no other cause but to trie the Dukes minde whether hee stood constant and resolute But the crimes of the other he wittily extenuated and by no meanes he could be induced to tell the names of the Noblemen that promised to helpe the Duke to surprize the Queene But he confessed that he by the commandement of the Queene of Scotland did aske aduice of the Duke Arundell Lumley and Throgmorton by their seruants that came to and fro and the Vicount Mountague by Lumley about the deliuerie of the Castles in Scotland the hostages the deliuerie of the King of Scotland vnto the English men and the restoring of the English Rebels Thus much of these matters this yeere out of the Dukes confessions and the Commentarie of Rosse himselfe written with his owne hand sent to the Queene of Scotland Matthew Earle of Lennox Regent of Scotland Grandfather to the King had summoned an assembly of the Estates at Sterling in the Kings name where liuing securely he was taken on the sudden by the Noblemen of the contrarie faction who held a Parlament at Edenburgh at the same time in the Queenes name He had yeelded himselfe to Dauid Spense of Wormeston who labouring diligently to saue his life was slaine together with the Regent who had gouerned the Realme for the King his Grandchild but foureteene moneths by Bell and Caulder In his place was substituted by the voices of the Kings faction Iohn Areskin Earle of Marre who died after hee had beene Regent but thirteene moneths These dangerous times produced in the Parlament holden in England this Law It was made treason if any attempted any harme or hurt made warre or moued any other to raise warre against the Queene If any affirmed that she possessed not the Crowne rightfully but that others had more right to the Crowne or did say that shee was an Heretike Schismatike or Infidell did vsurpe the right of the Kingdome during her life or shall say that any other hath right to the Crowne or that the Lawes and Statutes cannot define and binde the right of the Crowne and the succession of the same If any in the Queenes life by written or printed booke expresly affirme that any is or ought to be heire or successor of the Queene besides the naturall issue of her owne body or shall print or sell any bookes or schedules to that effect hee and his fautors for the first time shall be imprisoned a whole yeere and lose halfe his goods and for the second offence incurre Premunire that is to lose all his goods and lie in prison for euer This seemed somewhat seuere vnto many who were of opinion that the tranquillitie of the Realme would bee established by the designation of a certaine heire But it is wonderfull what iests somelewd construers of words made of that clause Besides the naturall issue of her body since the Lawyers call them Naturall that are borne out of matrimonie but the legitimate they call out of the forme of words vsed in the Law of England Children of his body lawfully begotten insomuch that being a young man I heard it often said that that word was thrust into the Act by Leicester to the intent that hee might at one time or other thrust vpon them against their wills some Bastard sonne of his as the naturall issue of the Queene An Act was made also at this Parlament that it should bee treason in them who reconciled any to the Church of Rome by any Bulls or Rescripts of the Popes or any that were reconciled they that releeued the reconcilers or brought in any Agnus Dei Grana Crucifixes or other things consecrated by the Pope into England should incurre the penaltie of Premunire And that it should bee misprision of treason in them that did not discouer their reconcilers It was moued in the same Parlament that if the Queene of Scotland did offend againe against the Lawes of England that they might proceed against her according to the Law as against the wife of a Peere of the Kingdome of England but the Queene would not suffer it to passe Anno 1572. ON the sixteenth day of Ianuarie Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke was arraigned at Westminster Hall before George Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie appointed for that day Lord high Steward of England and on both sides of him sate the Peeres namely Reynold Grey Earle of Kent Thomas Ratclif Earle of Sussex Henry Hastings Earle of Huntingdon Francis Russell Earle of Bedford Henry Herbert Earle of Pembrooke Edward Seymer Earle of Hertford Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwicke Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Walter Deuereux Viscount Hereford Edward Clintōn Admirall William Lord Howard of Effingham Chamberlaine William Cecill Lord Burghley Secretarie Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton Iames Blount Lord Mountioy William Lord Sands Thomas Lord Wentworth William Lord Burrough Lewis Lord Mordant Iohn Powlet Lord Saint-Iohn of Basing Robert Lord Rich Roger Lord North Edmund Bruges Lord Chandois Oliuer Lord Saint-Iohn of Bletneshoo Thomas Sackuill Lord Buckhurst and William West Lord De La-ware Silence being made the Letters Patents of the Commission was read then a white wand was deliuered vnto the Lord Steward by Garter King at Armes which hee shortly after deliuered vnto the Serieant at Armes who stood by and held it vp all the while Then the Earles and Barons were called by their names and euery one made answer to his name Then silence was made againe and the Lieutenant of the Tower was commanded to returne his precept and to bring the Duke to the Barre Forthwith he was brought in and Sir Owen Hopton stood on the one side of him and Sir Peter Carew on the other side and next by him stood a man holding an Axe with the edge from the Duke Silence being made againe the Clerke of the Crowne said thus to the Duke Thomas Duke of Norfolke late of Keningale in the Countie of Norfolke hold vp thy hand which when hee had done the Clerke read the Inditement with a loud voice that is to say That in the eleuenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH and after the Duke did traiterously deuise to put her from her Crowne and to kill her and to raise warre against her and to bring in forraine forces to inuade the Realme That whereas he knew MARIE late Queene of Scotland to haue claimed the Diadem of England with the title and armes thereof yet hee without the Queenes knowledge intended to marrie with her and lent her a great summe of money contrarie to the promise he had made vnder his owne hand That whereas he knew the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland Markenfield and others had raised rebellion against the Queene and were fled into Scotland he releeued them with money That in the thirteenth yeere of the Queene hee by letters requested aid of men from Pope Pius Quintus the professed enemie of the Queene the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alba to deliuer the Queene of Scotland and to restore Papistrie into England
IACOB MAG BRIT REG. MATER SERENISSIMA MARIA REGINA The most excellent Princesse Mary queene of Scotland and Dowager of France Mother to our Soueraigne lord James of greate Brittaine France Ireland king THE HISTORIE OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Mary Stuart QVEENE OF SCOTLAND LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Richard Whitaker and are to be sold at the signe of the Kings Head in Pauls Church-yard 1624. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Most Dread Soueraigne ZENO the Philosopher being asked how a man might attaine wisdome answered By drawing neere vnto the dead O the Sepulchers of our Ancestors how much more doe they teach than all the studie bookes and precepts of the learned And herein due praise must needs be ascribed vnto Historie the life of memorie and the mirrour of mans life making those Heroick acts to liue againe which otherwise would be buried in eternall forgetfulnesse whereby the minde a greedy hunter after knowledge is enflamed by affecting the seuerall perfections of others to seeke after excellent things and by feruent imitation to attaine to that glory which is gotten by vertuâ— For these causes most renowned Soueraigne when I considered Plutarke laying aside the studie of Philosophic to thinke the time well imploied in writing the liues of Theseus of Aristides and of other inferiour persons and knowing how farre the lustre and splendor of Princes shineth beyond the brightnesse of others euery one standing for a million of the common people And being sensible that it is infused euen by nature euery man to desire and to be delighted with the relation and story of his owne Ancestors and predecessors For these reasons I presumed to present vnto your Highnesse this Treatise of the life and death of your Royall Mother the Lady MARY STVART Queene of Scotland A History most fit for this your Meridian of Great Britaine and yet neuer published in the English tongue before Wherein although I confesse the slendernesse of my skill in the exornation and beautifying of the stile and thereby may worthily incurre the reproofe of the learned yet if your Maiesty vouchsafe your gracious and Princely acceptation all faults therein shall easily bee couered and blotted out Therefore I become your humble Orator praying no other thing than the Sunne Diall of the Sunne Aspice me vt aspiciar most humbly beseeching the Almighty to blesse your most Excellent Maiestie with a long happie and prosperous reigne Your Sacred Maiesties most humble subiect WIL. STRANGVAGE THE PREFACE TO THE ENSVING HISTORIE IT is a thing most true and some finde it by experience that here below in this world there is nothing eternall And how can it be otherwise when the great Kings and Princes of the earth who seeme to be created of the most pure substance of the Elements of a matter as may bee said for their excellency incorruptible of the fine gold of Euilath and of the best mould to the patterne of the fairest Ideas and beare and carry the Image and Seale of all puissance as the chiefe impression of natures worke in the plaine greatnesse of Maiestie which engraueth their forehead with a gracious statelinesse Yet doe we see them euery day who seeme vnto men to be lasting and durable as eternity it selfe to quit the arches oâ— triumph and to yeeld themselues vnto the triumph oâ— death And more than that the most part of them finish their daies not in the sweet and calme waters like Pourcontrells but by a death disseasoned sometimes in their greene youth and flourishing age by the stormes and tempests as doe the Dolphins within the torrents billowes or waues of the sea tossed by diuers factions And it seemeth that this fatality pursueth ordinarily the most worthy and vertuous persons so that they finish their liues many times with violence or precipitation and not to goe vnto their death in a smooth path but to bee interrupted with some strange accident which cclipseth the bright shining lustre of their greatnesse which dasell the mindes of men that from below beheld them sitting aloft on the throne of Maiestie All which appeared most plainly and euidently to be true in the most worthy and royall Princesse MARY STVART Queene of Scotland who in all her life being tossed and turmoiled with infinite misfortunes concluded it with an vntimely death as followeth in the sequell of this Historie of her life and death MARY STVART Queene of Scotland was daughter vnto Iames the fist King of Scotland a wise and valiant Prince and of the Lady MARY of the Illustrious family of the Dukes of Lorraine whose fame for valour is renowned thorow all Christendome was borne on the eighth day of December in the yeere of our Lord 1541. She was not aboue eight daies old when her father died being left thus young the Noblemen of Scotland being diuided whereof the family of the Hamiltons and the Earle of Lynnox being the heads the one side supported by King Henry the eighth of England and the other by the French King Henry the second she was by the care of her mother who inclined vnto the French King at the age of six yeeres or thereabouts sent into France in the Gallies of Villagagnon a Knight of the Rhodes appointed by the French King vnto this seruice in the which voyage by the West Seas for in the other passage neere the Straits of Calice the Englishmen had laid a strong Nauy to intercept her she hardly escaped drowning by meanes of a storme or tempest that happened neere vnto the coast of little Brittaine in France where she afterward tooke land from whence she was conueyed vnto the Court of France where she was brought vp vnder her Curators the French King and the Dukes of Guise and by their exquisite care she drew in with the aire the sweetnesse of the humours of the countrey and in the end by the singular grace of nature and carefulnesse of her friends and Kinsfolks became with her age the fairest and goodliest Princesse of our time And beside this her rare beauty she had her vnderstanding and intendment so pure and perfect her iudgement so certaine surmounting and aboue the condition of her age and sex that it bred and caused in her a greatnesse of courage which was yet mixt and qualified with such sweetnesse and modesty that you could not see any thing more Royall any thing more gracious Her manners and priuate actions were such and were so well liked of generally that it caused King Henry the second of France and his Queene who was admired for her prudence to marry their eldest sonne Daulphin of France and heire of their Crowne vnto this Lady as vnto one well deseruing to be ioyned in mariage vnto their sonne heire apparant of the greatest kingdome in Europe And so vpon the foure and twentieth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1558. Francis the Daulphin of France and MARY STVART Queene of Scotland were maried in the Church of Nostra Dama
