowardly in granting her desire contrary to what was truth being put in hopes of relief if they would so far comply with what was judged her interest for the time that she triumphed over the said Ambassadours for their false allegiance But unto my Lord of Murray and his neighbour she said now you have told the truth for neither did I nor any in my Name stir you up against your Queen For your abominable Treason may serve for example to my own Subjects to rebel against me Therefore get you out of my presence you are but unworthy Traytors This was all the reward they procured at her hands and had not some of the Protestants in her Kingdom who favoured them upon accompt of their Religion interposed what they could with her they would not have been permitted during their banishment to have remained within her dominions Although a little before she had promised to give them what assistance they demanded to the uttermost of her power upon condition that they would please her so far as to sit down upon their knees in presence of the said Ambassadours and make the foresaid false confession And as for secret help she gave them none only they obtained a small contribution among some of their own Religion there who were their friends which was distributed among them at New-castle where they remained comfortless and in great trouble The Queen finding the shifts the Court of England made to delay her marriage with any Man proposed hasted forward her marriage with my Lord Darnly which was solemnized in the Palace of Halyrood-House within the Queens Chappel at the Mass wherein Rixio was no small instrument Scotland
conference If any be afraid of your Majesty thinking that you have an ill opinion of them the assurance by a trusty Minister of your good will whom they may credit will quickly put them out of doubt and make them favourable enough They who are constantly yours are easily retained at your devotion Those who heretofore have born any favour and by the late occurrences are any way brangled will be brought home again when they shall see your Majesty now when it is fallen in your hands to use rigour or mercy as you please rather incline to the most plausible part in shewing your magnanimity when you have brought your Subjects to submission and gentleness as the good Pastour to reduce his Sheep that were gone astray home again to the fold Those who are yet neutrals by the same means and true information of your interest by Law may all be won to your side This done when the matter comes in question your friends will earnestly press your interest at this Parliament and you will without controversie bear it away This device in so far as concerns your reconciliation with your Subjects is not a fetch for their favour but is thought expedient for your service by many who have no favour for them and are different from them in Religion For it will bring the Queen of England greatly to favour you when she shall see such an Union in your own Kingdom of the Head and whole Members together She will not know how to disturb your Majesties estate especially when the Reconciliation takes effect in the hearts of the Subjects in England who will think themselves in an happy condition if they should come under the Government of so benign a Princess who can so readily forgive great offences For albeit it must be acknowledged that my Lord of Murray hath by his inconsiderate carriage given your Majesty great ground of offence yet it is hard to perswade the Protestants that your quarrel against him hath any other foundation then that he differs from you in Religion Upon this ground they find themselves engaged to espouse his quarrel If then they perceived your Majesty graciously inclined to take him again unto favour and forgive what is by-past the Protestants in England would doubtless declare themselves more affectionate to your interest when they shall see more of their own Religion so clemently handled And that your Majesty may have experience that it is your advancement your friends would by this means procure and not the advantage of those with whom your Majesty is offended a middle way may be followed as is frequently used in such like cases where not only the multitude is spared but the chief authors are preserved It may please your Majesty to cause a Letter to be pen'd in good terms and form and publish the same by Proclamation declaring the just cause of your anger against all of them and that yet for declaring your own good nature above their deservings you are content to remit the whole except such principles as you please to reserve and except by name from the general Pardon And that with whom you will not take such severe order as you might in Law till you have further tryal and experience of their Penitence The persons so to be nominated and excepted shall depart out of England to what Countrey pleaseth your Majesty there to remain during your pleasure In this mean time if your Majesty find that this benign usage of yours shall produce such fruit as is here spoken your Majesty may further extend your favour as you find convenient and profitable for your self For your Majesty hath still the crimes lying above their heads In the mean time all who favour them in England will plead in their cause with your Majesty so far as their power extends as if they were Agents for your Majesty They will in no ways if they can eschew it be again in the Queen of Englands debt neither by obtaining of any favour at your hand by her intervention nor yet for any support in the time of their banishment But rather it may please your Majesty that their charges be allowed them of their own Lands By following this advice which in no ways can be prejudicial to your Majesty but will much conduce for your interest you may recover the greatest part of the Bishops of England many of the greatest Nobility and Gentlemen who are yet Neutral Their Names were declared to her Majesty in Cypher by whose means he alledged her Majesty should obtain so great an interest in England that albeit that Queen would appear against her she needed not to care For in sending but one thousand Men of her own out of four parts of England a sufficient number should join with them by whose forces without any strangers her Majesty should obtain the thing which is wrongfully refused and retained When her Majesty had seriously pondered this discourse it had great influence upon her to move her to follow the desire thereof as well for the good opinion she had of him who sent it as being of her own nature more inclined to mercy then rigour she being also wise and being convinced that it tended to the advancement of her affairs in England She was therefore fully resolved to have followed the advice thereof and to prolong the Parliament which had been called to forfault the Lords who had fled Rixio appeared also to have been gained for counselling her hereto My Lord Murray had sued to him very earnestly and more humbly then could have been believed with the present of a fair Diamond inclosed within a Letter full of repentance and fair promises from that time forth to be his Friend and Protector Which the said Rixio granted to do with the better will that he perceived the King to bear him little good will and to frown upon him Following this advice and advertisement given by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton the Queens Majesty sent my Brother Sir Robert Melvil to remain her Ambassadour in Ordinary at the Court of England to be ready at all occasions in case any thing were treated at the Parliament concerning the Succession and to pursue the Design laid down by Sir Nicholas and her other friends in England In this mean time there was a French Gentleman sent home here called Monsieur d' Villamonte with a Commission to treat with the Queen that in no wayes she should shew any favour to the protestant banished Lords Because that all Catholick Princes were bandied to root them out of all Europe Which was a device of the Cardinal of Lorrain lately returned from the Councel of Trent He had caused the King of France to write earnestly to that effect Which unhappy Message occasioned divers tragical accidents For the Queen was loath to offend her friends in France of the house of Guise albeit she would have done little at that time by her own pleasure to satisfie the King of France who was but young and
Ladies to me that I should be earnest to keep the Earl of Murray from joining with the other Lords Who the next morning found themselves greatly disappointed being left without any appearance of a pacification In the mean time I used my endeavours very effectually to keep my Lord Murray from joining with the late offenders I ingaged to him that in so doing I should procure a pardon to him and all his followers They on this manner being destitute of all assisters were compelled to flee unto England to Newcastle where in a manner they might find the other Lords nests yet warm A few days before my Lord Duke my Lords of Glencairn and Rothes had obtained their pardons For they were divided during their banishment and her Majesty found it not her interest to have so many Lords against her She had also now again indeavoured to draw the Earl of Murray from the Earl of Mortoun and his accomplices because he had for the time a great friendship and many dependers that she might be the more easily revenged upon that most detestable deed of murthering her Servant in her presence For she being big with Child it appeared to be done to destroy both her and her Child For they might have killed the said Rixio in any other part at any time they pleased My Lord Murray and his dependants desired me to carry their humble thanks unto her Majesty and to signifie unto her how willingly they acquiesced to her Majesties desire and how they had discharged themselves to such as had committed that vile act And that they promised her Majesty never any more to have to do with them or intercede for them I rencountred her Majesty coming from Dumbar to Hadingtoun and was very favourably received with great thanks for my care of her honour and wellfare That night in Hadingtoun she subscribed divers remissions for my Lord Murray and his dependers lamenting unto me the King's folly ungratitude and misbehaviour I excused the same the best I could imputing it to his youth which occasioned him to be easily led away by pernicious Councel laying the blame upon George Duglas and other bad Councellors praying her Majesty for many necessary considerations to remove out of her mind any prejudice against him seeing that she had chosen him her self against the opinion of many of her Subjects But I could perceive nothing from that day forth but great grudges that she entertained in her heart That night in Hadingtoun the King inquired of me if the Lord of Murray had written to him I answered That his Letter to the Queen was written in haste and that he esteemed the Queen and him but one He said he might have also written to me Then he enquired what was become of Mortoun Ruthven and the rest of that Company I told him I believed they were fled but I knew not whither As they have Brewed says he so let them drink It appeared to me that he was troubled he had deserted them finding the Queens favour but cold The next day they came to Edinbrugh and lodged within the Castle where some were apprehended and executed who had been in the Court of the Palace and had kept the Gates that night wherein Rixio was slain Her Majesty was now far gone with Child and went to Sterling intending to lye in there Thither the King followed her and from that to Allway At length she came back to the Castle of Edinbrugh It was thought that she fled from the King's company I travelled earnestly to help matters betwixt them and was therein so importunate that I was thought troublesome So that her Majesty desired my Lord of Murray to reprove me and charge me not to be any more familiar with the King Who went up and down all alone seeing few durst bear him company He was misliked by the Queen and by all such as secretly favoured the late banished Lords So that it was a great pity to see that good young Prince cast off who failed rather for want of good Counsel and Experience then from any bad inclinations It appeared to be fatal to him to like better of flatterers and ill Company then plain speakers and good Men Which hath been the wrack of many Princes who by frequenting good Company would have proved gallant Men. About this time the Queen of England was taken with a great Fever that none believed she could live All that Kingdom was thereby in great perplexity But a strange thing is to be marked that two contrary Factions there had both determined unknown to other to send for our Queen and set the Crown of England upon her head My Brother Sir Robert Melvil was then Ambassadour there resident and I served in place of Secretary here at home because Secretary Lidingtoun was absent under some suspicion He sent home continual advertisements how to proceed and I again returned the answers at her Majesties direction Now began the Earl of Rothvel to be in great favour to the great dissatisfaction of many He and the Earl of Huntly and the Bishop of Rosse envied the favour that the Queen shewed unto the Earl of Murray for they were upon contrary courses The Queen on the other hand knew how generally he was well liked of both in England and Scotland and that she would be the better liked of in both Kingdoms that she shewed favour to him And as she resolved to follow the former advice and information sent her by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton so she forgat not the late help he had made her at his home-coming These two Earls with the foresaid Bishop took occasion when the time of her Majesties delivery drew near to perswade her to imprison my Lord of Murray to remain no longer then she should be delivered alledging that they were assuredly advertised that he and his dependers were resolved to bring in the banished Lords even at the very time of her Child-bearing For they thought if once he were warded they should find devices enough to cause him be kept and disgraced especially when he should be absent and not have opportunity of answering and resisting their Calumnies Whereof her Majesty gave me an accompt desiring me to mind her of their secret designs against Murray without any just cause flowing only from their own hatred who had devised his ruine The Earl of Mortoun was now in a hard condition though many of the Barons of Lauthran were his friends they could be little stedable to him Among the rest the Laird of Elphingstoun my Brother-in-law whose Mother was a Duglas of the House of Whittengem Upon accompt of this friendship the Earl of Mortoun caused to write unto my Sister the Lady Elphingstoun desiring her to perswade me to write in his favours to the Elector Palatine and other Princes of my acquaintance in Germany to suffer him to live in their Country For my Brother by her Majesties direction pressed the Queen of England to put them forth of her Kingdoms And
they durst not go to France where the Queen had so many friends This I did shew unto her Majesty that she might be the more confirmed how groundless that report was made by the foresaid Lords against Murray Wherewith she appeared well satisfied resolving to continue her kindness for my Lord Murray but withal she charged me not to write in favours of Mortoun In the mean time Mr. Henry Killegrew was sent hither Ambassadour from the Queen of England who was in great suspicion of her estate finding so many of her Subjects favourers of our Queen The said Ambassadour complained against one Mr. Ruxbie who was harboured in Scotland being a Rebel and a Papist Declaring how that the Queen his Mistress had commanded Mortoun and his Complices forth of her Country Which was done by open Proclamation to please the Queen and her Ambassadour who cryed out continually for her suffering them to abide so long in England Yet as we afterward understood they were secretly over-lookt upon condition that they would keep themselves quiet Mr. Killegrew alledged also that the Queens Majesty had been practising with Oneel in Ireland who had his Ambassadour presently in Edinbrugh in company of the Earl of Arguile And Thirdly he complained of some disorders upon the Borders made by Scotishmen But the principal pretext of his Commission was to comfort the Queen over her late troubles to congratulate her freedom and good success over her wicked and rebellious Subjects It may appear sufficiently by that Queens former proceedings that all the Sisterly familiarity was ceased and in place thereof nothing but jealousies suspicions and hatred And yet they kept an outward correspondence for keeping up Neighbourhood and Intelligence The Scots Ambassadour for the time in England had so good hap that his credit was great for he was esteemed sure and secret Which caused a great number of the Nobility Protestants and Papists to Communicate their inward minds and secretest intentions unto him Mr. Randolph had not the like credit in Scotland but only with some of the simplest sort of the Ministers For this Ruxbie was sent in hither to appear to be a zealous favourer of her Majesties Right and Title to the Crown of England He was to endeavour to speak with the Queen and to take an occasion of informing her Majesty of the great friendship divers of the Catholicks had for her who durst not deal with the Scots Ambassadour being a Protestant but that he would deal himself betwixt her Majesty and them All this was to essay what he could draw out of her Majesty to give advertisement thereof to Secretary Cicil. He addressed himself unto the Queens Majesty by the Bishop of Ross who was a Catholick The said Bishop desireing her Majesty to be secret What he learned for the time I cannot tell but he did write sundry intelligences unto the Secretary Cicil which did prejudice But this fine contrivance was not so secretly kept but my Brother Sir Robert had knowledge thereof and also of a Letter that the Secretary Cicil wrote again unto Scotland to the said Mr. Ruxbie promising to see him rewarded and desiring him to continue in his diligence Of all which my Brother by his good intelligence was so well advertised that in due time he gave her Majesty and me information thereof He gave his advice how to carry for the future in that affair So that when Mr. Killegrew made his complaint upon the receit of Mr. Ruxbie her Majesty incontinently caused him to be apprehended and all his Cyphers and Writings among the which was found the Letter written by Secretary Cicil above mentioned Ruxbie finding himself discovered fell immediately upon his knees granting himself worthy of a thousand deaths humbly craving pardon Her Majesty caused him to be so secretly and straitly kept that the English Ambassadour could get no intelligence for what cause he was apprehended until that the Queen did shew him her self that upon his complaint to satisfie the Queen her good Sister she had caused to apprehend the said Ruxbie who should be delivered so soon after his return as it should please her Sister to send for him But as this Mr. Ruxbie was secured so was the complaint made against him kept secret For her Majesty was advised to appear altogether ignorant of any of his practises against her devised by Secretary Cicil it not being thought her interest to put that shame upon one who professed so much to be her friend Nor was it time to cast of intelligence so long as it was found profitable to entertain it as it would have indeed proved had not such unhappy chances fallen out shortly after The Queens Majesties reckoning being near run out she caused me to dispatch for England to be in readiness to give an accompt of the news of her delivery to that Queen leaving a Blank in her Letter to be filled up either with a Son or a Daughter as it should please God to grant unto her And to require the Queen of England to send hither in her name such of hers as she knew to be best instruments for entertaining good love and friendship betwixt them to be Gossips as also to satisfie her concerning the most part of Killegrew's demands All the while I lay within the Castle of Edinbrugh praying night and day for her Majesties good and happy delivery of a fair Son This prayer being granted I was the first who was thereof advertised by the Lady Boin in her Majesties Name to part with dilligence the 19th of June 1555 betwixt Ten and Eleven in the morning By Twelve of the Clock I took Horse and was that night at Berwick The fourth day after I was at London and did first meet with my Brother Sir Robert who that same night sent and advertised Secretary Cicil of my arrival and of the Birth of the Prince desiring him to keep it quiet till my coming to Court to shew it my self unto her Majesty who was for the time at Greenwich where her Majesty was in great mirth dancing after Supper But so soon as the Secretary Cicil whispered in her Ear the news of the Prince's birth all her mirth was laid aside for that night All present marvelling whence proceeded such a change for the Queen did sit down putting her hand under her Cheek bursting out to some of her Ladies That the Queen of Scots was Mother of a fair Son while she was but a barren stock The next morning was appointed for me to get Audience at what time my Brother and I went by Water to Greenwich and were met by some friends who told us how sorrowful her Majesty was at my news but that she had been advised to shew a glad and cheerful countenance Which she did in her best Apparel saying That the joyful news of the Queen her Sister's delivery of a fair Son which I had sent her by Secretary Cicil had recovered her out of a heavy sickness which she had lyen under
for fifteen days Therefore she welcomed me with a merry volt and thanked me for the diligence I had used in hasting to give her that welcome intelligence All this she said before I had delivered unto her my Letter of Credence After that she had read it I declared how that the Queen had hasted me towards her Majesty as one whom she knew of all her friends would be most joyful of the glad news of her delivery albeit dear bought with the peril of her life she being so sore handled that she wished she had never been married This I said by the way to give her a little scare from marriage For so my Brother had counselled me because sometimes she boasted to marry the Arch duke Charles of Austria when any Man pressed her to declare a second person Then I requested her Majesty to be a Gossip to the Queen to which she gladly condescended Your Majesty said I will now have a fair occasion to see the Queen whereof I have heard your Majesty so oft desirous Whereat she smiled saying she wished that her estate and affairs might permit her In the mean time she promised to send both honourable Lords and Ladies to supply her room Then I gave her Majesty in my Queen's name most hearty thanks for her friendly visiting and comforting her by Mr. Henry Killegrew She inquired if I had left him in Scotland and what was the cause of his long stay I answered That the Queen took her Chamber shortly after his arrival which was the chief cause of his delay But I had in Commission to tell her Majesty something thereabout to satisfie her mind in the mean time and to thank her Majesty for the putting away of the Scots Rebels out of her Country albeit there were some Reports that they were yet secretly entertained by some of her Subjects though I hardly believed that any of her Subjects durst be so bold or so disobedient She affirmed they were out of her Dominions and if it might be otherwise tryed out it should not pass without rigorous punishment I told her Majesty that upon her desire and Ambassadours complaint the Queen had caused to apprehend Mr. Ruxbie and had ordered him to be delivered to her Majesty whenever she should please to send for him And as concerning Oneel she had no dealing with him nor knew that there had been any Servant of his sent to my Lord Arguile until Mr. Killegrew's coming that she caused to enquire at the said Earl who acknowledged that Oneel had sent one unto him about private purposes betwixt themselves but that she did neither see nor speak with that Man nor had any dealing with any Man in Ireland Her Majesty seemed to be well satisfied with the matters of Ireland and concerning Mr. Ruxbie but she forgot to send for him Before I took my farewell in order to my return I entred with her Majesty concerning the Title For my Lord of Leicester was become my Queens avowed friend and had been twice in hand with the Queen of England a little before my coming desiring her to declare my Mistress next Heir Alledging it would be her greatest security and cried out in anger that Cicil would undo all Likewise the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Pembroke and several others shewed themselves openly her friends after they understood the birth of the Prince So that her Majesty's matters in England were hopeful and therefore I was advised to say unto her Majesty That I was assured she had formerly delayed the declaring the Queen second person only till she might see such Succession of her body as now God had graciously granted intreating her Majesty to embrace that fair offered opportunity of satisfying the minds of many as well in England as in Scotland who desired to see that matter out of doubt And the rather because that the Queen my Mistress would never seek any Place or Right in England but by her Majesties favour and furtherance She answered That the birth of the Prince was a great Spur to cause the most skilful Lawyers in England to use greater diligence in trying out that matter which she esteemed to belong most justly to her good Sister and that she wished from her heart that it should be that way decided I replied That at my last being with her I found her Majesty upon the same tearms but that as I had brought her good news from the Queen I was very desirous to be so happy as to carry home with me unto her Majesty the good tydings of that so long delayed Declaration She answered she was resolved to satisfie the Queen in that matter by those Noblemen she was resolved to send unto Scotland for the Baptism of the Prince All this I perceived to be but shifts and so took my leave because my Brother was to remain there The next day her Majesty sent unto me her Letter with the Present of a fair Chain My Brother gave me the advice of her Majesties friends together with his own instructions how to proceed after my coming home as followeth First That he is in such suspicion for his handling there by the advertisements of Mr. Ruxbie and practises of her Enemies that her Majesty must signifie to Mr. Killegrew that she is minded shortly to call him home else he fears he shall be commanded to return Secondly That her Majesty require the Earl of Leicester and Secretary Cicil to be sent to be her Gossips as fittest instruments to perfect all Articles and good Offices of Amity betwixt them Item That Mr. Killegrew be well treated and rewarded that he may make good report to hold off discord that intelligence may continue and desire him to declare unto the Earl of Leicester and Secretary Cicil that it cannot stand with good friendship to be so long fed with fair words without effect Item That her Majesty cast not off the Earl of Northumberland albeit as a fearful and facile man he delivered her Letter to the Queen of England neither appear to find fault with Sir Henry Pearcie as yet for his dealing with Mr. Ruxbie which he doeth to gain favour at Court being upon a contrary faction to his Brother the Earl Item That Mr. Ruxbie be well kept and sent far North to some secure part that he give no hasty intelligence for he hath already written unto Secretary Cicil by Sir Henry Pearcy his convoyance that he can discover all your practises and secrets Let my Lord Arguile entertain Oneel as of himself the Queen not appearing to know thereof The Secretary Cicil devised strange practises against the meeting which because my Lord of Leicester discovered unto the Queen his Mistress Cicil stirred up the Earl of Sussex to forge a quarrel against him but the Queen took the Earl of Leicester's part and finally agreed them and also Leicester and Ormond Item That her Majesty should write two Letters with Mr. Killegrew to my Brother the one that he might shew unto the
