in Paris One cannot declare with what applause of all the people with what congratulation of all the neighbour Princes with what Magnificence this mariage was solemnized By this her mariage her husband obtained not onely the Title of King of Scotland in the right of his wife but also another more rich and great which was of the most contented Prince the earth then beheld for that hee was ioyned in mariage with a Princesse who besides many other great vertues composed her selfe wholly to please and to giue content vnto her husband and therein vsed not the ordinary care of a Princesse but more trauell and sollicitude than doe the women of meane condition and qualitie maried vnto great Princes as also appeared after his death which befell not long after by her immeasurable mourning not being able to finde any consolation for her sorrow in that place where shee had lost that which shee had loued better than her selfe so much that the amitie of her kinsfolks and allies could not retaine her nor the sorrow and regret of all France could not call her backe nor the sweetnesse of that Court which inuited her could not stay her but that shee would depart from thence After this on the seuenteenth day of Nouember the same yeere deceased Mary of England at which time the Parlament was holden at Westminster being certified of her death with a vniuersall consent in regard of her most certaine right vnto the Crowne of England of the which none could doubt both the Prelates and Nobles with the Commons agreed to haue the Lady ELIZABETH proclaimed Queene which was done with the generall applause and consent of them and all the people Queene ELIZABETH being established and hauing taken order for things at home and domesticall affaires applied her minde next to settle her affaires abroad For which end it was thought fit to send Embassadors vnto Princes to signifie vnto them the death of Queene MARY and her succession vnto the kingdome Vnto Ferdinand the Emperor was sent Thomas Challenor with letterâ— wherein the Queene vnder her owne hand certified him that her sister Queene MARY was dead and that she by the goodnesse of God was succeeded as her rightfull heire and with the generall consent of her subiects in the gouernment of the Realme and that she desired nothing more than that the ancient League and amitie betweene the families of England and Austria might not only be conserued but also increased Vnto the King of Spaine being in his Low counâ—ries was sent the Lord Cobham with instructions to the same purpose King Philip vnderstanding the decease of Queene MARIE his wife fearing lest England Scotland and Ireland should be adioyned vnto France by mâ—anes of the Queene of Scotland her Title dâ—lt seriously with Queene ELIZABETH by the Conde of Feria whom he had sent before to visit his sicke wife and the then Lady ELIZABETH also about his mariage with her promising to procure a dispensation for the same This motion troubled her much for to reiect the most mightie King of Europe hauing deserued well of her and suing to her for mariage vpon his owne motion This thing no lesse disquieted the French King who was also fearefull that England and Spaine should bee conioyned againe iâ— one by mariage therefore â—ee did all that was possible to be done at Rome by the Bishop of Angulesme that no such dispensation should be granted but yet very secretly lest he should prouoke the Englishmen against him but she put him off with a modest and shamefast answer And when hee saw that he could not obtaine his suit for himselfe and had also giuen it quite ouer being agreed with the French King to marry his daughter yet that the kingdome of England might be retained in his family still he moued the Emperour Ferdinand to commend one of his sonnes to be a suiter vnto Queene ELIZABETH which motion he willingly entertained and for that purpose sent vnto her very louing letters and by Gaspar Preynerus free Baron in Stibing diligently followed and prosecuted the same the King of Spaine himselfe also to bring it the sooner to passe and to further it most courteously offering and promising vnto Queene ELIZABETH his singular loue kindnesse and affection THE LIFE DEATH AND VARIABLE fortunes of the most gracious Queene MARIE STEVVARD Queene of Scotland Anno 1559. THe French King Henrie the second for the benefit of his sonne the Dolphin King and MARIE Queene of Scots casting his eies vpon England did not withdraw his French Souldiers out of Scotland as hee had promised but sent secretly more daily into Scotland and dealt vehemently with the Pope to pronounce Queene Elizabeth an Heretike and illegitimate which the Emperor and the King of Spaine most diligently but couertly sought to hinder yet had the Guises drawne the French King into such a sweet hope of adioyning England vnto the Crowne of France by the title of their Niece the Queene of Scots that hee openly claimed the same in the right of his sonne and daughter in law And commanded them when hee could not obtaine his purpose at Rome to vse this title in all their Letters patents FRANCIS and MARIE by the grace of God of Scotland England and Ireland King and Queene and caused the armes of England together with the armes of Scotland to be painted in the walls buildings and in the houshold stuffe and also to be put into the Heralds coats The English Ambassador in vaine complained that herein great wrong was done vnto Queene Elizabeth with whom he had made lately a league and had not done this to Queene MARIE of England who had proclaimed warre against him But Henries sudden death which happened shortly after made an end of his attempts But Francis the second who succeeded him and MARIE Queene of Scots his wife by the counsell of the Guises who were then of great authoritie in France bore themselues openly as Kings of England and Ireland neither did they abstaine from claiming the armes but set them out more and more And vnto Nicholas Throgmorton the Lieger Embassador a man both wise and stout it was first answered That it was lawfull for the Queene of Scots to beare them with some little difference to shew the nearenesse of her bloud vnto the royall line of England Hee stifly denied it saying that by the Law of Armes none who was not begot of the certaine Heire might beare the armes of any familie Afterward they said they bore the armes for no other cause than to cause the Queene of England to abstaine from bearing the armes of France Yet at length he obtained at the intercession of Mont Morancy who loued not the Guises that they left off the armes of England and Ireland altogether But yet from this title and vsurpation of armes which Henrie made the young Queene of Scots to take on her moued thereto by the Guises proceeded all the euils which came so thicke vpon her afterward as from
the originall cause For from hence Queene Elizabeth was an open and professed enemie to the Guises and bare a secret hate against her which the craftie malice of men did so nourish the emulation increasing betweene them and new occasions arising daily that they could not be extinguished but with her death Anno 1560. THen followed the Treatie of Edenburgh wherein amongst many other things it was agreed that the King of France and Queene MARIE should leaue off the bearing of the title and armes of England and Ireland but when the time of confirming the same came and Queene Elizabeth sent into France to haue it ratified as shee had done Throgmorton the Leiger Embassador could not bring them to doe it by any meanes and whilest the matters hung in suspence and rested vndetermined Francis the second King of France not being eighteene yeere old and in the second yeere of his reigne deceased and left the Queene of Scots a widow whether to the greater griefe of the Romanists or ioy of the Protestants in Britaine I cannot say Anno 1561. FRANCIS Earle of Bedford was sent into France to deplore the death of King Francis and to gratulate Charles the ninth his successor and by himselfe and together with Throgmorton the ordinarie Embassador he importuned the Queene of Scots to confirme the treatie of Edenburgh but in vaine for she answered no other thing but that shee could not nor would not determine on so great a matter without the consent of the Nobilitie of Scotland The Queene of Scots entending to returne into Scotland sent Monsieur d'Oysell to request a safe conduct of Queene Elizabeth for to passe by Sea and for d'Oysell to passe thorow England Queene Elizabeth before a great multitude of people denied both the one and the other for this cause she said that she had not ratified the treatie of Edenburgh which if she did shee promised to shew all kindnesse that might bee expected from a Queene from a Cousin and from a neighbour The Queene of Scots being vexed at this repulse sent for Throgmorton with whom shee had long speeches about this matter which I will briefly set downe out of the letters of Throgmorton though I shal make rehearsal of some things already said that the originall and progresse of the priuie malice which was betweene the greatest and wisest Princesses of our time or age may more euidently appeare Shee sending all the standers by away said thus to Throgmorton What is my womanly weaknesse and how farre the passion of my minde may carrie me I know not yet it liketh me not to haue so many witnesses of my weaknesse as your Ladie lately had when shee talked with Monsieur d'Oysell my Embassador nothing grieueth me so much as that I did aske those things which were not needfull by Gods fauour I can returne into my Countrie without asking her leaue as I came hither in despight of her brother Edward Neither want I friends which can and will bring me home as they brought me hither but I had rather haue vsed her friendship than of any other I haue often heard you say that the amitie betweene her and mee was necessary to both our Kingdomes yet it seemeth that shee thinketh otherwise or else she had not giuen mee the repulse in so small a matter but perhaps shee beareth more fauour vnto the Scots which rebell against me than to me the Queene of Scots equall to her in princely royaltie her nearest kinswoman and most certaine heire vnto her Doest thou thinke that that good will and loue can be betweene my rebellious subiects and her that may bee betweene her and me What Doth shee thinke that I shall bee destitute of friends Assuredly she hath driuen mee to aske helpe of them of whom I would not willingly And they cannot wonder enough for what purpose shee gaue aid lately vnto my subiects and now to hinder the returne of mee a widow vnto my subiects I aske nothing of her but amitie I procure no trouble vnto her nor meddle not with the affaires of England But yet I am not ignorant that there bee many in England who are not content with the estate as it is now Shee twitteth me and saith that I haue small experience I confesse it Age bringeth experience with it yet I am so old that I can behaue my selfe friendly kindly and iustly toward my kinsfolks and friends and keepe my tongue from speaking any thing not beseeming a Queene and a kinswoman But by her leaue I may say that as well as shee I am a Queene neither destitute of friends and to beare no lesse high minde than shee and it may beseeme vs to measure our selues with a certaine equalitie but I forbeare comparison which is little better than contention and wanteth not euill will As for the treatie of Edenburgh it was made in the life of the King my husband whom it was my dutie to obey in all things and since that hee delaied the confirmation of the same let the blame remaine in him and not in me After his death the Counsellors of France left me to mine owne Counsellors neither would mine Vncles meddle with the affaires of Scotland because they would not offend Queene Elizabeth nor the Scots The Scots that be with me be priuate men nor such fit men that I should aske counsell of them in such great matters As soone as I shall haue the aduice of the Estates of my Realme I will make a reasonable answer and I will make all the haste I can home to giue it the sooner But shee determineth to stop my way lest I should giue it so shee is the cause that I cannot satisfie her or else shee would not bee satisfied perhaps for the intent that there may bee no end of discord betweene vs. Shee casteth often in my teeth that I am a young girle as a reproach and truly she may iustly thinke mee an vnwise girle if I dealt in these weightie affaires without the aduice of the Estates A wife is not bound as I haue heard with the deeds of her husband neither in her honour nor in conscience but I doe not dispute this thing yet I may say this thing truly I haue done nothing to my dearest sister which I would not haue done to my selfe I haue vsed all offices of courtesie and kindred but shee either beleeueth not or contemneth them I would to God I were so deare to her as I am neare of bloud for this were a pretious kinde of kindred God forgiue them that sow the seeds of dissention betweene vs if there bee any such But thou who art an Embassador tell mee in good sooth for what cause she is so displeased with me who neuer hurt her hitherto either in word or deed To these speeches Throgmorton made answer I haue no commission to answer you but to heare what your answer is about the confirmation of the treatie of Edenburgh But if it please you to heare the cause
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
thrust her into prison at Lochleuyn vnder the custodie of the mother of Murrey who had beene the Concubine of Iames the fift who most malapertly insulted ouer the calamitie of the imprisoned Queene boasting that shee her selfe was the lawfull wife of Iames the fift and that her sonne Murrey was his lawfull issue As soone as Queene Elizabeth vnderstood these things in her minde detesting this barbarous insolencie of Subiects whom she called oftentimes Traitors Rebels vnthankfull and cruell fellowes against a Princesse her sister and neighbour She sent Nicholas Throgmorton into Scotland to expostulate with the conspirators for this insolencie vsed against their Queene and to take some course how to restore her into her former libertie and for the seuere punishment of the murderers of the King and that the young King might be sent into England that order might bee taken for his securitie and not sent into France And what I shall hereafter declare during his abode in Scotland take yee vpon the credit of his letters which is approued He found the most part in Scotland incensed against the Queene who in plaine termes denied accesse vnto her both to him and also to Villeroy and Crocus the French Embassadors Yet could not the Conspirators agree among themselues what to doe with her Lidington and a few others would haue her to be restored vpon these conditions That the murderers of the King should bee punished according to Law The Princes safetie prouided for Bothwell diuorced and Religion established Others would haue her to bee banished for euer into France or into England So as the King of France or Queene of England did giue their words that she should resigne the Kingdome and transferre all her authoritie vnto her sonne and certaine Noble men Others were of opinion that shee should be arraigned publikely and condemned vnto perpetuall prison and her sonne crowned King Lastly others would haue her depriued both of her life and Kingdome by a publike execution And this Knox and some Ministers of the Word thundered out of their Pulpits On the other side Throgmorton out of the holy Scriptures brought many places to proue that obedience was to bee yeelded vnto the higher powers that carry the sword And wittily argued that the Queene was not subiect to the iudgement of any but onely of the celestiall Iudge That she could not be arraigned or brought to triall before any Iudge on the earth And that there is no Magistrate had any authoritie in Scotland which is not deriued from the authoritie of the Queene and reuocable at her pleasure They opposed the peculiar Law of the Kingdome among both the parties before the Commissioners at Yorke On the fifth day after the resignation Iames the Queenes young son was anointed and crowned King Iohn Knox making the Sermon The Hamiltons putting in a protestation that it should be no preiudice vnto the Duke of Chasteauleroy in the right of succession against the familie of Lennox But Queene ELIZABETH forbade Throgmorton to be present thereat that shee might not bee thought to allow the vniust abdicaâ—ion of the Queene by the presence of her Embassador On the twentieth day after the resignation Murrey himselfe returned out of France and the third day after he with many of the Conspirators came vnto the Queene against whom hee laid many hainous crimes and perswaded her to turne vnto God by true repentance and to aske mercie of him She shewed her selfe sorrowfull for the sinnes of her former life she confessed some things hee obiected others shee extenuated others shee excused by humane frailtie and the most matters shee vtterly denied Shee required him to take vpon him the gouernment of the affaires for her sonne and required him earnestly to spare her life and her reputation He said it lay not in his power but it was to bee sought for of the States of the Realme yet if shee desired to haue her life and honour saued hee prescribed these things for her to keepe That she should not trouble nor disturbe the tranquillitie of the Realme That she should not steale out of prison nor moue the Queene of England or the King of France to vex Scotland with forraigne or ciuill warre That she should not loue Bothwell any more or deuise to take reuenge on the enemies of Bothwell The Regent being proclaimed bound himselfe by his hand and seale to doe nothing concerning peace or warre the person of the King or his mariage or the libertie of the Queene without the consent of the Conspirators Hee willed Throgmorton by Lidington not to intreat any more for the Queene for that hee and the rest had rather endure all things than that she being freed should keepe Bothwell companie bring her sonne into danger her Countrie into trouble and also proscribe them We know said he what you English men can doe by warre You may waste our borders and we may yours we know assuredly that the French men in regard of our ancient league will not abandon and forsake vs. He denied also Ligneroll the French Embassador to haue accesse vnto the Queene vntill Bothwell was taken and euery day hee vsed the distressed Queene worse and worse whereas shee had deserued well at his hands and contrary to his promise hee had made vnto the King of France Thus much out of the Letters of Throgmorton Shortly after Murrey put to death Iohn Hepborne Paris a French man Daglish and the other seruants of Bothwell who had beene present at the Kings death But they which Murrey little expected at the Gallowes protested before God and the Angels that they vnderstood by Bothwell that Murrey and Mourton were the authors of killing the King and cleered the Queene from all suspition as Bothwell himselfe prisoner in Denmarke all his life time and at his death did with many solemne oathes and religious protestations affirme that the Queene was not priuie nor consenting to it And fourteene yeeres after when Mourton was to suffer death hee confessed that Bothwell dealt with him to consent vnto the murder of the King which when he vtterly denied except the Queene did command it vnder her hand To that Bothwell did answer that could not be done but that the deed must bee done without her knowledge This rash precipitate and ouer-hastie abdication or depriuation of the Queene and the ouerthwart stubbornnesse of the Conspirators towards the Embassadors both Queene ELIZABETH and the French King tooke very hainously as a thing tending to the reproach of royall Maiestie and began to fauour the Hamiltons who stood for the Queene Pasquier also Embassador from the French King dealt with the Queene of England that she might be restored by force of armes but shee thought it the better way to forbid the Scots all trafficke in France and England vntill shee was deliuered and so by that meanes the common people might bee disioned from the Noblemen who as it seemed were vnited in the conspiracie against the Queene Anno 1568. IN