vnto which he was forced to yeeld forasmuch as they triumphed ouer his innocencie he repeateth the vnfortunate deaths of his Ancestors that is to say of his great grandfather who was condemned and neuer called to triall of his grandfather who was beheaded for trifling matters and of his Father who as he affirmed was circumuented by his enemies and who neuer carried any euill minde toward his Prince or Countrey But that he lest he should runne into the same hard fortune his father had forsooke his country that he might spend his time in the seruice of God and in the works tending to the saluation of his soule but not his loyalty and fidelity toward his Prince Before these letters were deliuered he went into Sussex and being ready to take ship in an obscure creeke was taken and apprehended by the treachery of his seruants and discouery of the master of the ship and committed vnto the Tower of London At that time there was prisoner in the same place Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland a man of a liuely spirit and couâ—age brother of Thomas beheaded at Yorke suspected to be priuy vnto the plot of Throgmorton the Lord Paget and the Guises for the inuading of England and deliuering of the Queene of Scotland vnto whom alwaies he had borne a great loue and affection In the moneth of Iune he was found dead in his bed shot thorow with three bullets about the left pappe the doores being bolted on the inside The Crowners quests according to the custome taken out of the next neighbours and sworne by the Crowner viewing the body considering the place hauing found the pistoll with the gunpowder in the chamber his man who bought the Pistall and the seller thereof being examined gaue their verdict that the Earle did murther himselfe The third day after the Noblemen of the Realme came in great number and met in the Starre chamber where Thomas Bromly Lord Chauncellor of England succinctly declared that the Earle had plotted and deuised treason against his Queene and Countrey which being now to come vnto light and to be discouered vpon the guiltinesse of his conscience had murdered himselfe But that the multitude and common people who alwaies conster things to the worst might be satisfied he commanded the Kings Atturney and the Kings Counsell at law to deliuer and explaine at large the causes why the Earle was kept and detained in prison and the manner of his death Hereupon Popham the Queenes Atturney Generall beginning at the rebellion in the North sheweth out of the Records That he was arraigaed for this Rebellion and for purposing to deliuer the Queene of Scotland did then acknowledge his fault and submitted himselfe vnto the mercy of the Queene and that he was fined at fiue thousand marks as I haue said before and that the Queene such was her clemency tooke not a penny but remitted the same and that after the execution of his brother for the same fault she confirmed him in the honour of Earle of Northumberland That he neuerthelesse entred into new practises to deliuer the Queene of Scotland to conquer England and to kill the Queene and to destroy Religion That Mendoza the Spanish Embassador had signified vnto Throgmorton that Charles Paget vnder the name of Mope had talked with him of these things secretly in Suffex That the Lord Paget had insinuated the same things almost vnto Throgmorton and that the same things were euident and apparant by the papers of Câ—â—eycton the Scottish Iesuite and that Charles Paget had told these things vnto William Shelley when he returned out of France Then Egerton the Queenes Solliciter argued wittâ—ly out of the circumstances and the great care taken of concealing it that the Earle was guilty of and priuy to these things that is to say For that the Earle since that none in England could charge him with these things but the Lord Paget who was very familiar with Throgmorton a few daies after the taking and apprehension of Throgmorton made a ship ready for Paget by Shelley in which he passed ouer into France When Throgmorton began to confesse some things hee departed from London and went out of the way vnto Petworth and signified vnto Shelley whom he had sent for vnto him that he was fallen into great danger of his life and of his estate and requested him to conceale the businesse and to send away them who were acquainted with the departure of the Lord Paget and with the comming of Charles Paget which was done forthwith And he himselfe sent a good way off the man whom hee had vsed about Charles Paget Moreouer the Sollicitor said that he being now in prison dealt oftentimes with Shelley by the Keepers whom he corrupted to know what things and of what nature hee had confessed After that Shelley by a poore woman a secret messenger betweene them had certified him that he could not conceale matters any longer that their condition and estate were not like that he should be put on the racke but that the Earle could not in respect of his place and degree and had written those things which he had confessed the Earle fighed grieuously and sometimes said as Panton who waited on him in his chamber confessed that by the confession of Shelley he was vtterly vndone Then the manner and reason of his death is declared out of the testimony of the Enquest of the Lieutenant of the Tower of some of the Warders and of Panton and thereupon it was gathered that he for feare left his house and family should be vtterly destroied and a blemish and blot imposed thereon had laid his owne violent hands vpon himselfe Truly many honest men as well for that they fauour Nobility as also for that he was holden and reputed a man of very great valour were heartily sorry that such a man came to such a lamentable and wretched death What things the suspecting fugitiues talked in corners of one Balliue one of Hattons men who a little before was made Keeper vnto the Earle I omit as a thing of small credit neither meane I to set downe any thing out of idle reports Anno 1586. IN this yeare Philip Earle of Arundell who had laine now a whole yeare in prison was accused in the Starre Chamber That he had releeued Priests against the lawes that he had had commerce of letters with Allan and Persons the Iesuite enemies of the Queene and that he had derogated in writing from the Iustice of the Land and imagined to depart out of the land without licence Hee proâ—essing his dutie and seruice vnto the Queene and his loue and good will vnto his countrey excused himselfe with great modesty by the loue he had to the Catholike Religion and by his ignorance of the lawes and submitted himselfe vnto the censure and iudgement of the Lords who fined him at tenne thousand pounds and to be imprisoned during the Queenes pleasure In the moneth of Iuly a most pernicious Conspiracie against
a turbulent spirit and nature casting out threats and terrors of the bloud that was ere long to bee shed in England On the next day the other seuen were drawne vnto the same place but vsed with more mercy by the Queenes commandement who hated the former cruelty for euery one of them hung till they were quite dead before they were cut downe and bowelled Salisbury the first was very penitent and aduised the Catholikes not to attempt the restitution of Religion by force or armes and the same did Dun who was the next Iones protesting that he had disswaded Salisbury from this enterprise and that he vtterly condemned and disliked the haughty and rash spirit of Babington and the purpose of inuasion Charnock and Trauerse fixed wholly to their praiers commended themselues to God and the Saints Gage extolling the bountifull liberality of the Queene toward his father and detesting his owne treacherous ingratitude toward a Princesse so well deseruing Hierom Bellamy who had hidden Babington after he was proclaimed traitor whose brother priuy to the same offence had strangled himselfe in prison ashamed and silent was the last of this company These men being executed Nauus the Frenchman and Curlus the Scot who were Secretaries to the Queene of Scotland being examined about the letters copies of letters and little notes and Ciphers found in the Queenes closet of their owne will acknowledged by their subscriptions that the handwritings were their owne endited by her in French taken by Nauus and turned into English by Curlus Neither did they deny that she receiued letters from Babington and that they wrote backe by her commandement in such a sense as is aforesaid Yet this is certaine out of letters that when Curlus did at this time aske Walsingham for what he promised that Walsingham did reproue him as one forgetfull of an extraordinary grace as that he had not confessed any thing but that hee could not deny when Nauus charged him therewithall to his face The Counsellors of England could not agree what should be done with the Queene of Scotland some thought good that no seuerity was to be vsed against her but to be kept very close as well for that she was not the beginner of this plot but onely made acquainted with it and also for that she was sickly and not like to liue long Others for the securitie of Religion would haue her dispatched out of the way and that by the course of Law Leycester had rather haue it done by poyson and secretly sent a Diuine to Walsingham to shew him that this was lawfull but Walsingham protested that he was so farre from allowing that any violence should be vsed that long agoe hee crossed and broke the aduice of Morton who had perswaded to send her into Scotland that she might be killed in the very borders of both the kingdomes They were moreouer of different opinions by what law or Act they should proceed against her whether out of that of the XXV yeare of Edward the third in which he is a traitor who deuiseth to kill the King or the Queene or moueth warre in the Kingdome or doth adhere vnto his enemies Or whether by that Law or Act of the XXVII yeare oâ— Queene ELIZABETH which is set downe before At length their opinion preuailed who would haue it by this latter law as made for this purpose and therefore to be accommodated thereunto therefore out of that law enacted the former yeare that enquiry might be made and sentence pronounced against them who raised rebellion inuaded the kingdome or attempted to hurt the Queene many of the Priuie Counsell and Noblemen of England were chosen Commissioners by letters Patents which was this after the Lawyers forme and stile ELIZABETH by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queene Defender of the faith c. To the most Reuerend Father in Christ Iohn Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of all England and one of our Priuy Counsell And to our beloued and trusty Thomas Bromley Knight Chauncellor of England and another of our Priuie Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Burghley Lord Treasurer of England another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our most deare cousin William Marquesse of Winchester one of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Edward Earle of Oxford great Chamberlaine of England another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin George Earle of Shrewsbury Earle Marshall of England another of our Priuy Counsell and to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Kent another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Darby another of our Priuy Counsell And to our most deare cousin William Earle of Worcester another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Edward Earle of Rutland another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Master of our Ordnance another of our Priuy Counsell and to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Pembrooke another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Robert Earle of Leicester Master of our horse another of our Priuy Counsell And to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Lincolne another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Antony Vicount Montague another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Charles Lord Howard our great Admirall of England another of our Priuy Counsell And to our welbeloued and faithfull Henry Lord Hunsdon our Lord Chamberlaine another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord of Aburgeuenny another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Zouch another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Morley another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Cobham Lord Warden of our fiue Ports another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Stafford another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to oâ—r welbeloued and trusty Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord Lumley another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord Sturton another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Sandes another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord Wentworth another of the Lords of the Parlament To our welbeloued and trusty Lewis Lord Mordant another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord St. Iohn of Bletso another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Thomas Lord Buckhurst another of our Priuy Counsell And
her whom she had in her secret purpose appointed husband for the Queene of Scotland that he might be more worthy of that match Baron of Denbigh giuing vnto him Denbigh with the demeasnes and the next day Earle of Leycester to him and his heires males lawfully begotten For whose sake also shee had before created his elder brother Ambrose Baron Lisle and Earle of Warwicke and to his heires males lawfully begotten and to Robert his brother and to his heires males of his body lawfully begotten Dudly aduanced to these honours to purchase fauour and grace with the Queene of Scotland vnto whom hee made suit in mariage studied with all kinde of offices to deserue well of her and forthwith accused Bacon keeper of the great Seale vnto the Queene that hee had dealt in the matter of succession against the Queene of Scotland and that hee was priuie and accessary vnto a Pamphlet made by one Hales who endeuoured to proue the right of the Crowne of England to belong vnto the familie of Suffolke if the Queene died without Heire for the which he had beene put in Prison but Bacon though hee denied the same was with much adoe and after a long time restored vnto the Queenes fauour by Cecill who kept his owne iudgement in this point secret to himselfe and alwaies determined so to doe vnlesse the Queene as he would say commanded him to speake his mind for she could not endure of all things to haue the right of succession called into question and dispute but the wiser and the richer men were troubled with nothing more whilest in the controuersie of Religion the hot Protestants thought the Q. of Scotland was to be put by and reiected because she was of another Religion though her right was vndoubted out of some querks and words of their Law bookes Some of the Romanists and most that regarded equitie and iustice thought she was to be receiued as the true and certaine Heire by the Law And many preferred Margaret Aunt to the Queene of Scotland the wife of Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox and her children as those of whom they hoped the best as borne in England These things were not vnknowne vnto the Q. of Scotland who to preuent it as much as she could by the aduice of the Countesse of Lennox her Aunt sent for Matthew Earle of Lennox to come into Scotland vnder pretence to restore him into his ancient Patrimonie but indeed to aske him counsell in these affaires who by his wiues meanes obtained leaue and also letters of commendations from Queene Elizabeth after hee had beene banished from his natiue Countrie now full twentie yeeres Hee for I will for more perspicuitie and light to the matter rehearse the same somewhat higher was borne of the same stocke of the Stewarts as the royall familie of the Scots was For Marie daughter vnto Iames the second King of Scotland bore vnto Iames Hamilton Iames the first of this stocke Earle of Arran and Marie his daughter wife vnto Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox the first of this Christian name Iames Earle of Arran his first wife being diuorced and yet liuing married Ienet Beton Aunt to Cardinall Beton by whom he had Iames D. of Chasteauleroy whom his aduersaries hereupon accounted a Bastard Marie sister to the Earle of Arran bore vnto Matthew Iohn Earle of Lennox who being slaine by the Hamiltons at such time as he would haue restored Iames the fourth to his libertie left this second Matthew Stewart of whom we speake Earle of Lennox most deare to Iames the fift in regard of his father But Matthew the King being dead and the Hamiltons hauing all the gouernment in their power departed secretly into France from whence hee was sent by Henry the second the French King to see that the common wealth of Scotland tooke no harme by Hamilton the Regent and herein he behaued himselfe worthily but being a plaine and honest minded man and entangled by the craft and policie of Cardinall Beton and Hamilton he fell out of the fauour of the French King in a short time And when hee could neither tarrie at home nor returne into France he came into England and submitted himselfe to King Henry the eighth who accepted him as a man well beloued in the West borders and acknowledged him as next heire to the Crowne of Scotland after MARIE then an infant though the Hamiltons confiscated all his possessions as of a Traitor condemned and married him vnto the Ladie Margaret Douglas his Niece by his eldest sister giuing him lands in England worth yeerely of the old rent 1700. Markes he promising for his part to deliuer into the hands of the King of England the Castles of Dunbritton the I le of Butha and the Castle of Rothsay which peeces being couragiously and valiantly attempted could not yet be gotten This man the Queene of Scotland a woman prudent and circumspect and who applied all her studies vpon the hopes of England sent for to come into Scotland as I haue said pardoned his banishment restored him vnto his ancient possessions as well that shee might oppose him against the attempts of Iames the Bastard as also to put other folkes out of hope of the succession of England by his sonne Henry Darly For if that young man borne of the royall bloud in England and well beloued of the English Nation should marrie with some of the great families of England shee secretly to her selfe feared that he bolstered vp with the power of England might bee a blocke in her way in the right of her succession in England since hee was accounted in most mens opinion the second heire of the Crowne of England after her and there was nothing shee more wished than that the Realmes of England and Scotland might deuolue by her meanes vnto some of the Scottish race and by him might bee propagated vnto posteritie in the ancient surname of the Stewarts This came to the knowledge of Queene Elizabeth and to preuent her purpose shee declared vnto her by Randolph that that mariage was so vniuersally disallowed by the English men that she adiourned the Parliament against the will of her Councell vntill another time lest the Estates moued vnto wrath for this cause should make some act against her right in succession which lest it should afterward come to passe she willed her not to doe so but to giue satisfaction vnto the English men by thinking vpon some other match And now againe she commended Leicester whom she had aduanced vnto the degree of an Earle and especicially for that cause with more earnestnesse to bee her husband Vpon this occasion at Barwicke in the moneth of Nouember there talked together about the mariage with Leicester the Earle of Bedford and Randolph and for her were Murrey and Lidington Commissioners The English men promised firme amitie perpetuall peace and certaine hope of the succession if shee would marrie with Leicester for vpon this condition Queene Elizabeth had promised to