kind of Writings were for that time devised to overthrow and cast down some intelligences which were discovered by Ruxbie and some reports raised by Enemies that my Brother by his practises and perswasions had kindled a great fire and had raised a great faction in England he did not deny but he had dealt with many to win what favour he could to his Mistress but that he had done nothing that could offend the Queen of England and that he had no Commandment to enterprise any thing which could be displeasing to her by this means Ruxbie's intelligence was suppressed and my Brother suffered to stay still in England whereby the Queens friends so increased that many whole Shires were ready to Rebell and their Captains already named by the Election of the Nobility About this time her Majesty was advertised by my Brothers Letters that the Earl of Bedford was upon his journey toward Scotland with an honourable Company As also the Ambassadour of France and Savoy for the Baptism of the Prince which moved her Majesty to pass to Sterling with the Prince for the solemnizing thereof but she was still sad and pensive for the late foul act committed in her presence so irreverently she being their born Queen and thereby in hazard of losing the fruit of her Womb so many great sighs she would give that it was pity to hear her and few there were to endeavour to comfort her Sometime she would declare part of her grief to me which I essayed the best I could to asswage by telling her that I thought the greater multitude of friends that she had got in England should cause her to forget in Scotland the lesser number of Enemies and unruly offenders unworthy of her wrath and that her excellent qualities in Clemency Temperance and Fortitude should not suffer her mind to be possest or supprest with the remembrance of offences but that rather she should bend up her spirit by a Princely and Womanly behaviour whereby she might best gain the hearts of the whole people both here and in England humbly requesting her Majesty first to consult with her God next with her honour and thirdly with her interest in the establishing of her state and in joining the two Kingdoms in a happy Monarchy which she knew to be so near effectuate in her person seeing also the banished estate of the offenders so miserable they not having a hole to hide their head in nor a peny wherewith to buy their Dinner that the most noble natures would think them sufficiently punished that it was a comely thing for a woman to be pitiful and to want vengeance I leave it said I Madam to your own judgment whether presently it be more for your honour and advancement of your interest to cease from any desire or persuit of any further revenge whereupon may ensue more desperate enterprises or to give place unto necessity and reason to rule over the beastly passions of the mind For as Princes are called divine persons so no Prince can pretend to this Title but he who draws near the nature of God by godliness and good Government being slow to vengeance and ready to forgive It is manifestly known that wise Princes entertain no longer feud at their Enemies then they see it may be needful for the weal of their Affairs and State and they change their favour and hatred according to time and occasions Your Majesty may remember that many things might have been better managed I speak this with love and reverence Your Majesty might have been as well obeyed as ever was any King in Scotland if you had taken such Princely care as was requisite You know how that by your Majesties own express Commandment I did shew you long before what inconveniencies were like to fall out upon the grudges I perceived before the slaughter of Rixio and God is my witness I did what lay in my power to have them eschewed and prevented And since that time your Majesty hath repented that my advice was not followed I pray God that the like repentance fall not out again too late At my being in England your adversaries were beginning to vaunt upon vain reports that our Westerly winds had blown East among them so that my Brother and I had enough to do to beat it out of the heads of divers who were devotedly addicted to the advancement of your Title This communing began at the entry of her Supper in her Ear in French when she was casting up great sighs refusing to eat upon any perswasion that my Lord of Murray and Mar could make to her The Supper being ended her Majesty took me by the hand and went down through the Park of Sterling and came up through the Town ever reasoning with me upon their purposes And albeit she took hardly with them at the first she began to alter her mind thinking fit that my Lord of Bedford should intercede for her Rebels they to be banished out of England and Scotland during her pleasure and so to be by time reconciled to them according to their future deportments and for her part she purposed to proceed with such a gracious Government as should win the victory over her self and all her Competitours and Enemies in time-coming which she could have done as well as any Prince in Europe But alas she had bad Company about her for the Earl of Bothwel who had a mark of his own that he shot at as soon as he understood of her wife and merciful deliberations he took occasion to bring in the Earl of Mortoun and his associates thereby to make them his friends and by them to fortifie his faction For apparently he had already in his head the resolution of performing the foul murther of the King which he afterwards put in execution that he might marry the Queen Both which he brought to pass to his own utter wrack and confusion and thereby great trouble and mischief upon the Country and was also at last the Queens wrack and the hinderance of all our hopes in the hasty obtaining of all her desires concerning the Crown of England The Queens Majesty being advertised that the Earl of Bedford was come to Berwick on his Journey to the Baptism sent me well accompanied with diligence to meet him at Coldingham to be his first Convoy and to inform him rightly of all her proceedings and to overthrow all evil brutes invented by the malice of her adversaries For as I have said it was a perverse time and the more that the number of her friends increased in England the more practises her Enemies made and the more lyes were invented against her But the good Earl gave me more credit then he did to any wrong report that was made For he was at this time become one of the surest and most affectionate friends she had in England There came with him Mr. Cary eldest Son to my Lord of Husdean Mr. Hattoun greatest in favour with the Queen of England for
and himself was found dead lying a little distance from the House under a Tree He desired me to go up and see him how that there was not a hurt nor a mark on all his Body But when I went up to see him he had been taken into a Chamber and kept by one Alexander Durham but I could not get a sight of him The bruit began to rise that the Queen would marry the Earl of Bothwel who had six months before married the Earl of Huntly's Sister and that for this design he was resolved to part with his own Lady Whereat every good Subject who loved the Queens honour and the Prince's safety had sore hearts thinking thereby her Majesty would be dishonoured and the Prince in danger to be cut off by him who had slain his Father But few or none durst speak in the contrary yet my Lord Herreis a worthy Nobleman came to Edinbrugh well accompanied and told her Majesty what reports were going through the Country of the Earl of Bothwel's murthering the King and how that she was to marry him requesting her Majesty most humbly upon his knees to remember her honour and dignity and the safety of the Prince which all would be in danger if she married the said Earl with many other great perswasions to shew the utter wrack and inconveniencies would be thereby occasioned Her Majesty appeared to wonder how these reports could go abroad seeing as she said there was no such thing in her mind He beg'd her Majesties pardon and prayed her to take his honest meaning in a good part And immediately took his farewell fearing the Earl of Bothwel should get notice thereof He had fifty Horse with him for the time and caused each of them to buy a new Spear at Edinbrugh and so rode home I was resolved to have said as much to her Majesty but in the mean time there came a Letter to me from one Thomas Bishop a Scottishman who had been long in England and was a great perswader of many in England to favour her Majesties Title He used oft to write unto my Brother and me informations and advertisements At this time in his Letter to me he used even the like Language that my Lord Herreis had spoken but more freely because he was absent in another Country He adjured me to shew the said Letter unto her Majesty declaring how it was bruited in England that her Majesty was to marry the Earl of Bothwel who was the murtherer of her Husband who at present had a Wife of his own a Man full of all Vice which reports he could not believe by reason that he judged her Majesty to be of far greater knowledge then to commit such a gross oversight so prejudicial every way to her interest and the noble mark he knew she shot at Seeing if the married him she would lose the favour of God her own reputation and the hearts of all England Ireland and Scotland with many other disswasions and examples of History which would be tedious to rehearse I had been some days absent but upon receipt hereof I went to Court to shew this Letter to her Majesty protesting that she would take it in good part After that her Majesty had read the said Letter she gave it me again without any more speech but called upon the Secretary Lidingtoun and told him that I had shewed her a strange Letter desiring him also to read it He asked what it could be She answered a device of his own tending to the wrack of the Earl of Bothwel He took me by the hand and drew me aside to see the said Letter which when he had read he asked what had been in my mind for says he so soon as the Earl Bothwel gets notice hereof as I fear he will very shortly he will cause you to be killed I said it was a sore matter to see that good Princess run to utter wrack and no body to be so far concerned in her as to forwarn her of her danger He said I had done more honestly then wisely and therefore I pray you says he retire diligently before the Earl of Bothwel comes up from his Dinner Her Majesty told him at her first meeting having first ingaged him to promise to do me no harm Notwithstanding whereof I was inquired after but was slown and could not be found till his fury was slaked For I was advertised there was nothing but slaughter in case I had been gotten Whereat her Majesty was much dissatisfied telling him that he would cause her be left of all her Servants whereupon he renewed his ingagements that I should receive no harm whereof I being advertised I went again unto her Majesty shewing her that she had never so much injured me as by thinking that I had invented the said Letter assuring her that it came from the said Thomas Bishop and that albeit it had not come from him I thought it my duty to have freely told her Majesty my opinion in all reverence and humility which was contained in the said Letter but I found she had no mind to enter upon this subject Shortly after her Majesty went to Sterling and in her back-coming betwixt Lithgow and Edinbrugh the Earl of Bothwel rancountered her with a great Company and took her Majesties Horse by the Bridle his men took the Earl of Huntly the Secretary Lidingtoun and me and carried us Captives to Dumbar All the rest were permitted to go free There the Earl of Bothwel boasted he would marry the Queen who would or who would not yea whether she would her self or not Captain Blachater who had taken me alledged that it was with the Queens own consent The next day in Dumbar I obtained permission to go home Afterward the Court came to Edinbrugh and there a number of Noblemen were drawn together in a Chamber within the Palace where they all subscribed a paper declaring that they judged it was much the Queens interest to marry Bothwel he having many friends in Louthian and upon the Borders which would cause good order to be kept And then the Queen could not but marry him seeing he had ravished her and lain with her against her will I cannot tell how nor by what Law he parted with his own Wife Sister to the Earl of Huntly A little before this the Earl of Murray had desired liberty to go to France the Secretary Lidingtoun had been long in suspicion absent from Court and was brought in again by my Brother Sir Robert's perswasion for the great credit and handling he had with many Noblemen in England favourers of her Majesties Title albeit that he had as great credit himself yet he would not follow the custom of ambitious Courtiers who would ingross all to themselves unwilling to suffer a Companion He knew also that he was suspected because the Earl Bothwel was not his friend Thus Lidingtoun was again brought in but not long after the Earl of Bothwel thought to have slain him in
faithfully to use the oultmost of our endeavours by all reasonable means to procure her Majesties liberty and freedom upon such honest conditions as may stand with her Majesties honour the common weal of the whole Realm and security of the whole Nobility who at present have her Majesty in keeping Whereby this our native Realm may be governed ruled and guided by her Majesty and her Nobility for the common quietness the administration of Iustice and weal of the Country And in case the Noblemen who have her Majesty at present in their hands refuse to set her at Liberty upon such reasonable conditions as said is in that case we shall employ our selves our kindred friends servants and partakers our Bodies and Lives to set her Highness at liberty as said is and also to concur to the punishment of the murther of the King her Majesties Husband and for sure preservation of the person of the Prince as well shall answer to God and on our honours and credit And to that effect shall concur every one with other at our utmost power And if any shall set upon us or any of us for the doing as aforesaid in that case We promise faithfully to espouse one anothers interest under pain of Perjury and Infamy as we shall answer to God In witness whereof We have subscribed these presents with our hand at Dumbartoun the _____ day of _____ St. Andrews Arguile Huntly Arbroth Gallway Ross Fleeming Herris Skirling Killwonning Will. Hamiltoun of Sanchir Knight This small number were the first who banded themselves together and afterward all those who were Male-contents or had any particular questions claims or seuds with any of the King's Lords drew to these new Confederates hoping by time to win their intent against their adversaries in case their faction might prevail And some drew to both the factions who neither desired to see the Kirk nor Country in any stablished estate The Court of England on the other hand left nothing undone to kindle the fire and to furnish both the factions with hope of assistance in case of need For oft-times by their Ambassadours ordinary who were resident here they upon some new occasion would send in another openly to deal with the King's faction because it was strongest and greatest and under-hand to deal with the Queens faction and alledge that their quarrel was most just and right and that her Majesties Authority was only lawful No man can tell this better then I who was so long well acquainted with all the Ambassadours who were sent to Scotland during their banishment in France in Queen Mary's time as with Mr. Randolph Sir Nicholas Throgmortoun Mr. Dayson Mr. Killegrew and the Marshal of Berwick Among the which number Sir Nicholas Throgmortoun dealt most honestly and plainly for he shot at the union of the whole Isle in one Monarchy And thought that it consisted only in the persons of two for the time to wit the Queen and the King her Son And when he saw Mr. Randolph go about to sow discord he declared the same to my Brother and me and detested him for his divilish intent and dealing Yea he detested the whole Council of England for the time and told us friendly what reasoning they held among themselves for that effect to wit How that one of their greatest Counsellors proposed openly to the rest that it was needful for the well-fare of England to foster and nourish with some help the Civil Wars as well in France Flanders as Scotland whereby England might have many advantages and be sought after by all parties and in the mean time live at rest and gather great riches themselves This advice and proposition was well allowed of by most part of the Council yet one honest Councellor stood up and said That it was a very worldly advice and had little or nothing to do with a Christian Common-wealth nor yet would it be found profitable in all points First he said It is worldly and not godly for though I grant said he that France which is so potent a Kingdom if it knew its own strength might suppress all its neighbours and therefore would be so handled yet even there the fire would dye out incontinent except the Prince of Conde were better furnished and helped As for Flanders he said That the trouble was prejudicial to England because by the Wars in Flanders England's great traffick of merchandize is hindered whereby they have greatest gain As for Scotland he said it was against their weal to hold them in dissention so long as my Lord of Murray was Regent who was their friend and would be ready to assist them with his power in their necessity Another Councellor affirmed that to be true but if my Lord Murray were dead Scotland behoved likewise to be kept in hot Water Which conclusion was commonly followed afterward and was soon discovered by the wisest who were not factious but too late by the rest of the raging multitude who through process of time were so battered one against another e're the play was ended that they would have eaten one another with their Teeth Now my Lord of Murray having accepted the Government upon him pressed to have the strengths in his hands as the Castles of Edinbrugh Dumbar and Dumbartoun The Castle of Edinbrugh was still in the hands of Sir James Balfour who had assisted the Noblemen who had pursued the murther and now took plain part with them and likewise assisted the new made Regent Yet he desired to have the Castle out of his hands which he was content to deliver up upon condition that the Laird of Grange should be made Captain thereof upon the constancy of whose friendship he reposed most which was easily granted by the Regent and all the rest After this the other Strengths were also rendred to him Then he took great pains to steal secret Roads upon the Thieves on the Borders tending much to the quieting thereof He likewise held Justice Airs in the In-country But was not so diligent as he might have been in settling the differences among the Nobility and to draw them by a sweet and discreet equitable behaviour to the obedience of the King's Authority Which might have been easily done if they had gotten security for their persons and estates But such as were about him having their own ambitious and covetous ends counselled him otherwise thinking by the wrack of others to make up themselves They were so blinded by their affections and greedy appetites that they thought all would succeed prosperously according to their desires without any resistance Thus rushing forward the Regent's rough proceedings gave occasion to many to draw to the contrary faction And they to strengthen themselves under the name of Authority devised how to draw the Queens Majesty out of Lockleven to be their head before the time was ripe Whereof the Regent was oft and frequently warned even by divers who were upon the Council of her out-taking who desired that way
rest of the Regents Lords and Councellors had concluded among them That so soon as the Duke of Norfolk as chief of the Councel would inquire for the Accusation they should all with one voice cry and persuade the Regent to go forward with it Secretary Lidingtoun and I minded the Regent how far he had obliged himself to the Duke of Norfolk He said He would do well enough and that it would not come to that length So soon as he with his Counsel were within the Councel-House the Duke of Norfolk asked for the Accusation the Regent desired again the assurance of Conviction by Writing and Seal as is said It was answered again That the Queens Majesties Word being a true Princess was sufficient Then all the Councel cryed out Would he mistrust the Queen who had given such proof of her Friendship to Scotland The Regent's Councel cryed out also in that same manner Then Secretary Cicil asked if they had the Accusation there Yes sayes Mr. John Wood and with that he plucks it out of his Bosom but I will not deliver it sayes he till her Majesties Hand-Writing and Seal be delivered to my Lord Regent for what he demands Then the Bishop of Orkny snatcheth the Writing out of his hand Let me have it sayes he I shall present it Mr. John Wood run after him as if he would have taken it again Forward goes the Bishop to the Council-Table and gives in the Accusation Then cryes out the Chamberlain of England Well done Bishop thou art the frankest Fellow among them all none of them will make thy leap good scorning his leaping out of the Laird of Grange's Ship Mr. Henry Balneavs only had made resistance and called for Secretary Lidingtoun who waited without the Councel House But so soon as Mr. Henry Balneavs had called for him he came in and whispered in the Regent's Ear That he had shamed himself and put his Life in danger by the loss of so good a Friend as the Duke of Norfolk and that he had lost his Reputation for ever The Regent who by his facility had been brought to break with the Duke of Norfolk repented himself thereof so soon as Lidingtoun acquainted him with the danger and desired the Accusation to be rendred up to him again alledging he had some more to add thereto They answered They would hold what they had and were ready to receive any addition when he should please to give it in The Duke of Norfolk had much ado to keep his Countenance Mr. John Wood winked upon Secretary Cicil who smiled again upon him The rest of the Regent's Company were laughing one upon another only Secretary Lidingtoun had a sad heart The Regent came forth of the Council-House with Tears in his eyes and went to his Lodging at Kingstoun where his factious friends had much ado to comfort him The Queen of England having obtained her intent received thereby great contentment through the advantage she thereby received First she thought she had matter for her to shew wherefore she detained the Queen when she was challenged by the forreign Ambassadours upon that accompt Then she was glad of the Queens dishonour but in her mind she detested the Regent and all his Company and would notice him no more She sent also incontinent to the Queen to comfort her praying her to look on her self in a better case albeit for a while restrained of her liberty then to be in Scotland among so unworthy Subjects who had accused her falsly and wrongfully as she was assured and that neither should they be the better nor she the worse for any thing they had done For she would neither be Judge nor give out any Sentence thereupon nor should any part of the said false Accusation be made known by her or her Council to any praying her to take patience in her gentle Ward where she was nearer to get the Crown of England set upon her head in case of her decease who was but the eldest Sister Thus the Regent won no other thing for his labour but to be despised by the Queen and Council of England detested by the Duke of Norfolk and reproached by his best and truest friends suffered to lye a long time at Kingstoun in great displeasure and fear without Mony to spend and without hope to get any from the Queen In the mean time the agreement betwixt him and the Duke of Norfolk was told the Queen For the Earl of Mortoun caused a Minister called John Willock to declare what had past betwixt the Regent and the Duke of Norfolk to the Earl of Huntingtoun who caused my Lord of Leicester to tell it to the Queen The Duke of Norfolk finding himself disappointed by the Regent and his purposes discovered to the Queen began to boast and speak plain language That he would serve and honour the Queen his Mistress so long as she lived but after her decease he would set the Crown of England upon the Queen of Scotland ' s head as lawful Heir And this he avowed to Secretary Cicil desiring him to go and prattle that language again to the Queen The Secretary Cicil answered That he would be no Tale-teller to the Queen of him but would concur with him in any course and serve him in any thing wherein he would imploy him He threatned also Sir Nicholas Throgmorton who he supposed would be a true and devoted Servant to the Queen So that Sir Nicholas was necessitated to seek after his favour by the means of the Earls of Pembroke and Leicester who was also his friend albeit he durst not conceal from the Queen that whereof the Earl of Huntingtoun had advertised him seeing he had desired him to declare the same to her Majesty The Duke of Norfolk understanding that his whole purposes were discovered stood not to acknowledge to the Queen That during her life-time he would never offend her but serve and honour her and after her the Queen of Scotland as in his opinion truest Heir and the only means for eschewing of Civil Wars and great blood-shed that might otherwise fall out Now albeit the Queen of England liked not that language yet she would not appear to find fault with it for the time Now matters being cast loose in this manner between the Regent and the Duke and the Regent in great distress Sir Nicholas Throgmorton being a Man of a deep reach and great prudence and discretion who had ever travelled for the Union of this Isle after that he was agreed with the Duke and perceived that the Earls of Leicester Pembroke Secretary Cicil and the rest of the Court and Commons were all for the Duke and that the Queen durst not find fault with him he devised and effectuated a new friendship betwixt the Regent and the Duke who was unwilling again to enter with the Regent yet at length he suffered himself to be perswaded The Lord Regent on the other hand being destitute of all friendship in England for the
time and indigent of mony thought he would be very fortunate if again he could obtain the Dukes friendship and pardon so he was brought easily and secretly unto the Duke by Sir Nicholas At which time he granted his offence excusing himself the best he could by the craft and importunity of some of his Company The Duke helped him to frame his excuse alledging That he knew how his gentle nature was abused by the craft and concurrence of some of the Council of England who had joined with some about him That if he would for the future keep touch and be secret they should take a course with all those who had drawn on that draught The Regent promised as far as could be devised so that a greater friendship was packed up between them then ever The Duke had before told him That he was resolved to marry the Queen our Mistress and that he should never permit her to come to Scotland nor yet that he should ever Rebell against the Queen of England during her time Also that he had a Daughter who would be meeter for the King then any other for many Reasons Now the Duke took in hand to cause the Queen his Mistress to give unto my Lord Regent Two thousand pound sterling for the which Sum he became Cautioner and was afterward compelled to pay it After that the Regent had got this mony and had taken his leave of the Queen he was advised by such as had great credit about him to tell the Queen all things that had past again betwixt the Duke and him And to do it the more covertly it was devised That the Queen of England should send for him pretending to give him some admonition about some order to be observed upon the Border This being done and all things discovered to the Queen with a promise so soon as he came to Scotland and had received any Letters from the Duke by Cyphers or otherwise he should send them to England by an Express In the mean time the Duke wrote unto our Queen advertising her again of the new friendship between him and the Regent who was become very penitent and had been formerly deceived by craftier men then himself desiring her to let him pass by without any harm done to him or any in his company by the way At that time the Duke commanded over all the North parts of England where the Queen our Mistress was kept and so might have taken her out when he pleased And when he was angry at the Regent he had appointed the Earl of Westmerland to lye in his way and cut off himself and so many of his company as were most bent upon the Queens Accusation But after the last agreement the Duke sent and discharged the said Earl from doing us any harm yet upon our return the Earl came in our way with a great Company of Horse to signifie to us that we were at his mercy After the Regents safe return to Scotland Mr. John Wood his Secretary peocured upon the first occasion to be sent to England with all the Letters that had been sent from the Duke of Norfolk which could tend to undo him He desired Mr. Henry Balneavs to cause the Regent to give him the Bishoprick of Murray void for the time though he pretended it was neither for ambition nor covetousness of the Rents but that he might have an honourable Style to set out the better his Ambassage The said Mr. Henry being indeed such a man as Mr. John would appeared to have been was very angry and never liked him ester that my Lord Lindsay vented himself That he was one of the number who gave the Regent counsel so to do alledging that such promises as were made to the Duke of Norfolk for fear of life ought not to be kept A little after that Mr. John was come back to Scotland well rewarded for his pains the Duke was sent for by the Queen to come to Court Whereupon first he posted in haste to Secretary Cicil to demand his counsel for he reposed much upon him they being joined in one course The other made answer That there was no danger he might come and go at his pleasure no man would or durst offend him Which made the Duke ride up quietly only with his own train whereas otherwise he would have been well accompanied In the mean time Secretary Cicil informed the Queen That the necessity of the time obliged her not to omit this occasion but to take the matter stoutly upon her self and incontinent command her Guard to lay hands upon the Duke or else no other durst do it which if she did not at this time her Crown would be in peril The Queen following this counsel the Duke was taken and secured when he thought all England was at his Devotion who after long Captivity was Executed ending his Life devoutly in the Reformed Religion Shortly after Mr. John Wood's returning out of England there was a great Convention held at Pearth where the Regent was resolved to accuse Secretary Lidingtoun as being of Councel with the Duke of Norfolk but he had so many friends for the time that they durst not lay hands on him albeit from that hour forth he retired from the Court and remained with the Earl of Athol where the Regent entertained him with friendly Letters And upon a time being at Sterling he wrote for him to come and make a dispatch for England whither being come Captain Crauford was directed to accuse him before the Privy Council of the late King's murther and being accused of so odious a Crime he was committed to Ward Sir James Balfour was also taken out of his own House when he expected no such thing Then my Lord of Doun wrote to the Laird of Grange to be upon his guard for the Regent was resolved to take the Castle of Edenbrugh from him and make the Laird of Drumwhasel Captain thereof Which advertisement he had formerly given to Grange as also of the design to take the Secretary and Sir James Balfour But at the first he would not give credit thereto but now when he did see the Advertisement take effect he began to think that the Regent was strangely missed he would have been satisfied to have wanted the Castle and to have left the Court were it not for the desire he had to save the Lives of Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour having upon his Honour engaged to protect the said Sir James upon his rendring up the Castle to him He knew they were wrongfully pursued only by the Malice and Envy of their Enemies for their Offices Sir James Balfour being taken sent unto the Laird of Grange minding him how he had joyned with the Lords and Regent upon the Trust he reposed on his Fidelity more than on all their Seals and Hand-writings which he had to produce Whereupon the Laird of Grange sent a Gentleman to the Regent but the Regent purged himself and alledged the Councel were