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
Escouedo sent out of the Netherlands he had desired to haue some Hauens in Biscay granted vnto him from whence hee might inuade England with a Nauie But Philip disliked their intentions and began to neglect him as one ouer ambitious Yet Queene ELIZABETH vnderstood not these things fully vntill Orange informed her In the meane time Don Iohn couertly prosecuted the mariage and at the same time to cloake the matter sent vnto Queene ELIZABETH the Viscount of Gaunt to shew her the conditions of the peace and to request longer daies of paiment for the money lent vnto the Estates which she willingly granted and dealt with him againe by Wilson to recompence the Merchants of England for the hurt sustained in the sacking of Antwerpe He eludeth the matter whiles he seemed to attend about the Perpetuall edict for peace he brake out suddenly into open warre and by policie gat into his hands many Cities and Castles and wrote vnto the King of Spaine that he thought it best to subdue and conquer the Ilands of Zeland before the Inland Prouinces and beleeuing that which he hoped endeuoured to perswade him by his Secretarie that England was easier to be conquered than Zeland Anno 1578. ABout this time Margaret Dowglas Countesse of Lennox Neece to Henry the eighth by his eldest sister widow of Matthew Earle of Lennox Grandmother vnto IAMES King of Great Britaine ouerliuing her eight children departed to the ioies of heauen in the threescore and third yeere of her age and was buried at Westminster with a solemne funerall at the Queenes charge a Matron of worthy pietie patience and chastitie who was thrice cast into prison as I haue heard her speake it not for matter of treason but for loue matters First when Thomas Howard sonne to Thomas Howard first Duke of Norfolke being in loue with her died in the Tower then for the loue of Henry Darly her sonne to the Queene MARIE of Scotland lastly for the loue of Charles her younger sonne â—o Elizabeth Candish mother to Arbella of which mariage the Queene of Scotland was accused to bee a procurer as I haue said before About the same time the credit and authoritie of Mourton began to decay insomuch that hee was remoued from his office of Regent and the administration of all things deliuered vnto the King by the common consent of the Estates and because hee was not past twelue yeeres old vnto twelue of the chiefe Noblemen which were named of whom three euery three moneths by turnes should bee present with the King to giue him aduice and Mourton was one of them that they might seeme to bring him lower not to cast him downe Shortly after Mourton trusting on his sharpe wit long experience and many dependants and retainers thinking nothing well done except he himselfe did it and also not brooking not to be the same man he had beene drew backe all the administration vnto himselfe not regarding his associates and not obseruing the consent of administration set downe hee kept in his hand the King within the Castle of Sterling and shut out excluded whom he pleased and admitted others at his owne choice Wherewith the Noblemen being moued made the Earle of Atholl their Captaine and made Proclamation in the Kings name that all men aboue sixteene and vnder threescore yeeres should meet in Armour with victuals for fifteene daies There met very many and with Banners displaied they marched vnto Fawkirke where Mourton with his friends met them in Armour ready to fight But Robert Bowes the English Embassadour by intreatie and mouing honest conditions kept them from fighting and Mourton forthwith as wearie of businesse went home secretly and the Earle of Atholl died incontinently not without suspicion of poison which the mindes incensed against Mourton tooke to his slander and for this and other things they neuer ceased to persecute him vntill they had brought him to his destruction as we will declare hereafter Anno 1579. THe Scots were in feare of hauing their Religion altered by a French man called Amatus or Esmaus Stewart who came at this time into Scotland to see the King his Cousin for he was the sonne of Iohn Stewart brother vnto Matthew Earle of Lennox who was the Kings Grand-father and called Aubigney of a Towne in Berry which long since Charles the seuenth King of France had giuen to Iohn Stewart of the familie of Lennox who being Constable of the Scottish Armie in France put the English men to flight at Baugy and was afterwards slaine by them in the battell of Herrings and euer since that time it hath belonged vnto the younger sonne of that house This man the King vsed with singular kindnesse gaue him good liuings made him of his priuie Councell and Lord Chamberlaine of Scotland and Captaine of the Castle of Dunbritton and then Earle of Lennox and after Duke This extraordinarie fauour of the King towards him caused many to enuie him who murmured that he was a fauourer of the Guises and of the Roman Religion and sent purposely into Scotland by secret meanes to ouerthrow the true Religion The suspicion was much increased in that hee was familiar with the aduersaries of Mourton and intreated to haue Thomas Carre of Fernihurst recalled home who was the most assured friend to the Queene of Scotland of all others Mourton resisting the same with all his power but in vaine for his authoritie was lesse and lesse with all men although it might seeme that hee deserued well in profligating the Hamiltons and taking the Castle of Hamilton and Daffraine Anno 1580. IN Scotland when many Ministers of the Word and Noblemen perceiued that Lennox was in the Kings high fauour first they raised one Iames Stewart of the familie of Ochiltree Captaine of the Guard and Earle of Arran for hee had vsurped that title from I know not what cession of Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran whose Tutor hee had beene when hee was not well in his wit to affront him But the King in a short time reconciled them When this way serued not their turne they procured him as much hatred as they could at home and accused him hainously vnto the Queene of England as one sent in couertly by the Guises to shake the state of Religion to procure the libertie of the imprisoned Queene and to dissolue the amitie betweene England and Scotland These men were soone beleeued and vpon this matter was kept a serious consultation in England though hee in his letters cleered himselfe to the Queene and openly professed the Protestants Religion For the Councellors of England feared lest he should suppresse the Scots who were friends to England nourish excursions in the borders and entice the King to marrie in France or in some other place vnknowne to the English men whereupon the young King trusting might trouble England and being growne to mature yeeres assume to himselfe the title of the Realme of England as his mother had done before which if hee should
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
That secret snares were so cunningly laid that whether they would or no they should bee brought within the compasse of treason and that they had no hope of safetie at home And to say the truth very craftie trickes and deuices were deuised and vsed to trie mens minds counterfeit letters vnder the names of the Queene of Scotland and the fugitiues couertly sent and left in the houses of Papists spies dispersed in euery place to hearken after rumours and to take aduantage of words bringers of tales whatsoeuer information they brought were receiued and entertained very many examined vpon suspicion and amongst them Henry Earle of Northumberland and his sonne Philip Earle of Arundel commanded to keepe his house and his wife deliuered vnto the keeping of Thomas Sherley William Howard brother to the Earle and Henry Howard their Vncle brother vnto the Duke of Norfolke oftentimes examined concerning letters from the Queene of Scotland from Charles Paget c. who escaped very narrowly for all his prudence and innocencie The Lord Paget and Charles Arundel being arriued in France were watched and obserued by Edward Stafford the Queenes Lieger Embassador with the French King but yet he could not finde out their purposes and practises Yet dealt he with the French King that they Morgan and other Englishmen plotting against their Prince and Countrey might be remoued out of France He was answered If they practised any thing in France that the King would punish them according to the Law that the King could not take knowledge and doe iustice on them if they bad plotted any thing in England That all Kingdomes are free vnto them that flie thither for succour that it behoueth all Kings euery one to defend and maintaine the liberties of his Kingdome and that Queene Elizabeth not long since had receiued into her kingdome Montgomery the Prince of Condee and other Frenchmen and that at this very time the Embassador of the King of Nauarre practising some plots lieth in England About such time as these things were done Bernardino de Mendoza Embassador for the King of Spaine in England passed in great secrecie into France fretting and fuming as if he had beene driuen violently out of England and the right of an Embassador thereby violated when he himselfe being a man of a violent and turbulent spirit abusing the sacred right of Embassade vnto treason was to be pursued as many were of opinion after the ancient manner of seueritie with fire and sword and commanded to depart out of the Kingdome for he medled and was accessary with the wicked plots of Throgmorton and others to bring in forraine power into England to dispossesse the Queene And when he was mildly reproued of those things he was so farre from wiping the obiections away with a modest answer that he re-charged againe the Queene and her Counsellors with their detention of the money of the Genowayes with the succours giuen vnto the Estates of the Netherlands and vnto the Duke of Aniou and vnto Don Antonio the Portugall and with the piracies and spoiles made by Drake Yet lest the King of Spaine should thinke that the lewd parts of Mendoza were not reuenged but the rights of an Embassador violated William Waad Clerke of the Counsell is sent into Spaine who should plainly informe him how badly he had discharged the office of an Embassador and withall should signifie lest the Queene in sending him away might seeme to renounce the ancient amitie betweene the Kingdomes that all kinde and friendly offices should be done on her part if he sent any other as his Embassador who was desirous and willing to conserue the amitie betweene them conditionally that the same courtesies might be shewne vnto her Embassadour in Spaine But when the King of Spaine would not vouchsafe to admit Waad vnto his speech but referred him to his Counsellors he taking it in euill part without feare spake openly that it was a most vsuall and receiued custome that Embassadors should be admitted to the presence of Princes euen by their enemies and in the time of the hottest warres And that Charles the fifth the Emperour father to the King of Spaine admitted to his presence the Herald who from the French King denounced warre against him and in plaine termes denied to acquaint the Counsellors with his errand And when Idiaques Secretary to the King of Spaine could by no policie get out of him what his message was at last he receiued all the matter from Mendoza lurking secretly in France Then he laying aside his publike person in familiar manner signified vnto Waad that he was very sorry that there were some who cunningly laboured to breake the amitie and to nourish discord betweene the Princes that wrong was done to the Catholike King himselfe not vnto his Embassadors first to Despes and now vnto Mendoza and that there was no cause why he should accuse vnto the King any more Mendoza who was sufficiently disgraced by his ignominious sending out of England or complaine that he was not admitted And that the Catholike King did no more but like for like since Mendoza had beene dismissed without audience and as she had referred Mendoza vnto her Counsellors so the King in like manner put him off vnto the Cardinall Granuellan When Waad answered that there was much difference betweene him who had neuer offended the Catholike King and Mendoza who had offended grieuously against the Queene and had a long time not vouchsafed to come vnto her and had committed things vnfitting an Embassadour Yet he could not be admitted and not being heard he returned home The most of the crimes which he was to obiect against Mendoza were taken out of the confession of Throgmorton Who being readie to be apprehended had secretly sent a deske wherein his secrets lay vnto Mendoza His other desks being narrowly searched there were found two Rolls or Lists in one of the which the names of the Hauens of England which were fit to land Forces in the other the names of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of England who professed the Roman Catholike Religion were written downe As soone as he saw them brought out and shewne to him he cried out often that he neuer saw them before and that they were foisted in to worke his destruction yea euen when he was examined vpon the racke but laid againe vpon the racke he denied not to answer vnto their Interrogatories Being asked of those Rolls or Catalogues and for what purpose they were written he made this historicall narration That he a few yeeres since going vnto the waters at the Spaw did consult and deuise with Ieney and Fra Inglefield how England might be inuaded and the forme of gouernment thereof altered and changed and vpon that reason that he set downe the names of the Hauens and of the Noblemen That Morgan by his letters had signified vnto him out of France that the Catholike Princes had now consulted and determined that England should be inuaded and the
Queene ELIZABETH was found out and came to light which I will briefly describe At Easter this yeere Iohn Ballard a Priest of the Seminarie of Rhemes who had visited many Roman Catholikes in England and Scotland returned into France accompanied with Mawd one of Walsinghams spies a most craftie dissembler who had bleared his eyes and talked with Bernardino Mendoza at that time ordinary Embassadour of the King of Spaine in France and with Charles Paget a man exceedingly addicted to the Queene of Scotland about the inuading of England saying that now was a most fit time all the militarie men being absent in the Low Countries and that they could not hope for a fitter time since that the Pope the King of Spaine Guise and Parma were determined to set vpon England by that way to turne the warre out of the Low Countries And though Paget held it cleere that it would be in vaine as long as the Queene liued yet Ballard was sent backe into England being sworne to procure aid and helpe vnto the Inuaders and libertie vnto the Queene of Scotland and that with all speed and as soone as he could At Whitsontide following this Ballard apparelled like a souldier and called by a counterfet name Captaine Foscu arriued in England and talked at London about these things with Anthony Babington of Dethick in Derbishire a young man well borne rich of an excellent wit and learned aboue his yeeres who being addicted to the Roman Religion had a little before stollen ouerinto France without any licence and had beene very familiar with Thomas Morgan one that belonged vnto the Queene of Scotland and with the Bishop of Glasco her Embassador which two in extolling continually the heroicall vertues of such a Queene had shewed such certaine hopes of great honours and preferments by her of which the ambitious young man quickly tooke hold they also commended him thinking of no such matter in their letters to the Queene of Scotland For when he was returned into England she curteously saluted him by her letters and from that time Morgan vsed to send ouer and to conuey letters vnto her by his meanes vntill such time as she was put ouer to be kept by Amyas Paulet For then the young man seeing the danger left off With this Babington I say did Ballard deale about this matter He was fully perswaded that the Inuasion of England would come to nothing so long as Queene ELIZABETH liued But when Ballard had insinuated that she should not liue long that Sauage who had taken an oath to kill her was already come into England Babington did not like that so great a matter should be committed onely to Sauage lest hee should faile in his attempt but rather to six stout Gentlemen whereof he would haue Sauage to be one lest he should breake his oath and Babington deuised a new way to haue the land inuaded by strangers of the hauens where they should take land of the aid that should be ioyned to them how to deliuer the Queene of Scotland and to kill the Queene Whiles he studied earnestly about this matter he receiued by a boy vnknowne letters in a character or ziffre samiliar betweene the Queene of Scotland and him which mildly accused him for his long silence and bade him to send with speed a packet of letters sent from Morgan and deliuered by the Secretary of the French Embassador which thing he did and withall by the same messenger wrote letters vnto her wherein he excused his silence for that he was depriued of meanes and opportunity to send from the time that she was put into the custody of Amyas Paulet a Puritane a meere Leycestrian