declare her daughter adoptiue or sister by authoritie of Parliament The Scots stood hard to it that it was not for the dignitie of a Queene desired for wife by Charles the sonne of the Emperor Ferdinand the King of France the Prince of Condy and the Duke of Ferrara to abase her selfe vnto the mariage of a new-made Earle and a subiect of England vpon a hope onely and no dowrie being offered saying also it was neither honorable vnto the Queene of England to commend so meane a husband to so great a Princesse her next kinswoman but that this should bee a most certaine argument of loue if she would permit her at her owne choice to elect her selfe a husband who shall keepe peace with England and withall assigne a good annuitie vnto her and confirme the right of succession by the authoritie of Parliament In all this businesse Queene Elizabeth earnestly desired that the succession of both the Kingdomes might be established in the English Nation though she was slow in the same The Queene of Scotland when the matter had hung thus in talke for the space of two yeeres now determined to take Darly vnto her husband did suspect that Queene Elizabeth did not deale sincerely with her but that she did propound this mariage for no other end and purpose but that shee might make the first choice of the best suiter or wooer for her selfe or else might marrie with better excuse vnto Leicester But the Scottish Delegates looking also for their owne purposes determined by one way or other to thrust some obstacle or other in any mariage that â—hey might retaine still their authoritie with the Queene Queene Elizabeth had willed the Commissioners to hinder the mariage with Darly and Leicester himselfe accounting himselfe most sure of Queene Elizabeth willed Bedford secretly by his letters not to vrge the matter much And vpon this hope it is thought he fauored Darly in secret Anno 1565. IN the meane time Darly got leaue with much adoe to goe into Scotland and to stay there three moneths by the earnest and humble suit his mother made vnto Queene Elizabeth vnder the colour that he might bee present at the restoring of his father and so he came vnto Edenburgh in the moneth of Februarie He was a young man of personage most worthy of an Empire of a comely stature of a most milde nature and sweet behauiour As soone as the Queene of Scotland saw him she fell in loue with him and to couer her loue she talked now and then with Randolfe the English Embassadour in Scotland about the mariage with Leicester and at the same time sent to Rome for a dispensation because Darly and shee were so neere of kinne that a dispensation was necessary by the Canon Lawes But when these things came to light shee sent Lidington vnto Queene Elizabeth that shee might marrie with Darly by her consent and not bee kept any longer vnmaried vpon vaine expectations Queene Elizabeth propounded the matter to her priuie Councell who out of the secret suggestions of Murrey easily beleeued that the purpose of the Queene of Scotland tended by this mariage to strengthen and againe to claime the title and her right vnto the Realme of England and withall to deduce it vnto the Romane Religion againe and that many would incline vnto them vpon the certaintie of their succession comming of this mariage and others out of the loue vnto the Romane Religion and forasmuch as they vnderstood that most of the Iustices of Peace were addicted vnto it To preuent these things they thought it most necessarie first to winne the Queenes good will to marrie speedily some husband that out of the certaintie of succession by her and her issue and from none other the affaires and hopes of English men might depend for they feared that if the Queene of Scotland maried first and had issue the most of the people would incline and bend toward her side because of the certaintie of the succession and securitie Secondly that the profession of the Romane Religion should bee infringed or weakened as much as might be and that of the reformed diligently aduanced and established this by dealing more moderately with some hot spirited Protestants about things indifferent and the other by calling in the depriued Bishops vnto their prisons for they had beene dispersed into the Countries in the time of the great plague by giuing vnto the Bishops more ample authoritie to exercise the Ecclesiastical lawes against that terrifying bugge of the Premunire which the Lawyers obiected against them by suppressing bookes comming from the Low-countries into England set out by Harding and the Diuines that were fled ouer the Seas by remouing away certaine Scottish Priests that lurked in England by depriuing the English fugitiues of their Ecclesiasticall liuings which they enioyed vntill this time by compelling the Iudges of the land who for the most part were Papists to take the oath of Supremacie But to disturbe the mariage with Darly it was thought best to put them in feare by mustering Souldiers vpon the borders toward Scotland and by putting a greater Garrison into Barwicke that the Countesse of Lennox mother to Darly and Charles her sonne should be committed vnto Prison the Earle of Lennox and Darly his sonne should be recalled out of Scotland vpon paine to forfeit all their goods before that any league could bee made by them with the Kings of France or Spaine that the Scots enemies to the mariage should be maintained and Catharine Gray with the Earle of Hertfort should be receiued into some fauour of whom as of her competitor in the succession of the Kingdome shee seemed somewhat to bee afraid And this was all that they could deuise to hinder the mariage Hereupon Nicholas Throgmorton is sent vnto the Queene of Scotland who should aduise her to deliberate long on that which was to be done but once that repentance alwaies followed hastie mariage and to commend instantly the mariage with Leicester and that the mariage with her Aunts sonne was contrary vnto the Canon Law for Queene Elizabeth very much desired that by her some of the English Nation might succeed in both the Realmes although some men there were that thought it would be the best for Religion and both the Realmes if she died without issue She answered the matter could not bee recalled and that Queene Elizabeth had no cause to bee angry when according to her counsell shee had chosen not a stranger but an English man and one borne of the royall bloud of both the Kingdomes and the noblest man of birth of all Brittaine Lidington lying in England did often propose the mariage of the Queene of Scotland vnto Leicester colourably and also to the D. of Norfolke as to one more worthy of a Princesses marriage who at that time put off the same with a modest refusall The Queene of England to interpose some impediment vnto this hastened mariage called backe Lennox Darly as her
subiects according to the times expressed in their licence The father excused himselfe most modestly in his letters the sonne desired that she would not be against his preferment insinuated that it may be that he may be profitable to his deare Countrie of England and openly professed himselfe a louer and honourer of the Queene of Scotland aboue all others who to giue correspondencie to his loue first made him Knight and afterward Lord Aâ—â—â—â—och Earle of Rosse and Duke of Rothsay and the fift moneth after his comming into Scotland tooke him to her husband with the consent of the most of the Noble men and proclaimed him King Murrey who applied all his wit to his owne priuate ambition and vnder the goodly pretence of Religion had drawne in the Duke of Chasteauleroy an honest minded man vnto his side fretting and others raising tumults and arguing these questions Whether a Papist was to be receiued to be their King Whether the Queene of Scotland might choose her selfe a husband at her owne election Whether the Noblemen of the Land might not by their authoritie appoint her a husband The Queene of England who knew the milde nature of Darly and the plaine and honest minde of the father taking compassion of the young man her Cousin and of the Queene a young woman also who had to deale with most turbulent persons who being aboue this twentie yeeres loosed from the gouernment of Kings could not now endure any Kings tooke it more quietly Neither had she any feare of them when she saw the power of the Queene her aduersarie not increased by that meane match and had the mother of Darly in her hand and foresaw that troubles would arise hereupon in Scotland which began incontinently for many Noblemen of Scotland as Hamilton and Murrey chafing fretting at the mariage this man for that the mariage was made without the consent of the Queene of England the other vpon a spight or priuie malice against the familie of Lennox but both of them vnder the pretext of the conseruation of Religion displaied their banners in manner of warre to disturbe the mariage so that the Queene was of necessitie enforced to leuie forces that the mariâ—â—â— might be celebrated with securitie and then she did so fiercely pursue the rebels by the helpe of the King her husband that she made them flie into England before the bands of English men promised to them could come but the Queene of England did couertly grant a lurking place vnto Murrey who was wholly addicted vnto the English and secretly maintained him with money by Bedford vntill hee returned into Scotland which was the day after the murder of Dauid Rizius The causes which Queene Elizabeth alleadged why shee admitted Murrey and the Scottish rebels into England were for that the Queene of Scotland had receiued Yaxley Standen and Welsh English fugitiues into Scotland and receiued O-Neale a great man of Ireland into her protection had intelligence with the Pope against England and had not done iustice on the theeues on the borders and on Pirates Queene Elizabeth not forgetfull of the Scottish affaires a moneth or two after the mariage sent Tamworth a Gentleman of her priuie Chamber vnto the Queene of Scotland to warne her not to violate the peace and to expostulate with her for her hastie marriage with the natiue subiect of England without her consent and withall to request that Lennox and Darly might be sent backe into England according to the league and that Murrey might be receiued againe into fauour Shee smelling his arrand admitted him not to her presence but in articles deliuered in writing promised in the word of a Prince that neither shee nor her husband would attempt any thing to wrong the Queene of England or her children lawfully begotten or the quiet of the Realme either by receiuing fugitiues or by making league with strangers or by any other meanes yea most willingly that they would make such league with the Queene and Realme of England which might be profitable and honourable for both the Realmes neither that they would innouate any thing in the Religion Lawes and liberties of England if at any time they should possesse the Kingdome of England yet vpon this condition that Queene Elizabeth would fully performe this thing on her part toward her and her husband viz. by Parlament establish the succession of the Crowne of England in her person and her lawfull issue and if that failed in Margaret Countesse of Lennox her husbands mother and her children lawfully begotten As for the other things shee answered That shee had acquainted the Queene with her mariage with Darly as soone as she was fully determined to marie him and had receiued no answer from her That she had satisfied the Queenes demands forasmuch as she had not married a stranger but an English man borne who was the noblest in birth and most worthiest of her in all Britaine that she knew But it seemed strange that she might not keepe with her Darly whom shee had maried or not keepe Lennox in Scotland who was a natiue Earle of Scotland As for Murrey whom she had tried to bee her mortall enemie shee in faire words besought her to leaue her subiects vnto her owne discretion since that she did not intermeddle in the causes of the subiects of England With this answer Tamworth returned not respected as he thought according to his estate and place for to say the truth the malapert fellow had touched the reputation and credit of the Queene of Scotland with I know not what slander and had not vouchsafed to giue her husband the title of King Anno 1566. IN Iune the Queene of Scotland in a happie houre and to the perpetuall felicitie of Britaine was deliuered of her sonne Iames who is now the Monarch of Britaine which shee signified forthwith vnto Queene Elizabeth by Iames Meluin Who although she was grieued at the heart that the honour to bee a mother was borne away before her by her aduersarie yet she sent Henry Killigrew incontinently to congratulate with her for her safe deliuerance and the birth of a sonne And to will her not to fauour any more Shane O-Neale then rebelling in Ireland nor to entertaine Christopher Rokesby fled out of England and to punish certaine theeues vpon the borders Shortly after the estates of the Realme in the Parlament holden at London moued the Queene earnestly to marry and to set downe and nominate her successor but she by no meanes could be drawne to it Yet that it might appeare to the world whom shee thought most rightfull successor shee cast into prison Thornton the Reader â—f the Law at Lincolnes Inne in London at that time of whom the Queene of Scotland had complained that he in his reading had called into question and made a doubt of the right of her succession The time being come for the baptizing of the Prince of Scotland the Queene of England being requested to be Godmother