I answered For no particular prejudice they had against himself but because the Lords who had sent for him without acquainting them therewith were not their friends and they suspected that in process of time they would move him to be their Enemy He said That the Laird of Grange had been always his great friend and had done him formerly great kindness I said I hoped he should yet be his friend after that he had setled himself in the Regiment and might have time to be rightly informed of every mans part Returning back from Berwick I met the Abbot of Dumfarmling sent by the King's Lords to England to meet with the Earl of Linnox in his passing by His chief Commission was so far as I could afterward inform my self to desire the Queen of England to deliver the Queen of Scotland to be kept by the King's Lords here at home seeing that she would not proceed otherwise according to the Accusation given in against her the time my Lord Murray was there Whereto the Queen of England made answer If they would find her sufficient Pledges for the security of the Queens life she would deliver her to be kept by them The Abbot alledged That would be hard to do for what in case the Queen dye in the mean time She answered My Lord I believed you had been a wise man you would press me to speak what is no ways necessary You may know Taat I cannot but for my honour require Pledges for that end I think you may judge also of your self what might be best for me Her meaning in this might be easily judged and understood The Earl of Lennox came to Edinbrugh shortly after me and after he had accepted the Government his first enterprise was to take Breechin which was kept by some Companies of Foot-men lifted by the Earl of Huntly to assist the Queens faction These Soldiers being advertised that the new Regent was coming to pursue them fled except a few who kept the Kirk and Steeple who were all hanged I had made my self ready to ride with the Regent but Mr. Randolph the English Ambassadour who came with the Earl of Lennox appearing to set him forward with his power hindred me from prosecuting that intention fearing that I would be an instrument of perswading the Laird of Grange and those in the Castle to come to an amicable agreement with the Regent For if those of the Castle and their dependers had assisted the Regent the Queens faction were so few and weak that they would not have been able to make a party answerable to the King's faction who were greatest in number and had the hearts of the Subjects on their side I was very loath to stay behind the Regent both because I had promised to assist him and also because I had obtained a promise of the Bishop of St. Andrews of the Lands of Lethem given by the Earl of Murray to Mr. Henry Balneavs whereof I had no Lease but Possession by reason that the Bishop was for the time in Dumbartoun forsaulted so the said Lands were in the Regent's power to dispose to any other yet he had promised that I should enjoy it I told Mr. Randolph that the said Land might be in danger to be disposed in case I were absent from the Regent Tush says he I am Tutour at this time to the Regent I shall not only warrant you that but shall cause you get a better gift In the mean time he promised to write a Letter unto the Regent who had already taken journey to secure the same to me and to let him know that he had stayed me to draw on an agreement between my friends in the Castle and him therefore desiring him not to dispose the said Lands to any other But though I knew him to be a double dealer and a sower of discord yet I could not believe that he would abuse me in any thing having received so great obligations from me during his banishment in France for Religion during the Reign of Queen Mary Neither would I blot Paper with this much concerning my particular were it not to declare the strange practises of Princes in matters of State Now at Mr. Randolph's desire I stayed His first proposition to me was to desire the Captain of the Castle to agree with and assist the Regent I told him That I supposed he might be brought to that through time but not so hastily And that same answer I brought to him from him with a request from the Laird of Grange That he would be plain with him for there had been also great friendship betwixt them in France After some Ceremonies and Protestations of Secrecy he said Tell your friend this from Mr. Randolph but not from the English Ambassadour That there is no lawful Authority in Scotland but the Queens she will prevail at length and therefore it is his interest as the safest course to join himself to her Faction This was the help he made to the Regent who believed that his only Ambassage was to advance his Authority I appeared to be very well satisfied with this wholesom advice and went up to the Castle and told the Captain and his associates no more then I assured them of at my return from Berwick The Laird of Grange was still resolved to own the King's Authority seeing to be factious under pretext of owning the Queen during her absence and captivity might do her more ill then good and occasion great bloodshed among the Subjects by the malice of the Ring-leaders of the Court of England and partialities of a few in Scotland and was therefore expecting a fit opportunity of making agreement betwixt the parties In the mean time I went up and down betwixt those of the Castle and Mr. Randolph who gave me another Commission to wit In case the two Queens of England and Scotland agree betwixt themselves to appoint an English-man Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh and send unto him a Letter subscribed by both their hands to him to render up the same to him whom they Commissionate him to deliver it whether he would for great advantage to himself give it to the person who should be appointed This in great anger he refused to hear and this was all the good agreement that Mr. Randolph and I made during the Regent's absence And instead of minding the Regent not to dispose the foresaid Lands he dealt with the Tutor of Pitcur that he might seek a gift of the said Lands from the Regent informing him that I wanted a right thereto When the Regent was returned to Edinbrugh I remembred Mr. Randolph of his promise and informed him a way how I might get them He answered That he found the Regent so stubborn and of so ill a nature that he could not deal with him Then I told him That I was abundantly sensible of his practises and that whereas it appeared that he would cause me not only to abandon the Regent but to be
commonly suspitious Mr. Randolph who lay at Lieth having his own Jealousies of an intention of accommodation knew the only way to stop it was to bring again the Earl of Mortoun who he knew would violently oppose it and use the utmost of his endeavours to render that Design ineffectual He therefore dealt earnestly with the Regent to give the said Bishoprick of St. Andrews to the Earl of Mortoun alledging to her That the Queen his Mistress had written to him for that effect and that she would recompence it to him with greater advantage That he would cause her hand-writing to come to him thereabout and that she would be much dissatisfied if he refused that her desire When the Regent had upon Mr. Randolph's desire granted this he incontinently advertised the Earl of Mortoun thereof who immediately came to Court and smelling the foresaid design of agreement he used all the contrary practices he could to hinder it For as he had fished that Benefice in troubled Waters he hoped by such means to fish much more And finding that I was much inclined to draw forward the accommodation one of his Devices was to cause the Councel to Vote and direct the Earl of Buchan to take me Prisoner out of my own house But I was at a Marriage in Fordel where the said Earl came with whom I went willingly tho I had as many Friends there as offered to chace him back again without his Errand but I would not prejudge my just Cause For the Earl of Buchan was of a gentle and discreet Nature and assured me they had nothing to lay to my charge but to see if I could be a good Instrument of Concord He desired me when I was in Lieth to send up to the Castle of Edinbrugh and alledg that my Life was in hazard in case they would not render up the Castle to the Regent I answered It was a Childish thing in them to propose such a thing to me seeing they could not but know that my Friends in the Castle were angrier at me than they were because I did not take part with them However the Laird of Grange was dissatisfied when he heard that I was taken For he knew how far I was injur'd seeing I had several times perswaded him to take part with the Regent and how far I had reasoned against the Secretary and Sir James Balfour in their proceedings with the Queens Faction For seeing she was Captive so that neither could she help them nor they her it would but occasion her to be the stronglier guarded and kept more straitly in England For hearing that there was a Faction risen up in her Name it would cause them to suppose that she was in hope of sudden liberty by some Practices with the Subjects of England Sir William Balfour alledged That her Majesty had Friends in France and other Parts who would be more encouraged to do for her if they understood that a number of the Nobility did own her Authority I said That her only Friends were in England and France that those who were in England durst not as yet appear seeing there would be a special Eye held over them and her French friends would do her no good the Queen Mother who had the chief Rule of that Country being her great Enemy and the House of Guise neither able to help her nor yet were they her sure friends as I shall shew more at length anon I was declaring that the Laird of Grange was angry at my taking I being so frank for the Regent and he so willing to join with him That same night he sent down a Woman from the Castle to Lieth with a Ticket to me That he was resolved to come that same night at mid-night and relieve me out of their hands that he had sent that Woman to know how I was kept and where I was lodged The Regent's Camp lay between Lieth and Edinbrugh and many of the Noblemen and Barons lodged in Lieth for every one had not Pavilions to lodge in the Camp The Laird of Grange had appointed a Boat to lye at Grantoun and had resolved to come sailing up to Lieth Harbour as if it had been a Boat come from Fiffe and thought without stroke to come to my Lodging and take me out of my Keepers hands and go up the water again to a part where he had Horsemen in readiness to carry me up to the Castle with him But I would upon no accompt condescend thereto assuring him That I was in no danger and that my Lord Bughan had promised when I pleased to let me slip away which I would not do but desired daily to come to a Tryal Many of the Lords marvelled wherefore I was taken seeing they knew That since the Regent's entry to Scotland I had ever assisted him The Regent himself was much therewith dissatisfied so that after inquiry it was found that few of the Councellors knew of my taking The Earl of Mar a true Nobleman said That the Earl of Buchan for embracing such a Commission was madder than the former Earl his Father who was known not to be very wise But the Earl of Mortoun sent me word That nothing should ail me more then his own heart For the fashion they desired me to find Caution that I should serve the King's Majesty and his Regent and so I was dismissed and never brought before the Council Of a truth I could see no reason to set up two Factions to destroy the Country seeing I knew That though the one party professed to be for the Queen it was so far from conducing to her advantage that I knew it had a quite contrary effect so long as she was Captive nor yet could I see any out-gate for those who professed her Authority and who were compelled thereto for their own defence For whereas they would gladly have assisted the King's Lords if they would have accepted of them finding themselves refused necessity drew them to defend themselves under the name of some Authority not true love to the Queen And therefore I thought them the less to be relyed upon The rest of my reasons why the Queen could expect no help out of France from her own friends nor yet from the Queen Mother were these The Queen Mother had not been well used so long as our Queen's Husband Francis the Second lived The Council and States of France desired not the Union of this Isle For a proof hereof after that my Brother Sir Robert when he returned the first time of his Ambassage out of England brought the hand-writings of twenty five principal Earls and Lords in England to set the Crown of England upon the Queen of Scotland's head For the Captains in the particular Shires were already named and by those Lords set down in that Paper who were to be in readiness to march forward whenever they should be charged only they waited the Queens opportunity and advertisement when to stir Upon this intelligence the Queen
incontinently did write to France to her Uncle the Cardinal of Lorrain desiring him to send to her one of his most secret Servants to whom she was to Communicate matters of that weight and importance that she could not hazard to send them in Writing or Cyphers And accordingly the said Cardinal sent hither one of his most familiar Secretaries to whom the Queen caused my Brother and me to declare the state of England and the great party she had there to espouse her interest as is above specified desiring her said Uncle to send his advice what time would be most fit for her to stir and to send what help he and all his friends could procure This Secretary being returned to his Master informed him of the whole matter The Cardinal again to insinuate upon the Queen Mother and to appear to be a true French-man acquainted the Queen Mother how prejudicial to the Crown of France the Union of this Isle of great Britain would be that therefore it was her interest all she could to oppose it He therefore advised her to advertise the Queen of England of the said intended Plot as the only and most effectual means for preventing it which the Queen Mother failed not to do But whatever the Queen of England's thoughts of the truth thereof was she appeared to give no credit thereto as if she looked upon it as an Italian fetch to put her in suspicion of her Nobility This accompt I had from the Queens Majesty her self complaining to me one day of the Cardinal 's unkind dealing towards her Therefore I thought I had good ground to say There was no help to be looked for out of France And the Duke of Alva who was in Flanders had plainly refused to give her any help till the King his Master would command him Seeing as he alledged he had work enough to do to settle his Master 's own Subjects in Flanders These were the arguments which I used to move my friends to agree with the Regent and my indeavours wanted not success they having come very near a point by the dealing of the two Lords above-mentioned Hume and Ruthven assisted by Secretary Lidingtoun For the Lord Hume would then do nothing without his advice But after that the Earl of Mortoun was returned to the Court and had by Randolph's means obtained the Bishoprick of St. Andrews these two suspecting the probability of the apparent agreement which had been kept secret from them they fell a plotting some way to hinder the same and concluded to hold a Parliament wherein to forfault all the Queens Lords whereby the Regent should utterly ruine his ancient Enemies the Hamiltouns and there would be a bait to every one of the King's Lords seeing they should be made sharers of the spoil and so each of them get wealth enough Mr. Randolph for their encouragement gave them assurance of assistance from England so that they needed fear no resistance from their adversaries The Earl of Mortoun had made a great Faction in the Council partly by representing the Queens Lords as intending to re-establish Popery upon which allegiance he knew he would make them odious to the generality of the people but especially by promising each of his party a share of the forfaulters of the Queens Lords so that they were easily brought to consent to a Parliament to be held at Sterling for the foresaid effect The Queens Lords to be equal with them held another Parliament at Edinbrugh both at one time upon that very same design of forfaulting the King's Lords The Laird of Grange in the mean time took great displeasure to see Scotsmen so furiously bent against each other set on by the practises of England and the extream avarice of some particular men for their selfish designs who intended to augment their Estates and raise their own Fortunes upon the ruines of their Neighbours Therefore he sent for the Laird of Fernihast his Son-in-law the Laird of Buccleugh Father to this present Lord who loved the Laird of Grange better than any of his own kindred which Laird of Buccleugh was a man of rare qualities wise true stout and modest These two Gentlemen were desired to come well accompanied and arrived at Edinbrugh in an Evening late The Laird of Grange had already devised an enterprise to wit That same night after they had Supt themselves and baited their horses to ride all night forward with them to Sterling to be there early in the morning before any of the Lords who held the Parliament were out of their Beds hoping by the intelligence he had received assuredly to surprise them before they could be advertised All the Lords and Council found the advice exceeding good but they would in no ways grant that he should ride with them alledging That their only comfort under God consisted in his preservation He on the other hand alledged His presence would be necessary for he was acquainted with difficult enterprises and feared that they would not follow rightly nor carefully his directions But they ingaged to follow it most strictly and would not suffer him to ride with them but the Earl of Huntly my Lord Arbroth and divers others went forward with the Forces These two Gentlemen had brought them and were at Stirling before Four of the Clock in the Morning and entred the Town of Stirling at a little passage led by a Towns-man called George Bell which entry of theirs was immediately after the Nght-watches had retired to their rest They divided their Men and appointed such as they thought meetest to await at every Lord's Lodging and a Company with Captain Hackerstoun to wait at the Market-Cross to cause good order to be kept and to preserve the Town-houses from being spoiled only they appointed the Stables to be cleansed by Buccleugh and Fernehast's men giving them commands not to leave one Horse in Town uncarried away with them which Commission the South-land Lads forgot not punctually to execute But because Captain Hackerstoun came not in due time with his Company to stand where he was appointed a number of unruly Servants broke up the Merchants Booths and run here and there in disorder after the spoil leaving their Masters all alone After they had taken out all the Lords from their Lodgings and were leading them Captives down the steep Cassway of Sterling on foot intending to take their Horses at the nether Port and ride to Edinbrugh with their Prisoners But those within the Castle being allarumed with the noise of the Towns-men crying out because of the spoil taken from them imagining what shame they would indure if they did not shew themselves Men and perceiving the disorder of their Enemies they came down fearlesly upon them and rescued all the Prisoners save the Regent whom one came and shot behind his back commanded as was alledged by my Lord of Pacly The Laird of Wormistoun was the taker of the Regent and had been ordained by the Laird of Grange to wait
upon him to save him from his particular Enemies For they all had ingaged to him e're they went from Edinbrugh not to kill one man else he would not have left them Wormistoun was also killed against the Regent's will who cryed continually to save him who had done what he could for his preservation The Regent dyed not suddenly but some days after and made a very godly end They who had lost this fair enterprise for want of Granges conduct had enough to do to save themselves and had been all taken had not those in Stirling wanted horses to pursue after them For those who had taken the horses did ride forward with all possible speed leaving their Masters in danger to do for themselves When they were returned back to Edinbrugh they were very unwelcome guests to the Laird of Grange who greatly lamented the Regent's slaughter He said openly If he knew who had done that foul deed or had directed it to be done his own hand should have revenged it And whereas before he used to be meek and gentle he could not now command himself but bursted out in harsh language calling them disorderly Beasts For he knew the Regent was inclined to Peace and was only ignorantly driven on by the Earl of Mortoun and Mr. Randolph's practises to hold the said Parliament to the hinderance of concord and agreement therefore his intention was to bring all the Kings Lords to the Castle of Edenbrugh and to have made an agreement betwixt them and the other faction before they had parted But God in his providence would not permit this for further punishment of our wickedness For the Parliaments held forward and each one of them forefaulted others the Kings Lords came and lay at Lieth and the Queens within the Town and Castle of Edenbrugh Mr. Randolph would have had Mortoun made Regent instead of Lennox but the Lords liked better of the Earl of Marr and chose him For a little time there was hot skirmishing betwixt Lieth and Edinbrugh and extream hatred betwixt the two Factions and great cruelties exercised where they could be Masters of one another And frequently the Marshal of Berwick came to Lieth to assist Mr. Randolph privately tho publickly to find fault with him for his proceedings which my Lord of Marrs friends perceived and himself at last whereupon he began to grow colder in the quarrel and withdrew himself to Stirling advising with his friends what was meetest to be done Alledging that he could see nothing but the wrack of the Country under pretext of owning the King and Queens Authority while neither Kings nor Queens was in any of their minds but only put on by their own partialities of ambition greediness and vengeance England kindling up both the Parties and then laughing them all to scorn After this Conference Captain James Cunningham servant to my Lord of Marr a discreet Gentleman desired a secret meeting with my Brother Sir Robert In the mean time the most part of the Kings Lords went to Stirling where the Regent was living My Lord of Mortoun went to Dalkieth my Lord Lindsay lay in Lieth When the Wars grew colder and notice thereof taken by the Court of England a new Ambassador was hasted to Scotland to wit Mr. Henry Killegrew an old acquaintance of mine For Mr. Randolph was returned home because he had not such Credit with the Earl of Marr as to do service to these he served and had lost the favour of both the Factions For his double dealing was discovered he having no Credit but with the Earl of Mortoun This new Ambassador being Arrived at Lieth upon his way toward Stirling where the Regent remained for the time he sent up to the Castle of Edenbrugh to see if I was there For they had told him in Lieth that I was newly come from Fiffe He desired that I would come and speak with him which I did and convoyed him unto Cramond reasoning together all the way upon such matters as he said he had in Commission chiefly how he might be a good instrument to agree the differences that were between the two Parties albeit I knew there was nothing less in his mind at least in his Commission He said He had the Queen his Mistress commands to deal with both Parties forConcord but that he was most concerned in these of the Castle albeit that outwardly he behooved first to go to the Regent being in civility engaged to give him the prerogative yet in effect he said my friends in the Castle were these to them he was chiefly directed that they should be preferred both by his first salutation by me to them and by two familiar Letters the one from my Lord of Leicester to the Laird of Grange and the other from Secretary Cicil to Secretary Lidingtoun desiring me to intreat them to follow the good counsel given therein by the said Lords who loved them intirely for their vertue and old acquaintance Hewi led me to tell them that after he had declared his Commission to the Regent he would come back again to them and at length declare his Commission to them from Her Majesty It appeared to me that he had intelligence how that Mr. Randolph's double dealing had been discovered therefore he seemed to find fault with him in many things though in general he excused him as far as he could until I adjured him upon the long and great familiarity that had been betwixt us to deal plainlier with me I told him he might serve his Mistress truly enough without casting me and my friends upon a wrong side which might be afterwards our ruin who deserved better at his hands then to put us in such dangers as if we were untoward dishonest or uncounsellable as Mr. Randolph had done forgetting the fraternity of Religion so well grounded among us during his banishment in France for Religion There he was compelled to confess to me that his Commission and his mind went not one way and that he was imployed against his will tho as a Servant he durst not disobey his Princess he said he would give me his loving counsel and warning very freely He said that the Council of England neither built their course here upon the late Regent nor yet upon this but intirely upon the Earl of Mortoun as well of their own Plot laid down long since as by the Information of Mr. Randolph who hath confirmed them in that Opinion so that they will not alter for no contrary persuasion Willing my friends and me to joyn our course and band with the Earl of Mortoun or else to expect no friendship from the Court of England but hurt and ruin so far as they might For albeit he was not Regent they knew that he had a great Faction in the Country which they were resolved what they could to encrease so that whoever was Regent he should get little or nothing done without his consent In this I thought he dealt plainly my friends of the Castle were