and a professed enemie of the Catholike faith for so he called him He opened vnto her what he had conferred with Ballard and told her that six Gentlemen were selected to execute the tragicall murder and that he with a hundred other would deliuer her at the same time Hee besought her that rewards might be propounded and giuen vnto the heroicall actors in this businesse or to their posterity if they failed or died in the action Vnto these letters answer was made the 27. of Iuly the forward care of Babington toward the Catholike Religion and her selfe is commended but he was aduised to proceed in the businesse warily and that an Association might bee made amongst them as though they feared the Puritans and that no stir should be made before they were certaine and assured of forraine helpe and forces that some tumult might be raised also in Ireland whilest a blow or wound might be giuen in these parts Arundell and his brethren and Northumberland might be drawne into their side Westmorland Pager and some others secretly called home And the way also of deliuering her is prescribed either by ouerthrowing a Cart in the gate or by burning the stables or by intercepting her selfe when she rode vp and downe in the fields for her recreation betweene Chartley and Stafford Lastly Babington is commanded to giue his word and promise for the rewards vnto the six Gentlemen and the others He had already gotten vnto himselfe some Gentlemen who were earnest Roman Catholikes among the which the chiefest were Edward Windsore brother to the Lord Windsore a milde young man Thomas Salisbury of a worshipfull family in Denbighshire Charles Tilney of an ancient worshipfull house the only hope of his family and one of the Gentlemen pensioners to the Queene whom Ballard had lately reconciled vnto the Roman Church both of them very proper men Chidiocke Tichburne of Hamshire Edward Abington whose father was Cofferer to the Queene Robert Gage out of Surrey Iohn Trauerse and Iohn Charnock of Lancashire Iohn Iones whose father had beene Taylor vnto Queene Mary the aforenamed Sauage Barnwell of a worshipfull family in Ireland and Henry Dun a Clarke in the office of the first fruits and tenths into this society Pooly also insinuated himselfe a man perfectly instructed in the affaires of the Queene of Scotland a notable and cunning dissembler who is thought to haue discouered all their purposes and counsells vnto Walsingham day by day and to haue vrged these young men ready enough to doe euill headlong by suggesting and putting worse things into their heads though Naâ—â—s Secretary to the Queene of Scotland had secretly aduised them to take heed of him Vnto these men Babington communicated the matter but not all things vnto euery one hee sheweth his letters and those of the Queene of Scotland vnto Ballard Tichburne and Dun he moueth Tilney and Tichburne to dispatch the Queene At the first they deny to contaminate and â—mbrue their hands in their Princes bloud Ballard and Babington tels them that it is lawfull to kill Princes who be excommunicated and if one offend it is to be done for the good of the Catholike Religion Herewith they with much adoe perswaded doe consent Abington Barnwell Charnock and Sauage readily and voluntarily sweare to doe it Salisburie could not be perswaded
to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord Compton another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trustie Henry Lord Cheney another of the Lords of the Parlament To our welbeloued and trusty Francis Knolles Knight Treasurer of our houshold another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iames Crofts Knight Controller of our said houshold another of our Priuy Counsell To our beloued and trusty Christopher Hatton Knight our vice-Chamberlaine another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbâ—loued Francis Walsingham Knight one of our chiefe Secretaries another of our Priuy Counsell And also vnto our trusty and welbeloued William Dauison Esquier another of our principall Secretaries of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and welbeloued Ralph Sadleir Knight Chauncellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbeloued Walter Mildmay Knight Chauncellor of our Exchequer another of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and beloued Amyas Powlet Knight Captaine of the I le of Iersey another of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and welbeloued Iohn Wolley Eâ—quire our Secretary for the Latine tongue another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbeloued Christopher Wâ—ay Knight chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench And to our trusty and welbeloued Edmund Anderson Knight Chiefe Iustice of the Common Bench Roger Manwood Knight Chiefe Baron of our Exchequer Thomas Gawdy Knight one of our Iustices of the Kings Bench And William Peryam one of the Iustices of our Bench Greeting c. And not to set it downe verbatim After the recapitulation of the Act made the last yeere these words follow When after the end of the Session of Parlament viz after the first day of Iune in the XXVII yeare of our reigne diuers things haue beene compassed and deuised tending to the hurt of our Royall Person as well by Mary daughter and heire of Iames the fift lately King of Scotland and commonly called Queene of Scotland and Dowager of France pretending title vnto the Crowne of this Realme of England as by diuers other persons with the priuity of the same Mary as it is giuen vs to vnderstand and for that we intend and determine that the said Act should be executed rightly and effectually in all things and by all things according to the tenour of the said Act and that all the offences aforesaid in the aforesaid Act as it is said mentioned and the circumstances of the same should be examined and sentence and iudgement thereupon giuen according to the tenor and effect of the said Act We giue vnto you and to the greater part of you full and ample power faculty and authority according to the tenour of the said Act to examine all and singular things compassed and deuised tending to the hurt of our Royall Person with the priuity of the said Mary and all the circumstances of the same and all the aforesaid offences whatsoeuer mentioned in the said Act as it is said and all circumstances of the same offences and of euery one of them And moreouer according to the tenour of the said Act to giue sentence and iudgement euen as the matter shall appeare vnto you vpon good proofe And therefore we command you to proceed diligently vpon the aforesaid things in the forme aforesaid at certaine daies and places which you or the greater part of you shall appoint and prouide for this purpose c. The most of these came to Fodringhay Castle in Northamptonshire on the xj day of October where the Queene of Scotland was then kept On the next day the Commissioners sent vnto her Sir Walter Mildmay Sir Amyas Powlet and Edward Barker a publike Notary who deliuered into her hands the letters of Queene ELIZABETH which when she had read ouer she with a Princely countenance and quiet minde said I am much aggrieued that the Queene my most deare sister is wrong informed of me and that I who haue so straitly beene kept so many yeeres and being now lame after I haue offered so many equall and faire conditions for my liberty haue laine so long time neglected Although I haue fully forewarned her of many dangers yet I was not beleeued but was alwaies despised although I am most neere to her in bloud When the Association was made and when it was confirmed in the Parlament I foresaw that whatsoeuer danger befell either by forraine Princes abroad or any harebraine fellowes at home or for the cause of Religion I should pay deare for the same I hauing so many deadly enemies at the Court I may take it in euill part and I haue cause for it that a league was made with my sonne without my priuity or knowledge but such like things I pretermit But to come vnto these letters It seemeth strange vnto me that the Queene commandeth me as if I were her subiect to come vnto a triall I am an absolute Queene neither will I doe or commit any thing which may empaire or wrong the Royall Maiestie of Kings and Princes of my place and ranke or my sonne My minde is not so deiected neither will I yeeld and sinke downe vnder calamity I referre my selfe vnto those things which I protested before Bromly and the Lord De la Ware The lawes and statutes of England are to me vtterly vnknowne I am destitute of counsellours I tell you plaine I know not who may be my Peeres my papers and notes of remembrances are taken from me there is none that dare pleade or speake in my cause I am free from all offence against the Queene neither am I to be called in question but vpon mine owne word or writing which can neuer be brought against me But yet I cannot deny but that I haue commended my selfe and my cause to forraine Princes On the next day returned vnto her in the name of the Commissioners Powlet and Barker who shewed this answer put into writing and they asked her if she persisted in the same After she had heard it distinctly read she commended it as truly and rightly conceiued and said she would persist in the same But said she I did not remember one thing which I wish may be put in Whâ—reas the Queene hath written I am subiect and liable vnto the lawes of England and am to be iudged by them because I liued vnder the protection of them I answer That I came into England to aske and craue aid and helpe from which time I haue beene kept and deteined in prison and could not enioy the protection and benefit of the lawes of England and hitherto I could not vnderstand by any body what the lawes of England were In the afternoone many chosen out of the Commissioners with men skilfull in the Canon and Ciuill lawes came vnto her but the Chancellor and the Treasurer declared their authority out of the letters patents and shewed her that neither captiuity nor the prerogatiue of
was cut off at two blowes The Deane saying aloud So let the enemies of Queene ELIZABETH perish the Earle of Kent saying the same and the multititude sighing and grieuing thereat Her bodie was embawmed and was after buried like a Prince in the Cathedrall Church of Peterburgh And her funerals were kept most magnificently at Paris at the charges of the Guises who performed all the best offices of kindred for their Cousin both aliue and dead to their great commendation In this lamentable manner ended her life MARIE Queene of Scotland the great grand-daughter of Henry the seuenth by his eldest daughter in the XLVI yeere of her age and the XVIII yeere of her captiuitie A woman most constant in her Religion adorned with a wonderfull pietie toward God wisdome aboue her sex and was also very faire and beautifull And is to be accounted one of those Princes whose felicitie was changed into aduersitie In her infancie shee was with strife desired for wife by King Henry the eighth of England for his sonne Edward and by Henry the second King of France for Francis the Dolphin At the age of fiue yeeres she was carried into France and at the age of fifteene yeeres married vnto the Dolphin Shee flourished and was Queene of France one yeere and foure moneths Her husband being dead she returned into Scotland and was maried againe vnto Henry Stuart Lord Darley and had by him IAMES the first Monarch of Great Britaine Tossed and turmoiled by Murrey her bastard brother and other her vngrate and ambitious subiects deposed from her Kingdome and driuen to flie into England and circumuented and entrapped as men speaking indifferently thinke by sundry English-men carefull of the conseruation of their Religion and of the safetie of Queene ELIZABETH and thrust forward by others desiring much to restore the Roman Religion and oppressed by the testimonies of her Secretaries who were absent and as it seemed corrupted with rewards Neere to the graue an Epitaph in the Latine tongue was affixed and forthwith taken away MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA REGIS FILIA REGIS GALLORVM VIDVA REGINAE ANGLIAE AGNATA ET HAERES PROXIMA VIRTVTIBVS REGIIS ET ANIMO REGIO ORNATA IVRE REGIO FRVSTRA SAEPIVS IMPLORATO BARBARA ET TYRANNICA CRVDELITATE ORNAMENTVM NOSTRI SECVLI ET LVMEN VERE REGIVM EXTINGVITVR EODEMQVE NEFARIO IVDICIO ET MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA MORTE NATVRALI ET OMNES SVPERSTITES REGES PLEBEII FACTI MORTE GIVILI MVLCTANTVR NOVVM ET INAVDITVM TVMVLI GENVS IN QVO CVM VIVIS MORTVI INCLVDVNTVR HIC EXTAT CVM SACRIS ENIM DIVAE MARIAE CINERIBVS OMNIVM REGVM ATQVE PRINCIPVM VIOLATAM ATQVE PROSTRATAM MAIESTATEM HIC IACERE SCITO ET QVIA TACITVM REGALE SATIS SVPERQVE REGES SVI OFFICII MONET PLVRA NON ADDO VIATOR Which may be Englished thus MARY Queene of Scotland daughter of a King widow of the King of France kinswoman and next heire to the Queene of England adorned with Royall Vertues and a princely spirit hauing often but in vaine implored the right of a Prince the ornament of our age and the true princely light is extinguished by a barbarous and tyrannical crueltie And by the same wicked iudgement both MARY Queen of Scotland is punished with a naturall death and all Kings liuing are made common persons and punished and made liable vnto a ciuill death A strange and vnheard kinde of grant is here extant in which the liuing are included with the dead for with the ashes of this blessed MARY know thou that the Maiestie of all Kings and Princes lye here depressed and violated and because the Regall secret doth sufficiently admonish Kings of their dutie O Traueller I say no more Out of this lamentable fortune of so great a Prince the disposition of the diuine prouidence most euidently appeared as some wise men haue obserued For those things which the Queenes ELIZABETH and MARY chiefly wished and studied to procure by this meanes came to passe Queene MARY which also shee said at her death desired nothing more earnestly than that the diuided Kingdomes of England and Scotland might be vnited in the person of her deare sonne And the other wished for nothing more than that the Religion by her established in England might be kept and conserued with the safetie and securitie of the people And that almightie God did heare their praiers England to her vnexpected felicitie doth now see and with great ioy acknowledge As soone as word was brought to Queene ELIZABETH that the Queene of Scotland was put to death shee not thinking thereof she heard it with great indignation shee looked heauily and could not speake a word and readie to swound for sorrow in so much that she put on mourning apparell and grieued exceedingly and lamented very much Shee caused her Counsellors being reproued and forbidden her presence to be examined and commanded Dauison to be brought into the Star-Chamber And as soone as her dolour would permit her she in great haste wrote this letter following vnto the King of Scotland with her owne hand and sent it by Mr. Robert Cary one of the Lord of Hunsdons sonnes Deare brother I would to God you did know but not feele with what incomparable griefe my minde is tormented and vexed by reason of the lamentable euent which hath befallen contrary to my minde and will which you shall vnderstand fully by my Cousin for as much as I cannot abide and endure to set it downe by writing I beseech you that as God and many others can beare witnesse vnto my innocencie in this matter so I desire you to beleeue that if I had commanded it I would neuer haue denied the same I am not of that base minde that for any terrour I should feare to doe that which is iust or to deny it being done I doe not so degenerate from my Ancestors nor am I of such an ignoble minde But as it is not the part of a Prince to couer and cloake the sense of his minde with words so will I neuer dissemble nor glose mine actions but I will performe that they shall come to light and appeare to the world in their colours I would haue you be assuredly perswaded that as I know that this was done vpon desert so if I had imagined it I would not haue put it ouer vpon any other neither yet wil I impute that to my selfe which I did not so much as thinke He who shall deliuer you these Letters shall acquaint and impart other things vnto you As for me I would haue you to beleeue that there is none other who loueth you better and beareth better affection to you or that will haue a more friendly care of you and your affaires If any one suggesteth or putteth other things into your head I would haue you to think that he beareth more good will and affection to others than to you God Almightie keepe you in health and preserue you alwaies In the meane time that Mr. Cary