her from mariage againe She answered mildly that she would take deliberation in the matter and consult with the Estates of the Realme about it And to shew herselfe courteous and bountifull to her brother she created him Earle of Marre and afterward Earle of Murrey because Marre was in controuersie and aduanced him to an honourable mariage All this shee did being all this while ignorant that hee affected the Kingdome bragging that he was the lawfull sonne of Iames the fift And to make the way thereunto he through the fauourwherein hee stood with the Queene oppressed the most noble familie of the Gordons who had very many vassals tenants and retainers whom hee feared much both in respect of himselfe and of their religion And banished from the Court the Duke of Chasteauleroy who was accounted the next heire to the Crowne imprisoned the Earle of Arran his sonne banished Bothwell into England and put all them that he thought might crosse him out of office And he as a Guardian kept the Queene as his Ward and at his command being most carefull and diligent to keepe her from mariage And as soone as he vnderstood that on the one side the Emperour sued to her for his brother and the King of Spaine for his sonne he disswaded her vtterly from them both because forsooth the libertie of Scotland would not nor could not endure a forraigne Prince And whensoeuer that gouernment descended vnto women that they maried no other husbands but of the Scottish Nation But afterwards when all the Scots generally wished to see her maried and hee found out that the Countesse of Lennox had so prouidently wrought that shee inclined to marrie Darly hee also commended him as a good husband for her hoping the young man being of a soft nature would be ruled by him in all things Yet when hee saw the Queene to loue Darly exceedingly and he himselfe to grow out of her fauour hee repented him of his counsell hee had giuen and willed Queene Elizabeth to hinder her mariage by one meanes or other The mariage being made vp and Darly proclaimed King when the Queene reuoked the donations made to him and others against the Lawes in her minoritie hee with other put himselfe in armes against the King alleadging that the new King was an enemie vnto the Religion of the Protestants and that he was maried without the consent of the Queene of England But hee fled into England as I haue already said neuer aduenturing to fight And being frustrate of all hope of helpe from thence hee dealt by letters with Mourton a profound subtill man who was as his other selfe that since the mariage could not bee dissolued yet that the loue betweene the parties might be broken by some secret deuices and a fit occasion offered it selfe for she vpon the arising of some priuate discontent to keepe vnder the swelling minde of the young man and to conserue her royall authoritie whole to her selfe had begunne to set her husbands name last in the Proclamations and Records and to omit it vtterly in the coine Mourton being a cunning man to breed discontents with his flattering words crept into the Kings good liking and opinion and then perswaded him to take vpon him the Crowne of the Realme yea in despight of the Queene and to make himselfe free from the gouernment of women for that it is the condition of women said he to obey and of men to rule By this counsell if it were taken he hoped not onely to draw away the loue of the Queene but of all the Nobilitie and commons also from the King to estrange the Queene and with diuers slanders first heartened the King to murther Dauid Rizius a Piedmountoys lest that politike fellow should preuent their purposes this man was a Musitian by profession and came the last yeere with Moret the Embassador of Sauoy and by the Queene for his wit and dexteritie receiued into her houshold and fauour and preferred to write her French letters and vnto her priuie Councell in the absence of the Secretarie Then to estrange her loue the more he perswaded the King to bee present at the murder with Ruthen and the rest who rushing together with him in to the Queenes dining Parlour at supper time shee sitting at the table with the Countesse of Argile assaulted the fellow with their naked swords as he tasted meat taken from the Queenes table at the Cupbord as the seruants of the priuie Chamber vse to doe before her face being great with childe trembling with feare setting a Pistoll at her breast so that shee was in danger of abortion and dragged him into the vtter Chamber where they most cruelly killed him and shut vp the Queene into a Parlour Mourton all this while guarding all the passages This murther was committed the euening before the day appointed vnto Murrey to appeare for his triall in the assembly of the Estates for his rebellion who came in on the next day when no body expected him and no man appeared against him in that troublesome time So that it may seeme that the murder of Dauid was hastened of set purpose to procure the securitie and safety of Murrey Yet the Queene at the earnest suit of the King receiued him courteously and continued in brotherly loue towards him But the King when he considered the enormitie of the offence and seeing now the Queene to bee very angry repented his rashnesse and in humble manner submitted himselfe vnto her clemencie weeping and lamenting and asking pardon did ingenuously confesse that he committed that hainous offence by the instigation of Murrey and Mourton and from thenceforth did so hate Murrey for Mourton Ruthen and others were fled into England vpon the murther with the commendatorie letters of Murrey vnto Bedford that hee deuised to kill him But when out of wrath and rashnesse hee could not conceale his purpose nor such was his respect vnto the Queene his wife durst execute it he told her how profitable it would bee for the common-wealth and also for the securitie of the royall familie if Murrey were rid out of the way She detesting the thing terrified him euen with threats from such enterprises putting him in hope of reconciliation Yet hee when hee saw to his hearts griefe the Bastard to be of such power with the Queene out of his impatience hee plotted the same matter with others which when it came to the eares of Murrey to preuent him vnder colour of dutie hee laieth closer snares for the young man vsing Mourton though absent for his counsellor They thought it requisite aboue all things vtterly to auert the Queenes minde from the King and by flatterie to induce Bothwell lately reconciled vnto Murrey and in great fauour with the Queene into their societie shewing him a hope to be diuorced from his wife and to marrie with the Queene as soone as she was widow And for the performance of these things and also to defend him against all persons
body able to discharge the most weightie matters of Estate But this is most certaine that the Earle of Athold Tullibardin and Lidington who were also of their counsell did will her to subscribe vnto the Letters Patents of the resignation that she might auoid death assuredly intended and that this would be no wrong nor barre to the prisoner or her heires forasmuch as prison is a iust feare and a promise made by a prisoner by the opinion of the Lawyers is of no force and vtterly void And that Nicholas Throgmorton did perswade her to the same by a schedule written with his owne hand whom she also requested to signifie vnto the Queene of England that she had subscribed by coaction and against her will Moreouer that Lindsey when he brought the Letters Patents of the Cession to bee subscribed threatned her with death and draue her by force to subscribe vnto it which shee neuer read the teares running downe from her eies And that the Lord of the Castle of Lochleuyn refused to subsigne it as a witnesse because he saw and knew for certaine that shee subscribed against her will Also that resignation and renunciation is most vniust in which nothing is assigned vnto her whereon shee may liue nor libertie granted nor securitie of life promised So that to men of indifferencie such like vniust resignation cannot seeme to preiudice her royall Maiestie which as soone as she was free at libertie openly declared she did it by compulsion making a Declaratorie thereof before many Noblemen of the Realme Neither ought those things which they brag they did by the authoritie of Parlament be any preiudice vnto the Queene for where in the Parlaments of Scotland about an hundred Earles Bishops and Barons haue their voices in this tumultuarie Parlament there were present no more but foure Earles one Bishop onely one or two Abbots and six Barons and of that small number some did put in a protestation that nothing should be done to the wrong of the Queene or her successors because she was a captiue Neither were the Embassadors of England nor France admitted to know of her whether she resigned her Kingdome voluntarily although they made earnest suit sundry times And that it is so vntrue that the vsurping Regent hath iustly administred the Common-wealth it is most apparant that impietie did neuer reigne more and with lesse controlment in throwing downe Churches ruinating worshipfull families and afflicting the miserable commonaltie Therefore they request earnestly that the Queene of England would speedily helpe the Queene her Cousin most vniustly and vilely oppressed with her fauour aduice helpe and assistance Thus much out of the originall copies of the Commissioners written with their owne hands which I haue seene When the English Commissioners had heard these things they required that Murrey should produce and proue more sound causes of this great seueritie vsed against an absolute Queene Forasmuch as whatsoeuer had beene hitherto shewed was not strengthened with witnesse but with letters of small credit and Lidington had insinuated that hee had oftentimes counterfeited the Queenes hand He refused to accuse his sister any further before strangers except the Queene of England did repromise to vndertake the protection of the Infant King and vtterly to relinquish the Queene of Scotland When they by the authoritie of their Commission could not promise it one or two of either part are sent for vnto London vnto whom Queene ELIZABETH declared That shee could not yet cleere the subiects from fault against their Princesse yet that shee would intreat her for them and heare if they had any thing else to say for their excuse Murrey who followed them in plaine termes refused to accuse his sister but vpon the condition he had spoken of at Yorke Then were the Commissioners called backe and put out of Commission the Duke being glad at his heart who had alwaies fauoured the Queene of Scotlands right in the matter of succession and thought that all this doing was nothing but to brand her with the marke of eternall infamie and thereupon to exclude her as an vnworthy person with her little sonne of all her right of succession in England And hee thought hee had thereby escaped two perils for he feared if he had pronounced against her hee should doe against his conscience and vndoe her for euer and if hee spake for her lest hee should incurre the implacable indignation of the Queene and the hate of all them that loued her not for Religions sake But whereas at that time the affaires of Scotland were much troubled by the friends of the expulsed Queene and the presence of Murrey was needfull there he began his accusation before the Queene Bacon Keeper of the great Seale the Duke of Norfolke the Earles of Arundell Sussex and Leicester Clinton Lord Admirall William Cecill and Ralph Sadleir Commissioners appointed by new Letters Patents and produced Articles standing vpon coniectures the testimonies of some men and the decrees made in the Parlament but especially certaine amatorie Epistles and Verses written as he said with the Queenes hand to proue her priuie to the death of her husband and Buchanans booke called the Detection hee gaue them to reade which was of small credit with the greater part of the Commissioners because hee was one of that side and wonne by money to write But as for the Epistles and Verses which wanted names subscriptions and notation of the time since that there bee euery where many forgers which can so cunningly imitate and counterfeit other mens hands that hardly the true can be knowne from the false Queene ELIZABETH gaue small credit though there was womanly priuie hatred which carrieth away that sex farre from the right betweene them and shee was well content that some blot of reproach by this accusation was left and remained on the Queene of Scotland But when her Commissioners heard that shee was contumeliously accused by Murrey they were most ready to answer but shee being secretly instructed by many English Lawyers that it was lawfull so to doe forasmuch as the former authoritie and Commission giuen to the Duke and others was abrogated had already taken away their Commission and shee in plaine termes refused the new English Commissioners of whom one or two shee thought to wish her no good but rather ill except the French and Spanish Embassadors might be added vnto them and she herselfe might be publikely admitted to defend her innocencie before the Queene and Murrey detained and brought to triall whom she affirmed might be proued to bee the contriuer of the murder of DARLY Which things when Norfolke Arundell Sussex Leicester and Clinton thought not to be vniust Queene Elizabeth somewhat angry said openly that the Scottish woman should neuer want an Aduocate as long as Norfolke liued and thought it enough to impart the crimes obiected by Murrey vnto euery one of the priuie Councell and also vnto the Earles of Northumberland Westmerland Shrewsburie Worcester Huntington and
Warwicke called together with an oath of secresie lest they should preiudice either partie And when Murrey was called home and Boyde as it was commonly reported plotted to steale away the Queene of Scotland out of prison the matter was put off vnto another time Queene ELIZABETH from her heart hating the insolencie of the Scots in depriuing of their Queene Murrey a little before his departure had craftily proposed vnto Norfolke the mariage with the Queene of Scotland and also secretly by Meluin to the Queene a hope to be restored into her Kingdome as wee shall declare anon and at the same time to draw the loue of Queene ELIZABETH from the Queene of Scotland he had spread rumors that she had transposed her right vnto England vnto the Duke of Anjeou and that the transcription was confirmed at Rome and shewed also letters whether true or forged I will not say which the Queene of Scotland had written vnto her friends in which shee both charged Queene ELIZABETH as though shee had not vsed her according to her promise and bragged of hope of aid from some other persons This put Queene ELIZABETH in great feare yet could not shee coniecture from whence this new hope should arise the ciuil warre increasing so in France that the Bishop of Rhedon was sent vnto her by the King to request her not to intermeddle with the affaires in France and the Duke of Alba who was come the last yeere into the Netherlands to profligate the Protestants Religion had very troublesome businesse come vpon him But as it came to light afterward Robert Ridolphus a Florentine who had liued long at London as a Merchant Factor was suborned by Pope Pius Quintus who durst not send a Nuntio openly to stirre secretly the Papists in England against Queene ELIZABETH which hee did both diligently and secretly A small suspition was also growne out of the secret conferences at Yorke betweene Lidington the Bishop of Rosse and Norfolke whom they besought to ioine his aduice and care to helpe the most distressed Queene offering vnto him also her in mariage which hee as a thing full of danger reiected with a modest answer yet he promised not to abandon the distressed Queene in as much as was lawfull for an honourable man to doe sauing his allegeance to his Queene and Countrie Ligon the seruant of Norfolke a great Papist much increased the suspition by his often going to Bolton the Lord Scroopes Castle where the Queene of Scotland was kept by Francis Knolls vnder the pretence of visiting Scroopes wife who was sister vnto Norfolke Although no certaintie was of this yet for more surety the Queene of Scotland was conueied from Bolton where all the bordering neighbours were Papists farther into the Realme vnto Tutburie and deliuered vnto the custodie of George Earle of Shrewsburie Anno 1569. NOw Murrey who had made himselfe a secure way to returne into Scotland by the hope made to the Queene of Scotland of her restitution and to Norfolke and to others in England for shee had repressed the Scots that lay in wait to kill him and charged them not to impeach his returne As soone as hee came vnto Edenburgh he called the Noblemen friends to the Queene vnder the colour to consult with them about her restitution And when Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy appointed Lieutenant by the Queene and Herris perswaded by the letters of the Queene too much credulous came thither first Murrey fearing some traps circumuented them and staying for no moe put them in prison and forthwith annoied and vexed the friends of the Queene with fire and sword