esteemed so wise should have had seeing he might have obtained his intent without the help of England having all Scotland at his Devotion saving that few number without the Castle who would likewise have agreed upon any reasonable condition Thus the Castle of Edinbrugh was straitly besieged with an English Army under the Conduct of the Marshal of Berwick assisted by all Scotland These within seeing they could not be received upon any composition debated so long as they had victuals and water For their Draw-well dryed by the drouthy Summer and they had no other water but what they fetched letting men with Cords down o're the Walls and Rock of the Castle to a Well on the west side which was afterward poysoned whereby so many as escaped the Shot dyed and the rest fell deadly sick Yet the Laird of Grange undertook with Eight persons to keep the Castle untaken by force of the which number were the Lord Hume my two Brothers Sir Robert and Sir Andrew the Laird of Pittadrow and his Brother Patrick This resolution being taken the Laird of Chesh and Matthew Colvil his Brother were sent to the Castle under the pretext of making offers of agreement but their design was to get intelligence of the State of the House and to seduce the Soldiers who were yet alive which they did so that some fled out over the Walls and others were shut forth For the Captain thought the house in a better condition both for Victuals and otherwise when they were forth The Marshal of Berwick seeing no appearance to succeed entred into contention with the Ambassador alledging that the Queen his Mistress would be dishonoured and said he would wait no longer whereupon they without entred on a new Communing and sent up again the Laird of Cleesh to offer them good conditions to come forth with their Armour and Bag and Baggage which was agreed to and that they should be restored to their Lands and because for the time they were in other mens possession it was referred to themselves whether they would go to England with the Marshal of Berwick or remain in Scotland among their friends until the promise made them of restoring them to their Lands might be fulfilled The Englishmen desired that the Castle should be put in their hands but Grange sent secretly to Captain Hume and Captain Crauford desiring them to come and ly within the Bulwark betwixt the House and the English men and to those he delivered the Castle and his person to the Marshal to go with him to England until all promises might be kept to him and the rest by the Queen of Englands means In this manner they came forth after that George Duglas natural Brother to the Regent had received the House they had all their Swords and Weapons about them and were three dayes at liberty My Brother Sir Robert lay with me at his own Lodging the Laird of Grange and the Secretary Lidingtoun remained yet with the Marshal of Berwick at his Lodging for their greater security because that the people of the Town of Edinbrugh were greatly their Enemies For except a few that tarried within the Town during the Civil Troubles between the Parties that lay in Edinbrugh and Lieth the most part of the richest Men and Merchants left the Town and went to Lieth to take part with the Regent therefore their houses were spoiled upon which account they did bear great hatred to those in the Castle But at the end of three dayes they were all laid hands upon and taken as Prisoners For some of their most malitious enemies put it easily in the Regents head and the Ambassadors that it was well done to move the Queen of England to cause to deliver the whole Prisoners to the Regent to be disposed upon at his pleasure alledging they had no surety but a naked promise which they needed not to keep and because these of the Castle confided wholy on the Marshals promise the Ambassador was advised to prevent the Marshals Writing so that er'e he did write to the Queen thereabout her Letter came to him to deliver up the Prisoners who had been in the Castle to the Regent And he durst not disobey her Command the same being so peremptory tho he obeyed it with much regret and great reluctancy by reason of his promise and returned malecontent to Berwick And they in the Castle were Committed to strait ward and thereafter new Letters were purchased by the Regent from the Queen that he might execute them which she willingly permitted for she would gladly have been quit of my Lord Hume and Grange as being two true Scotsmen unwonable to England to do any thing prejudicial to their King or Country and of the Secretary Lidingtoun but he dyed at Lieth after the old Roman fashion as was said to prevent his coming to the Shambles with the rest As for the Lord Hume the Regent durst not meddle with him he standing in awe of Alexander Hume of Manderstoun Coildinknows and the Good man of North Berwick and the rest of that name who boasted with very proud Language He dyed shortly after being warded in the Castle of Edinbrugh Mr. Killegrew the English Ambassador desired no other reward for his labour but the preservation of my Brother Sir Robert's life for he was obliged formerly to him and me The Composition was kept to all the rest of the mean Gentlemen The Priour of Coldingham and Laird of Drylaw were afterwards set at liberty Sundry of the Captains of Berwick went up to the Castle by the breach beat down in the fore Wall by the Canons that they might say that they had won the Maiden Castle But this was after that the house was delivered over to the Regents Brother yet he would not suffer them to enter there with any number On this manner both England and the Regent were revenged upon that worth Champion whom they had sometimes in great estimation who had done such notable service in France being Captain of an hundred light Horsemen that he was extolled by the Duke of Vendome Prince of Conde and Duke of Aumale Governors and Colonels then in Picardy that I heard Henry the 2d point unto him and say yonder is one of the most Valiant Men of our Age. Also the King used him so familiarly that he chose him commonly upon his side in all pastimes he went to and because he shot far with a great Shaft at the Butts the King would have him to shoot two Arrows one for his pleasure The great Constable of France would never speak to him uncovered and that King gave him an honourable Pension whereof he never sought payment England had proof of his Valour frequently against them upon the Borders where he gave them divers ruffles In a single Combate he vanquished the Earl of Rivers's Brother between the two Armies of Scotland and England He afterward Debated manfully the liberty of his Country against the French men when they intended to
erect the Land into a Province He had lately refused the demands of Mr. Randolph and Mr. Killegrew as is before mentioned and had reproached both the said Ambassadors of false and deceitful dealing Last of all he had refused to put the Castle into the hands of English men and therefore because he was true to his Prince and Country it cost him his life For they boasted plainly to bring down that Gyants pride who as they alledged presumed to be another Wallace Albeit contrariwise he was humble gentle and meek like a Lamb in the House but like a Lyon in the Fields He was a lusty strong and well proportioned personage hardy and of a magnanimous Courage secret and prudent in all his enterprises so that never one that he made or devised misgave where he was present himself When he was Victorious he was very merciful and naturally liberal an enemy to greediness and ambition and a friend to all men in adversity He fell frequently in trouble in protecting innocent men from such as would oppress them so that these his worthy qualifications were also partly causes and means of his wrack For they promoted him so in the opinion of many that some loved him for his Religion Uprightness and Manliness others again depended upon him for his good fortune and apparent promotion whereby divers of them hoped to be advanced and rewarded supposing that Offices and Honours could not fail to fall to him All which he wanted through his own default for he had fled foom Avarice and abhorred Ambition and refused sundry great Offices even to be Regent which were in his offer as well as other great Benefices and Pensions Thus wanting place and subsistance to reward he was soon abandoned by his greedy and ambitious dependers for when they saw him at a strait they drew to others whom they perceived to aim at more profitable marks On the other hand he was as much envied by those who were of a vile and unworthy nature of whom many have made Tragical ends for their too great Avarice and Ambition as shortly after did the Earl of Mortoun This gallant Gentleman perished for being too little ambitious and greedy But so soon as the King's Majesty came to perfect age and had understood how matters had gone during his minority he caused to restore the Heirs of the said Laird of Grange whom he said was wracked contrary to the appointment made with the Marshal of Berwick and also ordered his bones to be taken up and buried honourably in the ancient Burial place of his Predecessors in Kinghorn After his death the Marshal of Berwick took so heavy displeasure finding himself so far affronted because of the breach of his promise and that the appointment which he had made with the Castle of Edinbrugh was not kept that he would tarry no longer in his Office at Berwick seeing he judged he had lost his credit and reputation for he was a plain Man of War and loved Grange so dearly that at his request he spared to cast down the Houses of Seatoun and Nidrie when he came in to cast down the House of Hamiltoun Likewise all the Officers of Berwick lamented the loss of so worthy a Captain The Regent triumphed for a while because of the great assistance that England made to him which they had never done to any of the former Regents but rather stirred up factions and parties against them to keep the Country in discord The causes that moved them so to assist him were That they believed the old jealousies betwixt the Stuarts and Douglasses should by him be brought to an end the young King being in his hands to be disposed of at pleasure the Queen his Mother being already Captive in their hands which two only could join Scotland and England in one Monarchy Therefore above all others the guiders of the Court of England for the time wished them out of the way as well for the great Offices done by them both to King and Queen as for the desire they had to destroy that Race and Line to place some of their own friends to succeed to the Crown of England So thinking that the Regent's mark in Scotland and theirs in England was conformable they established and fortified him in his Regiment though God in his goodness suffered not their practises to take effect For the Regent wanting Heirs of his own body and having no Competitors to stay him from doing any thing that he pleased when he thought the time meet he delayed matters and in the mean time bent his whole study how to gather riches and how to suck out substance both from England and Scotland moving England thereby too late to repent that they had not preserved the Laird of Grange to be an awe over the Regent as he kept the King to be an aw over them And as he was crafty so he was fearful and slow of nature and thought the Earl of Angus his Brother's Son yet too young and not capable to comprehend his hidden intention and therefore he was long of resolving In the mean time serving his own turn with England as they did with all the World when they were like to have any trouble among themselves or with their Neighbours then he compelled them to send him mony which they were necessitated to do though sore against their heart with a hidden despight and secret hatred at his slowness on the one part and covetousness on the other This Regent held the Country in an established Estate under great obedience better then for many years before or since For there was not another Earl of Mortoun to stir up the factious Subjects as he used to do against the rest of the Regents which made him so proud and disdainful that he despised the rest of the Nobility And using no Mans counsel but his own he became ungrateful to all his old Friends and Servants And being under pretext of Justice used to commit divers wrongs and extortions he caused to begin a Process against the Laird of Fentry because many years before a Thief had made his escape out of his hands and against the Laird of Seafield for a piece of Land and against Mr. James Thorntoun for his Benefice Thus as he had lost the favour of England so did he by such ways the hearts of all Scotland but only of George Auflech and Alexander Gerdan As for the Laird of Carmichael he lamented to me grievously of his ingratitude toward him and was minded to leave him untill I gave him counsel to help himself by the hurtful experience of the Laird of Grange and Walter Melvil my Brother who was one of the Gentlemen of the Earl of Murray's Chamber which two lost his favour so soon as he became Regent And likewise I told him that very way I lost him my self for we had been long familiar with him and had assisted him in all his troubles but when he was Regent we would with our wonted
to be brought again to be Master of the Court which was accomplished upon a night at midnight When he came to the Gates of the Castle of Sterling they were opened unto him by the two Abbots and a Faction that they had drawn in there with them Albeit the Master of Mar and Earl of Aguile made what resistance they could where the Master 's eldest Son dyed in the throng yet the enterprisers prevailed and brought in again the Earl of Mortoun and put out the Earl of Arguile the Master of Mar Drumwhasel and such others as they misliked and so made a new change at Court Where the Earl of Mortoun handled the matter so discreetly and moderately as he could that the alteration should not appear to be over sharp or violent The new chosen Council scattered incontinently some of them retiring home and some joined with the Earl of Mortoun hoping never to see a turn again About this time came out of France my Lord of Aubonie who was afterward made Duke of Lennox who was Brother's Son to the Earl of Lennox and obtained afterward great credit and favour James Stuart of Oghiltrie of whom I formerly made mention assisted him through process of time to perswade the King's Majesty to desire to ride out of Sterling and make a progress among the rest of his Subjects which the Earl of Mortoun could not resist supposing that it lay in his power to frame the Court at his pleasure For by his great wealth he was resolved to gain so many as he judged necessary and so by the multitude of his friends to bear out the business however the Court was ruled after he had obtained a discharge and alliance of his intromission For though during the time that he was Regent he was always strongest about the King but my Lord Aubony and James Stewart were most in favour who by their continual rounding in the King's Ear against the Earl of Mortoun ingendered at last a greater dislike in the King of him then he had before And as James Stuart was the stirrer up of the other so afterward when he found the time convenient he took occasion to accuse the said Earl before the Council of the late King's murther Whereupon the Earl of Mortoun was made Prisoner and sent first to the Castle of Edinbrugh and afterward to the Castle of Dumbartoun which was thought strange in respect of his many friends that were in Court for the time who were then found to be but friends to his fortune For he was loved by none and envied and hated by many so that they all looked through their fingers to see his fall England was also angry at him for the time because of his slowness to answer their turns which they had hoped for at his hands having put the King and Country in his power Yet they made some offer to assist him which occasioned to hasten his ruin For they sent down Seventeen Companies to the Borders boasting to send a greater number and to declare open War in case the Earl of Mortoun was not set at liberty and the Lord Aubony put out of Scotland Mr. Randolph was sent in with this Ambassage His Majesty again having these two young Counsellors about him who knew of no perils raised a Taxation to pay Soldiers and caused to make a Proclamation for every Man to be in readiness upon a call which moved the English to retire and leave off endeavouring any more his assistance encouraging thereby such as were deadly Enemies to the Earl of Mortoun to ride to Dumbartoun with a thousand raised and hired Men together with their own friends to bring the Earl of Mortoun back again to Edinbrugh to undergo an Assize Some of the Earl's friends convened to take him out of their hands but found not themselves strong enough They might have done it had it not been the Forces which had been newly levied occasioned by the threat'nings which England had made Being brought to Edinbrugh he found few friends to appear or act for him His Gold and Silver was transported long before by his Natural Son James Douglas and one of his Servants called John Mac-Morran It was first carried in Barrels and afterward hid in some secret parts part whereof was given to be kept by some who were lookt upon as his friends who made ill accompt of it again so that the most part thereof lighted in bad hands and himself was so destitute of mony that when he went through the Street to the Tolbooth to undergo his Assize he was compelled to borrow Twenty shillings to distribute to the Poor who asked Alms of him for God's sake The Assize condemned him to death as being Airt and Pairt in the King's murther and as being of Councel with the Earl of Bothwel who brought him out of banishment when he was absent for the slaughter of David Rixio He granted that he was made privy thereto but had no hand in devising thereof And as concerning the young King he owned that he purposed to send him to England for his weal that he might the rather obtain his Right to the Crown of England being within the Country and brought up among them He dyed resolutely and had ended more perfectly if he had declared and confessed his Worldly practises and fetches to nourish the Civil Troubles partly at the devotion of England and partly for his own particular profit during the Government of the first three Regents which occasioned great blood-sheding that commonly cries to Heaven for vengeance During the King's young years the partialities were so great and the whole Country so disturbed by the two several parties who alledged to fight and strive for the King and the Queen being then Captive in England and the King yet very young that many perceived them to be but factious ambitious avaritious greedy worldly wretched persons Both parties were craftily stirred up and kept in trouble by one only Faction in England who had that Queens Ear intending the wrack as well of our King as Queen to advance some of their friends to inherit the Crown of England which occasioned a great out-cry against our foolish contentions After that the Earl of Mortoun the last of the four Regents was deposed the King's Majesty being young took the Government into his own hands my Lord of Aubony being made Lord Dalkieth and afterward Duke of Lennox was chief about his Majesty and James Stuart formerly mentioned who afterward took unto himself the style and then the Earldom of Arran thinking that he had done great Service and deserved well for accusing and wracking the Earl of Mortoun he married the Earl of March his Relict The Duke was of nature upright just and gentle but wanted experience in the state of the Country At the first he was wholly guided by the said James Stuart and his Wife who both began to envy him and therefore they endeavoured how they might cast him off that they might attain to the
sole management of Affairs And for this end they gave him bad advice and sinister informations against sundry of his best friends And being likewise Educated a Papist and suspected to be at the Duke of Guise's devotion and therefore a dangerous Man to be about his Majesty the whole Country was stirred up against him England by their Ambassadour helping to kindle the fire Mr. David Macgil and Mr. Henry Keer were his chief Councellors both wise enough for their own profit but careless of his standing and therefore not fit to counsel him who was his Majesty's greatest favourite At the instigation and mis-information of the Earl of Arran and his Lady he first did cast off his true friend the Master of Mar Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh and after that Sir William Stuart Captain of Dumbartoun and then Alexander Clerk Provost of Edinbrugh and the Earl of Gaurie Treasurer The rest of the Nobility were also dissatisfied to see these two young Lords only in favour with the King finding that they both did aim at Noblemens lives for their Lands And albeit some of them misliked the Earl of Mortoun's proceedings yet they judged the taking of his life an hard preparative They likewise suspected Religion to be in hazard the one being a Papist and the other a scorner of all Religion They thought that from two such Counsellors no wholsome advice could proceed for the peace of the Country and the establishment of Religion Therefore a number of them consulted together to displace both the Duke and the Earl of Arran to send the one to France and to remove the other from Court In the mean time they resolved to throng themselves in about the King and to make a reformation of the abuses and to inviron his Majesty with their Forces so soon as he came to Dumfarmling whither he had appointed to come at his return out of Athol where he was for the time ahunting and to present to him this Supplication IT may appear strange to your Majesty that we your most humble and faithful Subjects are here convened beyond your expectation and without your knowledge but after your Majesty hath heard the urgent occasion that hath pressed us hereto your Majesty will not marvel at this our honest lawful and necessary enterprise Sir For the dutiful Reverence that we owe unto your Majesty and for that we abhor to attempt any thing that may seem displeasing to your Majesty we have for the space of two years suffered such false Accusations Calumnies Oppressions and Persecutions by means of the Duke of Lennox and him who is called Earl of Arran that the like Insolencies and Enormities were never heretofore born with in Scotland Which wrongs albeit they were most intolerable yet when they only touched us in particular we comported with them patiently ever attending when it should please your Majesty to give a remedy thereto But seeing the persons aforesaid have plainly designed to trouble the whole Body of the Common-Wealth as well the Ministers of the blessed Evangel as the true Professors thereof but in special that number of Noblemen Barrons Burgesses and Commonalty who did most worthily behave themselves in your Majesties Service during your youth whom principally and only they molest and against whom they use most extremity and rigour of Laws oft-times most sinistrously perverting the same for their destruction so that one part of these your best Subjects are Exiled another part Tormented and put to questions which they are not in Law obliged to answer and withal execute with partiality and injustice all your Laws And if any escape their barbarous fury they can have no access to your Majesty but are falsly calumniated and debarred from your presence and kept out of your favour Papists and most notable Murtherers are called home daily and restored to their former honours and heritages and oftimes highly rewarded with the Offices and Possessions of your most faithful Servants Finally your Estate Royal is not Governed by the Council of your Nobility as your most worthy Progenitors used to do but at the pleasure of the foresaid persons who enterprise nothing but as they are directed by the Bishops of Glascow and Ross your denounced Rebels having with them adjoyned in their ordinary Councels the Popes Nuntio with the Ambassador of Spain and such other of the Papists of France as endeavour to subvert the true Religion and to bring your Majesty in discredit with your Subjects They travel to cause you negotiate and traffick with your Mother without the advice of your Estates perswading your Majesty to be reconciled with her and to associate her conjunctly with you in the Authority-Royal meaning nothing other thereby but to Convict us of Usurpation and Treason And so having these your best Subjects out of the way who with the defence of your Authority maintained the true Religion as two things united and inseperable what else could have followed but the wrack and destruction of both For conclusion your whole native Country for which Sir you must give an account to the Eternal God as we must be answerable to your Majesty is so perturbed and altered and the true Religion the Commonwealth your Estate and Person are in no less danger then when you were delivered out of the hands of the cruel Murtherers of your Father who they were we will not insist on at this present Sir beholding these great dangers to be eminent and at hand without speedy help and perceiving your noble person in such hazard the preservation whereof is more precious to us then our own lives finding also no appearance that your Majesty was forewarned hereof but like to perish before you could see the peril we thought that we could not be answerable to our Eternal God neither faithful Subjects to your Majesty if according to our ability we prevented not this present distress preserving your Majesty from the same For this effect with all dutiful humility and obedience we your Majesties true Subjects are here convened desiring your Majesty in the name of God and for the love you bear to his true Religion to your Country and Commonwealth and as you would see the tranquillity of your own Estate to retire your self to some part of the Country where your Majesties person may be most safely preserved and your Nobility secured who are under hazard of Lands Life and Heritages And then your Majesty shall see the disloyalties falshoods and Treasons of the persons aforesaid evidently proved and declared to their faces to the glory of God advancement of his true Religion your Majesties preservation and honour and the deliverance of your troubled Commonweal and Country and to their perpetual ignominy and shame At this Highland hunting His Majesty was very meanly accompanied The Duke of Lennox tarried for the time at Dalkieth the new Earl of Arran was at Kinneel many of the Councel were appointed to hold Justice Airs in divers Shires of the Country I was ordained to