it vnto Burleigh Burleigh vnto the rest of the Counsellors who all gaue their consent to the quicke dispatch of the execution and euery one vowed to stand to it and to sticke one to another and sent Beale with the Mandate and Letters The third day after when I perceiued that her minde wauered hearing her tell a dreame of the death of the Queen of Scotland I asked if she had changed her minde she said no but said shee another way might haue beene inuented and withall asked if any answer were comefrom Powlet And when I had shewed his letters wherein in plaine termes be refused to take vpon him that which was neither honourable nor iust she chasing said that he and others who had taken the oath of the Association were periured and forsworne men as they who had promised many things but would performe nothing But I shewed her how vniust and infamous this would be and into what danger shee brought Powlet and Drury For if shee approued and allowed the fact shee should draw to her selfe both danger and dishonour with the note of iniustice but if shee disauowed and disallowed the fact shee ouerthrew vtterly those well deseruing men and their posteritie And afterwardshee on the same day the Queene of Scotland was put to death slightly checked mee that the execution was not done What griefe and anger soeuer Queen ELIZABETH conceiued or made shew of for the death of the Queen of Scotland I am sure the King of Scotland her only son tooke it wonderfull heauily who with the most admirable pietie that could bee in a sonne reuerenced his most deare mother and mourned and lamented for her exceedingly For he did not thinke that Queene ELIZABETH in regard of the mutuall loue that was betweene them and the league of stricter friendship lately made betweene them neglecting the so many intercessions of Princes would haue deliuered his mother a Prince of equall estate and her neerest cousin of the Royal bloud into the hands of a base hangman He suffered not Mr. Robert Cary sonne to the Lord Hunsdon who was sent from England to excuse the Queene by laying the fault vpon her Counsellors and Dauison to come into Scotland and hardly would heare him by another man and with much suit receiued the letters he brought Called his Ambassadour out of England and threatned reuenge And some there were that perswaded him that other Princes of Christendome would not let such an iniury done vnto the Maiestie and Royall name of a King goe vnpunished The Estates of Scotland who were assembled in great number professed that they were most readie to reuenge the death of his mother and to defend his right to the Crowne of England yea and to spend their liues and goods in the quarrell and that they could not disgest the iniurie done not onely vnto the King but also vnto the whole Nation of the Scots Some there were who perswaded the King to require aid of ships and of a Nauie of the King of Denmarke vnto whose daughter he began then to sue for mariage Some who were addicted to the Romane Religion suggested vnto him that hee should rather ioyne with the Kings of Spaine and France and with the Pope and so hee might with case get the possession of England And aboue all things to giue no credit vnto the Protestants of England who now ruled all and closely plotted to destroy him also whispering this in his eares He that hath killed the mother will also kill the children if he can Some there were who secretly aduised him to keepe himselfe as Newter openly and to hold both the Protestants and Romanists in suspence For if that hee shewed himselfe openly for the Protestants the Romanists of Europe will lay all their plots against him and would set vp another prop and stay in England to his great danger Some also there were who aduised him to keepe a firme peace with England and not to put his certaine hope vpon the vncertaine fortune of warre And to be constant in his Religion in the which if hee once wauered he should neither get nor purchase friends nor lessen nor diminish his enemies Thus euery man as their fancie gaue or their profit lead them spake But the King being more prouident and more wittie than his age gaue him vsed no haste which is alwaies blinde but weighed their counsels in his minde considerately and maturely a long time both with himselfe and a very few others But Queene ELIZABETH by laying all the fault on Dauison and the rash credulitie of her Counsellors so to mitigate his griefe and sorrow by little and little lest the comfort giuen out of season might more exasperate him and so stayed vntill his sorrow lessened by length of time would suffer it selfe to be handled But when shee saw the French egge on the King to reuenge she fearing lest he by their policies and vpon a burning heat of reuenge should be drawne away from the Religion of the Protestants and the friendship of the English she laboured with all her power to pacifie his minde exulcerated and in a manner alienated from her by all meanes not vnworthy of a Prince Therefore by her Messengers and Agents and after by the Lord Hunsdon Gouernour of Berwicke she proposeth these weightie and important Reasons most diligently First what a dangerous thing it may be for him to breake into open warre against England for this cause which seemed vnto the Estates of England to be as well necessarie for the safetie of the whole Island as also most iust Then let him consider if he be of abilitie to take such a warre in hand for as much as England was neuer better furnished with Military men and Leaders with forces and riches and Scotland exhausted with intestine warres neuer more weake If he depended vpon forraine aid with what great difficultie and how long it would be ere hee can get it and if he doe obtaine it what successe can hee hope for since that England hauing the Fleets of Holland and Zealand ioyned thereunto hath no cause to feare the most mightie and potent Kings of Europe What hope can he place in the French King or the King of Spaine For as much as his power much increased and augmented by the accession and addition of England may crosse or empeach their designes and purposes for that his Religion may be so opposed vnto their profession that they cannot helpe and aid him but with their owne losse and detriment Neither can the French King see with a contented minde the King of Scotland to be augmented with the Kingdome of England for feare lest hee should with warre prosecute the ancient right of the English-men in France or else giue helpe or succour vnto the Guises his Cousins who at this time gape after the Realme of France But the King of Spaine without all doubt will doe all things to serue his ambitious humour for as much as he vaunteth himselfe to be the first Catholike Prince of the bloud Royall of England and the stocke of Lancaster though vntruly In respect of which some Iesuites and others also endeuoured to aduance him whilest the Queene of Scotland was yet liuing vnto the Crowne of England as a man most fit to restore the Roman authority in England the mother and the sonne being not respected nor regarded Moreouer they perswaded him that shee determined in her last Will and Testament to bequeath the Kingdome of England vnto this King of Spaine if her sonne continued in the Religion of the Protestants What may be the meaning of these things and whereunto they may tend and what aid and helpe can be hoped for from the King of Spaine the King may thereby see and perceiue And withall if he shall reuolt and fall from his Religion in the which he hath beene brought vp with what great ignominie he may precipitate and cast head-long his soule into eternall damnation and the whole Iland of Britaine into danger and destruction Moreouer he is to consider and be aduised lest the Estates of England who haue giuen sentence against his mother doe not exclude him altogether from the right of Succession by a new sentence whose loue by yeelding and giuing place vnto necessitie and restraining the passionate motions of his minde he may easily winne and purchase vnto him for as much as that which is done cannot be vndone And at his time he may possesse and enioy quietly the most flourishing Kingdome of England In the meane time he may enioy securitie and may seeme with all men indifferent men that haue vnderstanding and consideration of things to haue receiued no blemish in his honour for as much as when time was he omitted no part of a most pious and vertuous sonne toward his mother And let him assuredly perswade himselfe that the Queene of England would account and vse him most louingly and affectionately as if shee were his owne mother These things shee caused to be beaten into the head of the King of Scotland and that he should not doubt but that his mother was put to death without her knowledge and to confirme him in that opinion shee determined to send vnto him the sentence giuen against Dauison in the Starre-chamber vnder the hands of all the Commissioners and also vnder the Great Seale of England And also another instrument to please him the more signed with the hands of all the Iudges of England wherein they confirmed that the sentence giuen against his mother was no hurt vnto his right in Succession nor could be any preiudice vnto the same And thus an end of this History FINIS 1 2 3 4 5 6
of displeasure I will lay it downe in few words laying aside the person of an Embassadour As soone as the Queene my Ladie and Mistresse was crowned you did vsurpe the title and armes of England which you did not take in the reigne of Queene MARIE Iudge you in your discretion if a greater wrong can bee offered vnto a Prince Such iniuries as this priuate men cannot disgest much lesse Princes But said she my husbands father and my husband himselfe would haue it done and commanded it to bee so After their decease when I was at mine owne hand I left off wholly both those armes and the title but yet I know not how it can be any wrong to the Queene if I also a Queene whose Grand-mother was eldest sister vnto Henry the eight doe beare these armes since others farther off than I bore them I am sure Courtney Marquesse of Exceter and the Duchesse of Suffolke Niece vnto Henry the eight by his younger sister did beare the armes of England with borders for a difference by a speciall fauour When these things did not satisfie Queene Elizabeth who was fully perswaded that shee put in delaies still vpon some more hopes since she had not proposed vnto the Estates of Scotland who had once or twice assembled since her husbands death any thing about the confirmation of the treatie She being vpon her way sent for Throgmorton againe vnto Abbeuille where shee courteously asked him how she might satisfie Queene Elizabeth in word or deed he said by ratifying the treatie of Edenburgh as I haue often said vnto whom shee said Now heare and iudge if there bee not most iust reasons which she calleth delaies and vaine excuses The first Article in it of ratifying the treatie of Chasteau Cambresy betweene England and France pertaineth nothing vnto me The second of ratifying the treaty betweene England and Scotland was ratified by my husband and mee neither can it bee ratified againe when my husband is expressedly named in it The Articles 3 4 and 5. are already performed for the preparations for warre are ceased The French Souldiers are called backe out of Scotland and the Fortresse of Aymouth is demolished I haue not borne nor vsed the title nor armes of England since my husbands death It is not in my power to put them out of the houshold stuffe buildings and Letters patents through France as it is not in my power to send into England the Bishop of Valence and Randan who are not my subiects to dispute about the sixth Article And for the last Article I hope my seditious subiects shall not haue cause to complaine of my seueritie But as I perceiue she will preuent me by stopping my returne that they shall not haue triall of my clemencie what remaineth now in this treatie which may be wrong to the Queene Yet that I may giue her satisfaction more abundantly I will write larger Letters of this businesse with mine owne hand though shee doth not vouchsafe to write backe vnto me but by her Secretarie But I pray you my Lord Embassador doe the part of an Embassador that is rather mollifie than exasperate the matter But yet Queen Elizabeth was not satisfied with these letters in whose minde the iniurie for the vsing of the armes and title of England was deeply imprinted and still shee was afraid lest shee should challenge them againe if shee were not bound and tied thereto by the confirmation of the treatie and the religion of an oath In the meane while the Q of Scotland getting a good gale of wind departed from Calice and in a foggie mist passing by the English ships which some thought were sent to Sea to conuey her with honour others to suppresse Pirates and as others said to intercept and take her arriued safe in Scotland For Iames the Bastard very lately returning by England had secretly willed Queene Elizabeth to take her by the way if she had a desire to prouide for Religion and her owne securitie And Lidington being glad that d'Oysell was detained in England perswaded it also Shee being returned into Scotland vsed her subiects with all courtesie changed not their religion though it had beene brought in by tumults and beganne to settle the common wealth by enacting good Lawes But vnto Queene Elizabeth shee sent Lidington with her owne and the letters of the Scottish Nobilitie in the which shee promised all care to make and conserue amitie with her and requested that a certaine forme of peace might bee made betweene England and Scotland and that there was none more certaine than if Queene Elizabeth if shee should haue no issue would declare her by the authoritie of Parliament the next heire to succeed her in the Realme of England This thing seemed strange vnto Queene Elizabeth who looked for the confirmation of the treatie of Edenburgh promised by word and by her hand writing yet she answered As concerning the succession shee hoped the Queene of Scotland would not by violence take her Crowne away from her and her children if she had any shee promised not to derogate any thing of her right vnto the Crowne of England although she had claimed the title and armes of England through the too much hastie ambition of other men for which iniurie it was meet that she made satisfaction By setting downe her successor shee feared lest their friendship should bee rather disseuered than consolidated for that vnto men established in gouernment their successors are alwaies suspected and hated the people such is their inconstancie vpon a dislike of present things doe looke after the rising Sunne and forsake the Sunne setting and the successors designed cannot keepe within the bounds of Iustice and truth their owne hopes and other mens lewd desires Moreouer if she should confirme the succession vnto her shee should thereby cut off the hope of her owne securitie and being aliue hang her winding-sheet before her owne eies yea make her owne funerall feast aliue and see the same After shee had answered these things thus shee did againe sending her letters vnto her by Peter Mewtas mildly will her to confirme the treatie Neither did the other directly denie it but insinuated that shee could not doe it vntill shee had set the affaires of Scotland in good order Anno 1562. MArgaret Countesse of Lynnox Niece to King Henry the eight by his eldest sister was deliuered as prisoner to Richard Sackuill and her husband the Earle of Lennox was assigned vnto the Master of the Rolls in the like manner for that hee had secret intelligence by letters with the Queene of Scots in which custodie both of them were kept a good space Not long after Henry Sidney was sent vnto the Queene of Scots whose message was that the enteruiew which he had desired to haue with Queene Elizabeth might bee put off vnto the next yeere or vntill the French warres were waxen colder At this time it was consulted whether it was for any good purpose that these two
Princesses should come vnto an enteruiew or conference For that the Queene of Scotland required it bred a suspition that she did it for some commoditie or benefit and to espie some aduantage either to strengthen her right in England or else to giue a hope and erect the minds of the Papists in England and her Cousens the Guises in France On the other side others thought hereby a most firme amitie might bee concluded betweene them the league betweene the French and the Scots weakened by little and little and the Queene of Scots wonne by faire words vnto the Religion of the Protestants Others noted that out of such enteruiewes or conferences grew the seeds rather of emulation than of loue when one should hate and repine at the ostentation of the others brauerie wealth and power and for that many times the presence and view is not answerable vnto report and opinion and so of the comelinesse of the body of the beautie of the face and of the gifts of the minde And that one might haue cause and occasion to finde fault with the other Neither did the Queene of Scotland thinke it safe to deliuer her selfe into the hands of Queene Elizabeth with whom she had contended for the right of the Kingdome It made her to stagger and to doubt in the matter and also to which side to incline and sway when shee heard that Queene Elizabeth stood openly for the Protestants in France whilest she considered as shee wrote her selfe that shee came by her father from the English bloud and by her mother from the French that shee was crowned Queene and Dowager of France and the most rightful Heire of England and withall expected the Kingdome thereof That shee was much indebted vnto her Vncles in France which had brought her vp and that shee much desired the loue of Queene Elizabeth Yet she feared such was her piercing vnderstanding lest if shee ioined her selfe with her in a very strict kinde of amitie she might procure the euill will of the French King be abandoned by her Vncles and lose her dowrie out of France by preferring the vncertaine friendship of Queene Elizabeth which to vse her owne words passed not beyond the person before the certaine loue of the French Hereupon the conference which had beene treated of many moneths and the Articles also drawne came to nothing especially when shee by her letters did vtterly refuse to come vnto the enteruiew except she might be designed heire apparant of England by authoritie of Parliament or else bee adopted by Queene Elizabeth to be her daughter to lay a foundation of a most certaine peace and vnion of both the Realmes so often desired If these things were granted she promised to addict her selfe wholly to Queene Elizabeth yea and not to respect and regard her Vncle 's the Guises Also in these lettes shee insinuated that shee vrged these things the more vehemently for that shee had heard that many did secretly deuise to set in another successor and that onely for the cause of Religion though shee did tolerate in Scotland the Religion of the Protestants But when the Cardinall of Lorraine at the same time dealt with the Emperour Ferdinand that shee might marrie with his sonne Charles the Archduke who then sued vnto Q. Elizabeth for mariage Queene Elizabeth threatned her by Thomas Randolph that if shee did consent vnto the Cardinall the mortall enemie of England about that mariage both that the amitie betweene England and Scotland might be dissolued and perhaps she excluded from her hope of the Realme of England and if she would not misse thereof she in friendly manner willed her to choose such a husband in England in whose choice shee might principally giue her selfe content and then giue satisfaction to her owne Subiects and also to the English men in the conseruation of the peace and make the way smoother and plainer vnto her assured succession in England which cannot bee published and made knowne vntill it was certainly knowne whom she would take to her husband Anno 1563. WHen in the heat of the ciuill warres of France the Duke of Guise Vncle vnto the Q. of Scotland was slaine her dowrie out of France was not paid Hamilton D. of Chasteauleroy was depriued of his Duchie and the Scots were displaced from the Captainship of the Guard which things she tooke in very euill part The Cardinall of Lorraine another of her Vncles fearing lest hereupon she leauing the French should cleaue vnto the amitie of England he proposed againe by Crocus the mariage with Charles d' Austria offering to her the Countie of Tyrole for her dowrie Shee acquainted Queene Elizabeth with the matter who by Randolph gaue her those former admonitions about the choosing of a husband as I haue said before and then in plainer termes commended Robert Dudley whose wife being the heire of Robsert was killed a good while since by falling downe a paire of slaires and promised that if shee would marrie him she should be declared by the authoritie of Parliament sister or daughter heire apparant of England if she died without issue As soone as the Queene mother her Vncles heard this by Foixius the French Embassador in England they did so disdaine the mariage with Dudley as altogether vnequall vnworthy to match in a royall stocke and linage as they promised not onely to pay her dowrie but also to restore vnto the Scots all their former liberties and morelarge also if she would persist firmely in the friendâ—hip of France and refuse the mariage offered vnto her and also they suggested and put in her head that Queene Elizabeth did propose this mariage not seriously but colourably as though shee had assigned Dudley for her owne husband And that there was no cause why she should put any trust or confidence in the authoritie of a Parliament since that in England one Parliament may repeale that which another hath enacted Moreouer that the purposes of the English men were no other but by one meanes or other to keepe her alwaies from mariage But yet she referred this matter vnto conference being wonderfully vexed and troubled at home when Murrey cast into prison the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes because he abstained not from saying Masse vnto whom shee hardly got pardon with shedding of teares And the hot spirited Ministers of the Church bolstered by the authoritie of Murrey offered violence without any controlment vnto a Priest who had said Masse in the Court which was permitted by the Law Neither was shee able to represse the tumultuous persons though shee applied all her minde about the good of the common wealth by granting a generall pardon increasing the fees or wages of the Iudges by making wholsome Lawes as making Adulterie to bee death and sitting herself in iudgement thereby to make by Law the highest equall with the lowest Anno 1564. IN this yeere Queene Elizabeth created Robert Dudley Master of her Horse a man in high fauour with