Hereupon were rumours spread in all places of England against Murrey namely that hee had made a pact with Queene ELIZABETH that the young King of Scotland should bee deliuered vnto Queene ELIZABETH to be brought vp in England That the Castles of Edenburgh and Sterling should bee furnished with Garrisons of English men That Dunbritton should be wonne for the benefit of the English That Murrey should bee proclaimed successor vnto the Realme of Scotland if the King died without issue and should hold the Kingdome of Queene ELIZABETH by fealtie and homage These reports increased and with a certaine probabilitie did so possesse mens mindes thorow all Britanie that Queene ELIZABETH thought good for the conseruation of her owne credit and for the good of Murrey to wipe away these blots Therefore in a writing printed she declared in the word of a Prince that these reports were most vntrue and deuised by them who enuied the tranquillitie of both the Kingdomes and that there had beene no pact either by word or writing betweene her or her Agents and Murrey since hee came last into England that she knew of but that the Earle of Lennox Grandfather of the young King had requested that the King if hee could not bee safe in Scotland from the plots of wicked men might be sent into England Moreouer she affirmed that whatsoeuer is said of the paction betweene Murrey and the Earle of Hertford namely that they would giue mutuall helpe the one to the other to get the Crownes of both the Kingdomes to be vtterly false and vntrue Lastly that she was not the cause why the transaction betweene the Queene of Scotland and her little sonne was not concluded and that shee will labour all that shee may that it may bee effected And indeed she did her best endeuour though shee was tossed on the one side with feare out of the inueterate emulation which doth neuer die betweene women Princesses and on the other side with compassion remembring oftentimes the frailâ—ie of mankinde The Queene of Scotland kindled more this compassion and minished the feare with her often and louing letters in which she solemnely promised both for the courtesie which shee had found at her hands and also for the neere bloud of kindred which was betweene them that shee would attempt nothing against her and that shee would not bee beholding to any other Prince for her restitution but onely vnto her Insomuch that Queene ELIZABETH dealt earnestly with Murrey by Wood his Secretarie and with other Scots about the restoring of her vnto her former dignitie and estate and if that could not bee granted then that shee might bee ioined with her sonne and if that could not be granted neither yet that shee might liue a priuate life at home among her friends freely securely and honourably But shee could not stirre or moue Murrey who had all the gouernment in his hand to yeeld a iot About the same time a still rumor went vp and downe amongst men of the better sort that the Duke of Norfolke would marrie the Queene of Scotland which was a thing well taken of many but in sundry manners according as men wished For the Papists hereby hoped to haue some good for their religion and others hoped some profit would arise thereby vnto the Common-wealth But many men who saw the Queene was not minded to marrie
receiued him and conueyed him vnto Burnham three miles from Windsor where the Queene then lay Foure daies after the Abbot of Dunfermelling deliuered the letters of Murrey Regent of Scotland vnto the Queene in which hee shewed her that the Duke dealt with him secretly at Hampton Court to fauour his mariage with the Queene of Scotland and that if hee would not he threatned him exceedingly and that hee promised to fauour it that he might preuent and auoid the await ambuscado laid by one Norton to kill him from whom and others the Duke gaue his word hee should returne without danger And that shortly after the Duke requested him by his letters written in Ciphers to giue his consent vnto the mariage Moreouer that the Duke did signifie vnto him by Boyd that hee would neuer forsake and abandon the Queene of Scotland and further that the agents of the same Queene had almost perswaded the Râ—gent that Queene ELIZABETH had consented to the mariage and also that she had offered to her the hope of the Kingdome of England And Queene ELIZABETH also found out that shee had signified vnto certaine Noblemen of England to winne them vnto her side that shee went about that businesse which would bee very necessary for the most certaine securitie of the Queene of England and the like safetie for both the Kingdomes The Duke who had secret and warie commerce of letters which were sent priuily in Ale-bottles with the Bishop of Rosse Leicester and Throgmorton was about this time examined about this mariage with the Queene of Scotland and his secret conferences with the Bishop of Rosse and confessed most things was sent to the Tower of London vnder the keeping of Sir Henry Neuill Knight being bitterly reproued that hee had departed from the Court without leaue obtained and charged as though he had intended to rebell Two daies after the Bishop of Rosse was examined in like manner and Robert Ridolph the Gentleman of Florence whom the Bishop of Rosse others vsed familiarly is deliuered vnto the custodie of Francis Walsingham The Earle of Pâ—mbrooke is commanded to keepe his house and is priuately examined yet in regard of his Nobilitie and old age hee had the fauour that his examination was not set downe in writing Which thing he required because he could not write Some Noblemen were forbidden the Court as priuie to these matters who humbly confessed that they with the Duke agreed to the mariage which Murrey had first propounded yet so that the Duke the Queene of Scotland and they willed that the matter should bee referred vnto the Queene before the mariage was to be solemnized and desired pardon for their offence In like manner the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland who were of this counsell submitted themselues vnto Sussex Lord President of the North and besought him to make intercession vnto the Queene for their pardon Also sundry Pamphlets came out against this mariage and against the Queene of Scotland and the right by which shee claimed to become heire vnto England wherein they shewed their wits with such malapert saucinesse that the Queene thought once to haue forbidden them by seuere edict and permitted the Bishop of Rosse winking thereat to make answer who forthwith set forth a booke vnder the name of Morgan Philips against them wherein hee defended the honour of his Queene her right to succeed and the gouernment of women for this also was impugned but ingenuously acknowledged afterward in his Commentaries that he had his arguments for her right of succession secretly from Anthonie Browne chiefe Iustice in the common Place and Carrell an excellent good common Lawyer Shortly after befell the rebellion in the North raised by the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland with many other Gentlemen Who when they vnderstood for certaine that the Queene of Scotland whom to set at libertie they had principally taken armes was caried away from Tutburie vnto Couentrie vnder the keeping of the Earles of Shrewsburie and Huntingdon and also moued with the great preparation of the Queene they with a few others fled into Scotland Anno 1570. THe rebellion in England being now quenched Murrey Regent of Scotland laboured diligently that the Queene of Scotland might be deliuered into his hands and for that cause he both offered hostages and also to restore vnto them the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and brought to passe that the Bishop of Rosse as the kindler of the rebellion was committed vnto the custodie of the Bishop of London Then to purchase the good will of Queene ELIZABETH in the moneth of Ianuarie he came with an armie into the borders of Scotland towards England to hunt out the English rebels of whom he tooke a few and those of small account but at last hee found the Earle of Northumberland lurking about Hartlawe amongst the theeues on the borders discouered by his host one of the Grayhams who betraied him and sent him vnto Lochleuin to be kept and in this iourney he annoied and spoiled the borders exceedingly But in the same moneth after hee had taken great paines and thought himselfe in great securitie he was shot from out of a priuie place thorow the body a little beneath the nauell with a Bullet as he rode thorow the streets of Lithquo by one Hamilton who escaped by and by into France and liued certaine yeeres after oftentimes protesting that he did it to reueâ—ge himselfe of a priuate grudge against him hee not being able to endure patiently the iniuries he offered vnto him For Murrey had banished the fellow for that hee had stood for the Queene and imprisoned him threatning now and then to hang him vntill he resigned and gaue away vnto a seruant oâ— Murrey a littleground which came to him by his wife whereupon his wife fell mad and in a furious rage he brake prison and committed the murder Neither could the man after bee perswaded in France when he seemed to be a man fit for a desperate action to attempt the same against the Admirall Coligni oftentimes saying that he was the reuenger of his owne iust griefe for which he was sorie but he would not be the reuenger of another mans neither for gold nor request Hereupon was there much talke of the Regent that was slaine thorow all Britaine The most wondering at vaine matters namely the dreame of his mother of the Lion and the Dragon fighting in her wombe after that King Iames the fifth had had his pleasure on her Among the wiser sort according to their partiall affections commended he was by some for destroying the Romane Religion in Scotland the conseruation of the King a childe the equall administration of iustice and his munificence and liberalitie toward learned men and Bâ—chanan aboue the rest On the other side he was reproued by others as though he tooke religion for a cloake and enriched himselfe and his friends with the spoiles of the Church and how hee was not onely iniurious but also
vngratefull vnto his sister the Queene that deserued well at his hands and insulted ouer her womanly weaknesse And these men out of their suspitions and the lewd disposition of many bastards did ghesse and coniecture as though he would not haue spared the sonne hauing already depriued the mother of her Crowne The Queene of Scotland her selfe was very sory that he was taken away by that sudden and violent death before as she said he had purged his sinnes against God his Countrie and Princesse by hearty penitencie But all the English men that fauoured the Duke of Norfolke accused him as farre as they durst for a craftie and false deceiuer The Noblemen of Scotland who stood for the King not admitting the Hamiltons and the rest who had stood for the depriued Queene being to meet for the â—lection of a new Regent required the aduice of Queene ELIZABETH Shee answered shee would not meddle in the creation of a Regent lest shee should seeme to preiudice the Queene of Scotland whose cause was not yet decided and iudged But they chose Matthew Earle of Lenox the Kings Grandfather Regent Queene ELIZABETH being not discontent with it for she knew that hee would bee very louing vnto his young Nephew out of naturall affection and kinde vnto the English men in regard of the benefits he had receiued at their hands And she did not doubt but hee would bee at her becke since shee had his wife in her hands Whiles Queene ELIZABETH shewed fauour thus vnto the Kings side in Scotland the King of Spaine did not abandon the Queene captiue but by the meanes of Hamilton Rector of the Church of Dunbar he sent secretly out of the Low-countries great store of Armour and Gun-powder and seuen great peeces of Ordnance and some money vnto Huntley the Gouernour of the North part of Scotland for the Queene In this while he the Duke of Chasteauleroy and the Earle of Argile Lieutenants of the Queene by a common consent and with the consent also of the Queene sent George Lord Seton Embassador vnto the Duke of Alba who declared his message vnto him in these words That hee was sent out of a Kingdome depriued of publike peace and of a worthy Princesse through the trecherie of disloyall subiects and that the substance of his Embassage consisted on these points That aid may bee giuen vnto them whereby the Queene may bee redeemed out of miserable captiuitie in a forraine land and the Realme deliuered from the oppression of strangers That the Scottish rebels might bee forbidden to trafficke in the dominions of the King of Spaine And that the 10000. Crownes assigned by him to the Queene of Scotland might bee paid The Duke of Alba answered That hee would bee ready and willing to further this her cause vpon all occasions vnto the King of Spaine but that he could not prohibit the trafficke of the Scottish rebels because it was contrarie to the libertie of the Low-Countries and promised that he would disburse the money very shortly for her vse In the meane time the Lord Seton the more to purchase the fauour of the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alba went in disguised apparell vnto the States and drew many of the Scots that serued them vnto a reuolt by faire words good cheere and such like enticements And when he was at the point to bee put to the torture he hardly and with great danger of his life escaped vnto the Duke of Alba who promised to pay ten thousand Souldiers for halfe a yeere but in vaine because hee could not send ouer the Souldiers into Scotland the warres were so hot in the Low-Countries In the meane time the Bishop of Rosse who had followed the businesse of the Queene with good discretion and was committed vnto the custodie of the Bishop of London because he had secretly kindled the rebellion in the North being now deliuered brought to passe that the French King by his Embassadour to wit Montluc dealt very earnestly with Queene Elizabeth about the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland who complained very much that shee was kept straiter in prison and that also vnder the Earle of Huntingdon her professed enemie and competitor since hee as openly made claime vnto the right of the Kingdome of England as she did The same also was vrged exceedingly by the King of Spaines Embassadour in his Kings name The Queene made answer after shee had rehearsed the craftie purposes and deuices of sundry men for the deliuerie of the Queene of Scotland who as she closely insinuated was priuie to the late rebellion that it would be great inconsideration and dangerous folly to let her goe at libertie who doth aspire so openly by such euill courses vnto the Kingdome of England That of necessitie shee was enforced to keepe her straighter in prison to send away many of her seruants from her whom shee had drawne thither in great number and to ioine the Earle of Huntingdon in whom she did acknowledge no right vnto the Kingdome but some kindred with her vnto the Earle of Shrewsburie whom she had appointed to be her keeper who long since began to suspect and distrust the fidelitie of some of his seruants and had perceiued many of them daily wonne to fauour the Queene of Scotland yet that the Earle of Huntingdon had beene remoued from her a good while since Moreouer she promised that she would omit nothing shee can doe to make an end and a composition betweene the Queene and the Scots and protested that shee will not reuenge the wrongs she hath receiued at her hands But yet shee hoped that the Kings of Spaine and France and the Queene of Scotland also will giue her leaue to make prouision for the tranquillitie both of her selfe and her subiects which nature reason and her honour doe claime at her hands If any of them shall deuise any better and more euident meanes to auoid perill and danger that shee would with a good will heare and embrace the same After these things the priuie Councell of England sate oftentimes and consulted whether it was best that she were sent backe vnto her owne subiects or kept still in England and what courses were best to be taken for the best preseruation of the Kingdome the Queene and Religion About which time Pope Pius Quintus had caused his Bull or Sentence Declaratorie against Queene ELIZABETH the pretensed Queene of England and the Heretikes aduering vnto her I vse the very words thereof wherein also all her subiects were declared to bee absolued from their oath of fidelitie and all other dutie c. And they that afterward obeyed her were ex communicated which was dated the fiue and twentieth day of Februarie in the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred threescore and nine to be fixed on the gates of the Palace of the Bishop of London in the night Hereupon suspitions increased that some dangerous matter was in working And forthwith another rebellion was about