then about me perceiving my grief and miscontent offered even then to relieve me whensoever I would desire to be at greater liberty Whereupon I made you then that answer whereof you make mention in your Letter as I gave the like answer to the French Ambassadour Nevertheless I was ever resolved at a fit time to relieve my self for my honour as I have done lately following another saying of Isocrates willing Princes to hazard rather to dye honestly then to ring shamefully for how I did ring for the time you might know by your Cousin Mr. Cairo in whose ear I rounded my familiary inward grief because he said you desired him to require it at me apart promising that it should be secretly kept from all others albeit I used not such freedom with Mr. Bowes Indeed I subscribed such Writs and Letters as the said Lords presented to me for the time was unfit to dispute too precisely upon Circumstances that were determined by these who were Masters of me and the State This Answer I suppose will satisfie your own reasonable and equitable Judgment discreetly considering the same with your self apart I doubt if it will be so interpreted by others of your Councel who have particular designs of their own to whom because I impute the whole hard Language contained in your angry Letter and not to your self and gentle inclination I think it not needful now to write an Answer unto every part of the same So attending patiently upon your better intelligence and information in these matters I will rather retain in my memory your former fruitful friendship then now start at any wrong set Syllable or sowre sentence placed in your paper at the partial instance of others As concerning that which toucheth the Duke of Lennox his godly end hath declared his honest meaning Whose death I might justly lay upon such as forcibly removed him from my presence nevertheless I resolve to put all by-gones in Oblivion neither to compel any man to take a faultless Pardon Where you desire that I proceed no further until a trusty Messenger may come from you I intend to stay from doing any thing till then that you may justly be offended with Albeit Isocrates advises Princes speedily to execute such turns as good Councel thinks necessary to be done wishing that he who shall be sent may be as willing to work the effects of true love and friendship betwixt us as I am assured it is both our hearts desire and intention whereto I pray the Lord to grant increase continuance and happiness to his glory and to the well peace and quiet of both our Realms The Secretary Walsingham was he of whom mention is made in her Majesties Letter to be sent in here but he was long by the way by reason that he was sickly In the mean time Mr. Bowes who was Ambassador resident at Edinbrugh had received this Letter by the ordinary Post and returned the Answer He declared many Commendations from my Lord Burly and several of the Council of England to my Brother Sir Robert and me alledging that they were glad to hear that such men were about His Majesty that were of their Religion and with whom they were long acquainted wishing many such to be in Court About this time the Earl of Arran obtained the keeping of the Castle of Stirling and insinuated himself so far upon His Majesty that he took upon him the whole management of affairs and caused sundry Noblemen to be banished as the Earls of Mar Angus and the Master of Glains and divers others And by his insolency he drove the Earl of Gaurie from Court far against his Majesties intention who sent me for him to his house to bring him again to Court which was for the time at Coupar in Fyffe where His Majesty agreed him and the Earl of Arran But no conditions promised were kept to Gaurie so that he was so vexed that he resolved to leave the Country I have already declared how loath I was that either His Majesty should leave the Lords who were about him or that I should in any wise be a medler again in publick affairs considering the many alterations I had seen by long and hurtful experience yet the affection I had for His Majesty engaged me not to refuse his Commands being my native Prince and Master and I his humble Subject and sworn Servant first as his domestick as being one of the Gentlemen of his Chamber and a Member of his Privy-Council But after his Majesty being taken I was no more admitted by his Keepers who thought fit for their security to place such men about him as were intirely at their Devotion As for my part as I was sorry that His Majesty should be used any other way then at his own pleasure so I was much satisfied to be permitted to live quietly at home the rest of my days yet being called again by His Majesty I waited upon his Commands Now again perceiving His Majesties most acceptable Proclamations slyly and cunningly changed contrary to His Majesties merciful intentions by issuing out contrary Proclamations and intending violent persuits against these concerned in the Road of Ruthven whereby too great a number of Noblemen and Gentlemen despaired of their Safety and Lives in a lamenting manner I remembred his Majesty how he was abused and what great inconveniencies were like to ensue Thereupon His Majesty upon my relation appeared very sorrowful and assured me of his resolutions to amend these disorders but it was his misfortune to advise thereabouts with these who underhand were chief instruments therein Believing that because he loved them they also loved him and the well of his affairs They again making some appearance of intentions of satisfying his expectation indirectly by means of too many who depended upon the Earl of Arrans extraordinary Credit and Favour the contrary to his Majesties princely and upright meaning was brought about so that many Noblemen left the Country and all honest men left the Court to the great satisfaction of the Earl of Arran and his Wife who had the greater opportunity of guiding all And that they might the easier set forward this course they perswaded His Majesty to pass to Stirling whither they knew few or none durst repair who were not at his Devotion he being Captain of the said Castle and Provost of the Town after I had frequently warned His Majesty of the storm I did foresee coming I retired my self from Court. His Majesty being at Stirling asked frequently for me regretting that I was not continually with him Whereupon the Earl of Arran advised that I should be sent ambassador to the Queen of England upon some pretended affair as well to absent me from His Majesty who he perceived had some favour for me as to take occasion upon my return to bring me in disgrace as if I had been guilty of some mis-management because he knew that as matters stood I could do no good at that time And
next day his Majesty gave him Audience accompanied with Mr. Bowes Ambassador Resident in Scotland Their first reasoning was upon his Majesties Liberty and wherefore he had left the Company who were about him being the best and most religious sort of the Nobility and of his Majesties best acquaintance and by whom she would deal in her affairs more friendly then she could do with others whom she could not so well Credit Whereunto his Majesty made answer so gravely and directly that Walsingham wondred The next day his Majesty appointed four of the Council and my self to be with them to reason with him and to sound what he would be at But he refused to deal with any but with his Majesty who heard him again without Mr. Bowes Where he discoursed long with his Majesty and when he came forth from his Majesty he took me by the hand and said that he was the best content man that could be for he had spoken with a notable young Prince ignorant of nothing and of so great expectation that he thought his Travel well bestowed The Earl of Arran desired to enter into familiar Conference with him but he refused to speak with him Making no longer stay but took leave of his Majesty who commanded me to accompany him to the Ferry At our parting he promised at all occasions to write to me and much lamented that the Earl of Arran was again in Court and in such Credit with his Majesty Which he said if he had understood before he took his Journey he would have shifted the same and suffered some other to have been sent For he could see no sure course could be taken between their Majesties so long as such instruments had such Credit about him For he esteemed the said Earl a scorner of Religion a sower of discord and a despiser of true and honest men and therefore he refused to speak with him or enter into acquaintance For he was of a contrary nature religious true and a lover of all honest men Therefore Arran to be revenged upon him spared not to do a great dishonour to his Majesty First for despite that he refused to speak with him he caused refuse to permit the Captains of Berwick and divers other honest Gentlemen who came to Convoy the Secretary Walsingham the entry of his Majesties Chamber door And then he caused to prepare a scornful Present for him at his departure to wit a Ring with a stone of Crystal instead of a rich Diamond which his Majesty had appointed for him valued at 700 Crowns which he was oftimes minded to send back again unto his Majesty rather to let him see how he was abused then how he was used Some promise was also made unto him about the repairing some wrongs done by Scotsmen upon the borders which he alledged was not kept For Arran did what he could to displease him and to render his Commission in all points ineffectual and his Travel in vain Nevertheless he made so good report of his Majesties vertues and qualities that it put him in some suspition at his return to the Court of England where shortly after he took sickness and dyed My opinion is that if God had granted him longer life he would have been found a great friend to his Majesty who marvelled that the chief Secretary of England burthened with so many great affairs sickly and aged should have enterprised so painful a Voyage without any purpose For it could not be yet perceived what was his Errand save only that he gave his Majesty good Counsel But he being religious and of a good conscience was desirous to see and understand assuredly such qualifications to be in his Majesty whereof he had frequently been informed He returned with great contentment in his mind for that part but very sorrowful for the company that he found in greatest favour and credit about his Majesty Which was the more unexpected by reason of a Letter that his Majesty had sent unto the Queen his Mistress promising not to bring in again to Court the Earl of Arran without her advice and consent For my part I never saw such appearance of a prosperous Estate for his Majesties honour surety love and obedience of his own Subjects increase of the number of his friends in England to the advancement of his Title neither before that time nor since if the said Arran had not been brought a-again to Court which I left not undeclared to his Majesty divers times not without some danger Indeed his Majesties intention was not that he should stay at Court but onely to come and kiss his hand But he again being once entred won some of the Lords whose particulars he promised to set forward if they would concur withhim and shew his Majesty that his presence about his person was necessary and that my gentle proceedings would ruin the Kings interest and them all Managing thus the matter he remained at Court and minded to make himself and his assistors rich by the wrack and spoil of others who had taken his Majesty at the Road of Ruthven And then he and they were to guide all at their pleasure So many of them who shot at particular marks ran a strait Course with him because they thought by his Credit to make up themselves They feared to lose his Majesties favour in case Arran was not their friend And some of them did what they could to persuade me todo the like alledging that otherwise I should be shut out Which came to pass shortly after because I would not yield nor concurr to cast all loose to the peril of his Majesties Estate and Reputation remembring what was intended promised and proclaimed at his Majesties obtaining his Liberty It is certain that the Lords who made that interprise had great occasion given them to be discontent but no sufficient cause to oblige them to compel their Soveraign Prince to remove from him these he so well liked Which rebellious proceeding compelled them also for their surety to retain and hold the King as Captive His Majesty again being advertised and admonished that the dangerous proceedings of the Duke of Lennox and Earl of Arran were like to breed disorder took too little care to prevent the apparent inconveniencies and used too little diligence to get sure intelligence and information thereof which brought him to that strait of being taken and kept For it had been less pains to have taken good notice in due time how his Country was Governed then to put order or remedy thereto afterward For it is no little Error to render the most part of the Nobility and Subjects malecontent nor no great wisdome after his Majesty was in their hands to slip from them without their consents The interprisers assisters and allowers of the deed being so considerable a number as could not be overcome but by patience nor punished but by subversion of the State and endangering of the Prince his own person Yet it pleased God to guide his
Majesty to his liberty albeit not without some peril with honour at the first and with the universal contentment of all his Subjects so soon as they understood his honest meaning and gracious deliberation as well by Promise as by Proclamation as is already specified For my part I forget not at all occasions to remember his Majesty I refused the Office of Secretary when offered by his Majesty in reward of my service because it was promised that no man should want his Offices Benefits Lands or Escheats I opposed my self in full Council against the Earl of Arran because he had formed a Proclamation against the Lords of the Road of Ruthven contrary to His Majesty's former Proclamation of Grace and Oblivion For which he leapt out of the house in a great rage at me and for despight he made a List of the Names of so many as should be upon the Privy Council and left out my name Likewise he named so many of his dependers as should serve in every Office which his Majesty was resolved not to acquiesce to without my advice Yet he prevailed with His Majesty to subscribe the same assisted by the foresaid Lords who took plain part with him So I was shut out of door and had no more place to do good His Majesty graciously excused the matter and said That the Lords had no will of two Brothers being upon the Council But when he should get a Wife I should be her Councellour and chief about her So that if they were glad to be quit of me I was as glad to be free of them and not to be partakers with them in advices tending directly to indanger the Prince and the Country Yet his Majesty assured me That he would go to Edinbrugh according to the advice I had given in my forementioned Letter and Convene the Nobility Barons and others whom I had named in order to the settling of the Country And in the mean time he told me That the Earl of Arran thought fit to send to England the Bishop of St. Andrews alledging That he was passing to the Spaw for recovery of his health Who passing through England might have Commission to deal with that Queen in his Majesties affairs And in case he found her willing to discourse friendly and freely he should then shew her that his Majesty would send me thither to satisfie her more sufficiently in such things as she would require And to that effect the said Bishop should send back word by a Gentleman Captain Robert Melvil who went thither expresly to be sent back with the said answer I was commanded to write in the Bishop's favour but he was too well known in England For Mr. Bowes who remained long in this Country had informed them sufficiently of the said Bishop's qualities who was disdained in England and dishonoured his Country by borrowing of Gold and pretious Furniture from the Bishop of London and divers others which was never restored nor payed for His Majesty nevertheless would have me to grant to go to England and to be in readyness He desired me to make my own Instructions alledging That I knew what was meetest for him to require at that time I would not take upon me to make my own Instructions but I promised to pen the Speech that I would think most proper to recite to her Majesty in case I went thither and which I would judge to be the fittest language that any sent thither could speak for the time After his Majesty had perused the same he much relished it and declared it was fully conform to his own intentions It was in these words MADAM ALbeit that your Majesty be as sufficiently certified of the King my Sovereign's conformable mind to satisfie your Majesty as well by Sir Francis Walsingham your Secretary as by the Bishop of St. Andrews his Ambassadour granting the one his whole desires by mouth and declaring by the other how strictly he hath observed and performed the same in effect more to satisfie your motherly mind by shewing the tokens of a thankful and obedient Son then for any great advantage he perceives you thereby seek for your self So that it is his Majesty's intention chiefly seeing he hath taken the Rudder into his own hand to discover to you ay the longer the more the perfect fruits of his hearty affection For now having attained unto some years of knowledge and dear bought experience by that which hath been oft beat in his Ears he is not ignorant how that your Majesties favour and assistance will be more contributive for his advantage and advancement then can be any or that he can obtain from all the other Princes in Europe Your Majesty being to him so dear a Mother and so near a Neighbour both your Subjects appearing to be but one People Especially since your prudent Government began the effects whereof hath not only been found by your own but by your neighbours The same having extended it self to the advantage of other Kingdoms especially overshadowing this whole Island to your Majesties everlasting honour For never in any Princes days hath been seen so much rest so great riches and felicity in England which likewise might have been in Scotland if the particularities of some of the Subjects had suffered them to have followed your Sage Charitable and Loving admonitions As the consideration thereof is the reason which induced his Majesty whom the matter most toucheth to direct me to your Majesty after ripe deliberation and upon the sure ground of the good information of such as are best inclined and have greatest experience to seek the assistance which he hath so oft seen sent unto him help and wholsom advice where he hath so oft found it and salutary Plaisters to be laid unto the Sores that yet daily breed and arise in his Realm as remains of the Canker and disorder ingendred during his Minority Seeing then the thing that he craves is your accustomed Kindness and Counsel which because the strength of your constancy will compel you to continue towards him he is the more humbly to suit the same as most seemly for his neerness of Kin Age and Estate to do Perswading himself that such friendly Offices might be used between you as may tend to both your contentments and weal of your Kingdoms which for lack of sure intelligence of others minds by secret and mutual conference of devotious and discreet instruments might otherwise turn to the contrary The King my Master knows that a mighty Man cannot stand upon one side he grants that he hath now greater need of your help then you of his in many things But he thinks himself as able and is as willing to deserve favour at your hand as any who can contend with him for the same or would presume to sound the Bell of Succession in your Ears For his part he requires no instant Declaration thereof but will continually crave by his behaviour all such preferment as an humble Son ought
and great bruits of an alteration Whereupon a Letter was written to me by Colonel Stuart at His Majesty's Command ordaining me with all diligence to repair to Court or in case I was not recovered of my Ague whereof I had been long sick that I might write my Mind and Opinion to His Majesty in a Letter what was like to fall out concerning the great Rumour and Bruits of an apparent alteration And being by reason of my foresaid Distemper unable for Travel I sent my return in Writing shewing His Majesty that there was an universal miscontent with great bruits not without appearance of probability of a sudden change occasioned by the misbehaviour of such as were managers at Court and by the great straits and desperate Estate of those who were pursued being men of Quality Active and Experienced And a greater number then could be born down or mastered as I had frequently shewn His Majesty before without respect of feud or favour but simply for His Majesty's Service Intreating His Majesty again to set forward his former acceptable intentions which he had resolved to do when he went to St. Andrews Seeing there was no other course advisable for setling his troubled Estate This kind of language was the better liked because of so many Advertisments that came daily to His Majesty's Ears These bruits made His Majesty be upon his Guard and to use means to get intelligence The lingring of the Earl of Gaury in Dundie gave ground of suspicion His Majesty had also been advertised That he had laid aside his intentions of going abroad according to his former resolutions and that he was designing to wait upon the in-coming of the banished Lords His Majesty also dreamed a Dream that he saw the Earl of Gaury taken and brought in Prisoner before him by Colonel Stuart And he thought his Estate was thereby settled which indeed for that time came true because the Lords who had taken Sterling so soon as they understood of the taking of the Earl of Gaury fled incontinently out of Sterling and at last out of the Country Believing that the said Earl had been taken willingly supposing his affection to have been so great to His Majesty as being his near kinsman come of the House of Angus his Mother being a Natural Daughter of the said House that he would be thereby induced to discover the whole design He not having been upon the first design of any enterprise but drawn in afterwards by the craftiness of others Upon these considerations His Majesty had compassion upon him and had no intentions of taking his Life But the Earl of Arran was fully resolved to have his Lands and therefore to make a Party to assist him in that design he ingaged to divide them with several others upon condition that they would assist him in the design of ruining him Which afterwards he did having by this means procured their Consent and Votes At his death upon the Scaffold he shewed himself a devout Christian and a resolute Roman much regrated by all who heard his grave Harangue and did see his constant End After his death there was quietness for a while though without appearance of long continuance to such as took up matters right During this little while of fair Weather there was a Parliament held to forfault the banished Lords wherein these were chiefly instrumental who hoped to raise their particular Fortunes upon the ruine of their Neighbours Among others it pleased His Majesty to write for me I was by him graciously received and remembring some of my Speeches he took me into his Cabinet and inquired how I now relished his proceedings I answered That he had reason to thank God and no good management and that I was assured there would be yet more enterprises That they who took Sterling and had retired again would never cease to make enterprise upon enterprise till they might see themselves in a better security His Majesty replied That they had gained so little by their last in-coming that he believed they would never commit such a folly again I answered That had not the accidental taking of the Earl of Gaury fallen out their enterprise would have been more successful For they suspected he was taken by his own desire to bewray their enterprise That otherwise they had gained their intent seeing some who were then about His Majesty would have concurred with them to lay aside the Earl of Arran whom they assisted for aw and not for love they hating his insolency and seeing no Outgate how to stand by him And that there had for that effect been secret promises made to them by instruments who went betwixt them But seeing the Earl of Gaury in hands and the said Lords thereby so discouraged as to fly away such as had made the said secret promises took up a new deliberation shewing themselves their greatest Enemies While in the mean time they but waited an opportunity of advancing their intentions About this time the Lord Burleigh chief Ruler in England caused send in one Mr. Davison to be an Agent here to see what business he could brew who was afterward made Secretary For after the decease of Walsingham Secretary Cicil being advanced to be Lord Burleigh and great Treasurer of England two Secretaries were chosen one called Mr. Smith and this Davison whose Predecessor was a Scotsman Upon which consideration he was thought more able to conquer credit here He had been in Scotland before and was at my house in company with Sir Henry Killegrew my old friend when he was Resident in Scotland At which time he acknowledged to me that he was come of Scotsmen and was a Scotsman in his heart and a favourer of the King 's Right and Title to the Crown of England He desired me to keep all secret from Mr. Killegrew promising if he could find the means to be employed here that he would do good Offices His Majesty was for the time at Falkland and wrote for me to be directed to ride and meet the said Davison Whom I was commanded to Convoy to Coupar there to remain till his Majesty had time to give him Audience Afterward I Convoyed him to my own house and from that to Falkland where His Majesty found his Commission to small avail But because Walsingham had refused at his being here to speak with the Earl of Arran albeit the said Earl had offered by me to give satisfaction to him in all his desires so that he would confer with him Which Walsingham still refused but Mr. Davison was directed at this time to deal with the Earl of Arran to see what advantage might be had at his hand For my Lord Burleigh was not content that Walsingham was so precise therefore Davison entred into familiarity with him and was made his Gossip and heard his frank offers and liked well of them For after that the Lords were fled to England and forfaulted the Council of England thought they had some ground to build
the King what answer were fittest to make At length he said he would declare the matter unto the Constable under promise of great secrecy causing the Constable by this niceness to suspect some practice When he gave him Audience he caused me to be present beside him At their meeting in the Constable's Cabinet his Irish Interpreter was put forth against his will as appeared But he was so instructed by the Ambassadour his Uncle to use such forreign and rude fashions Yet again e're he began to propose his Errand he desired secrecy The Constable being an old wise experimented Councellor put him a little aside and rounded in my Ear to know if ever I had seen this young Man before I answered That I had observed him the preceding day at long conference with one Mr. Sommer Secretary to the English Ambassadour Then the Constable thought that he should handle the matter well enough for he instantly conjectured that all this niceness proceeded from the Ambassadour to intrap him So calling the young Man again he desired him to shew what he had to say Mr. Wotton began to declare the great miscontentment that was in England not only for bringing in the proud Spaniard to Rule over them but also for the alteration of Religion made by Queen Mary moving many to Rebel and others to remove off the Country who nevertheless were all well received and treated by the King's Majesty of France Whereby he had gained the hearts of the third part of England so devoutly towards him that they would gladly put the Crown of England on his head getting liberty in Religion to be quit of the Spanish Tyranny and terrible Inquisition which was feared would also be established in England And for the first proof of their good will and gratitude a number of Lords and Knights who durst not write had sent him secretly with an Overture to put the strong Town of Calis into his hands with the whole Earldom of Oye At this the Constable made a start and said Know you not my friend that there is a sworn Peace betwixt your Queen and my Master The other replied again how that the Queen of England aided secretly whith Mony and Men the King of Spain her Husband in his Wars of Flanders against France Which the Constable alledged that she denied by her Ambassadour willing him however to tell out the rest of his Commission Then said he My Lord the means how you may get Calis is this First The most part of the Town is of the Reformed Religion and are Malecontents having refused to receive a Garison of Spaniards And they are friends to those who have sent me and keep correspondence with them only the Towns Ship keeps the Town keeping Watch and Ward being unskilful in handling their Arms. Therefore the King shall cause Monsieur Senarpon his Lieutenant in Normandy to lye in ambuscade at such a Wood within a mile and an half of the Town at an appointed day then a Ship well furnished with Armed Men shall lye at Anchor half a mile from the Town And some of them clothed like Marriners shall come on Land and have Swords and Pistols under their Cloaths and shall wait about two of the Afternoon at which time the Ports of the Town are opened to let Men in and out Part of those who attend the Ports will be at their Dinner when one or two will come before the rest to open the Gates Thus the Gates being easily seised upon let one of the Company shoot off a Culverin that the Ship may hear and shoot a Cannon to cause Monsieur de Senarpon with his Company advance In the mean time there shall be a mutiny raised in the Town by our friends and partners so that the Town shall be obtained without stroke After that the Constable had heard all this long discourse he said That it was a very probable design and he doubted not but it might be easily effectuated but in respect of the sworn Peace the King his Master would not nor should never have his consent to break it But that he was much ingaged to the Noblemen who did bear him so much good will and as for him who had taken so great pains the King should reward him willing me to remember to cause give mony to the young Gentleman So he gained nothing at the Constable's hand and never came again to seek his reward but was afterward manifestly known to be Brother's Son to Doctor Wotton Ambassadour as said is This is he now who was sent hither to bear His Majesty company as one who will not meddle with Practises but with Pastimes But when I forewarned His Majesty to beware of him and told how that he being little above Twenty years old was imployed to beguile the wise old Constable Now he was Fifty years and His Majesty but Twenty it was to be feared he would endeavour to beguile him Yet His Majesty would not believe me but believed the said Mr. Wotton to have a great kindness for him and so he became one of his most familiar Minions waiting upon him at all Field-pastimes and in appearance he despised all busie Councellors and medlers in matters of State as he was instructed by such as said he would please His Majesty best to appear such But he had more hurtful fetches in his head against His Majesty then any English-man that ever came in hither had at any time before You have heard before of a meeting that was drawn on at the Borders betwixt the Earl of Hunsdean and Arran where at their secret conference Arran was required by the craft of the Lord Burleigh and his faction in the English Council to stop the King from any marriage for three years upon many fair counterfeited promises One whereof was That he should be declared Second Person upon his marriage of the forenamed English Lady of the Blood At which Arran granted all that was desired he was so glad to procure the Queen of England's friendship About that time the Queen of England by her intelligence from Denmark was advertised of a great and magnifick Ambassage to be sent from Denmark to Scotland viz. Three Ambassadours with Sixscore Persons in Two gallant Ships Whether she suspected or had heard that it was to draw on a marriage I cannot tell But this far I learned that her Council judged it was to confirm at least a greater friendship betwixt the two Kings and their Countries which was one of the Causes that moved them to send this Mr. Wotton to Scotland to use all his wiles to disturb and hinder any greater Amity that might proceed from the said Commission and Negotiation between their two Kings and their Countries For England trusted nothing to the Earl of Arran's promise for they esteemed him as an inconstant Man as is already declared So soon as the Danish Ambassadours arrived by Ship in this Country His Majesty ordered me to entertain them and bear them company And