they bound themselues vnder their hands and seales being perswaded if the matter hit right that they might by one labour kill the King vtterly discredit the Queene amongst the Nobilitie and Commons vndoe Bothwell vtterly and bring the gouernment of all the affaires vnto their hands Bothwell being a lewd minded man blinded with ambition and therefore venturous to attempt quickly laid hold on the hope offered vnto him and villanously committed the murther But Murrey had secretly gone home a prettie way off fifteene houres before that he might no way be suspected and that hee might from thence giue aid vnto the Conspirators when any need was and all the suspition might light vpon the Queene As soone as hee returned vnto the Court both he and the Conspirators commended vnto her Bothwell as most worthy of her loue for the Nobilitie of his familie his valour shewed against the English and his approued fidelitie They put in her head that shee being alone and solitarie was not able to represse the tumults that were raised preuent secret plots and vphold the burthen and heauie weight of the Kingdome Therefore she might doe well to take as a Companion of her bed counsell and danger the man that could would and durst oppose himselfe against all trouble And they draue and enforced her so farre that the fearefull woman daunted with two tragicall murthers and remembring the fidelitie and constancie of Bothwell towards her and her mother and hauing no other friend vnto whom to resort but vnto her brothers fidelitie gaue her consent Yet vpon these conditions that aboue all this prouision might bee made for the safetie of her little sonne and then that Bothwell as well might bee cleered from the murther of the King as also from the bond of his former mariage What George Earle of Huntley and the Earle of Argile men of great Nobilitie in Scotland did forthwith protest of this matter I thinke good to set downe in this place out of the originall with their owne hands sent vnto Queene Elizabeth which I haue seene Forasmuch as Murrey and others to cloake their rebellion against the Queene whose authoritie they vsurpe doe slander her openly as priuie and consenting vnto her husbands death Wee doe publikely protest and sweare these things In the Moneth of December in the yeere of our Lord God one thousand fiue hundred fiftie and six when the Queene lay at Cragmyller Murrey and Lidington did acknowledge before vs That Mourton Lyndsey and Ruthen killed Dauid Rizio for no other end but to procure the safetie of Murrey who was to bee attainted at the same time Therefore lest they should bee vnthankfull they wished that Mourton and the rest banished for the death of Dauid might bee brought home againe And this they insinuated could not be done except the Queene were separated by a diuorce from the King which they promised to effect if wee would grant our consents And afterwards Murrey promised vnto me George Earle of Huntley the restitution of my ancient Patrimonie and perpetuall fauour of the banished men if I would fauour the diuorce Then they went vnto Bothwell that hee should consent thereunto Lastly we came vnto the Queene and Lidington in all our names besought her exceedingly to remit the sentence of exile against Mourton Lyndsey and Ruthen He exaggerated the faults and crimes of the King with bitter words and shewed that it was much for the good and benefit of the Queene and the Common-wealth that a diuorce were speedily sued out forasmuch as the King and she could not liue together with securitie in Scotland She answered she had rather depart into France and liue priuately for a time vntill her husband acknowledged his faults for she would haue nothing to be done that should be wrong to her sonne or dishonour vnto her selfe Hereunto Lidington replied saying Wee that are of your Councell will prouide for that But I command you said she not to doe any thing which may bee a blemish to my honour or a staine to my conscience Let things be as they be vntill God aboue doe remedie it That which you thinke may be good for mee may proue euill Vnto whom Lidington said Commit the matter vnto vs and you shall see nothing done but that which is good and that which shall be allowed in the Parliament Hereupon since that within a few daies after the King was most shamefully murdered Wee out of the inward testimonie of our conscience are most assured that Murrey and Lidington were the authors and perswaders of this murder of the King whosoeuer were the actors of the same Thus much Huntley and Argile Now the Conspirators applied all their skill that Bothwell might be cleared of killing the King Therefore without delay the Parliament is summoned for no other cause and Proclamations are set out to apprehend the persons suspected for murdering the King And when Lennox father to the murdered King accused and charged Bothwell as the Regicide and was very importunate that Bothwell might bee brought to triall before the Parliament began This also was granted and Lennox commanded to come in with his accusation within twentie daies On which day when hee heard nothing from the Queene of England and could not bee present in the Citie full of his enemies without danger of his life Bothwell was brought to the Barre and arraigned and acquitted by the sentence of the Iudges Mourton also vpholding and maintaining his cause and openly taking his part This businesse being finished the Conspirators wrought so that the most of the Nobilitie gaue their consent vnto the mariage vnder their hands and seales lest he frustrated of the promised mariage should appeach them as contriuers of the murder But of this mariage of the Queene with Bothwell who was created Duke of the Orkeneis the suspition increased with all men that the Queene was consenting to the Kings death which the Conspirators increased by letters sent into all places and in their secret meetings at Dunkelden they conspired forthwith to kill Bothwell and depriue the Queene Yet Murrey that hee might be thought cleere of this conspiracie obtained leaue of the Queene but hardly to trauell into France And that he might put all diffidence out of her head hee commended all his affaires and estate in Scotland vnto the fidelitie of the Queene and Bothwell Hee was scarce gone out of England but behold the same men which had cleered and acquitted Bothwell from the murder and consented vnto the mariage vnder their hands and seales tooke vp armes against Bothwell as meaning to apprehend him And indeed they secretly willed him to saue himselfe by flight for no other intent but that hee should not be taken and discouer all their plot and withall that they might lay hold of his flight as an argument or reason to accuse the Queene of killing the King But shee being taken they vsed her most contumeliously and in most vnseemely fashion and putting on her an old cloake
pittie of Queene ELIZABETH was vnfained or not is not knowne But certaine it is the Councellors of England did enter into a mature deliberation what should be done with her If she should be kept still in England they feared that she which had an alluring eloquence would daily draw to her part many more to fauour the right shee pretended vnto the Crowne of England who would kindle her ambition and leaue nothing vnattempted to purchase the Kingdome for her That forraigne Embassadors would helpe and assist her purposes and that then the Scots would not faile her when they saw such a faire prey Moreouer the fidelitie of keepers was vncertaine and if she should die in England by sicknesse it would giue occasion of slander and the Queene should bee vexed and turmoiled euery day with new molestations If shee should bee sent into France they feared lest her Cosen 's the Guises would againe pursue the right and claime shee made vnto England vpon a conceit and opinion that she could doe much in England with some for Religions sake with others by the probabilitie of the right whereof I speake and with many vpon a mad desire of innouation Besides that the friendship betweene Scotland and England which is very profitable might be broken and the ancient league betweene France and Scotland renewed which might be more dangerous than in former times when Burgundy was tied vnto England in a stricter league than at this present England hauing now no assured friends but the Scots If shee should be sent backe into Scotland they feared lest the English faction should bee put out of authoritie the French faction raised to the gouernment of affaires the young Prince expoled vnto danger the Religion in Scotland changed the French and other forrainers brought in Ireland more vexed and annoied by the Irish Scots and she her selfe brought into danger of her life by her aduersaries at home Hereupon most of them thought best to detaine her as a lawfull prize and not to bee let goe vntill she had satisfied for the challenging the title of England and answered for the death of DARLY her husband who was a natiue Subiect of England for the mother of DARLY the Countesse of Lennox long since blubbered with teares in her owne name and her husbands also had made a grieuous complaint against her and had besought Queene ELIZABETH that shee might bee arraigned for the death of her sonneâ—â— but shee comforting her with courteous words willed her not to lay such a crime vpon so great a Princesse her nearest Cousin wich could not be proued by any certaine euidence That the times were malicious and vniust spight blinde which doth lay crimes vpon innocent persons but that Iustice which is the punisher of offenders was open eied and sitteth by God On the other side the Lord Herris humbly besought the Queene not to beleeue rashly any thing against the truth against the Queene vnheard and that in Scotland Murrey should not precipitate the Parlament to the preiudice of the expulsed Queene and to the destruction of good Subiects Which though shee vrged exceedingly yet Murrey in the Kings name held the Parlament attainted many that stood for the Queene spoiled and destroied their houses and possessions Hereupon the Queene of England being moued with indignation signified by Midlemore vnto the Regent in bitter words That shee could not endure that by a most pernicious example vnto Kings the sacred authoritie of royall Maiestie should be contemned by Subiects and trodden vnder foot at the pleasure of factious people And howsoeuer they had forgotten the dutie and allegeance of Subiects toward their Princesse yet she could not forget any duty or office of good will and pietie towards her sister and neighbour Queene Therefore it was best for him then to come himselfe or else to giue commission vnto fit and apt men for this businesse who should make answer vnto the complaints of the Queene of Scotland against him and his complices and also yeeld iust reasons for their depriuation of her if hee did not that shee would set her at libertie forthwith and restore her to her Kingdome with all the power she could make And withall willed him not to sell away the Queenes apparell and precious ornaments though the Estates had permitted the same Murrey did as she willed him since he had depended vpon no other place but onely vpon England for this course of his fickle gouernment and the Noblemen of the Realme refused to bee sent on that message To Yorke therefore the place appointed for the meeting came hee himselfe and seuen of his dearest and most familiar friends as Commissioners for the King infant namely Iames Earle of Mourton Adam Bishop of Orkeney Robert Commendator of Dunfermellin Patricke Lord Lindsey Iames Mangill Henry Balnaw and Lidington whom Murrey with faire promises enticed to come with him fearing to leaue him at home and George Buchanan one that would sweare it if Murrey spake it accompanied them The same very day came thither Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Thomas Ratcliff Earle of Sussex a little before made President of the North and Sir Ralph Sadleir Knight one of the priuie Councell appointed Commissioners to heare the cause of the depriuation for the Queene of Scotland who tooke it most vnkindly that Queene ELIZABETH would not heare her to speake and yet commanded her Subiects to be heard against her before Commissioners forasmuch as shee being an absolute Prince could not be bound to answer but at pleasure vnto her Subiects accusing her There appeared Iohn Leslie Bishop of Rosse William Lord Leuingston Robert Lord Boyde Gawen Commendator of Kilwiming Iohn Gordon and Iames Cocburne for her When they were met on the seuenth day of October and shewed each one to the other their Letters Patents of their Commission Lidington standing vp and turning to the Scots with a wonderfull bold speech admonished them Forasmuch as it should seeme by the Commission granted to the English men that the Queene of England had no other purpose but that they should defame disgrace and discredit the reputation and good name of their Queene mother to their King and that shee as an vmpire and Iudge should giue sentence that they should consider with themselues discreetly what hate and danger they might draw vpon themselues by accusing her of crimes and bringing her in danger and losse of reputation in this iuridicall and publike forme before English men the professed enemies of the Scottish Nation not onely with the Scots that loued the Queene buâ— also with other Christian Princes and her Cousins in France and what reason they could yeeld for this insolent accusation not without the wrong of the Scottish Kingdome vnto the King when he being riper in yeeres shall thinke this action a reproach and dishonour to himselfe his mother and his Countrie also Therefore he thought it most fit to leaue off the odicus accusation of so great a Princesse except the Queene
But the Commissioners of the Queene of Scotland reiected this speech as a friuolous excuse For certainly they that had authoritie to depriue the Queene had also authoritie enough to restore and set her at libertie neither needed they to looke for any authoritie from the rest of the Conspirators since that their wicked fact had made them equalls facinus quos inquinat aequat As for the Prince he could not being but fiue yeeres old giue them authoritie and as for the Regent he had committed all the matter to Queene ELIZABETH and to her pleasure Therefore they besought the Commissioners of England that these men might bee compelled to consult thereof or else the matter ended and compounded vpon equall conditions without these men But Queene ELIZABETH when shee saw nothing could bee done to giue her selfe the King and the Realme securitie except both the factions agreed together Shee thought it fitting that the Estates of Scotland which were shortly to assemble did elect and choose out men who should endeuour to make a composition Hereupon Rosse and his associates openly complained that many of the Queene of Englands Councellors did abuse the prudence of the Queene of England and the patience of the Queene of Scotland and to haue deluded forraine Princes with their subtill policies and brought the Scots in a vaine hope to their great hurt And indeed the Queene of Scotland stomacking and complaining of the same and wearie of these delaies called away the Bishop of Galloway and Leuingston and commanded Rosse whom the Queene of England had commanded to depart from London to stay at London by the right of an Embassador which made a suspicion to grow and appointed her friends in Scotland to take armes and not trust any longer vnto the truces which had beene hurtfull vnto them For in the time whâ—n these things were done in England they had sustained great losses many had beene put to execution more slaine and Dunbritton the strongest Fort in Scotland taken and Iames Hamilton Archbishop of Saint Andrewes brother to the Duke of Chasteauleroy as priuie to the murder of the King not so much as arraigned or tried was hanged by the accusation of a Priest who affirmed that he had heard it in confession by one of the Regicides When now the captiue Queene had no hope left and was in great griefe and all her seruants but ten and a Priest to say Masse were sent away and all her hope to obtaine her libertie was gone shee could not refraine but did open that which she had long concealed in her minde Shee therefore sent secretly vnto the Duke of Norfolke a long Commentarie of her purposes which she had written before time and certaine loue-letters in a priuate Character knowne to them two and other letters to be carried to the Pope and the King of Spaine by Ridolphus whom she commended as one very carefull of her good and her very friend Higford the Dukes Secretarie who wrote out this Commentarie and letters in an vsuall hand and letter was commanded to burne it but hee hid it vnder the Matt in the Dukes chamber and that of purpose as it seemed This Ridolph once to the Duke himselfe and more times