bee sent ouer into Ireland if reciprocally the Irish men be tied with the same condition not to passe ouer into Scotland For the more firme assurance of these things they consented to giue hostages whomsoeuer the Queene of England would name except the Duke of Chasteauleroy the Earle of Huntley Argile and Atholl Moreouer they consented that the Queene of Scotland should bee excluded from all her right of succession in England if she attempted any thing against the right of the Queene of England so that the Queene of England might againe bâ—e tied in some equall penaltie also if shee attempted any thing against the Queene of Scotland Concerning the Castles of Hume and Fast Castle they requested that they may bee restored vnto the Lord Hume the true Lord and proprietarie of them and that the English men would detaine them no longer from him And that to deliuer Fortresses in Galloway or Cantire vnto forrainers was no other thing than to giue a new occasion of warre When they could not agree vpon these Articles and the Commissioners came not from the Regent of Scotland and in the meane time it was reported and bruted that aid was earnestly requested by her friends of the Pope the King of France and the Duke of Alba for the deliuerance and freeing of the Queene of Scotland and the English rebels as Westmerland the Countesse of Northumberland and the rest were conueied secretly out of Scotland nothing came of this Treatie but yet The Bishop of Rosse sent the Articles of this treatie vnto the Pope and the Kings of France and Spaine and insinuated vnto them that the Queene of Scotland must of necessitie yeeld vnto them vnlesse they holpe her both with aduice and other aid very shortly which he did most importunately request at their hands but in vaine for all they were earnestly busied with other matters Anno 1571. A Little before this time Ridolphus the Florentine before named who had vsed much merchandize and trafficke at London fifteene yeeres sent very secretly the Letters of the Pope vnto the Queene of Scotland in the which hee promised his care and studie to the vtmost of his goods and labour to aduance the Catholike Religion and her and required her to shew fauour and giue credit vnto Ridolphus in all things and also that hee may vnderstand by him who now determined to returne into Italy by what meanes he may doe any good and giue any releefe vnto the Catholike Religion and remedy vnto the common mischiefes in England and Scotland Ridolphus also in his owne priuate letters requested the Queene to impart these things vnto the Duke of Norfolke and her friends and that she would commend him vnto them But she delaied her answer though the Kings of France and Spaine and the Duke of Alba wrote to the same effect vntill she saw vnto what end the treatie already begunne would come For there was come as from the King of Scotland to talke of the Scottish affaires the Earle of Mourton Petcarne Abbot of Dunfermelling and Iames Mac-Gill who vnto Queene ELIZABETH commanding them to lay downe euidently the causes of their depriuing the Queene of Scotland and to proue them to be iust shewed a tedious and long instruction or memoriall wherein with a most insolent libertie and bitternesse of speech they endeuoured to proue the people of Scotland to be superiour and aboue their Kings by the ancient priuileges of the Kingdome of Scotland by old forgotten and also late examples collected from all places yea and by the authoritie of Caluin they also endeuoured to proue that the popular Magistrates are appointed and made to moderate and keepe in order the excesse and vnrulinesse of Kings and that it is lawfull for them to put the Kings that bee euill and wickeâ— into prison and also to depriue them of their Kingdomes But they spake much of their lenitie vsed toward their depriued Queene because they suffered her to set her sonne in her place and to appoint gouernours vnto him That it proceeded out of the mercie of the people and not for her innocencie that they suffered her to liue and many other things which turbulent wits doe malapertly deuise and inuent against the royall Maiestie of Kings This memoriall Queene ELIZABETH read but not without indignation and as a libell written in the slander and reproach of Kings condemned it though she said nothing but vnto the Commissioners she answered that as yet shee did not see a iust cause of their abusing and vexing the Queene in that manner and therefore her will was that they should take some speedy course for the quenching the diuision and discord in Scotland Hereupon at the house of Bacon Keeper of the great seale it was proposed vnto the Bishop of Rosse the Bishop of Galloway and the Lord Leuingston Commissioners for the Queene of Scotland That for to giue securitie vnto the Kingdome and Queene of England and vnto the Noblemen that tooke the Kings part the Duke of Chasteauleroy the Earles of Huntley and Argile the Lords Hume and Herris and another Lord should be giuen for hostages and the Castles of Dunbritton and Hume deliuered vnto the hands of the English men for three yeeres They answered it was not to be doubted but the Queene of Scotland who of her free will committed her selfe to the protection of the Queene of England would also most willingly giue her satisfaction in all things which might conueniently bee done but to deliuer such great men and such Fortresses was no other thing but to spoile and depriue the distressed Queene of the succour and strength of all her most faithfull friends and of most strong places But they offered two Earles of whom one should be one of the three named and two Lords to be hostages for two yeeres but that the Holds and Castles by the league could not bee deliuered vnto the English men except others in like manner were deliuered vnto the French men But said Bacon all the Realme of Scotland the Prince the Noblemen and Castles are not all sufficient to giue securitie vnto the Queene and the most flourishing Realme of England and therefore the Queene of Scotland was not to be let goe vpon any securitie the Scots could propose Hereupon they immediatly gathered and said openly that now at length they plainly vnderstood that the English were resolued fully to keepe the Queene prisoner for euer in England and withall to breake off the Treatie since they exacted so earnestly such securitie as Scotland could not by any meanes performe yet the other Councellors of England protested that they earnestly desired the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland so that sufficient securitie were giuen And to that purpose they also talked with Mourton and his associates hereof and of deliuering the King into England who in plaine termes answered that they had no commission to treat or deale either to receiue home the Queene into Scotland or to deliuer the King into England
But the Commissioners of the Queene of Scotland reiected this speech as a friuolous excuse For certainly they that had authoritie to depriue the Queene had also authoritie enough to restore and set her at libertie neither needed they to looke for any authoritie from the rest of the Conspirators since that their wicked fact had made them equalls facinus quos inquinat aequat As for the Prince he could not being but fiue yeeres old giue them authoritie and as for the Regent he had committed all the matter to Queene ELIZABETH and to her pleasure Therefore they besought the Commissioners of England that these men might bee compelled to consult thereof or else the matter ended and compounded vpon equall conditions without these men But Queene ELIZABETH when shee saw nothing could bee done to giue her selfe the King and the Realme securitie except both the factions agreed together Shee thought it fitting that the Estates of Scotland which were shortly to assemble did elect and choose out men who should endeuour to make a composition Hereupon Rosse and his associates openly complained that many of the Queene of Englands Councellors did abuse the prudence of the Queene of England and the patience of the Queene of Scotland and to haue deluded forraine Princes with their subtill policies and brought the Scots in a vaine hope to their great hurt And indeed the Queene of Scotland stomacking and complaining of the same and wearie of these delaies called away the Bishop of Galloway and Leuingston and commanded Rosse whom the Queene of England had commanded to depart from London to stay at London by the right of an Embassador which made a suspicion to grow and appointed her friends in Scotland to take armes and not trust any longer vnto the truces which had beene hurtfull vnto them For in the time whâ—n these things were done in England they had sustained great losses many had beene put to execution more slaine and Dunbritton the strongest Fort in Scotland taken and Iames Hamilton Archbishop of Saint Andrewes brother to the Duke of Chasteauleroy as priuie to the murder of the King not so much as arraigned or tried was hanged by the accusation of a Priest who affirmed that he had heard it in confession by one of the Regicides When now the captiue Queene had no hope left and was in great griefe and all her seruants but ten and a Priest to say Masse were sent away and all her hope to obtaine her libertie was gone shee could not refraine but did open that which she had long concealed in her minde Shee therefore sent secretly vnto the Duke of Norfolke a long Commentarie of her purposes which she had written before time and certaine loue-letters in a priuate Character knowne to them two and other letters to be carried to the Pope and the King of Spaine by Ridolphus whom she commended as one very carefull of her good and her very friend Higford the Dukes Secretarie who wrote out this Commentarie and letters in an vsuall hand and letter was commanded to burne it but hee hid it vnder the Matt in the Dukes chamber and that of purpose as it seemed This Ridolph once to the Duke himselfe and more times by Barker reasoned thus That hee had obserued that there were many Noblemen and Commons in England that desired an Innouation and those were of three sorts Some that had bin in credit in the time of Queene Maries reigne now were not accounted of Others that were addicted to the Popish Religion and grudged inwardly that they might not vse it freely And others that were not content with their estate and hoped for better These were ready but wanted some Nobleman to bee their Captaine or Leader and forraine aid There could not be a fitter man for Captaine and more noble than the Duke who had the loue of the Realme And hee had great reason to reuenge the wrongs done vnto him by his long detention in prison and now to his reproach not called vnto the Parlament in which he had a place and voice as the chiefest Nobleman and Earle Marshall of England And to perswade him the more effectually he shewed him a roll of the Noblemen who had vowed to spend their liues and goods for him if he would attempt it As for forraine aid he assured him that the Pope so that the Romish Religion might bee aduanced would defray all the charges of the warre who had already laid in banke a great summe of money the last yeere when the Bull was published of the which money Ridolph himselfe had distributed a great part among the English fugitiues Hee promised that the King of Spaine irritated by the iniuries of the English men would send to helpe them foure thousand horse and six thousand foot which might bee sent ouer and landed at Harwich a Port in Essex whereabouts the Duke had many tenants and Gentlemen holding of him most fitly and without suspicion in the beginning of Summer when the Duke of Medina Caeli was to come with a good Nauie into the Low-Countries Lastly he concluded that such a moderation might be vsed that all suspicion of treason in the Duke might be taken away and prouision made for the safetie of the Queene of England if onely shee would embrace or tolerate the Romish Religion and consent to the mariage of the Queene of Scotland with the Duke The Duke gaue eare to these things as likely but yet refused to subscribe vnto the letters of credit as they call them which Ridolph being ready to depart shewed vnto him Neither would he heare the aduice of Rosse which hee had long studied and put into his head by Barker namely that the Duke with a selected companie of Noblemen to take the Queene suddenly and to disturbe the Parlament and by this meanes the mariage with the Queene of Scotland might bee finished and the Romish Religion set in better state in England without any great stirre and without any forraine aid Which might easily be done hauing so many Noblemen ready and prompt to enter into this action as could not bee assembled againe in one place without suspicion And iust cause there was for that the Duke was kept long in prison against the Lawes of the Realme and not admitted into the Parlament and also for that more rigorous Lawes were deuised against the Papists And to doe this hee brought in the example of Castrutio in Italy and others who by sudden actions had prosperously effected great matters and how fiue Noblemen in Scotland very lately had disturbed the Parlament wherein Murrey was to bee attainted and gotten the Queene into their hands This aduice the Duke who was out of his inbred good nature farre from any villanie detested and disliked as pernicious and dangerous But about the same time Henry Percy offered his seruice vnto Rosse for to deliuer the Queene of Scotland out of prison so that Grange and Carre of Ferniherst would receiue her at the borders of