because they were three joined in Commission he willed me to choose any other two whom I thought meetest to bear them company with me I named unto His Majesty the Laird of Segie and William Shaw Master of Wark First At Dumfarmling they Congratulated His Majesty in the King their Master's Name with a long Discourse of the old Amity Bond and mutual Friendship between the two Kings and their Kingdoms And last of all they required the Isles of Orkny to be restored again to the Crown of Denmark alledging they were mortgaged to be redeemed again for the Sum of Fifty Thousand Florins Their coming and demand was diversly scanned some supposing Wars would ensue unless the said Isles were rendred others thought that their intention was to bring on a marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter Now albeit His Majesty was determined to treat them well and honourably they were nevertheless mishandled rufled and delayed here the space of Months to their great charge and discontent for they lived upon their own expences and were not defrayed by His Majesty as all other Ambassadours of that Nation have been since When they were appointed to part out of Dumfarmling toward St. Andrews there to get their dispatch His Majesty ordered to tell them That he would send them Horses out of his own Stable to ride upon The day of their parting being come they sent away their Baggage and Officers before them and were booted themselves waiting upon His Majesty's Horses and because they came not in due time they went forward on foot The King was much dissatisfied when he understood how they were handled and caused his Horses to follow fast after them and overtake them When they came to St. Andrews divers appointed days of Council and Covention were broken unto them which were promised to be kept for their dispatch for obtaining whereof they were very earnest Then Men were appointed to deride them at their Lodgings and before their Windows when they lookt out to the street So that nothing was left undone which could enrage them or stir them up to choller Only Mr. Wotton the English Ambassadour visited them frequently and did well and favourably entertain them comforting them at all occasions appearing to be sorry that they were so abused He offered to lend them Gold and Silver largely for the great friendship that he knew to be between the Queen his Mistress and the King of Denmark For he was assured of good payment and thought to purchase credit at their hands by his apparent friendly dealing At length under great secrecy he said he would not conceal from them that he had heard the King speak disdainful language of their Country and Customs and also That some of his Gentlemen had heard the King speak evil of their King undervaluing him as being descended of a Race of Merchants And he further assured them That he and his Council were resolved to keep them long here without any dispatch to affront and weary them Then again the said Ambassadour and two of his Gentlemen informed his Majesty of these hard Speeches of the reproachful dealing they had met with from King and Council reflecting upon their Master He informed him also of the rude manners and drunkenness of those that were about His Majesty who had the like scornful language of the King of Denmark his Country and Ambassadours moving His Majesty to make the less of them Whereby they were stirred up to such a rage that I had much to do to keep them two or three several times from going to their Ships to have returned to their King without any answer and to have given him an accompt of the disdainful usage they had met with and the injury thereby done to him The Earl of Arran was also their great Enemy because they made no court to him but rather slighted some of their Company having known him in Sweden a Common Soldier So that he was as ready as the rest to mock and deride them albeit at that same time the Ring-leaders about the Court were Combined together with the English Ambassadour against him The principal of the three Ambassadours was a wise grave and ancient Councellor The second was furious in his Speeches The third cried out The King our Master is affronted we must be revenged I took the first apart requesting him to hear me patiently for he spoke good Dutch but mine was not so good Therefore I desired that he would more notice my meaning then my words and be more careful to cause his friendly Commission to take effect that he might return home with happy success then to withdraw abruptly to be called unhappy Instruments of discord at the pleasure of a few scornful Factioners who had laid their heads together to cause them part dissatisfied and to be as instrumental in doing evil as they were minded at their coming to do good I told him how that the Queens Majesty of England was a wise well inclined and politick Princess and that there were as many honest and good Men in England as in so much bounds in the whole World abeit there was in it divers Opinions and Factions shooting at sundry marks as is done in all other parts And because that their Queen would never marry to have Succession of her own Body they were all very desirous to know who after her should Reign over them The most part of the Country expects that it shall be our King and wisheth his welfare and prosperity as being righteous Heir to the Crown of England both by the Father and Mother's side But those who at present have the chief management of the Court shoot at other particular marks of their own minding to set forward some of themselves or of their friends to brook the Kingdom And for that cause they make all the opposition they can to our King because of their unmerciful dealing to his Mother for the which they fear some day to be punished when he comes to be King of England For all these respects they endeavour to keep him from marriage and from all forreign Friendship and Alliance This Ambassadour of England is a very ill Instrument both himself and his Gentlemen and hunting daily with His Majesty makes the worst reports they can The Ambassadour of Denmark answered to that marvelling that Mr. Wotton should make such report of them he offering them so great friendship and giving them daily intelligence how they were scorned and mocked both by the King and his Council to his great regret offering to lend them mony and to do all other pleasures to them that lay in his power I replied He knew well enough that he would get good payment and great thanks For the King of Denmark was esteemed a worthy Prince and his Ambassadours worthy to be honoured but the guiders of the Court of England desire not that our King should think or esteem so of them wishing him to have but few Friends and many Enemies Then
I assured him That the King's Majesty and all his Subjects except some who were corrupted by England were determined to entertain and increase a continual friendship with the King and Country of Denmark Praying their wisdoms-couragiously to resist and not feebly and foolishly to give place to the said crafty practices of their scornful enviers by retiring abruptly thereby suffering themselves to be made evil Instruments directly against their own Intention and Commission and they should shortly see good success to follow thereupon to their great contentment Promising unto them for my part That I should go instantly unto his Majesty and with all hazard that might be should discover unto him how both he and they were deceitfully abused by the double dealing of the English Ambassadour and such Courtiers as assisted him Upon this discourse and promise they went to councel all three together as their custom was And after long conference they gave me answer That their coming was for to do good Offices And albeit they had suffered sundry injuries they would be sorry to be made Instruments of discord so far against their Commission and Intention and therefore would yet stay upon hope of better handling and upon my promise albeit to that hour few or none had been kept to them After this I shewed unto His Majesty what great inconveniencies might ensue upon the long delaying and ill handling of the Danish Ambassadours And yet that I marvelled not that he made so little accompt of them in respect of the great care and fine practices that were used to make him undervalue them by the English Ambassadour and his Assistants who had His Majesty's Ear for the time At the first His Majesty was impatient to hear this language spoken of Persons he had so good liking of and said that he was informed That the King of Denmark was descended but of Merchants and that few made accompt of him or his Country but such as spoke the Dutch Tongue For this was put in his head to prevent any of my perswasions in their favour lest they should get place or credit I answered That neither could the King of France or Queen of England speak Dutch and yet they made great accompt of the King and Country of Denmark France having their Ambassadour lying there and paying yearly to the King of Denmark a great Sum of Gold to the value of Twenty Thousand Crowns His Majesty said The more shame was his I said Rather to the King of France who must buy his kindness Neither could the Queen of England said I speak Dutch yet she made much accompt of the King and Country of Denmark and durst not offend him nor none of his Ships both by reason of the straight passage at Elsoonure and also because he had great Ships to make himself amends in case she did him or his any wrong I said moreover That whereas it hath been reported to Your Majesty the Race of their Kings not to be of Noble and Royal Blood I shall shew Your Majesty that it is but manifest invention to cause you to despise them For this late King Frederick is descended of an Old and Royal stock to wit Christianus of Denmark the first of that name who had two Sons and one Daughter called Margaret married into Scotland to James the Third his Eldest Son John was King after him his second Son Frederick was King of Norway and Duke of Holstein Iohn had a Son called Christianus the Second also King of Denmark who married Charles the Fifth his Sister who did bear him two Daughters Whereof the Eldest was given in marriage to Frederick Elector Palatine the Second to the Duke of Millain and afterward being a Widow married the Duke of Lorrain Himself was taken and kept in Prison by his Subjects for some rigorous Execution upon his Barons and his Father's Brother Frederick was made King After this Frederick the Earl of Altenbourg was chosen by assistance of the Town of Lubeck but Christianus the Third Son to the said Frederick put him out and conquered the Kingdom Nevertheless this Christianus being a good Prince would not change their old Priviledges but caused himself to be chosen and likewise his Son Frederick in his time to Reign after him who is now present King and hath sent this honourable Ambassage to Your Majesty as to his good friend and kinsman descended of the Kingly Race of Denmark And whereas he requires again the Isles of Orkny it is for the discharge of his Oath because every King of Denmark at his Election is sworn to claim again the said Isles which he hath done for the fashion and for no other effect but to draw on a greater familiarity and friendship Or else he had not sent so honourable a Company but rather an Herauld of Arms if he had been earnestly bent either to get the said Isles or to quarrel about them After that His Majesty had heard this Discourse far different to his former Informations he was exceeding glad and said he would not for his head but that I had shewn the verity unto him and that same afternoon he sent for the said Ambassadours and acquainted them how near Allied he was to the King of Denmark He excused their long delay and promised instantly to see them dispatched himself and that within three or four days He called for Wine and did drink to them and sent them home very well content and satisfied to their Lodgings He commanded a Banket to be prepared for them which His Majesty's Controller and Officers were quietly forbidden to do alledging the scantness of Provisions Which the Laird of Segie and I perceiving we dealt with the Earl of March who prepared a great Banquet for them in His Majesty's Name to the great dissatisfaction of Mr. Wotton and his Partisans who durst not appear And though they would not suffer His Majesty to be present at the Banquet but to Dine in his own Chamber yet His Majesty being informed by me how matters went he rose from his own Dinner and went to the Banquet-house and drank to the King Queen and Ambassadours of Denmark and so contented them And he caused their dispatch to be in readiness conform to his promise But when I advertised His Majesty That there was no Present prepared for to reward them withal he was wonderfully troubled saying They who had the management of his affairs were resolved to affront him Now at this time was the Earl at Court not so much in favour as formerly During the which time there chanced a strange misrule to fall out at a day of meeting upon the Borders which was set between the two Wardens where Sir Francis Russel upon the English side was killed Whereupon the English Ambassadour took occasion to lay the blame upon the Earl of Arran alledging That the Laird of Fernthast who was Warden upon the Scots side had married the Earl of Arran's Brother's Daughter And that the said Earl had caused the
they had both Him and his Servants in their power they had used no rigour nor vengeance His Majesty remembred how frequently I had forewarned him of this and the like accidents that I said would follow upon the Earl of Arran's rash proceedings He acknowledged he had been a bad Instrument and declared that he should never have more Place or Credit about him He desired me to wait at Court and help to do all good Offices betwixt him and his Nobility And to tell them the truth who was to blame for their trouble as having occasioned the same seeing he had great prejudice and no advantage thereby it being far from his inclination to seek any Man's Life Lands or Goods but only the peace and quiet of the Country and the settling of the Subjects among themselves Which I could testifie for a truth the verity thereof consisting within my knowledge His Majesty told me also how he had shewn unto the Noblemen my honest and friendly advices toward them and that I opposed my self continually to the Earl of Arran's proceedings He desired me also to help to satisfie the Ministers who were seeking to be restored unto their former free Assemblies which he had forbidden them at the advice of the Earl of Arran The same being one of the occasions of all the following troubles which were chiefly grounded upon the dissatisfaction of the Ministers by whom the Country was influenced So that I tarried a while at Court till matters began to take some setling Divers of the Lords also were earnest with me to stay offering me great kindness saying That His Majesty had told them every Man's part and behaviour in relation to their Banishment and Persecution And that I was ever for a moderate Course desiring and pressing as His Majesty's interest an Act of Oblivion to be Past for all by-gones during his Minority The said Lords therefore caused me to propose some of their suits to His Majesty whom in nothing they would press beyond his own pleasure But the Council was of different opinions concerning the restoring of the Ministers to their former Priviledges and Freedoms where I was brought in to give my Opinion The greatest part thought fit to delay them for a time chiefly such as had remained about His Majesty and had said too much before to the contrary But they had yet some private designs hatching in their heads which could not be brought about if the Country were wholly in Peace Which they knew would be were the Ministers satisfied My Opinion was That His Majesty was not to be blamed that the Noblemen were banished or the Ministers Priviledges taken from them seeing all these insolencies were committed by evil Instruments who ruled over His Majesty's good mind to satisfie their own Ambition Who now being fled and absent I knew no reason why the Ministers should not be restored to their former Priviledges as well as the Noblemen to their Lands and Honours the one being no less contributive to the setling of the Kingdom as the other Seeing if this were omitted the blame would still lye upon His Majesty and the Country would be still in trouble The Secretary Maitland was against this Opinion for he had formerly spoken too much on the contrary But the rest of the Noblemen and the Council thought my Opinion best But yet at that time it was not followed nor granted at that Parliament Yet shortly after it was found His Majesty's interest and conducing for fully Establishing Peace in the Country that the Ministers should be restored to all their former Priviledges It is above-mentioned That the Mr. Almoner was sent to Denmark Shortly after Colonel Stuart took occasion to go thither about his own affairs for he had a Pension of the King of Denmark He obtained also some writing whereby he was Commissioned to speak of the King's marriage with the King of Denmark's Eldest Daughter And they both returned with so good and friendly answers that there was little more mention made of the restitution of the Isles of Orkny The King of Denmark was also put in hope by them that His Majesty would send the next Summer an honourable Ambassage to Denmark to deal further in these matters I have shewed already the dangerous practices of the English Ambassadour Mr. Wotton and a part of their effects but the principal is yet behind The Council of England having concluded to take the Life from the Queens Majesty his Highnesses Mother after she had been many years kept Captive in England thought first to get the King her Son in their hands and to put him in hope that he should obtain the Crown of England the rather that he was within their Country And in the mean time to be sure that he should not be able to revenge his Mother's death but might be as a pledge among them in case his Country-men or his Forreign and French friends would pretend to menace them or to make War for his Liberty or in revenge of her death For in that case they might threaten to cut him off if for his Cause they should be troubled And however it were through time it was suspected that they intended to take his life also after that they had laid their Plots how to make him odious to the People by false counterfeit Letters and alledged practices as they had craftily and deceitfully alledged upon his Mother against the State But finding this their design of carrying him to England discovered by my Brother's intelligence the said Ambassadour fled as said is And for the next best thought fit to see His Majesty put in the hands of the most part of the Nobility who were banished for the time and during their banishment had been sheltered in England who they thought by fitted Instruments might be stirred up to take his Life at least to keep him in perpetual Prison in revenge of the injury had been done them But herein they were disappointed For they used themselves so moderately and discreetly that they sought nothing but their own native Country and Lands and that they might have access to serve and obey their Prince without any further vengeance or rigour against their particular Enemies As their actions and proceedings have sufficiently declared since to the great increase of their favour with His Majesty and estimation of the whole Country It hath been rarely or never seen in any Country that there have been so great alterations with so little bloodshed as hath been in Scotland in this Kings time Now those who were Enemies to our Queen and King's Title to the Crown of England seeing some of their fetches to fail them entred in deliberation what way to proceed to take the Queen's life The Council of England a great part of the Nobility and States fell down upon their knees humbly requesting Her Majesty to have compassion upon their unsure Estate albeit she should slight her own Alledging That her life was in hazard by the practices of the
Queen of Scotland and their Lives and Fortunes She alledged That her heart would not suffer her to let any Sentence be given forth against the Queen her dear Sister and Cousin so near of her Royal Blood Yet she was at last moved for very pity of their conditions to let Sentence of Death pass against her upon this express condition That it should rather serve to be a Terrour to her to oblige her to cease from making any more practises then that she really intended to see the Blood of so Noble a Princess shed And in the mean time the written Sentence was given to be kept to Mr. Davison one of her Secretaries not to be delivered without her Majesties express Command Nevertheless the said Davison being deceived by the Council delivered unto them the said written Sentence of Death Whereupon they gave the Queen warning a night before to prepare her for God Which short warning she took very patiently and lay not down that night to sleep but wrote some Letters unto the King her Son the King of France and some other Princes her friends And after she had made her Testament she put the Gold she had in as many little Purses as she had Servants more or less in every Purse conform to their qualities and deservings The rest of the night she employed in Prayer and being in the morning conveyed out of her Chamber to the great Hall where the Scaffold was prepared she took her death patiently and constantly couragiously ending her life being cruelly handled by the Executioner having received divers stroaks of the Ax. Which execution was the boldlier performed because that some Scotsmen assured them that the King her Son would soon forget it Albeit His Majesty when he understood this sorrowful news took heavy displeasure and Convened a Parliament wherein lamenting the mishandling of his Mother by his Enemies who were in England he desired the assistance of his Subjects to be revenged Where all the Estates in one voice cryed out in a great rage to set forward Promising that they should all hazard their Lives and spend their Goods and Estates largely to that effect to revenge that unkindly and unlawful murther Which put the Council of England in great fear for a while but some of our Country-men comforted them and so did some English that haunted our Court alledging it would be soon forgot Others said That the Blood was already fallen from His Majesty's heart and if it were not they doubted not but to cause the matter fall out to their satisfaction First when the King's Majesty heard that they were about to Accuse and Convict his Mother he sent the Master of Gray and Sir Robert my Brother to deal for her Majesty Where my Brother spoke brave and stout language to the Council of England So that the Queen her self threatned his life and afterward he would have been retained Captive had not the Master of Gray's Credit prevented it and the promises he made whereby they were both suffered to come home together Four Months before His Majesty caused send for me that I might prepare my self for England to confirm a Band of Alliance Offensive and Defensive with the Queen and Crown of England and to take the Queen of Englands Oath for observing the said Bond. And Mr. Randolph who was here was to take the King's Oath and use the like Ceremonies here At my coming to Court I did what I could to be shifted of the said Commission being a matter of so great consequence as an indirect breaking of the Bond with France Yet His Majesty would take no excuse but thought fit to send me thither that I might get him sure knowledge of sundry things which His Majesty supposed an other would not get By reason that all his Mothers friends and his own that were in that Court and Country were best and longest acquainted with my Brother and me But so soon as Mr. Randolph had heard that I was to be sent to England he desired Audience of His Majesty and used all the perswasions he could to get me stayed and another sent that might be found meeter for the time After that His Majesty had reasoned long with him thereabout he called upon me and told me how that Mr. Randolph had spoken so much good of me whom he loved better then any Scots Subject upon accompt of our old acquaintance but had said that I would not be acceptable to the Queen his Mistress at that time because Sir Robert my Brother had been always and was yet upon his Mothers Faction and also that my Brother Sir Andrew of Garvock was for the present in England her Majesties Master of the Houshold His Majesty said he replied again That I was never esteemed a Factious Person and so would not yield at the first But I requested His Majesty to grant him his desire For I had no will of that Commission knowing that there was nothing meant but fraudful dealing by England with him at that time It is for that cause said he that I would have you there And it is for that same cause Sir said I that I would gladly shun the same with Your Majesty's favour His Majesty said he wondered that Randolph should seem to like so well of me and yet desire another to be sent I answered His Majesty that in France and Italy we liked each other very well but in the handling His Majesty's affairs we shot at sundry marks His Majesty would still have me to accept that Commission and asked whom I believed that Mr. Randolph would desire to be sent I answered either the Master of Gray or Mr. Archibald Douglas For the Master of Gray had made moyan for Mr. Archibald and had brought him home out of England and had summoned an Assize of his own friends to cleanse him of the late King's Murther And being cleansed he haunted the Court familiarly with His Majesty It was he indeed whom Mr. Randolph desired to be sent or the Master of Gray or both in a Commission But His Majesty would not consent thereto Then the Laird of Coudinknows Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh desired the Commission But Mr. Randolph would have none other causing the Queen his Mistress to write back that it was unnecessary to send any Ambassadour for that Errand at that time Only desiring that the King would write with his own hand that one should be sent when she thought time assuring by his said Letter that it was in effect already concluded in his mind as if the Ceremony were performed Which Letter was sent to the English Ambassadour who was resident in France for the time to be produced before the King of France and the Queen Mother to let them know that albeit the King of Scotland was suiting her Majesty for an Alliance Offensive and Defensive which would be a clear breach of the old Bond with France yet she would not put them in suspicion and jealousie of her in consenting