by Barker reasoned thus That hee had obserued that there were many Noblemen and Commons in England that desired an Innouation and those were of three sorts Some that had bin in credit in the time of Queene Maries reigne now were not accounted of Others that were addicted to the Popish Religion and grudged inwardly that they might not vse it freely And others that were not content with their estate and hoped for better These were ready but wanted some Nobleman to bee their Captaine or Leader and forraine aid There could not be a fitter man for Captaine and more noble than the Duke who had the loue of the Realme And hee had great reason to reuenge the wrongs done vnto him by his long detention in prison and now to his reproach not called vnto the Parlament in which he had a place and voice as the chiefest Nobleman and Earle Marshall of England And to perswade him the more effectually he shewed him a roll of the Noblemen who had vowed to spend their liues and goods for him if he would attempt it As for forraine aid he assured him that the Pope so that the Romish Religion might bee aduanced would defray all the charges of the warre who had already laid in banke a great summe of money the last yeere when the Bull was published of the which money Ridolph himselfe had distributed a great part among the English fugitiues Hee promised that the King of Spaine irritated by the iniuries of the English men would send to helpe them foure thousand horse and six thousand foot which might bee sent ouer and landed at Harwich a Port in Essex whereabouts the Duke had many tenants and Gentlemen holding of him most fitly and without suspicion in the beginning of Summer when the Duke of Medina Caeli was to come with a good Nauie into the Low-Countries Lastly he concluded that such a moderation might be vsed that all suspicion of treason in the Duke might be taken away and prouision made for the safetie of the Queene of England if onely shee would embrace or tolerate the Romish Religion and consent to the mariage of the Queene of Scotland with the Duke The Duke gaue eare to these things as likely but yet refused to subscribe vnto the letters of credit as they call them which Ridolph being ready to depart shewed vnto him Neither would he heare the aduice of Rosse which hee had long studied and put into his head by Barker namely that the Duke with a selected companie of Noblemen to take the Queene suddenly and to disturbe the Parlament and by this meanes the mariage with the Queene of Scotland might bee finished and the Romish Religion set in better state in England without any great stirre and without any forraine aid Which might easily be done hauing so many Noblemen ready and prompt to enter into this action as could not bee assembled againe in one place without suspicion And iust cause there was for that the Duke was kept long in prison against the Lawes of the Realme and not admitted into the Parlament and also for that more rigorous Lawes were deuised against the Papists And to doe this hee brought in the example of Castrutio in Italy and others who by sudden actions had prosperously effected great matters and how fiue Noblemen in Scotland very lately had disturbed the Parlament wherein Murrey was to bee attainted and gotten the Queene into their hands This aduice the Duke who was out of his inbred good nature farre from any villanie detested and disliked as pernicious and dangerous But about the same time Henry Percy offered his seruice vnto Rosse for to deliuer the Queene of Scotland out of prison so that Grange and Carre of Ferniherst would receiue her at the borders of
vpon thy Peeres who haue found thee guiltie therefore this Bench doth adiudge that thou shalt bee lead backe from hence vnto the Tower from whence thou camest and from thence laid on a Hurdle shalt be drawne vnto the place of execution and there to bee hanged cut downe aliue to bee bowelled thy head cut off thy body to bee diuided into foure quarters thy head and thy quarters to bee disposed of at the Queenes pleasure And so our Lord haue mercie on thy soule The Duke hearing this iudgement said with a good courage Iudgement is giuen against mee as against a Traitor I trust in God that excluded from your fellowship I shall enioy the celestiall fellowship I will prepare my selfe to die I request this one thing that the Queene would bee good to my children and seruants and see my debts paid A few daies after Barney and Mather were executed who conspired with Herle a Ruffian to kill some oâ— the priuie Councellors and to deliuer the Duke But Herle presently discouered the matter vnto whom Barney said smiling when hee saw him brought forth to giue euidence against him Herle thou wentest but one houre before me otherwise I had stood there in thy place to giue euidence and thou hadst stood here in my place to be hanged These plots and the like which were many were taken hold of to hasten the Dukes death which yet was staied and deferred for foure moneths But on the second day of Iune at eight of the clocke in the morning the Duke was lead vnto a Scaffold new builded on the Tower-hill and when hee was gone vp and Alexander To these things she first protesting that shee was a free Queene and subiect to none answered with a stout courage and countenance 1 That shee had not vsurped the title and armes of England but that the King of France and her husband imposed them vpon her being very young and vnder the direction of her husband and therefore not to bee laid vpon her for a fault neither that she did weare or vse them after her husbands dâ—ath neither that shee will claime them as long as Queene ELIZABETH and her children liued 2 That she neuer imagined any detriment or hurt to the Queene by her mariage with the Duke of Norfolke being perswaded it would bee for the good of the Common-wealth and that shee did not renounce it because shee had giuen her faith and troth vnto him 3 That she willed the Duke by some meanes to get away out of danger and prison which shee did out of the dutie she ought to him as her husband 4 That shee had not raised rebellion nor was priuie to the same who was alwaies most ready to reueale any attempts against the Queene if shee would vouchsafe to heare her speake 5 That she neuer releeued the English Rebells onely that in her letters shee commended the Countesse of Northumberland vnto the Duke of Alba. 6 That she vsed Ridolph whom she knew to be highly in the Popes fauour in many matters yet receiued no letters from him 7 That she neuer moued any to attempt her deliuerance yet that she willingly gaue eare vnto them that offered their labour therein and for that purpose that shee communicated vnto Rolston and Hall a priuate Character 8 That she had receiued sometimes letters from the Pope very pious and consolatorie in which were no such phrases of speech 9 That shee procured not the Bull That shee onely saw the coppie thereof printed and when she had read it ouer that she burned it 10 That if any in forraine Regions write or name her otherwise than they ought to doe let them answer for it 11 That shee neuer by letters required aid of the Pope and the King of Spaine to inuade England but onely to be restored into her Kingdome by their meanes and that with the Queenes priuitie 12 But if any question or doubt bee made of those letters of effecting the mariage by force of armes she requested since shee was borne of the royall bloud of England that shee might answer personally in the next Parlament that was to be holden And at this time the French King fauouring the Queene of Scotland and her partie and the Queene of England the King and his partie earnestly moued Queene ELIZABETH to deliuer the Queene of Scotland which the Queene of England denied to doe saying In very truth I keepe the Queene of Scotland in custodie after a faire manner as a pledge of mine owne securitie and of the safetie of England But when it was come to light that the Queene of Scotland intended a secret confederacie with the King of Spaine by the Lord Seton who landing in Essex disguised like a Mariner had promised aid of men to the Scots of the Queenes partie from Alba both shee was kept straiter in prison and the kindnesse of the French men toward her waxed key-cold Shortly after the league betweene England and France being concluded at Blois and the Duke of Momorancie being sent into England to confirme the same he in few words in his Masters name requested that as much fauour might bee shewed vnto the Queene of Scotland as might be without danger That there might bee a cessation of armes in Scotland and that concord might be established there by Parlament Hee was answered That more fauour was shewed to the Queene of Scotland than shee deserued and should bee shewed for the French Kings sake although the Estates of the Kingdome who were now assembled thought the Queene could be in no securitie without some seueritie shewed vnto her As for the cessation of armes the Queene had dealt diligently therein and for that purpose had sent very lately Drurie the Marshall of Barwicke with Crocus the French Embassadour and that they by no perswasions could bring Grange and the Garrisons in the Castle of Edenburgh to peace being induced by hope of aid from France and the Low-Countries though Huntley and Hamilton Arbroth for the Duke his father had bound themselues vnder their hands to obserue peace and the others of the Queenes side had giuen their word also Anno 1573. IN Scotland Iames Dowglas Earle of Mourton by the meanes of Queene ELIZABETH was made Regent in the place of the Earle of Marre who hauing his authoritie established in the Parlament did enact in the Kings name certaine Lawes against the Papists and against Heretikes but the custodie of the King hee confirmed to Alexander Areskin for that the Earle of Marre vnto whom the custodie of the King of Scotland in his minoritie doth belong by a peculiar right was vnder age vpon these conditions that is to wit That the Papists and they of the other faction should bee vtterly excluded an Earle might come in with two men a Baron with one man other men alone and euery one of these vnarmed And whereas Queene ELIZABETH by Henry Killigrew had drawne Iames Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy George Gordon Earle of Huntley who stood for
serious consultation among the Councell of England and most of them were content that shee should bee deliuered vpon these conditions To wit 1 That she and her sonne should promise to practise nothing hurtfull to Queene ELIZABETH and the Realme of England 2 That she should voluntarily confesse that whatsoeuer was done by Francis the second the French King her husband against Queene ELIZABETH was done against her will and that shee should vtterly disallow the same as vniust by confirming the treatie of Edenburgh 3 That shee should condemne all the practises euer since that time and ingenuously renounce them 4 She should binde her selfe not to practise any thing directly or indirectly against the gouernment of the Realme of England in Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill affaires but by all manner of meanes oppose her selfe and resist such practisers as publike enemies 5 That shee shall challenge or claime no right vnto her selfe in the Kingdome of England during the life of Queene ELIZABETH and that afterward shee will submit her right of succession vnto the Estates of England 6 And to the end shee may not hereafter vse any cauill and say That she condescended to these conditions being a prisoner and by coaction shee her selfe should not onely sweare vnto them but also procure the Estates of Scotland to confirme them by publike authoritie 7 The King himselfe also should ratifie them by oath and by writing 8 And that hostages should be giuen As for the consociation with her sonne in the administration of affaires it was thought fit that the Queene of England should not interpose her selfe but this they referred to the King of Scotland himselfe and the Estates of Scotland But if they were ioined together that they should talke about the league with them iointly if not by themselues These things were consulted of but with no successe For the Scots of the English faction vtterly reiected them crying amaine that many Scots deadly enemies to the English Nation were called out of France by the counsell of the Queene of Scotland And that Holt an English Iesuit was sent secretly into Scotland to take order for the inuading of England The French Embassadours which went into Scotland not obtaining that they came for departed whereupon the Noblemen that had surprized the King grew haughtie in minde as also for that Lennox died at that time which putting them into securitie the King contrary to their expectation disdaining to be vnder the gouernment of three Earles recouered his libertie went to the Castle of Saint Andrewes and with good words willed many of the surprizers to depart from the Court to auoid any stirre and promised them pardon if they would aske it within a certaine time which thing Gowry onely did and called Arran backe to the Court but they were so farre off from doing of that as they secretly practised to take him suddenly againe Hereupon they were commanded to depart out of the Realme by a day appointed Marre Glamis the Commendators of Dryburg and Paslet and others went into Ireland Boyd Zester-Weim Locheluin went into the Low-Countries and Dunfermellin went into France Angus was confined into Angus onely Gowry hauing a new plot in his head tarried after the time prefixed to his owne destruction And then the King to shew himselfe a Prince began to exercise his Regall authoritie And whereas these Conspirators in an assembly called by their owne priuate authoritie had enacted and recorded That this surprize of the King was iust he on the contrary part declared in a great assembly of the Estates that the same was traiterous Although the Ministers as if they were the supreme Iudges in the Realme in a Synod called by their owne authoritie pronounced the same to bee iust and iudged all them that did not approue and allow the same worthy to be excommunicate Anno 1584. IN the beginning of the Spring some of the Scots returned out of Ireland vpon a pact made betweene them and Gowry who had conspired anew with diuers to take the King againe professing that they set before their eies nothing else but the glory of God the truth of Religion the securitie of the King and Realme and the amitie with England against them who by sinister meanes as they gaue out abused the King not yet come vnto sufficient age But the King hearing hereof sent Colonell Stewart to apprehend Gowry who lay at the Hauen of Dondee as if hee had beene going out of the land who after hee had defended himselfe an houre or two in his house was taken and carried away vnto prison In the meane time the other Conspirators tooke Sterling by sudden surprize and the Castle was yeelded vnto them yet by and by they leaue them both because the King displaied his banners as ready to fight not so many met as Gowry had promised and their hope of English helpe failed them and so for feare Marre Glamis and Angus who was come to them and others fled into England humbly beseeching the Queene to releeue their necessities and to intreat the King for them Forasmuch as they had lost all their goods and the Kings fauour for shewing their loue to her and England vnto whom shee thought good to shew some fauour that they might bee opposed against the contrary faction in Scotland and the rather for that the Ministers bruted that the King was vpon the point to fall from his Religion vpon no other ground though they fained other matters but for that hee vpon a fiâ—all loue inclined to his mother and receiued into his especiall fauour and grace those whom he knew to bee most addicted vnto his mother In the meane time Gowry was arraigned before his Peeres at Sterling vpon these points That he intended and began a new conspiracie against the King whom he had also kept prisoner in his house beforetime That he conferred by night with the seruants of Angus to seize vpon Perth and Sterling That he had resisted the Kings authoritie at Dondee had conceiued a conspiracie against the life of the King and his mother Lastly that he had asked counsell of Maclena the Witch and being found guiltie by his Peeres he was in the euening beheaded but his seruants sowing the head vnto the body buried it incontinently About the same time were some practises in England but with no successe in the behalfe of the Q of Scotland of which the chiefest was Francis Throgmorton eldest sonne to Iohn Throgmorton Iustice of Chester who fell into suspicion out of his letters vnto the Queene of Scotland which were intercepted As sonne as hee was taken and began to confesse some things Thomas Lord Paget and Charles Arundel a Courtier fled out of the land into France who with other Papists lamenting their estate among themselues complained that the Queene by the wicked and craftie dealings of Leicester and Walsingham was estranged from them That they were abused with contumelies and reproaches That strange kinds of subtiltie were inuen ted against them