Scotland and of Rosse with the Commentarie hee was astonied but beholding the Commentarie with the letters which he thought had beene burned hee brake out into these words I am betraied and vndone by my seruants because I knew not how to distrust which is the sinew of wisdome But hee besought the Commissioners very humbly to speake vnto the Queene in his behalfe promising that hee would hide nothing that hee knew and solemnly protesting that hee approued nothing which might haue beene wrong vnto the Queene or detriment vnto the Realme yea that hee vtterly condemned the purposes and plots to surprize the Queene and the Tower of London and to set free the Queene of Scotland and that hee neuer had a thought to bring in any forraine forces but onely to suppresse the Scots that rebelled against the Queene The same day being examined of fiftie Articles more or lesse he concealed nothing Then all the course of the businesse was laid downe and declared in the Star-chamber a great assembly of Noblemen the Maior and Aldermen of London being present and afterwards to all the Citizens in the Guild-hall by William Fleetwood the Recorder But when the Bishop of Rosse was accused by the confession of euery one of them and by the Duke himselfe also as the contriuer of the businesse a serious consultation was had what was to be done with him that was an Embassadour For he whiles he thought it lawful for him as such kinde of men vse to doe to aduance the affaires of his Prince by any manner of meanes and not to be brought in question of law vpon the inuiolable priuilege of Embassadours in a strange Court had done many things long since turbulently in kindling a commotion and hauing nightly conferences with the Earle of Southampton and others and now againe with the English fâ—gitiues in the Low-Countries the Duke of Alba the King of Spaine and the Pope about the inuasion of England Therefore the cause was put to Dauid Lewis Valentine Dale William Aubrey and Henry Iones Doctors of the Ciuill Law 1 First whether an Embassadour that raiseth or procureth rebellion against a Prince vnto whom he is Embassadour may enioy the priuileges of an Embassadour and not be subiect to punishment as an enemie They answered Such an Embassadour by the law of Nations and ciuill Law of the Romans hath lost all the priuileges of an Embassadour and was subiect to punishment 2 Secondly whether an Agent of a Prince who is depriued by publike authoritie and in whose place another is crowned may enioy the priuilege of an Embassadour They answered If such a Prince be lawfully depriued his Agent cannot challenge the priuilege of an Embassadour since none but they which haue the rights of an absolute Prince can appoint Embassadours 3 Thirdly whether a Prince who shall come into the Kingdome of another Prince and bee kept in prison may haue his Agent and whether he be to be accounted an Embassadour They answered If such a Prince who shall come into the Kingdome of another Prince and bee kept in prison hath not lost his principalitie hee may haue an Agent but whether that Procurator may be reputed an Embassadour that dependeth on the authoritie of his Commission or delegation 4 Fourthly whether if any such Prince doe denounce tell to such an Agent and Prince being in prison That this Procurator shall bee accounted no longer for an Embassadour whether this Procurator by the Law may challenge the priuileges of an Embassadour They answered The Prince may forbid the Embassadour that he doe not come into the Realme and command him to depart out of the Realme if hee doe not containe himselfe within the bounds prescribed vnto an Embassadour yet in the meane time hee may vse and enioy the priuileges of an Embassadour according to the authoritie giuen him by his Commission After these answers of the learned Lawyers Rosse being brought backe out of the Isle of Ely was sharply rebuked and told by the Councellors that hee was no more to be acknowledged for an Embassadour but as a plotter of treasons to be seuerely punished He answered That he is the Embassadour of an absolute Queene vniustly depriued That hee had dealt diligently according to his place and dutie for the libertie of his Prince and the good of both the Kingdomes That he came into England with a sufficient authoritie which hee shewed with the most ample authoritie of an Embassadour and that the sacred rights and priuileges of Embassadours are not to bee violated by any meanes Burghley told him in discreet words that neither the priuileges of Embassage nor letters of publike credit did protect Embassadours who offend against the publike Maiestie of the Prince but that they are subiect to punishment otherwise it might bee lawfull for wicked minded Embassadours to attempt any thing against the liues of Princes Hee on the other side stood still in it that the rights and priuileges of Embassadours were neuer violated by the course of Law but that I may vse his owne words by the way of fact and bitingly willed them not to vse him with more rigour than was vsed to the English Embassadour Throgmorton in France and to Tamworth and Randolph in Scotland who had raised sedition and openly maintained it and had not any other punishment but onely were commanded to depart within a time appointed When they vrged him with the testimonies of English men he with faire words requested them not to doe so since it was a long receiued custome which was growne to a Law as hee said That the testimonie of a Scot against an English man and of an English man against a Scot was not to bee receiued After much altercation whether this was to bee allowed but onely betweene the Borderers of both the Kingdomes and that also in matters of the borders and then whether the English Embassadors had raised and fostered rebellions Rosse was committed to the Tower of London where he was kept very close and answered in briefe to all the interrogatories with that caution and warinesse that his answers could hurt no body Hee excused the Queene of Scotland that she being a prisoner and in her best time and age could not but seeke all the meanes she could of libertie since Queene ELIZABETH excluded her from all accesse vnto her put her out of all hope of her libertie and openly maintained her aduersaries He excused the Duke that he had dealt nothing in the mariage with the Queene of Scotland but with the consent of most of the Queenes Councell neither that he could leaue her though hee had promised so to doe vnder his hand for that there had passed a mutuall repromission of future mariage betweene them before that time Lastly he excused himselfe that he being an Embassador could not without a great offence depart from his dutie and abandon his foueraigne Princesse in her affliction and aduersitie and that hee propounded the taking of Queene ELIZABETH for
the Queene to these conditions namely To acknowledge the Religion established in Scotland To submit themselues to the King and also to Mourton as his Regent and to his successors in the gouernment To renounce the authoritie of all others To account them Traitors by authoritie of Parlament that attempted any thing against the Religion the King or Regent That the sentence against the Hamiltons and the Gordons should be repealed c. But these conditions William Kircaldy Lord of Grange the Lord Hume Lidington and the Bishop of Dunkelden and others who thought the Queene of Scotland to be iniuriously vsed would vpon no termes admit but fortified the Castle of Edenburgh of which Grange was Captaine placed therein by Murrey looking for aid from France and the Duke of Alba but Sir William Drury being sent into Scotland with forces out of England to ioine with the Scots the same Castle was yeelded in the three and thirtieth day of the siege and so the Castle and all the prisoners were deliuered vnto the Regent who hanged Kircaldy without mercie spared Hume and others at the request of Queene ELIZABETH Lidington was sent to Lieth where he died not without suspicion of poison And to the end that England might also bee more secure from clandestine attempts at home on the behalfe of the Queene of Scotland Iohn Lesly Bishop of Rosse who very faithfully had serued his Queene yet with the destruction of many men and danger of more was deliuered out of prison and commanded to depart out of England and went into France fearing Southampton whom by his appeaching he had brought in danger and also Henry Howard the Duke of Norfolkes brother to mollifie whose anger hee wrote an Apologie He was scarce departed but his secret Letter-carrier Henry Cokin was taken and by him was Morgan detected who prompt to doe some exploit for the Queene of Scotland and desirous to haue done somewhat forthwith fled away Atsloe the Physitian for the Papists and Goad Doctors of Physicke and Francis Berty because they had secret commerce of letters with her were put certaine moneths in prison And for the same cause Henry Goodyer and Richard Louder were called into question In the meane while Rosse did not pretermit any part or dutie of a most faithfull subiect to the Queene of Scotland towards the Emperour the Pope the French King and the Catholike Princes of Germanie who euery one gaue good words and hopes but yet performed nothing And also the Duke of Alba in whom he put his greatest trust did at this time depart out of the Low-Countries to his great griefe Anno 1574. HEnry the third of that name King of France and his mother did all that they could by secret deuices to get the young King of Scotland into France and to get Mourton out of his office of Regent sending secretly Scots out of the French Guard for this purpose into Scotland which thing the Queene of Scotland desired much being perswaded that if her sonne were in France out of danger that shee and the Papists in England should be dealt withall more mildly For hereupon she thought it would come to passe that the faction in Scotland hitherto countenanced by the authoritie of the Kings name would decay and come to nothing and that the English men would feare him more and more as hee grew vp in yeeres as well from France as out of Scotland And as much did the French men wish the same secretly fearing lest the Regent of Scotland depending wholly on the English should dissolue the ancient league betweene the Scots and the French Yet when the Regent earnestly requested that a league of mutuall defence betweene England and Scotland might bee made hee was not heard perhaps for that he requested withall that an annuall pension might bee assigned vnto him and vnto certaine other Scots But they were heard who with a small suspicion touched the Queene of Scotland the Countesse and Earle also of Shrewsburie as though they had wrought a mariage betweene Charles Vncle vnto the King of Scotland vnto whom the King had lately in the Parlament confirmed the Earledome of Lennox and Elizabeth Candish daughter to the Countesse of Shrewsburie by her former husband without the Queenes knowledge For which cause the mothers of both them and others were kept in prison and all the fault was laid vpon the Queene of Scotland And when sundry suspicions grew of the intent and purpose of this mariage Henry Earle of Huntingdon was made Lord President of the Councell in the North with new and secret instructions concerning this matter Anno 1575. THis yeere died in Scotland the most Noble Lord Iames Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy and Earle of Arran who was the Grand-childes sonne of Iames the second King of Scotland by his daughter the Tutor of Queene MARIE of Scotland and Gouernour of the Kingdome and heire designed while she was in her minoritie At such time as he had deliuered her vnto the French men hee was made Duke of Chasteauleroy in France then chiefe of the three Gouernours of Scotland appointed by MARIE in her captiuitie Whose cause while he defended most constantly he being a plaine and well-meaning man was vexed with all manner of politike and craftie deuices by turbulent and vnquiet minded people Anno 1577. DOn Iohn d'Austria had made a perpetuall edict at Gaunt to giue satisfaction to the Estates of the Netherlands for their aggrieuances which the Prince of Orange vtterly condemning opportunely heard that Don Iohn intended to marrie the Queene of Scotland on which he willingly laid hold and forthwith certified Queene ELIZABETH thereof by Famier thereby to withdraw her minde from peace yet she as one ignorant thereof by Daniel Rogers shewed her gladnesse of the perpetuall edict of peace though now she had certaine knowledge that Don Iohn by the perswasion of the Earle of Westmerland and the English fugitiues and forward fauour of the Pope and the Guises had in hope swallowed that mariage and withall the Kingdomes of England and Scotland and had already appointed to surprize the I le of Man in the Irish Sea as a fit place to inuade England out of Ireland and the West borders of Scotland wherein the Queene of Scotland had many assured friends as also in the opposite side of England North-wales Cumberland Lancashire and Cheshire where most of the inhabitants were earnest Papists But indeed Don Iohn as wee haue learned of Perez Secretarie to the King of Spaine before now ambitiously minded when hee had lost the hope of the Kingdome of Tunise had dealt couertly with the Pope about the expulsion of Queene ELIZABETH the marrying of the Queene of Scotland and the conquest of England and vnknowne to Philip had preuailed so farre that the Pope as out of the care of the common good moued Philip to make warre against England and Don Iohn himselfe being to depart into the Low-Countries had prosecuted it earnestly in Spaine and afterwards by
Mourton deploreth the vnfortunate estate of Scotland and laieth before them the dangers hanging ouer the heads of the King the Common-wealth and themselues hee complaineth that the intercession of the Queene of England is not regarded of the vnthankfull people and couertly aduiseth them to trie whether they can effect that by armes which they cannot obtaine by other meanes and promised them helpe of men and money out of England And so hee drew to his side the Earles of Argile Montros Angus Mourtons brothers sonne Marre Glencarne Ruthen Lyndsey and others But they by and by after â—heir ends and purposes being seuerall when they saw the King wholly to bend his fauour towards Lennox and not to bee terrified with the English forces which were on the borders against which he had opposed his the most of them disagreeing and reuerencing royall Maiestie euen in a young man durst attempt nothing against Lennox and thought it enough if they tooke compassion on Mourton Yet Angus and Marre secretly deuised plots for Mourton and against Lennox of which when the King had knowledge by Wittingham Angus was commanded to depart and liue beyond the Riuer of Spea and Marre was commanded to deliuer the Castle of Sterling vnto the King Randolph doubting some danger to himselfe slipped secretly away to Barwicke and willed Angus and Marre things going against them to looke to themselues either by recouering the Kings fauour or else by resorting vnto the protection of the Queene of England But the English forces were now called backe from the borders and not long after Mourton as priuie vnto the murder of the Kings father was beheaded being first found guiltie of the same For hee had confessed as they say That Bothwell and Archibald Dowglas did communicate vnto him their intent and purpose to kill the King and that hee durst not reueale the same in such a doubtfull world as that was neither could he denie after the murder was committed but that Archibald Dowglas one of the murderers was one of his most inward friends and that hee gaue his faith and word vnder his hand to defend Bothwell if any man accused him for murdering of the King Angus and the other who stood in defence of Mourton fled into England Anno 1582. QVeene ELIZABETH that shee might bee more secure at home purposed to make a composition with the Queene of Scotland by Walter Mildmay but finding out that the Guise was deuising some secret practises with some English sugitiues and to gather forces together vnder pretence to send them into the Low-Countries to serue vnder the Duke of Anjeou but indeed to bee transported into England from Ewe an obscure part in Normandy belonging vnto him the matter was put off vntill another time and she was not regarded But about the same time William Ruthen whom the King had lately created Earle of Gowry not degenerating from his father who bare a deadly hatred against the Kings mother and other conspirators deuised to remoue Lennox and the Earle of Arran from the King vnder the pretence to assure Religion the Kings safetie and amitie of England whereunto they were incensed and whetted on by their Ministers So when Lennox was departed from Perth where the King lay vnto Edenburgh about some affaires of the Realme and Arran also was absent Gowry Marre Lyndsey and others taking the opportunitie inuited the King vnto the Castle of Ruthen where they detained him against his will and would not permit him to ride or walke into the fields threatning him with death They put from him all his faithfull seruants cast the Earle of Arran into prison and compelled the King to call home the Earle of Angus who was banished the Queene of England who was of their counsell making intercession for him and to send backe Lennox into France who being a man of a milde nature gaue ouer the Castle of Dunbritton which he might easily haue defended by the perswasion of the King set on by them and refused not to returne into France But they not content herewith enforced the King against his will to approue this his surprize in letters to the Queene of England and to pronounce the assembly of the Estates summoned and called by them to be lawfull When the French King heard this for a certaintie he dispatched Motfenelan by England and Manninguill by Sea with one and the same