thereto as not much valuing the Scottish King 's fickle friendship or feud so long as France and she kept their Peace and Friendship together Which was done only to disgrace and discredit the King with the King of France So that there proceeded no more from the said intended Bond. And I was not a little satisfied that my hands had been free thereof Likewise when the bruit was of the Spanish Navy in the year 1587 that they were coming to these parts I was ordered to be sent to Spain which Voyage I happily also eschewed Now to return again to Mr. Archibald Douglas he returned back to England to remain Ambassadour there for His Majesty By the which means he obtained the greater Credit with the Queen His Majesties Mother to her no small prejudice the same contributary to her ruine he having discovered several passages betwixt her and himself and other Catholicks of England tending to her liberation Which were made use of against Her Majesty for taking her life So soon as my Brother Sir Robert was sent there to use sharp and boasting Language to see if that might save the Queens life he discharged Mr. Archibald of the Office of Ambassadour This I set down in a parenthesis to shew how far a good King was abused and misled by minions whom he liked well to his great hurt and dishonour In the mean time for some disorder upon the West Border betwixt the Maxwels and Johnstouns His Majesty went there to reform their disobedience But some Houses were kept out and would not render unto him Whereupon Mr. John Martland being made Chancellor the Master of Gray and other Favourers of the English Faction did counsel His Majesty to send to Berwick because it was alledged to be nearest to borrow Cannons to besiege the said house Which Guns were readily and gladly lent by the Governour of Berwick Which apparently he durst not have done without knowledg and consent of the Queen and Councel who judged thereby that His Majesty had forgot the great boast that was made at the fore-named Parliament concerning the revenge of His Mother's death For after His Majesty had riply considered the best and worst of that deed remembred himself of the many Friends he had in England who had no hand in his Mother's Death he thought it not just to trouble the Peace and Quiet of the Kingdom for the deed of a few who guided the Queen and Court he being thereof himself apparent Heir And also because the Queen was of good years and not like to live long he was resolved to abide his time to be revenged upon his Enemies As for the Queen his good Sister she had sworn and purged herself of the death of his Mother being deceived by her Councel and Secretary Davison whom she committed to the Tower of London This was the way of conveyance of that ugly unkindly Murther Shortly after this there was a great Bruit of the Spanish Navy bound to land in England Scotland or Ireland And then also were entred about His Majesty a new Faction whereof the Earl of Huntly was chief who had lately married the Duke of Lennox's Sister This new Faction aspired by little and little to shoot out the Master of Gray the Chancellour and others their dependers and to retain part of those who were in Court before where there were divers conspiracies to kill the Chancellour And such as had assisted him were to be removed because they did stick too long by the Court The Earls of Huntly Bothwel and others thought to have taken the King and kept him And albeit two of their Enterprises had failed yet they were desirous to be nearest His Majesty at the in-coming of the Spaniards And in the mean time they resolved to cause the King send Sir John Seatoun to Spain But His Majesty would have none to be sent but me Whereupon the Chancellor and my Brother Sir Robert did write to me desiring me not to refuse the imployment because they said his Majesty would have one there of his own Religion who would not be corrupted in whom he could trust Yet His Majesty had no inclination to deal with Spain and I had as little desire to undertake the Voyage albeit Sir George Douglas desired the said Commission as one who had assisted His Majesty's Mother yet it took no effect The Earl of Huntly in the mean time procured a Gift of the Benefice of Dumfarmling which was lately taken from the Master of Gray now decourted and given to him How that the Spanish great Navy was three years in making their preparations and were sufficiently and substantially furnished with Men Ammunition and all sorts of necessaries is now manifest to all Europe What was their intent and purpose was so secret that the Chieftams of the Army knew no more but as they should understand by the opening of their stamped instructions at every appointed landing Place Many were of opinion that they were first disappointed by the Duke of Parma Governour of Flanders who had behaved himself in his Charge so circumspectly in his promises so truly in his enterprises so stoutly that he won the hearts of his Soldiers and the favour of his Enemies so that he was suspected by the King of Spain to entertain designs of Usurping the Estate of Flanders And therefore he was minded to remove him out of that great and rich Government He being hereupon discontent as was alledged neither furnished the said Army Victuals nor assisted them with Ships nor would he suffer them to land in his bounds At least they were so jealous of him that they landed not but were lying at Anchor where Sir Francis Drake by a stratagem subtilly devised of a Ship full of Powder with a burning Link which kindled up the Powder so soon as the English Ship was driven by a direct vehement Wind within the midst of the Spanish Ships burning thereby several of the greatest of them and causing the rest to cut the Cables of their Anchors for hast to eschew the fury of the fire And in the mean time God sent such a vehement storm of Wind that the whole Navy was blown and broken upon divers Coasts of our Isles and of Ireland and their Wreck was the greater that they wanted their Anchors It is before mentioned That Mr. Peter Toung Almoner to His Majesty and Colonel Stuart were returned from Denmark well rewarded and contented with every thing that they had seen and chiefly with the fair young Princess and also how they had put the King of Denmark in hope that the King should the next Summer send thither an honourable Ambassage to deal further to the increase of a greater Amity And for this effect the Bishop of St. Andrews the Laird of Segie and I were named to be sent But I was retired and had no will to medle perceiving His Majesty's affairs so retarded by such as had greatest handling about him Therefore upon my refusal the Chancellour advised
Harangues in Latine that he was a good true stout Man like a Dutch-man Then His Majesty was content that he should go with me After that I had tarried long at Court and could see no preparation for our Dispatch neither Mony nor Ship making ready the appointed time wherein we should have been in Denmark being past to wit before the first of May. For it was so ordered by the King of Denmark e're he dyed that in case that day was not kept that they might think themselves but scoffed This moved me to employ my friends at Court to cause another be named in my place seeing so many suiting to get the said Commission And the Chancellour gave me such terrors as he could for his part Now the Farl of Marshal was desirous to supply the place of his Uncle my Lord of Atry and His Majesty was content that he should be sent thither Whereupon I took occasion to represent to His Majesty That the said Earl was very well qualified for that imployment and that he would go the better contented if he might have in Commission with him some of his own friends and acquaintance His Majesty answered That it was his part to chuse his own Ambassadours that the Earl of Marshal should have the first place as a Nobleman but that he would repose the chief handling with the Regent and Council of Denmark upon me Then I declared That the appointed time was past and that yet there was no appearance of any preparation of Mony or Ship wherewith His Majesty was very angry I named the Laird of Barnbarrow or Mr. Peter Toung as very fit to be imployed in the Commission with the Earl of Marshal because they had been there already But he would not hear thereof for the blame had been wrongously laid upon their insufficiency it being alledged That their mismanagement was the occasion that matters formerly took not the desired success Would not this kind of Court dealing scare any man from medling in such weighty matters where such men are preferred to have the special credit about a Prince who mind only their own designs and not the Prince's advantage Those who at present ordered Affairs counselled His Majesty first to send to the Queen of England and require her advice and consent to the said marriage with Denmark who they knew would not only disswade him from the said marriage but also stay him from any marriage as she and her Council had ever done and dealt both with his Mother and himself When I understood of this new delay I obtained license to go home to my house and make me ready against the next warning In the mean time the season of the year was well spent The Queen of England's answer returned not to marry with Denmark She said That she had credit with the King and Princess of Navarre that she would imploy the same for effectuating that marriage which was much more His Majesty's interest In the mean time she did write to the King of Navarre to hold back the marriage of his Sister three years for such frivolous pretexts as carried no reason Upon this answer of England our Council was Convened and inticed to Vote against the marriage of Denmark Whereat His Majesty took such a despight that he caused one of his most familiar Servants to deal secretly with some of the Deacons of the Craftsmen of Edinbrugh to make a mutiny against the Chancellour and Council threat'ning to slay him in case the marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter were hindered or longer delayed This boasting and fear caused a new resolution to be taken that the Earl of Marshal should be dispatched with diligence with the Constable of Dundie and the Lord Andrew Kieth whom the said Earl requested His Majesty to send with him Which His Majesty granted the more easily because he found so many difficulties in the matter and some of my friends had informed him that it would be very satisfactory to me that some other were imployed Now it was yet a long time before the Earl of Marshal could be ready and dispatched Then as to his dealing with the Council of Denmark his power to conclude was so limited and his Commission so slender that he was compelled to send back again my Lord Dingual either for a License to come home or for a sufficient power to conclude Where it chanced that he found His Majesty at Aberdeen and the Chancellour and most part of the Council absent Which was a great furtherance to get a full power to conclude the Contract and Ceremony of the marriage by the Earl of Marshal who was incontinently dispatched by the Regent and Council of Denmark and the Queen sent home with him well accompanied But the tempestuous winds drave them upon the Coast of Norway where they Landed and stayed a long time for fair Winds and Weather Which storm of Wind was alledged to be raised by the Witches of Denmark as by sundry of them was acknowledged when they were for that cause burnt That which moved them thereto was as they said a blow which the Admiral of Denmark gave to one of the Bayliffs of Copenhaven whose Wife consulting with her associates in that Art raised the Storm to be revenged upon the said Admiral His Majesty had heard that they were upon the Sea and left nothing undone to make all in a readiness to receive the Queen and her Company honourably But in the mean time was very impatient and sorrowful for her long delay laying the blame thereof upon the Chancellour and such others of his Council as had plainly Voted against the said marriage and thereby had delayed the dispatch of the Ambassadours so long untill the Season of Sailing upon the Seas was near past The storms were also so great here that a Passage-Boat perished betwixt Bruntland and Lieth wherein was a Gentlewoman called Jean Kennedie who had been long in England with the Queen His Majesty's Mother and was since married to Sir Andrew Melvil of Garvock my Brother Master of His Majesty's Houshold Which Gentlewoman being discreet and grave was sent for by His Majesty to be about the Queen his Bed-fellow She being desirous to make diligence would not by the storm be stopped the Sailing of the Ferry where the vehement storm drave a Ship forcibly upon the said Boat and drowned the Gentlewoman and all the Persons except two This the Scotish Witches confessed to His Majesty was procured by them In that Boat also I lost two Servants Now His Majesty remained quietly in the Castle of Craigmillar dissatisfied as said is with the greatest part of his Council He could neither sleep nor rest In the mean time he directed Colonel Stuart to my Brother Sir Robert and me charging us to take care of his mishandled Estate in time-coming lamenting that he had been abused by such as formerly he had too much trusted to and that he had always found us faithful and careful of his welfare
He therefore desired us to sit down and advise how he might best put remedy to things by-past and prevent such inconveniencies in time coming seeing he had determined hereafter to repose most upon our Council Our answer to His Majesty was That we had great reason to render His Majesty most humble thanks for the favourable opinion he entertained of us which we should endeavour to deserve and were very sorry for the displeasure His Majesty had taken praying His Majesty to take patience seeing that as he had always reposed upon God and not Man that the same God would mend his Estate as he had oft-times done before That our care should be presently how to receive the Queen honourably who was upon the Sea we daily looking for her landing and next how to treat and reward the Noblemen of Denmark Her Majesties Convey That being done and they returned back to their Country it would be best time to take order with the Affairs of the Kingdom conform to His Majesty's desire with the concurrence of so many of the Council as His Majesty had found most faithful and least factious But we did not think fit to take upon us the whole burthen in respect that hath been always the chief cause of the wrack of Scots Kings especially of all His Majesty's own troubles in laying the whole burthen of his Affairs upon any one or two who most commonly for greediness and ambition abuse good Princes and few or none dare controul them for fear of their great Authority and Credit The Chancellour being advertised of His Majesty's discontent and displeasure as said is made preparation to go off the Country and caused it come to His Majesty's Ears that he would Sail himself and bring home the Queen with him And that they were all but Triflers who were with her He forgot not to Anoint the hands of some who were most familiar with His Majesty to interpret this his design so favourably that it made the King forget all by-gones and by little and little he informed him so well of the said Voyage and the great charges he had bestowed upon a fair and swift sailing Ship that His Majesty was moved to take the Voyage himself and to sail in the same Ship with the Chancellour with great secrecy and short preparation making no Man privy thereto but such as the Chancellour pleased and such as formerly had all been upon his Faction He had also heard an incling of a word That His Majesty in the time of his high displeasure had said That he would lay the burthen of his Affairs upon my Brother and me whereat he had a great envy and despight and was the cause why His Majesty made me not privy to his Voyage He was very discontent when His Majesty had appointed my said Brother Robert to be left Vice-Chancellour and Convene the Council in His Majesty's absence to hold hand with the Duke of Lennox my Lord Hamiltoun Bothwel and other Noblemen with the Officers of the Crown and to Rule the Country in His Majesty's absence Three other Ships sailed with His Majesty wherein was the Justice Clerk Carmichal the Provost of Lincludin Sir William Kieth George Hume Iames Sandiland with all His Majesty's Ordinary Servants The weather was rough enough for it was in the beginning of Winter But the last day was so extream stormy that they were all in great hazard but His Majesty landed that same night at in Norway where the Queen was abiding the turning of the Wind and where he accomplished his marriage in person But he could not be perswaded to return to Scotland that Wiuter by reason of the raging Seas and storm he had sustained a little before The Queen and Council of Denmark being advertised that His Majesty was resolved to abide all that Winter sent and requested him to come to Denmark Whither he went by Land with the Queen his new bride and behaved himself honourably and liberally by the way and at the Court of Denmark where he tarried during his abode there But the Company who were with His Majesty put him to great trouble to agree their continual janglings strife pride and partialities The Earl of Marshal by reason that he was an ancient Earl and had been employed in this honourable Commission thought to have the first place next unto His Majesty so long as he was there The Chancellour by reason of his Office would needs have the preheminence There were also contentions betwixt him and the Justice Clark The Constable of Dundie and my Lord Dingwal could not agree about place George Hume did quietly shoot out William Kieth from his Office of Master of the Wardrobe At length they were all divided into two Factions The one for the Earl of Marshal the other for the Chancellour who was the stronger because the King took his part So that the Chancellour triumphed and being yet in Denmark devised many Reformations to be made and new Forms and Customs to be set forward at His Majesty's return As to have no Privy Council but the Exchequer and the Nobility to be debarred from it Sundry of the Lords of the Session to be put out who he judged had no dependence upon him and others his Creatures put in their room He caused a Proclamation to be pen'd which was sent home to be proclaim'd before His Majesty's return That none of the Nobility should come to Court not being sent for and then to bring with them six persons and no more Likewise every Baron to bring but four Likewise he resolved to cause Ward such as had been unruly and disobedient during His Majesty's absence as the Earl Bothwel the Lord Hume and divers Borderers and Highland Men. The next Spring His Majesty came home and Landed at Lieth well accompanied with the Admiral of Denmark and divers of the Council and many other Gentlemen All whom His Majesty treated honourably and after the Queens Coronation they were magnificently rewarded with more then twelve Golden Chains and many Medals of Gold with His Majesties Picture His Majesty at his landing was pleased to send to me to bear them company which I did until their parting to His Majesty's great contentment In the mean time the Earl of Worcester was sent Ambassadour from England to Welcome and Congratulate both their Majesties with some Presents unto the Queens Majesty Upon whom I was commanded by His Majesty to attend diligently all the time of his being here and at his parting he was presented with a Ring of seven great Diamonds He parted well satisfied and so did all his Company His Majesty was pleased at leasure to declare unto me his whole Voyage and proceedings during his absence He said that he wished that I had been sent alone Ambassadour to Denmark in place of the Earl of Marshal and the two who were joined with him he was so ill informed of the said Earl I answered That I understood that the Earl for his part had behaved himself
same night by the way was advertised by one of the Earl of Bothwel's company that he was already in Fiffe and would be in Falkland against Supper-time Upon which advertisement he sent his Gentleman called Robert Auflock to acquaint his Majesty therewith and to request him to enter within the Tower in due time When the said Robert declared the matter unto his Majesty they all laughed him to scorn calling him a fool The said Robert returning malecontent to be so mocked met the Earl of Bothwel and his Company upon the highth of the Lummonds when it was already dark night and turned incontinently as if he had been one of their Company He used great diligence to be first at his Majesty Entring within the Palace of Falkland he closed the Gates himself and cryed continually to cause his Majesty enter within the Tower who at length believed him and mocked him no more The Earl of Bothwel at his coming had Potards to break up Gates and Doors It was not without ground alledged That some of those who shot out of the Tower for his Majesties defence charged their Culverins with Paper But some of his Majesties Houshold Officers shot out Bullets which gave the Earl and his Company a great scare as also his being within the Tower before he was surprised And supposing that the Country would gather together the said Earl and his Company retired and fled none pursuing them Whereas a few might easily have overtaken and overthrown them That same night I lay in my Boots upon my Bed expecting word from Falkland where there was one left to be ready for that effect At whose back-coming I with other friends and neighbours did ride to Convene the Country about Coupar to have rescued his Majesty But the King immediately sent me advertisement that the Earl was fled yet he desired me to bring these forward whom he knew I would Convene for his relief as they did to the number of 3000 that afternoon Thus God miraculously delivered his Majesty as he had done divers times before About this time came to his Majesty an honest Gentleman from Ireland called who made offers of consequence to his Majesty Whereof the Queen of England was incontinently advertised and desired to require the said Gentleman to be delivered to her Which the most part of the Council councelled his Majesty to do But the Justice Clark my Borther and I were of a contrary opinion Which deed did great harm to the settlement of his Majesty's Affairs in England and Ireland This I speak with great regrate because it was so far against his Majesties own mind and yet he suffered it to be done because the chief Ring-leaders advised it who have been always won to the devotion of England Now the Prince being born at Sterling the day of in the year his Majesty thought fit to send Ambassadours to England Denmark France and Flanders to require their Ambassadours to be sent to the Baptism of the Prince his first-born Son The Council were commanded to nominate such as were meetest to be sent on that message as they did Yet some obtained that Commission who were very unmeet for that Errand as Sir William Keeth for he could neither speak Latine French nor Flemings The Laird of Easter Weems procured to carry the Commission to France and also to England because he was to go thither about his own Affairs being the King of France his Servant But Mr. Peter Young sped best who sent to Denmark and to the Dukes of Mecklburg and Brunswick for he got three fair chains But the King of France nor the Queen of England gave nothing which they would have been ingaged to do if Ambassadours had been sent to them express Neither sent the King any Ambassadours here at that time The Queen of England was once resolved to have done the same till she was advertised by her own Ambassadour in France that the King was resolved to send none Then very late she sent the Earl of Sussex to let us see that she would ever be a ready friend when France would refuse and lye back On the other part the Dukes of Mecklburg and Brunswick were discontent that they were so far slighted as not each of them to be thought worthy of an Express A special day was appointed for Solemnizing the said Baptism The Ambassadors of Denmark and Dutchland arrived almost together His Majesty had sent for me to be there at their coming to receive them and to entertain them But the Ambassadours of Mecklburg and Brunswick would not ride out of Leeth in company with the Danish Ambassadour when they were Convoyed up to Edinburgh but desired a Convoy apart A few days after them arrived the Ambassadours of the Estates of the Low-Countries to wit Monsieur de Broderod and Monsieur Fulk great Treasurer of Holland and Zeland who landed at New-haven where I was well accompanied to receive them having Horse and Footmantles in readiness to carry them up to Edinburgh to their Lodgings A little before the landing of the said Ambassadours the day of the Baptism was delayed because there was neither word of an Ambassadour from France or Ireland and the King's Chappel in the Castle of Sterling which was cast down to be built again in a better form was not yet compleated So that the Ambassadours were ordered to remain in Edinburgh till all might be put in good order Therefore his Majesty appointed the Master of his Houshold and my Lord Tungland my Brother together with me to entertain them upon his charges and also to bear them company After that they had tarried longer in Edinburgh there being no appearance of any Ambassadours from France or England we were commanded with some others of the Council to Convoy them to Sterling where his Majesty made his excuse that they were so long delayed at Edinburgh But they alledged they had great contentment in our company Which his Majesty forgot not to declare before the whole Council giving me thanks alledging that I had done him good Offices and this among the rest which he would never forget and that he had three other of my Bothers all fit for such matters and for forreign Affairs Now being in doubt of the English Ambassadour's the Ceremony was to be Solemnized without longer delay In the mean time there came word that the Earl of Sussex was upon his journey toward Scotland for the Queen his Mistress on whom the action stayed The day of the Solemnity there was great business for their Honours and Seats that being agreed there was an empty Chair set before the rest for the King of France his Ambassadour The order of the Banquet and Triumph I leave to others to set out When the Ambassadours had Audience of the Queens Majesty I was appointed to stand a little behind and next unto her Majesty To the English Danish and Dutch Ambassadours her Majesty made answer her self But though she could speak seemingly French yet she
rounded in my Ear to declare her answer to the Ambassadour of the States of Holland Then every one of them by order gave their Presents The Jewels of Perecious Stones the Queen received in her own hand and then delivered them unto me to put them again in their Cases and lay them upon a Table which was prepared in the mids of the Chamber to set them upon The Queen of England's had a great show being a fair Cupboard of Silver overguilt cunningly wrought and some Cups of massy Gold The Ambassadour of the States presented a Golden Box wherein was written in Parchment in Letters of Gold A gift of a yearly Pension to the Prince of five thousand _____ by year with great Cups of massy Gold two especially which were so weighty that it was all that I could lift them and set them down upon the said Table I leave it to others to set down the weight and value But I say these which were of Gold which should have been kept in store to posterity were soon melted and disposed But if they had been preserved as they ought to have been those who advised to break them would have wanted their part All these Ambassadours being dispatched and well rewarded those of Denmark were advised by John Lindsay of Monmuire to cause with all diligence send new Ambassadours to require the Contract of marriage made in Denmark to be fulfilled Alledging that the Chancellour who had made it had left out the Rents of the Abby of Dumfarmling fraudfully and had taken in fee to himself all the Lordship of Mussilburgh For this end two Ambassadours were sent from Denmark upon whom I was appointed to attend to see them well entertained As they were well instructed so they happened upon a meet time for the Chancellour was for the time decourted and my Brother was Ambassadour for his Majesty in England So the Chancellour was caused to renounce his part And because my Brother Sir Robert was absent young Sir Robert his Son and I obliged us that his part which was 13 Chalders of Victual should be also renounced at his return which was accordingly done His Majesty promised to him as much heritage in an other part in respect that his gift was obtained long before the Contract of marriage Divers others who had portions of these Lands were likewise compelled to renounce either voluntarily or by a new Law made for that effect FINIS AN Alphabetical Table OF THE Principal MATTER contained in this BOOK A ABot of Dumfarmling is sent by the King's Lords to meet the Earl of Lennox in his passage to England p. 106. His Message to the Queen and her Answer thereunto ibid. Hastens to the King at St. Andrews where he behaves himself with great dissimulation 135. Endeavours by Gold to curry favour with Colonel Stuart 137. Is after Imprisoned in Lockleven ibid. Admiral of France his death conspired by Captain Charry p. 38. but being discovered is killed by Monsieur Chattelier ibid. Ambassadors sent from Denmark three joined together in Commission to King James arrive in Scotland p. 162. Their Commission and Demands ill usage and delays visited by Mr. Wotton who was very kind to them ibid. Upon his instigation they inform his Majesty of Reflections upon their Master by his Subjects and of their rudeness p. 163. The Ambassadours slight the Earl of Arran having known him in Denmark but a private Soldier ibid. Are Banquetted in his Majesties name 165. Take leave of his Majesty 166. Part well satisfied after they had received their Presents on Ship-board from the hands of the Author James Melvil p. 167. Promising to be good instruments of Amity ibid. Ambassadours arrive in Scotland from several parts upon the birth of Prince Henry p. 202. Their several rich Presents to the Queen at that time p. 204. Are all dispatcht and well rewarded ibid. Areskine Alexander the Governour of King James during his Minority p. 125. Is made Master of Mar. p. 126. Arran Earl see James Stuart Athol Earl made Chancellour p. 126. Hath 1000 men ready to take St. Johnstoun but being dissuaded from it by the Author desires him to write to his Majesty for a License for him and his to remain at home p. 169. Which he did and procur'd for him ibid. Is written unto to come to the Parliament at Lithgow p. 170. Atry Lord Uncle to the Earl of Marshal nominated by the King's Council to go Ambassadour to Denmark with the Author to Treat about the King's Marriage p. 177. Comes to Court but finds the Council not so earnest as his Majesty p. 177 and 178. Returns home excusing himself as sickly and Aged p. 178. Aubonie Lord returns from France p. 127. Being the King's Favourite ibid. is made Lord Dalkieth and after Duke of Lennox 128. A short Character of him ibid. led by evil Counsel to dangerous courses p. 131. Understanding that his Majesty was in the hands of the other Lords he retires to Dumbartoun p. 132. Passeth through England to France p. 133. And dies shortly after ibid. B BAlfour Sir James Captain of Edinburgh Castle p. 81. delivers the Castle of Edinburgh to the Laird of Grange p. 90. Is taken out of his own House and committed by the Regent's order p. 100. Wins the Regent's familiars with Gold p. 102. Balnears Henry turns from the Protestant to the Popish Religion p. 7. And by the perswasion of Abbot Pally breaks the intended Match between Prince Edward and Mary Queen of Scots ibid. Barnbarrow Laird sent Ambassadour to Denmark upon the Author's refusal p. 176. Returns with his Fellow-Commissioner their Power being insufficient having no Commission to conclude ibid. Bassingtoun a Learned Scots-man and Travellour his Story concerning the Affairs of England and Scotland p. 92. Bastien a French-man at the Banquet after the Baptism of King James devised a Machine that gave great distate and disturbance p. 76 and 77. Beaton David Cardinal makes King James the Fifth's Will when dying which he dictated which was therefore annulled p. 6. is slain in his Castle at St. Andrews p. 7. by the complotting of Sir George Douglas c. ibid. Bedford Earl one of Queen Mary's surest Friends in England p. 76. Arrives in Scotland with several other Persons of Quality ibid. departs and they are all rewarded 77. desires the Author to beseech the Queen to entertain the King as formerly and not to slight him ibid. Bettancourt Master of the Houshold to the Queen Regent of Scotland brings instructions to destroy Hereticks p. 24. which she observes being menaced ibid. Bishop of St. Andrews designed Ambassadour for England p. 194. Disdained and dishonoured in England p. 150. The reason ibid. Is nominated to be sent Ambassadour to Denmark p. 176. Bishop Thomas a Scotsman sends a Letter from England to the Authour about the report of the Queen's marriage with her Husband's Murtherer together with his Character disswading her from it p. 79. Which he shew'd the Queen and was forced to