Queene of Scotland deliuered vnder the conduct of Guise as Generall who wanted nothing but money and some bands of men in England to ioyne with him to his helpe To procure these things that Charles Paget vnder the counterfet name of Mope was sent secretly into Sussex where the Duke of Guise determined to land his Armie That he acquainted Mendoza who had notice and knowledge of these things already by the Conspirators with the matter and told him the names of the Hauens and Noblemen Neither did he denie that he promised his furtherance and withall to haue admonished Mendoza with what Noblemen he being a publike person should treat of this matter which he being a priuate man could not doe without great danger and that he shewed a way to him how some principall Catholikes as soone as the forraine Forces were landed might leuie souldiers in the Queenes name and then to ioyne them to the forraine Forces These things he voluntarily confessed Yet at the Barre in the Guildhall of London being accused of these things he precisely denied euery one of these things and auerred that they were meere deuices of his owne head to auoid the torment of the racke againe and openly accused the Queene of crueltie and the examiners of falshood deuising an escapatorie or starting-hole by the space of time which was betweene the fault committed and the iudgement Forasmuch as in the thirteenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH certaine things were made treasons for the which none should be arraigned except the delinquent were indited within six moneths after the fault committed and the crime was proued by the testimonie and oath of two men or by the voluntary confession of the offender without violence and that this time was expired long since and that therefore he was not to be arraigned for the same But the Iudges told him that the crimes obiected vnto him were not of that kinde but that he was liable to the Law by an ancient law of treason made in the time of King Edward the third which admitteth no circumscription of time or proofe and that by that law the sentence of death was pronounced against him Being afterward perswaded he fled vnto the mercy of the Queene and againe confessed in a writing more fully all things which he had said before which things not perseuering in his words he began to denie againe at the gallowes but in vaine M. Waad being returned out of Spaine was sent to the Q. of Scotland about a treatie to be had between her and Sir Walter Mildmay which was propounded two yeeres since and interrupted as is said before vnto whom she affirmed with great protestations with what sinceritie she hath dealt about this treatie and withall deuoteth herselfe and all her labour vnto the Queene and promiseth to depend wholly on her if onely shee would vouchsafe her so much loue and honour Moreouer she firmely promised so that the treatie might goe forward that she would intercede yea and bring to passe that her sonne should receiue Angus and the other Noblemen of Scotland into fauour and also that the Bishops of Rosse and Glasco her Agents and Ministers in France should not plot any thing against the Queene and Kingdome of England and that shee would haue nothing to doe with the Rebels or Fugitiues of England Queene ELIZABETH was glad to heare these things and whereas that Angus Marre I Hamilton and Glammys were fled into England and making vse of the opportunitie offered sent Beale vnto the Queene of Scotland who together with the Earle of Shrewsburie should shew her that if shee continued in the same minde with which shee had acquainted Master Waad that Mildmay should come forthwith vnto her and treat with her about her libertie and then should talke with her in the meane while to entreat her sonne the King to restore the Scottish Fugitiues and to tell her that they had committed no fault against the King but against some violent Counsellors who gaue him euill counsell and lastly that as much as they could they should get out of her the practâ—ses of the Guises She being a wise woman answered That she much desired that the treatie might goe forward and that shee requested earnestly of Queene ELIZABETH as of her eldest sister vnto whom shee gaue all honour That shee had propounded nothing vnto Master Waad but vpon condition and that hee whom shee thought to bee an honest man would not say otherwise For the restoring of the Scots that her labour therein would be very necessary and should not be wanting if she certainly knew any good would redound to her selfe and her sonne so that they would humbly submit themselues vnto the King and be obedient vnto him but if that were not done that then the Queene should giue aid vnto her sonne that they might bee reduced vnto their obedience Moreouer she doth not cloake nor hide it that she when she was sickly committed her selfe and her sonne vnto the care and trust of the Guise her most deare Cousin of whose purposes or intents shee knew nothing neither would she discouer them if she knew them vnlesse a firme assurance were giuen her of her libertie for that it was the part of an vnaduised person to forsake her assured friends for an vncertaine hope She requested that she being an absolute Prince might bee no more dishonourably vsed than Queene MARIE did sometime deale with her selfe being at that time her subiect and imprisoned or than the French King did vse the King of Nauarre being also his subiect and bore armes against him Shee also requested that the treatie might bee brought to an end before any in Scotland were sent Embassadour about that matter And for that the French King had acknowledged her ordinarie Embassadour and Seton sent by her sonne into France as Embassadours from Princes of the same authoritie and conioyned she gaue that honour to the Queene to publish this Association of her and her sonne in Scotland and besought her not to preiudicate the same These things were heard but by terrors obiected shifted off and deluded by the meanes of them who know how to nourish the hatred betweene the women that bore no in ward good will one to the other especially by the discouerie of the papers which Chreycton a Scottish Iesuite sailing into Scotland and intercepted by some Sea-rouers of Holland tore in peeces but the torne papers cast out of the ship were cast againe into the ship by a contrary wind not without a miracle as Chreycton himselfe said and glewed together by the great labour and singular skill of Waad laid open and discouered new plots of the Pope of the King of Spaine and the Guises about the inuading of England Therefore to occurre vnto and preuent the wicked counsels and secret policies of seditious persons and to prouide for the Queenes safetie vpon the which both the Kingdome and Religion depended Many men Leicester being the beginner of all estates in England
out of common charitie whilest they feared not her but were fearefull of the other bound themselues in a certaine Association with their mutuall oathes subscriptions and seales to persecute with all their forces vnto death them who did attempt any thing against the Queene The Queene of Scotland who quickly vnderstood that a way was made by it to make her away wearie of her long miserie and fearing worse things propounded these things to the Queene and her Counsellors by Nauus her Secretarie If her libertie might be granted and that she might be assured of the sincere minde and loue of Queene ELIZABETH that she would binde her selfe in a most strict league of amitie with the Queene most dutifully honour and obserue her before all other Christian Princes forget all offences past acknowledge her the true and most rightfull Queene of England and that she would not challenge during her life any right vnto the Crowne of England nor practise anything against her directly or indirectly and vtterly to renounce the title and armes of England which she had vsed by the commandement of Francis her husband and also vnto the Bull of the Pope about her deposition and depriuation Yea and also enter into that Association for the securitie of the Queene and into a defensiue league sauing the ancient league betweene France and Scotland yet so that nothing be done in the life of the Queene or after her death which may be hurtfull vnto her her sonne and their heires in succession before they be heard in the Assemblie of the Estates of England For more assurance of these things that she will remaine as an hostage in England and if she may haue leaue to depart out of England that she will giue pledges Moreouer that she will alter nothing in Scotland so that the exercise of her religion be permitted only to her and her familie That she will for euer forget all the wrongs done her in Scotland but yet vnder that condition that the things published to her infamie may be repealed That she will commend vnto the King Counsellors which were desirous to keepe peace with England and would reconcile vnto him as much as lay in her the Noblemen that were fled into England if they would humbly acknowledge their fault and that the Queene gaue her word to giue aid vnto the King against them if at any time they fell or departed from their obedience That she would doe nothing about her sonnes mariage without the priuitie of the Queene and that she would not doe anything without the priuitie of her sonne so she requested that her sonne might be ioyned in this treatie whereby it may be made more strong She doubted not but that the King of France would be contented and binde himselfe by promise together with the Princes of the house of Lorraine for the performance of these agreements She also desired that these things might be answered with speed lest any thing might happen in the meane while to hinder it Lastly she earnestly desired that she might haue the fauour to haue more libertie that therein the loue of the Queene might appeare more euidently to her Out of these things as matters of much honour and dutie Queene ELIZABETH seemed to reioyce and it was then thought she was inclined to deliuer her although there were some in England who setting new feares before her eyes drew her from it But the matter being well followed and in a manner concluded was most of all hindered by the Scots of the contrary faction who exclaimed that Queene ELIZABETH was vtterly vndone if she were deliuered out of prison and both the Realmes would be vndone if she were ioyned with her sonne in the kingdome of Scotland and if the exercise of the Roman Religion were permitted vnto her if it were but in her Court And some of the Scottish Ministers in Scotland out of their Pulpits and in their meetings railed most vilely against their Queene they spoke ill of the King and his Counsellors and being commanded to appeare in person obstinately and contemptuously denied so to doe as if the Pulpits were exempted from the Kings authoritie and that Ecclesiasticall persons were not subiect to the King but to the Presbyterie directly against the lawes made this yeere in the Assemblie of the States in the which the Kings authoritie ouer all persons both Ecclesiasticall and Laicks was confirmed for euer viz. That the King and his Counsellors are competent Iudges in all causes and they who would not obey the same are to be accounted for Traitors The assemblies of Preâ—byteries as also those of Laicks as well generall as particular were prohibited as hauing arrogated without the Kings priuitie boundlesse authoritie and when they list of meeting together and of prescribing lawes vnto the King and vnto all the Realme And also the popular equalitie of Ministers was abrogated and the dignitie and iurisdiction were restored vnto the Bishops whose vocation the Presbyteries had condemned as Antichristian And the slaâ—derous writings against the King his mother and Counsellors were forbidden and by name the Historie of George Buchanan and his Dialogue De iure regni apud Scotos as those which containe many things fit to be corrected and blotted out of memory And also many men blamed Patrick Grey the Scottish Embassador in England as if he won by brâ—bes had babbled out much matter to the hurt of the King and his mother and had hindered that these most equall conditions propounded from the Kings mother and sent by Nauus were not admitted Whereupon shee hauing her patience oftentimes wronged fell into a grieuous sorrow and indignation and so great was her desire of libertie that she gaue her minde and eares as well vnto the treacherous counsell of her enemies as vnto the pernicious deuices of her friends And so much the more for that as she had perswaded her selfe that the Association was made to endanger her life so now she had an inkling that by the policie of some men she was to be taken away from the keeping of the Earle of Shrewsburie who being an vpright man did not fauour their plots and to be committed vnto new Keepers And that it might be done with a better colour and the credit of the Earle of Shrewsburie which was approued and well knowne might not seeme to be suspected for it was not thought good to call in question the reputation of so great a man which yet they had cracked by secret slanders vpon the finding fault of his vnreasonable wife suspicions were laid hold on as if the plot of getting her libertie had beene begun out of certaine Emblemes sent by some vnto her Those were Argus with many eyes lulled asleepe by Mercury playing tunes on his pipe with this little sentence ELOQVIVM TOT LVMINA CLAVSIT Another was Mercury striking off the head of Argus keeping Io. A graft or cyon engrafted in a stocke and bound with bands yet flourishing and written about it PER
vnto which he was forced to yeeld forasmuch as they triumphed ouer his innocencie he repeateth the vnfortunate deaths of his Ancestors that is to say of his great grandfather who was condemned and neuer called to triall of his grandfather who was beheaded for trifling matters and of his Father who as he affirmed was circumuented by his enemies and who neuer carried any euill minde toward his Prince or Countrey But that he lest he should runne into the same hard fortune his father had forsooke his country that he might spend his time in the seruice of God and in the works tending to the saluation of his soule but not his loyalty and fidelity toward his Prince Before these letters were deliuered he went into Sussex and being ready to take ship in an obscure creeke was taken and apprehended by the treachery of his seruants and discouery of the master of the ship and committed vnto the Tower of London At that time there was prisoner in the same place Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland a man of a liuely spirit and couâ—age brother of Thomas beheaded at Yorke suspected to be priuy vnto the plot of Throgmorton the Lord Paget and the Guises for the inuading of England and deliuering of the Queene of Scotland vnto whom alwaies he had borne a great loue and affection In the moneth of Iune he was found dead in his bed shot thorow with three bullets about the left pappe the doores being bolted on the inside The Crowners quests according to the custome taken out of the next neighbours and sworne by the Crowner viewing the body considering the place hauing found the pistoll with the gunpowder in the chamber his man who bought the Pistall and the seller thereof being examined gaue their verdict that the Earle did murther himselfe The third day after the Noblemen of the Realme came in great number and met in the Starre chamber where Thomas Bromly Lord Chauncellor of England succinctly declared that the Earle had plotted and deuised treason against his Queene and Countrey which being now to come vnto light and to be discouered vpon the guiltinesse of his conscience had murdered himselfe But that the multitude and common people who alwaies conster things to the worst might be satisfied he commanded the Kings Atturney and the Kings Counsell at law to deliuer and explaine at large the causes why the Earle was kept and detained in prison and the manner of his death Hereupon Popham the Queenes Atturney Generall beginning at the rebellion in the North sheweth out of the Records That he was arraigaed for this Rebellion and for purposing to deliuer the Queene of Scotland did then acknowledge his fault and submitted himselfe vnto the mercy of the Queene and that he was fined at fiue thousand marks as I haue said before and that the Queene such was her clemency tooke not a penny but remitted the same and that after the execution of his brother for the same fault she confirmed him in the honour of Earle of Northumberland That he neuerthelesse entred into new practises to deliuer the Queene of Scotland to conquer England and to kill the Queene and to destroy Religion That Mendoza the Spanish Embassador had signified vnto Throgmorton that Charles Paget vnder the name of Mope had talked with him of these things secretly in Suffex That the Lord Paget had insinuated the same things almost vnto Throgmorton and that the same things were euident and apparant by the papers of Câ—â—eycton the Scottish Iesuite and that Charles Paget had told these things vnto William Shelley when he returned out of France Then Egerton the Queenes Solliciter argued wittâ—ly out of the circumstances and the great care taken of concealing it that the Earle was guilty of and priuy to these things that is to say For that the Earle since that none in England could charge him with these things but the Lord Paget who was very familiar with Throgmorton a few daies after the taking and apprehension of Throgmorton made a ship ready for Paget by Shelley in which he passed ouer into France When Throgmorton began to confesse some things hee departed from London and went out of the way vnto Petworth and signified vnto Shelley whom he had sent for vnto him that he was fallen into great danger of his life and of his estate and requested him to conceale the businesse and to send away them who were acquainted with the departure of the Lord Paget and with the comming of Charles Paget which was done forthwith And he himselfe sent a good way off the man whom hee had vsed about Charles Paget Moreouer the Sollicitor said that he being now in prison dealt oftentimes with Shelley by the Keepers whom he corrupted to know what things and of what nature hee had confessed After that Shelley by a poore woman a secret messenger betweene them had certified him that he could not conceale matters any longer that their condition and estate were not like that he should be put on the racke but that the Earle could not in respect of his place and degree and had written those things which he had confessed the Earle fighed grieuously and sometimes said as Panton who waited on him in his chamber confessed that by the confession of Shelley he was vtterly vndone Then the manner and reason of his death is declared out of the testimony of the Enquest of the Lieutenant of the Tower of some of the Warders and of Panton and thereupon it was gathered that he for feare left his house and family should be vtterly destroied and a blemish and blot imposed thereon had laid his owne violent hands vpon himselfe Truly many honest men as well for that they fauour Nobility as also for that he was holden and reputed a man of very great valour were heartily sorry that such a man came to such a lamentable and wretched death What things the suspecting fugitiues talked in corners of one Balliue one of Hattons men who a little before was made Keeper vnto the Earle I omit as a thing of small credit neither meane I to set downe any thing out of idle reports Anno 1586. IN this yeare Philip Earle of Arundell who had laine now a whole yeare in prison was accused in the Starre Chamber That he had releeued Priests against the lawes that he had had commerce of letters with Allan and Persons the Iesuite enemies of the Queene and that he had derogated in writing from the Iustice of the Land and imagined to depart out of the land without licence Hee proâ—essing his dutie and seruice vnto the Queene and his loue and good will vnto his countrey excused himselfe with great modesty by the loue he had to the Catholike Religion and by his ignorance of the lawes and submitted himselfe vnto the censure and iudgement of the Lords who fined him at tenne thousand pounds and to be imprisoned during the Queenes pleasure In the moneth of Iuly a most pernicious Conspiracie against