instructions into Scotland to wit That they should take some order by one meanes or other to set the King free and confirme the faction of France to allure and winne the Kings minde vnto the friendship of the French and as ioifull newes signifie vnto him that the Queene his mother out of her motherly pietie did grant and bestow vpon him the title of King and admit him very willingly now into the fellowship of the Kingdome to the end that hee might bee taken and acknowledged as a true and lawfull King by all Christian Princes and all the Scots and thereby the diuision and partaking of factions wholly taken away She in the meane time being vexed and troubled in minde oppressed with miseries and pining away with the calamitie of her long lasting imprisonment without any hope of libertie in her long letters written in French which her motherly loue and anxietie of minde extorted from her deplored vnto Queene ELIZABETH her grieuous and hard fortunes and the most distressed estate of her sonne to this effect for I will out of the originall written with her owne hand abbreuiate them When I heard for certaintie that my sonne was taken and surprized by Rebels as I my selfe was certaine yeeres agoe out of a iust feare lest hee should fall into the same and like vnfortunate estate that I am in I cannot but powre out my mournfull complaints and engraue the same if it may be in thy conscience that my innocencie may euidently appeare vnto posteritie and also their ignominie and shame by whose iniquitie I am cast into these miseries But since the policies and cunning reaches of these persons though wicked and lewd haue hitherto preuailed more with thee than my iust complaints let the right and iustice now yeeld and giue place vnto thy power and let force oppresse the truth with men I will appeale vnto the immortall God whom alone I acknowledge to bee superiour of vs Princes of equall right and honour And I will call vpon the same God with whom gloses and deceits are not regarded and will not preuaile that at the last day hee will reward vs two as wee deserue each to other howsoeuer my aduersaries haue skill to cloake their craftie and deceitfull policies with men and peraduenture also with thee In his name therefore and as it were before his Iudgement-seat I present vnto thy minde by what policies some spies vsing thy name drew the Scots my subiects to rebell against me at such time as I liued in Scotland and set on foot all the euils which haue happened there from that day to
Queene of Scotland deliuered vnder the conduct of Guise as Generall who wanted nothing but money and some bands of men in England to ioyne with him to his helpe To procure these things that Charles Paget vnder the counterfet name of Mope was sent secretly into Sussex where the Duke of Guise determined to land his Armie That he acquainted Mendoza who had notice and knowledge of these things already by the Conspirators with the matter and told him the names of the Hauens and Noblemen Neither did he denie that he promised his furtherance and withall to haue admonished Mendoza with what Noblemen he being a publike person should treat of this matter which he being a priuate man could not doe without great danger and that he shewed a way to him how some principall Catholikes as soone as the forraine Forces were landed might leuie souldiers in the Queenes name and then to ioyne them to the forraine Forces These things he voluntarily confessed Yet at the Barre in the Guildhall of London being accused of these things he precisely denied euery one of these things and auerred that they were meere deuices of his owne head to auoid the torment of the racke againe and openly accused the Queene of crueltie and the examiners of falshood deuising an escapatorie or starting-hole by the space of time which was betweene the fault committed and the iudgement Forasmuch as in the thirteenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH certaine things were made treasons for the which none should be arraigned except the delinquent were indited within six moneths after the fault committed and the crime was proued by the testimonie and oath of two men or by the voluntary confession of the offender without violence and that this time was expired long since and that therefore he was not to be arraigned for the same But the Iudges told him that the crimes obiected vnto him were not of that kinde but that he was liable to the Law by an ancient law of treason made in the time of King Edward the third which admitteth no circumscription of time or proofe and that by that law the sentence of death was pronounced against him Being afterward perswaded he fled vnto the mercy of the Queene and againe confessed in a writing more fully all things which he had said before which things not perseuering in his words he began to denie againe at the gallowes but in vaine M. Waad being returned out of Spaine was sent to the Q. of Scotland about a treatie to be had between her and Sir Walter Mildmay which was propounded two yeeres since and interrupted as is said before vnto whom she affirmed with great protestations with what sinceritie she hath dealt about this treatie and withall deuoteth herselfe and all her labour vnto the Queene and promiseth to depend wholly on her if onely shee would vouchsafe her so much loue and honour Moreouer she firmely promised so that the treatie might goe forward that she would intercede yea and bring to passe that her sonne should receiue Angus and the other Noblemen of Scotland into fauour and also that the Bishops of Rosse and Glasco her Agents and Ministers in France should not plot any thing against the Queene and Kingdome of England and that shee would haue nothing to doe with the Rebels or Fugitiues of England Queene ELIZABETH was glad to heare these things and whereas that Angus Marre I Hamilton and Glammys were fled into England and making vse of the opportunitie offered sent Beale vnto the Queene of Scotland who together with the Earle of Shrewsburie should shew her that if shee continued in the same minde with which shee had acquainted Master Waad that Mildmay should come forthwith vnto her and treat with her about her libertie and then should talke with her in the meane while to entreat her sonne the King to restore the Scottish Fugitiues and to tell her that they had committed no fault against the King but against some violent Counsellors who gaue him euill counsell and lastly that as much as they could they should get out of her the practâ—ses of the Guises She being a wise woman answered That she much desired that the treatie might goe forward and that shee requested earnestly of Queene ELIZABETH as of her eldest sister vnto whom shee gaue all honour That shee had propounded nothing vnto Master Waad but vpon condition and that hee whom shee thought to bee an honest man would not say otherwise For the restoring of the Scots that her labour therein would be very necessary and should not be wanting if she certainly knew any good would redound to her selfe and her sonne so that they would humbly submit themselues vnto the King and be obedient vnto him but if that were not done that then the Queene should giue aid vnto her sonne that they might bee reduced vnto their obedience Moreouer she doth not cloake nor hide it that she when she was sickly committed her selfe and her sonne vnto the care and trust of the Guise her most deare Cousin of whose purposes or intents shee knew nothing neither would she discouer them if she knew them vnlesse a firme assurance were giuen her of her libertie for that it was the part of an vnaduised person to forsake her assured friends for an vncertaine hope She requested that she being an absolute Prince might bee no more dishonourably vsed than Queene MARIE did sometime deale with her selfe being at that time her subiect and imprisoned or than the French King did vse the King of Nauarre being also his subiect and bore armes against him Shee also requested that the treatie might bee brought to an end before any in Scotland were sent Embassadour about that matter And for that the French King had acknowledged her ordinarie Embassadour and Seton sent by her sonne into France as Embassadours from Princes of the same authoritie and conioyned she gaue that honour to the Queene to publish this Association of her and her sonne in Scotland and besought her not to preiudicate the same These things were heard but by terrors obiected shifted off and deluded by the meanes of them who know how to nourish the hatred betweene the women that bore no in ward good will one to the other especially by the discouerie of the papers which Chreycton a Scottish Iesuite sailing into Scotland and intercepted by some Sea-rouers of Holland tore in peeces but the torne papers cast out of the ship were cast againe into the ship by a contrary wind not without a miracle as Chreycton himselfe said and glewed together by the great labour and singular skill of Waad laid open and discouered new plots of the Pope of the King of Spaine and the Guises about the inuading of England Therefore to occurre vnto and preuent the wicked counsels and secret policies of seditious persons and to prouide for the Queenes safetie vpon the which both the Kingdome and Religion depended Many men Leicester being the beginner of all estates in England
a punishment iustly inflicted cannot be thought to be bloudie no more than a medicine prepared and made as it ought fitly for the sicknesse can be accounted violent Howsoeuer the Guises cousins vnto the Scottish Queene take it the Queene hath more occasion and it concernes her more to respect and regard rather the safetie and good of her Nobilitie and people of whose loue shee wholly dependeth than the displeasure of any other whosoeuer and that matters were now come vnto that passe that that old prouerbe of the two Princes Conradino the Sicilian and Charles of Anjou may be vsed and truly said of the two Queenes THE DEATH OF MARIE THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH AND THE LIFE OF MARIE DEATH OF ELIZABETH That the promises of the French King and of the Guises cannot giue assurance of securitie vnto the Queene and the Realme much lesse make amends for her death if she be made away That the French King cannot finde out the secret plots contriued against him at home much lesse against the Queen of England For that treason is closely handled and therefore ineuitable and vnauoidable If the wicked fact be once done what will it doe good to challenge their promise How may the losse for the death of an incomparable Prince be repaired or recompenced and what remedie may be found for the Republike giuing vp the ghost with her in a most lamentable confusion of all things The hand-writings of the Guises who thinke it a meritorious act to dispatch them who are enemies to the Pope and may very easily obtaine and get dispensations for their oath be of small moment or importance or of none at all And what English man is it that will accuse them for killing the Queene ELIZABETH after her death and after that the Queene of Scotland being of the Family of the Guises is enstalled in the Crowne of England What can one recall her backe vnto life thereby But in that the Ambassadors haue called this iudgement rigorous and extraordinarie they haue said it without due consideration for as much as they haue neither seene the processe nor the probations and haue too bitterly taxed the Estates of the Realme of England men of great account chosen for their nobilitie vertue prudence and pietie yea moreouer that they haue absolutely spoken such like words as if they came from the French King very inconsiderately making shew that they would feare with their threats and menaces the Queene and the Estates of the Realme That the English-men are not accustomed to be terrified with threats of the French-men from taking a course and means to establish and settle their securitie for as much as they in the meane time did not shew nor demonstrate any fit or conuenient way or meanes of auerting or putting away the instant and imminent dangers of England But the malitious and spightful enemies of the Queen of Scotland tooke occasions all they could of hastening her death and caused the more to affright Queene ELIZABETH knowing well that in the greatest danger of safetie feare doth exclude all mercie false rumours to be spread in euery place of England daily with fearefull out-cries viz. That the Spanish Eleet were alreadie arriued in the Hauen of Milford that the Scots had inuaded England that the Duke of Guise was landed with a strong armie in Sussex that the Qu. of Scotland was escaped out of prison and had leuied many souldiers that the Northerne men were vp in rebellion that there were other Ruffians who had conspired to kill the Queene and to burne the Citie of London yea and that the Queene was dead and other things of like kinde which either craftie people or men afraid vse to faine in their owne conceits or to increase out of an inbred desire or humour to nourish and vphold rumors and Princes who are vpon curiositie credulous take quickly hold of By such like bugges and formidable arguments the Queenes minde wauering and in great care was by them drawne so farre that shee signed letters by which the mortall sentence of death was commanded to be put in execution and one of the chiefest perswader as the Scots say was Patricke Gray a Scot sent by the King of Scotland to disswade the Queene from putting his mother to death who oftentimes would beat into the Queenes eares that old word Dead men doe not bite But she being by nature slow in her doings began to ballance in her minde whether it were better to take her out of the way or to spare her Not to put her to death these things moued her Her inbred clemencie lest she should seeme to vse crueltie against a woman and she a Princesse and also her kinswoman feare of infamie with the posteritie out of the histories and the dangers hanging thereon as well from the King of Scotland who should then come a step neerer vnto the hope of England as from the Catholike Princes and desperate fellowes who then would aduenture on any thing But if she spared her she fore-saw no lesse dangers at hand That the Noblemen who had giuen sentence against the Queene of Scotland would closely purchase fauour with her and her sonne not without her danger that the rest of her subiects that were very carefull and desirous of her safetie would take it in euill part when they saw themselues to haue lost their labour and thenceforth would neglect her safetie many more would ioyne themselues vnto the profession of the Papists and conceiue greater hope when they saw her conserued as it were by the decree of heauen vnto the hope of the kingdome that the Iesuits and Seminarists when they see her sickly and feare shee will not liue long would bestirre themselues to accelerate the death of Queene ELIZABETH that their Religion may be restored The Courtiers also without any intermission suggested these things and the like Why dost thou spare her that is faultie and iustly condemned who subscribed vnto the Association for thy safetie yet forthwith resolued to vse crueltie against thee being innocent and by thy destruction to tyrannize ouer Religion the Nobilitie and Commons That mercie is a royall vertue but is not to be shewed to them that haue no mercie Let the vaine and idle shew of mercie giue place and yeeld vnto wholesome seueritie Your clemencie hath sufficient cause of commendation in that it hath pardoned her once before to spare her againe is no other thing but to pronounce her not guiltie and to condemne the Estates of the Realme of iniustice to encourage the hearts of her agents to hasten and accelerate the accomplishment of their wicked designes and to dishearten the faithfull Subiects to conserue the Common-wealth Religion the Common-wealth thy owne incolumitie the loue of thy Countrey the oath of Association and the care of the Posteritie with conioyned prayers doe beseech thee that she who ouerthroweth and subuerteth all these seuerall things may with all speed be rid and dispatched out of the way and if they