the Castle of Edinburgh p. 174. Desires a Commission to go Ambassador for England but is denied ibid. The Council of England conclude to take away the life of Mary Queen of Scotland Prisoner in England p. 171. Falsly alledging that She practiced against the State p. 172. Think fit to secure his Majesty in Scotland in the hands of the Banished Lords that so they might seek his life or keep him a perpetual Prisoner but herein prove defeated ibid. Fall down upon their knees with many of the Nobility Alledging that her life as well as their lives and fortunes was in hazard by reason of the practises of Queen Mary ibid. Received the Summons from Secretary Davison and give her warning to prepare for Death the Night before ibid. A Council Conven'd about the dissention of several Lords p. 200. De Crook Monsieur is sent Ambassador to the French King from Scotland with a Letter about the foulness of the Murther of their King p. 82. Receives an Answer from the Lords with a resolution to use all diligence to detect the Murtherers ibid. Crauford Captain Accuseth Secretary Lidington of the Murther of the late King of Scots p. 100. He being at that time Servant to the Earl of Lennox Alledging his Commission for so doing from the said Earl his Master p. 110. Crauford Lord is Committed to the Custody of the Lord Hamiltoun p. 170. Cunningham James Captain a discreet Man Servant to the Lord of Marr then Regent in Scotland p. 115. D DArnly Son to the Earl of Lennox a Handsom Beardless Lady-fac'd Man p. 48. Procures a License from the Queen of England to go to Scotland p. 53. His intention therein ibid. Proposeth a Marriage to Queen Mary who refuseth a Ring he presented to her p. 56. Which the Queen seems to disrelish ibid. Becomes acquainted with Rixio who was his great Friend to the Queen of Scots ibid. Finds the Queen cold in her favours after her confinement upon the murther of Rixio p. 66. Follows the Queen though slighted whithersoever she went p. 77. Goes to Glascow falls sick being suspected to have poison given him by a Servant of his own ibid. Is brought from thence to Edinburgh to recover his health p. 78. Dies and how ibid. Davison is sent Agent into Scotland and afterward made Secretary to Queen Elizabeth p. 157. Professeth himself a Scot ibid. Remains at Coupar till he had Audience which he had at Falkland ibid. But proves deceitful p. 158. Returns to England ibid. Receives the written Summons for the Execution of Queen Mary with a strict charge not to deliver it without her express Command p. 172. But being deceived by the Council of England delivers it ibid. For which he is Committed to the Tower by Queen Elizabeth for disobeying her orders upon that account p. 175. Dingual Lord is sent to King James for a License to return or a Commission to conclude the Match with Denmark p. 179. Finds his Majesty at Aberdeen the Chancellour and most part of the Council being absent p. 180. So that he obtained a full power to conclude the said Match ibid. Dosel Monsieur Lieutenant in Scotland for the French King p. 24. a passionate Man p. 25. Douglas Archibald is cleansed of the late King's murther in Scotland p. 174. Frequents the Court familiarly ibid. returns to England to remain Ambassadour there ibid. Hath great reputation with Mary Queen of Scotland yet injureth her Cause in England and is discharged of his Embassy upon the Arrival of Sir Robert Melvil in England ibid. Douglas George the Natural Son of the Lord Angus enters the King's Closet with the Lord Ruthven the Queen being present and with the King's Dagger struck him p. 64. And afterwards drew him into the outer Hall and kill'd him p. 65. Conveys the Queen to Lockleven as a Captive to the King's Lords p. 90. Hath the House of the Castle delivered to him p. 121. Douglas Sir George desires to have the Commission for Ambassadour to Spain p. 175. But is denied ibid. Douglas James the Natural Son of the Earl of Mortoun p. 127. Kills the Earl of Arran in Revenge of his Uncle's death the Earl of Mortoun 200. Drake Sir Francis by a stratagem of a Ship full of Powder with a burning Link fires the Spanish Navy and discomfits them p. 176. Drumhafel Laird Master of King James his Houshold when young p. 125. Draws the Earl of Arguile and Athol to Sterling p. 126. Is discharged out of Court ibid. Assures the Earl of Grange that the Duke of Lennox designed to kill him p. 131. though it prov'd false p. 133. Is imprison'd by the procurement of the Earl of Arran and his Lady p. 137. Du Bartas Monsieur famous for his French Poesie arrives in Scotland p. 176. Proposeth a marriage with the King of Scots and the Princess of Navarre ibid. Resides at Falkland with the King p. 177. Dundee Earl is sent one of the Ambassadours to Denmark about the King's marriage p. 179. Dudly Lord Robert afterward made Earl of Leicester is proposed by Mr. Randolph as a fit Match for Mary Queen of Scotland p. 40. E EAster Weems Laird goes with a Commission to England and France p. 203. Is a Pensioner to the French King ibid. Elizabeth Queen of England sends Instructions to Mr. Randolph her Ambassadour in Scotland to propose the Lord Robert Dudly as a fit Match for Mary Queen of Scotland p. 40. Disrelisheth the proposal of a Match between Queen Mary and Charles the Arch-Duke of Austria p. 41. Which appears by her sending the Earl of Sussex to the Emperor's Court to draw on the marriage of the Arch-Duke with her self ibid. This occasion'd grudges between the Two Queens of England and Scotland p. 42. She designs Darnly for Queen Mary's Husband ibid. Creates the Lord Robert Dudly Earl of Leicester and Baron of Denbigh p. 47. Is distemper'd with a Fever insomuch that her life is question'd p. 67. Disturbed at the Birth of the Prince Queen Mary's Son p. 69. Yet promiseth to be Gossip to him by proxy of Lords and Ladies p. 70. Upon her fair promises Queen Mary flies to England but she would not see her though she often desired it p. 92. Causeth her to be kept Prisoner till she lost her life after a tedious confinement ibid. Is Reproached by the Ambassadours of Foreign Princes for her unprincely dealing with Queen Mary p. 93. Having obtained her desires upon the Accusation of Queen Mary received great content having now matter sufficient to shew Foreign Ambassadours why she detained the Queen p. 97. Is glad of the Queen's dishonour yet sends privately to comfort her upon her false Accusation ibid. Her Answer to the Abbot of Dumfarmling upon his Propositions p. 106. Sends an Ambassadour to the King of Scots when confin'd offering him her Assistance p. 132. Sends a sharp Letter to King James p. 139. The Contents thereof p. 140. Receives intelligence of a Magnificent Embassy from Denmark to
by the shiver of a Spear engaging with the Earl of Montegomery at the Iustings of his Daughter's Marriage with the King of Spain p. 28. And dies Eight days after ibid. Henry Prince King James his first Son born at Sterling 202. Herreis Lord is Imprisoned in the Castle of Edinburgh p. 101. Hume George turns William Kieth out of his place of Master of the Wardrobe when King James was in Denmark p. 182. Being Knighted is made Master of the Wardrobe p. 198. Hume Lord takes part with the Hamiltouns and Queens Faction p. 106. With whom the Regent Mortoun durst not meddle standing in awe of his Party p. 122. Dies shortly after being a Prisoner in Edinburgh Castle ibid. Hunsdon Earl hath a Conference on the Borders with the Earl of Arran p. 158. Contrives a secret Plot ibid. Huntley Earl is Chief of the new Faction about his Majesty p. 175. Endeavours to turn out the Master of Gray and Martland the Chancellor ibid. Procures the Gift of the Benefice of Dumfarmling ibid. Great disorders occasioned by the Dissention between him and other Earls p. 200. Is sent home hereupon p. 201. Triumphs and takes advantage of the Earl of Murray's Lands giving him just cause of Complaint ibid. Kills the Earl of Murray ibid. I JAmes the Fifth of Scotland his resolute Speech to the Prelates p. 4. Gives the Ward and Marriage of Kelly in Angus to the Second Son of the Lord Grange ibid. Gives ear to the Clergy to put off the Convention with King Henry the 8th at York ibid. Is forced to raise an Army to defend his Country upon that account p. 6. Is much troubled at the Defeat of his Army and useth severe Language against the Prelates who fearing his displeasure poison him with an Italian Posset ibid. His Character p. 7. James Lord Prior of St. Andrews the Natural Son of James the Fifth p. 25. Hears of Queen Mary's Resolution to return to Scotland and goes to France to request it p. 31. Returns to Scotland to prepare them for her Reception ibid. James the Sixth King born p. 69. When of Age he causeth the Heirs of the Lord Grange to be restored p. 123. Orders his bones to be taken up and honourably buried at Killingborn ibid. Is brought up at Sterling by Alexander Areskine and the Layd Mar p. 125. Hath Four Masters their Character ibid. The Earl of Mortoun being deposed he takes the Government into his own hands p. 128. Is surprised by the Lords in the House of Huntingtoun p. 132. Is conveyed afterward to Sterling and there retained ibid. Laments his mishandling during that Captivity ibid. Invites by Letters some of the Nobility to a Convention p. 133. Goes from Falkland to St. Andrews some few days before the Convention to the Earl of March p. 135. Thinks himself there at liberty ibid. Lodgeth in an old Inn there ibid. Becomes Master of the Castle p. 136. And declares his moderate intentions toward all the Lords ibid. Orders 4 Lords to retire and retains the rest as his Council ibid. Causeth a Proclamation to be made according to his moderate intentions p. 137. Returns the Author thanks as the only instrument of procuring his liberty ibid. Is gently inclined to all the Nobility and Treated particularly by the Earl of Gaury ibid. Solicits the Author to prevail with the Lord Gaury that the Earl of Arran might come to Court and kifs his hand p. 138. Promising he should not stay there ibid. Sends a Letter in Answer to Queen Elizabeth's p. 140. The Contents thereof p. 140 141 and 142. His Majesty is taken again p. 142. Gives Secretary Walsingham Audience p. 147. Sends a Letter to Queen Elizabeth promising not to bring again the Earl of Arran into Court p. 148. Is taken at the Road of Ruthven p. 149. And retain'd Captive ibid. Takes little care to prevent inconveniences yet obtains his liberty ibid. Assures the Author that he would Convene a Council of Lords at Edinburgh p. 150. His Dream concerning the Earl of Gaury p. 156. Writes for Melvil the Author to come and advise him p. 157. As also to come and entertain Wotton being sent to him by the Queen of England p. 159. Whom he loved before he saw by reason of the advantageous Character which the Master of Gray gave him ibid. Orders the Author to entertain the Danish Ambassadours 162. And because they were three in Commission wisheth him to choose two more to accompany him which he did ibid. Gives them Audience at Dumfarmling and is much dissatisfied at their ill handling ibid. Grows impatient to hear the Author speak against Wotton p. 164. Acquaints the Author that he was informed the King of Denmark's Descent was from Merchants ibid. But after he was informed of the truth he sends for the said Ambassadors p. 165. Promiseth them a speedy dispatch to their satisfaction ibid. Orders a Banquet for them is hindred from being present at it but being informed how matters stood goes thither and drinks to the King Queen and Ambassadors of Denmark to their great content p. 166. causeth their dispatch to be ready according to promise ibid. Sends to the Earl of Arran for a great Gold Chain which he got from Sir James Balfour to present it to the Three Ambassadors which was done accordingly ibid. Sends to agree with the Banished Lords at their coming to Sterling p. 169. Where it was agreed his Majesty should be in their hands and no rigour used to those about him ibid. Calls them Traytors at first but after grants them a Pardon ibid. Acknowledgeth the Earl of Arran to have been a bad Minister of State and that he should never be readmitted to Court p. 170. Hears the news of his Mothers Execution which highly displeas'd him p. 173. Convenes a Parliament desiring the Assistance of his Subjects ibid. When he at first hears they were about the Conviction of his Mother he sent Two Ambassadors on her behalf ibid. Sends for the Author to prepare him to go Ambassador to England ibid. Goes to the Western Borders to reform some disorders between the Maxwels and Johnstouns p. 175. Resolves to wait an opportunity to revenge his Mothers Death rather then trouble the Peace of the Kingdom of England ibid. Is Courted in Marriage by many great Princes p. 177. Asks Council of God by Prayer Fifteen days and then resolves to Marry the King of Denmark's Daughter ibid. Makes choice of the Author to go Ambassador to Denmark ibid. Perswades him to undertake that Embassy p. 178. Consents that his Brother the Lord Yungland should be joyned in Commission with him and gives him Commission by word of mouth ibid. Is angry-with the Author p. 179. Is advised to send to Queen Elizabeth to desire her Consent to his Marriage with Denmark ibid. Her Answer thereunto ibid. Is incensed with his Council for Voting against that Marriage ibid. Deals privately with those at Edinburgh to threaten the Council and Chancellor menacing him with Death if
the Queen's Lords are Routed p. 91. The King's Lords send for the Earl of Lennox to make him Regent in the room of Murray p. 104. They hold a Parliament at Sterling and the Queen 's at Edinburgh p. 113. Lords all written and unwritten for arrive at St. Andrew's to attend the Convention intended there by the King p. 136. Design to have the King in custody ibid. Lords met at Edinburgh pass a Vote unanimously being preoccupied by the Earl of Arran p. 153. Those Lords who designed the attempt on Sterling fly to England p. 157. Are forefaulted p. 158. They return and come to the Borders with Assistance p. 168. 3000 of the banished Lords enter Sterling fall on their knees and beg his Majesty's pardon p. 169. Which is granted ibid. The Lords gain great credit by their moderate behaviour p. 170. Lorrain Cardinal designs to promote Queen Mary to the Crown of England by alledging Queen Elizabeth to be Illegitimate p. 23. Causeth all Queen Mary's Silver Vessels to be engraven with the Arms of England ibid. After the conclusion of Peace is sent Ambassadour to Spain to take that King's Oath and to swear for his Master 's observing the same ibid. Proposeth two Matches to the Emperour of Germany p. 33. M MAcclean and others chief of the Highlands is subtilly brought to Court by the Chancellour p. 192. Are imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle accused of foul murther but get off ibid. Maitland Secretary is confin'd to his house with others p. 166. Opposeth the Author in Council p. 171. Mar Earl keeps the young Prince and will not deliver him to Bothwel p. 80. Is made Regent in the room of Lennox p. 111. Goes to Edinburgh to Convene the Lords in order to an Accommodation p. 118. In the mean time goes to Dalkieth and shortly after dies at Sterling ibid. Margil David one of the Duke of Lennox his Councellors p. 128. Marshal of Berwick besiegeth Edinburgh assisted by an English Army and all Scotland p. 120. Contends with the Ambassadour p. 121. Is forced to deliver up the Prisoners in Edinburgh Castle to the Regent being commanded by the Queen of England to do it ibid. Which he doth with much regret and returns to Berwick discontented ibid. The Laird of Cleesh having before offered them good Conditions to quit the Castle ibid. Takes the death of the Laird of Grange very much to heart by reason of the breach of his promise and thereupon quits his Employment of Marshal whose loss is much lamented being a worthy Captain ibid. Marshal Earl and others lodge within the Castle with his Majesty of Scotland p. 136. He and others retire to their Houses p. 137. Desires to supply the place of the Lord Atry as Ambassadour to Denmark p. 178. Which is granted ibid. But his Commission is so slender that he sends the Lord Dingual for a License to return or a power to conclude the Match with Denmark ibid. Which he receives and is presently dispatcht for Scotland by the Regent and Council and the Queen sent home with him well attended p. 180. But are driven by Tempest upon the Coast of Norway the winds being raised by the Witches of Denmark and the reason why ibid. Is not well thought of by the King upon the account of his Embasby to Denmark occasioned by the Chancellour's misrepresentation of him to his Majesty p. 182. Martland is made Chancellour in Scotland p. 175. Threatned to be kill'd p. 179. Hears of his Majesties discontent at the Queens delay of coming from Denmark and adviseth him to sail thither in person to fetch her home p. 181. Who goes with him privately ibid. Being at Denmark he deviseth many Reformations to be made at his Majesties return p. 182. Causeth the Lord Hume Earl Bothwel and divers others to be imprisoned for their disobedience during the absence of the King ibid. Misrepresents Sir Robert Melvil and envies him though a great friend to his promotion ibid. Emulation between the Council and him who design to turn him out p. 183. But prevents it being discovered ibid. Great hatred between him and the Duke of Lennox p. 198. He retires to his own House and is accused of several Crimes ibid. Procures again his Majesties favour and is re-introduced at Court p. 200. And at length reconciled to the Queen ibid. Mary Queen of Scotland the only Child left of King James the 5th p. 7. Born when he lay on his death-bed p. 7. After her Arrival in France great disputes arise about her Marriage between the two Factions in France but is at last wedded to the Dauphin p. 8. Proves a sorrowful Widdow after the death of her Husband p. 30. By degrees leaves the Court upon dislike ibid. Occasion'd by the Queen-Mother's rigorous dealing with her p. 31. Is advised to return to Scotland and behave her self moderately ibid. At length arrives in her own Country p. 32. Seems to approve of the Match proposed by Cardinal Lorrain between her and the Arch-Duke of Austria ibid. Advertiseth the Queen of England of this proposal desiring her advice p. 40. Which she Answers by Mr. Randolph ibid. and p. 41. Lays aside the thoughts of that Match p. 43. And the Reasons why ibid. Behaves her self very discreetly and gains great reputation in all Countries p. 53. Her Character p. 54. Is much taken with the Lord Darnly p. 56. Determines to marry him tho opposed by several Lords ibid. And is married to him accordingly p. 57. Is kept Prisoner by Douglas and his Party upon the murther of Rixio p. 65. Causeth the King to advise them to withdraw the Guards they had upon her ibid. So they went all to their home but the Queen King and some in their Retinue went at midnight to Dunbar p. 66. Subscribes Remissions for the Lord Murray and his Dependers lamenting the young King's folly ibid. Goes to Sterling to Ly In her time approaching p. 67. She mislikes the King who grows melancholick thereupon ibid. She is much troubled at that foul fact committed in her presence by killing her Servant Rixio to the endangering of her self and the Child in her Womb p. 74. Keeps her Chamber some time after the murther of her Husband Darnly p. 78. She wonders at the reports of her marriage with Bothwel but denies it ibid. Is forced to marry him the Nobility approving it and he having first Ravished her p. 80. Is married by Adam Bothwel after the Reformed Religion ibid. Resigns her self to the Lord of Grange and conveyed to Edinburgh p. 83. where she is respected by the Nobles but reviled by the vulgar ibid. Writes a Letter wherein she calls Bothwel her dear heart promising never to forsake him p. 84. Which being brought to the Lords by the Treachery of one of her Keepers they sent her to be secured in Lockleven ibid. Upon the Lord Lindsay's coming she subscribed to the Demission of the Government to the Prince and certain Lords named as Regents p. 85. Is conveyed from Lockleven
the time and one called Mr. Lignish greatest in favour with the Duke of Norfolk and a good number of Knights and Gentlemen of York-shire with the most part of the Captains of Berwick Her Majesty was sufficiently informed by my Brother's writing to her and me what kind of language and entertainment was most proper for the Earl and each of them When all the rest of the Ambassadours were come they repined to see the English-men more friendly and familiarly used then themselves For then we had more to do with England then with France And the French Earl who was sent was no Courtier but a simple Man And Monsieur de Morat the Duke of Savoy his Ambassadour being far of came after the Baptism During their abode at Sterling there was daily Banqueting Dancing and Triumph And at the principal Banquet there fell out a great grudge among the English-men for a Frenchman called Bastien devised a number of Men formed like Satyrs with long Tails and whips in their hands running before the meat which was brought through the great Hall upon a Machine or Engine marching as appeared alone with Musicians clothed like Maids singing and playing upon all sorts of Instruments But the Satyrs were not content only to make way or room but put their hands behind them to their Tails which they wagged with their hands in such sort as the English-men supposed it had been devised and done in derision of them weakly apprehending that which they should not have appeared to understand for Mr. Hattoun Mr. Lignish and the most part of the Gentlemen desired to Supp before the Queen and great Banquet that they might see the better the Order and Ceremonies of the Triumph But so soon as they perceived the Satyrs wagging their Tails they all sate down upon the bare floor behind the back of the Table that they might not see themselves derided as they thought Mr. Hatton said unto me if it were not in the Queens presence he would put a Dagger to the heart of that French knave Bastien who he alledged had done it out of despight that the Queen made more of them then of the Frenchmen I excused the matter the best I could but the noise was so great behind the Queen's back where her Majesty and my Lord of Bedford did sit that they heard and turned about their faces to enquire what the matter meant I informed them that it was occasioned by the Satyrs so that the Queen and my Lord of Bedford had both enough to do to get them appeased It fell out unhappily at such a time and the English Gentlemen committed a great over sight to notice it as done against them But my Lord of Bedford was discreet and interpreted all things to the best My Lord of Bedford was rewarded with a rich Chain of Diamonds worth two thousand Crowns Mr. Cary with a Chain of Pearl and a Ring with a fair Diamond Mr. Hattoun had a Chain with her Majesties Picture and a Ring Mr. Lignish and five other of Quality had each of them Chains I was commanded with many others to attend them towards the Road. They parted all very well content and satisfied with the Queens Majesty but lamented that they perceived the King so much slighted My Lord of Bedford desired me to request her Majesty to entertain him as she had done at the beginning for her own honour and the advancement of her affairs which I forgot not to do at all occasions After the Baptism and parting of the Ambassadours her Majesty desirous to put good order upon the Borders sent the Earl of Bothwel before who in the pursuit of Thieves was hurt Her Majesty past afterward to Jedbrugh her self where the Earls of Bothwel and Huntly enterprised the slaughter of the Earl of Murray but the Lord Hume came there with forces and prevented that enterprise Her Majesty returned by the Merse and desired to see Berwick afar off where she was honoured with many shots of Artillery and Sir John Foster Warden upon the English Border came and conferred with her Majesty for keeping of good order And the mean time while he was speaking with her Majesty on Horse-back his Courser did rise up with his formost Legs to take the Queens Horse by the Neck with his Teeth but his Feet hurt her Majesties Thigh very ill Incontinent the Warden lighted off his Horse and sate down upon his knees craving her Majesties pardon For then all England did much reverence her her Majesty made him to rise and said that she was not hurt yet it compelled her Majesty to tarry two days at the Castle of Hoome untill she recovered again The King followed her about whithersoever she rode but got no good countenance So that finding himself flighted he went to Glascow where he fell sick it being alledged that he had got poison from some of his Servants In the mean time the Earl of Bothwel ruled all at Court having brought home the banished Lords and packed up a quiet friendship with the Earl of Mortoun After her Majesties return to Edinbrugh she reconciled the Earls of Huntly Bothwel Arguile and others From that her Majesty went to Sterling to see the Prince and returned again to Edinbrugh whither the King was afterward brought and lodged in the Kirk-field as a place of good Air where he might best recover his health But many suspected that the Earl of Bothwel had some enterprise against him few durst advertise him because he told all again to some of his own Servants who were not all honest Yet Lord Robert Earl of Orkny told him that if he retired not hastily out of that place it would cost him his life which he told again to the Queen and my Lord Robert denied that ever he spoke it This advertisement moved the Earl of Bothwel to haste forward his enterprize he had before laid a train of Powder under the House where the King did lodge and in the night did blow up the said House with the Powder but it was spoken that the King was taken forth and brought down to a Stable where a Napkin was stopped in his mouth and he therewith suffocated Every body suspected the Earl of Bothwel and those who durst speak freely to others said plainly that it was he Whereupon he drew together a number of Lords of his dependers to be an Assize which cleansed and acquitted him some for fear some for favour and the greatest part in expectation of advantage This way being assailed he remained still the greatest favourite at Court My Lord of Murray was retired from the Court several days before Her Majesty kept her Chamber for a while I came to the door the next morning after the murther and the Earl of Bothwel said that her Majesty was sorrowful and quiet which occasioned him to come forth He said the strangest accident had fallen out which ever was heard of for Thunder had come out of the sky and had burnt the King's House