Ballard and taking of him he laieth it vpon Young that cunning hunter out of Romanists and as it were in friendship secretly aduised him to take heed of such fellowes and easily perswadeth the young man to lie all night in his house in London vntill the Queene signed his passeport and he himselfe returned to London that they might talke of such important affaires with more secrecy and lest the fugitiues when he came to France should gather any manner of suspicion out of his often going to and fro thither In the meane time Scudamore one of Walsinghams men was commanded to watch him very diligently and to accompany him in euery place vnder the colour that he might be the safer from the Purscuants Hitherto had Walsingham contriued and wrought the businesse the other Counsellors of the Queene being ignorant thereof and would haue proceeded further and lengthened it but the Queene would not lest as she said in not taking heed of a danger when she might she should seeme more to tempt God than to hope in him Therefore out of the Court from Walsingham a scroll was sent vnto his man to watch Babington with more care This being not sealed was so deliuered that Babington sitting next to him at the Table read it also Hereupon being guiltie in conscience and suspecting that all things were discouered the next night when he Scudamore and one or two more of Walsinghams men had in the Tauerne supped with good cheere he as if he would haue paid the reckoning arose leauing behinde him his sword and cloake and got to Westminster by the darknesse of the night where Gage changed clothes with him who forthwith put on Charnocks clothes and together got closely into S. Iohns wood neere vnto the Citie vnto which place came also Barnwell and Dun. In the meane time they were proclaimed Traitors thorow all England They lurking in woods and by-wayes when they had in vaine requested money of the French Embassador and horses of Tichburne they cut off Babingtons haire and disfigured his face with the greene shels of walnuts but being compelled by famine went to the Bellamies house neere to Harrow on the Hill who were much addicted to the Roman religion there they were hidden and releeued with victualls in the barnes and apparelled in husbandmens apparell and being found after ten daies were brought to London the citizens witnessing their publike ioy with ringing of bels making of bonfires in the streets and singing of Psalmes so much that the citizens receiued great commendations and thankes of the Queene for the same The other conspirators were soone after taken most of them neere vnto the citie Salisbury in Cheshire his horse being thrust thorow with a halbard and Trauerse with him after they had swomme ouer the riuâ—r of Weuer and in Wales was taken Iones who being acquainted with the intended inuasion had also hidden them in his house after he knew they were proclaimed traitors and had moreouer furnished Salisbury in his flight with a horse and his man who was a Priest with a cloke hee lent him Onely Windsore was not found Many daies were spent in the examination oâ— these men who in their confessions appeached one another concealing nothing that was true All this time the Queene of Scotland and her seruants were so narrowly kept and watched by Powlet that these things were kept from her knowledge though publikely knowne in all England As soone as these men were taken Tho. Gorge was sent who in few words should certifie her of these things which hee purposely did vnto her nothing dreaming thereof euen as she had taken horse to goe on hunting neither was she suffered to returne but vnder shew of honour lead about to Gentlemens houses that dwelt thereabouts In the meane time I. Maner Ed. Aston Rich. Bagot and William Waad by commission from the Queene kept Nauus and Curlus her Secretaries and other seruants seuerally that they should haue no communication with themselues nor with the Queene And breaking open the doores of her closet sent all her cabinets and deskes wherein her papers were laid sealed vp with their seales vnto the Court Then Powlet so commanded seazed on all the money lest she should corrupt any body with bribes and gaue his word to restore it The caskets and deskes being searched before Queene ELIZABETH there were found the letters of many strangers the copies also of letters vnto many about 60. kinds of Ciphers and also the letters of many noblemen of England offering their loue and seruice which yet Queene ELIZABETH dissembled in silence but they smelling it out did afterward all they could against her that so they might not seeme to haue fauoured her Now Gifford hauing serued their purpose in this manner was sent into France as a man banished leauing first with the French Embassador in England a paper indented with this charge not to deliuer any letters from the Queene of Scotland or from the fugitiues and came to his hands vnto no other man but him that brought the counterpaine thereof which he secretly sent to Walsingham Being returned into France after some moneths he was cast into prison for his wicked life and suspected of these things died wretchedly confessing most of these things to bee true which were also found to be true out of the papers in the deskes On the XIII day of September seuen of the conspirators were brought to the barre and arraigned and acknowledged themselues guiltie and had iudgement of treason On the next day the other seuen were brought to the barre and pleaded not guilty vnto their enditement and put themselues to bee tried by God and the countrey who were proued guilty by their owne confessions and were likewise condemned Pooly only though he was priuy to all for that he affirmed that he had told some things vnto Walsingham was not at all arraigned On the XX. day of the same moneth the first seuen were on a paire of gallowes set vpon a scaffold in Saint Giles his field where they had vsed to meet hanged and cut downe and their priuities cut off bowelled and quartered as they were euen aliue not without the note of cruelty that is to say Ballard the contriuer of the wickednesse asking pardon of God and the Queene with this condition if he had offended her Babington who without feare beheld the execution of Ballard whiles the other turning their faces away and on their knees were earnest at their praiers ingenuously acknowledged his fault and being let downe from the gallowes sundry times plainly cried out in the Latine tongue Parce mihi Domine Iesu Sauage the rope breaking fell from the gallowes and was strait pulled away and his priuy members cut off and bowelled aliue Barnwell extenuated the fault with the pretext of Religion and conscience Tichburne humbly acknowledging his wickednesse moued all the multitude to compassion and so likewise did Tilney being a very proper man and modest in behauiour Abington being of
a turbulent spirit and nature casting out threats and terrors of the bloud that was ere long to bee shed in England On the next day the other seuen were drawne vnto the same place but vsed with more mercy by the Queenes commandement who hated the former cruelty for euery one of them hung till they were quite dead before they were cut downe and bowelled Salisbury the first was very penitent and aduised the Catholikes not to attempt the restitution of Religion by force or armes and the same did Dun who was the next Iones protesting that he had disswaded Salisbury from this enterprise and that he vtterly condemned and disliked the haughty and rash spirit of Babington and the purpose of inuasion Charnock and Trauerse fixed wholly to their praiers commended themselues to God and the Saints Gage extolling the bountifull liberality of the Queene toward his father and detesting his owne treacherous ingratitude toward a Princesse so well deseruing Hierom Bellamy who had hidden Babington after he was proclaimed traitor whose brother priuy to the same offence had strangled himselfe in prison ashamed and silent was the last of this company These men being executed Nauus the Frenchman and Curlus the Scot who were Secretaries to the Queene of Scotland being examined about the letters copies of letters and little notes and Ciphers found in the Queenes closet of their owne will acknowledged by their subscriptions that the handwritings were their owne endited by her in French taken by Nauus and turned into English by Curlus Neither did they deny that she receiued letters from Babington and that they wrote backe by her commandement in such a sense as is aforesaid Yet this is certaine out of letters that when Curlus did at this time aske Walsingham for what he promised that Walsingham did reproue him as one forgetfull of an extraordinary grace as that he had not confessed any thing but that hee could not deny when Nauus charged him therewithall to his face The Counsellors of England could not agree what should be done with the Queene of Scotland some thought good that no seuerity was to be vsed against her but to be kept very close as well for that she was not the beginner of this plot but onely made acquainted with it and also for that she was sickly and not like to liue long Others for the securitie of Religion would haue her dispatched out of the way and that by the course of Law Leycester had rather haue it done by poyson and secretly sent a Diuine to Walsingham to shew him that this was lawfull but Walsingham protested that he was so farre from allowing that any violence should be vsed that long agoe hee crossed and broke the aduice of Morton who had perswaded to send her into Scotland that she might be killed in the very borders of both the kingdomes They were moreouer of different opinions by what law or Act they should proceed against her whether out of that of the XXV yeare of Edward the third in which he is a traitor who deuiseth to kill the King or the Queene or moueth warre in the Kingdome or doth adhere vnto his enemies Or whether by that Law or Act of the XXVII yeare oâ— Queene ELIZABETH which is set downe before At length their opinion preuailed who would haue it by this latter law as made for this purpose and therefore to be accommodated thereunto therefore out of that law enacted the former yeare that enquiry might be made and sentence pronounced against them who raised rebellion inuaded the kingdome or attempted to hurt the Queene many of the Priuie Counsell and Noblemen of England were chosen Commissioners by letters Patents which was this after the Lawyers forme and stile ELIZABETH by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queene Defender of the faith c. To the most Reuerend Father in Christ Iohn Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of all England and one of our Priuy Counsell And to our beloued and trusty Thomas Bromley Knight Chauncellor of England and another of our Priuie Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Burghley Lord Treasurer of England another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our most deare cousin William Marquesse of Winchester one of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Edward Earle of Oxford great Chamberlaine of England another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin George Earle of Shrewsbury Earle Marshall of England another of our Priuy Counsell and to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Kent another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Darby another of our Priuy Counsell And to our most deare cousin William Earle of Worcester another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Edward Earle of Rutland another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our most deare cousin Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Master of our Ordnance another of our Priuy Counsell and to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Pembrooke another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Robert Earle of Leicester Master of our horse another of our Priuy Counsell And to our most deare cousin Henry Earle of Lincolne another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our most deare cousin Antony Vicount Montague another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Charles Lord Howard our great Admirall of England another of our Priuy Counsell And to our welbeloued and faithfull Henry Lord Hunsdon our Lord Chamberlaine another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord of Aburgeuenny another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Zouch another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Morley another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Cobham Lord Warden of our fiue Ports another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Edward Lord Stafford another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to oâ—r welbeloued and trusty Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord Lumley another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord Sturton another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty William Lord Sandes another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord Wentworth another of the Lords of the Parlament To our welbeloued and trusty Lewis Lord Mordant another of the Lords of the Parlament And to our welbeloued and trusty Iohn Lord St. Iohn of Bletso another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trusty Thomas Lord Buckhurst another of our Priuy Counsell And
that rather with a resolued and staied countenance she gaue thankes vnto God with lifting vp her hands vnto heauen And although Powlet her Keeper depriued her of all dignitie and respect and she was no more accounted of but as a meane woman of the basest ranke yet she endured it with a most quiet minde But hauing gotten leaue of him with too much adoe by letters vnto Queene ELIZABETH dated the nineteenth day of December she declareth her selfe free from all malice and hatefull minde against her giueth thankes vnto God for that sentence of death who would haue the end of her sorrowfull life to come She intreateth her that she may be obliged and beholden vnto her only and not vnto others for these benefits that follow since that she could expect and looke for no good from the hot-minded Puritans who carried all away in England First that when her enemies were glutted and satisfied with the shedding of her innocent bloud that her body may be carried by her seruants to be buried in some hallowed ground especially into France where her mother resteth in peace since that violence hath beene offered vnto the ashes of her forefathers and ancestors in Scotland and the Churches either pulled downe or prophaned neither could she hope for a buriall with Catholike rites in England amongst the ancient Kings the ancestors to both of them so that at last her body may rest which conioyned to her soule did neuer rest nor had quiet The second was forasmuch as she feared the secret villanie of many men that she might not be put to death secretly without the knowledge of Queene ELIZABETH but in the presence of her seruants and others who might beare true witnesse of her faith toward Christ her obedience to the Church and the end of her life against the false rumours which her aduersaries might spreade and deuise The third was that her seruants might freely and peaceably depart and might goe whither they would and enioy the legacies she had bequeathed vnto them in her Testament These things she requested very earnestly in the name of Iesus Christ by the soule and memorie of HENRY the seuenth progenitor to them both by the royall honour that she had borne Then she complained that all royall furniture was violently taken away by the commandement of some of her Counsellors and forebodeth that their malice would breake out vnto greater matters And addeth if they had shewen the letters and papers taken away without fraud and sincerely that it would haue plainly appeared that there was no other cause of her death than the too scrupulous care of some men of the securitie of Queene ELIZABETH Lastly she earnestly desired her to write a few words with her owne hand concerning these matters But whether these letters came euer to the hands of Queene ELIZABETH I cannot say But sundry men talked in sundry manners according to their sundry wits of this matter not to speake of the Clergie men of both sides who are for the most part vehement in their opinions There were some plaine and indifferent weighers of matters who thought they dealt very rigorously with her for that she was a free and absolute Princesse aboue whom none had any authoritie but God alone for that she was so very neere of kinne vnto Queene ELIZABETH who also had promised very liberally in the word of a Prince vnto her driuen out of her Realme as soone as she was arriued in England by Henry Middlemore all humanitie courtesie and rights of hospitalitie and yet on the other side had deteined her in prison and had violated the sacred bonds of friendly familiaritie That she could be in no other estate than of one taken in the warre and that all the meanes of getting safetie and libertie is lawfull to them that be taken in the warre That she could not offend in the case of treason in that she was no subiect and the like hath no power ouer the like and that thereupon the iudgement of the Emperour against Robert King of Sicilie was void and of none effect for that he was not subiect vnto the Empire That the Embassadors of Princes if they shall conspire against the King vnto whom they are sent Embassadours are not touched as Traytors much lesse the Princes themselues And that the Affect is not to be punished except the Effect follow And it was neuer heard that a Prince was put to death by the hand of an executioner Moreouer that shee was condemned against the Law of God the Ciuill Law of the Romans and the Lawes of England yea against the first Statute of the Parlament in the XIII yeere of Queene ELIZABETH her selfe in the which it was enacted that none should be arraigned for conspiring against the Queenes life but by the testimonie and oath of two lawfull witnesses to be brought forth face to face against the partie arraigned and in this iudgement no witnesse was produced but shee was oppressed and cast by the testimonie of her Secretaries who were absent Men also disputed of both parts of the credit of seruants men in prison and the testimonie of them of ones houshold And that word of the Emperour Hadrian was commended Credit is to be giuen vnto witnesses and not vnto testimonies These men also to themselues or their assured friends complained that busie fellowes were suborned who by dissimulation counterfeit letters and contriued deuices had cunningly deceiued a woman easie to bee wronged and greedie of libertie spâ—ed out and preuented her purposes and had drawne her into the worser which she had neuer thought on if she hâ—d beene kept with fitting care and such like secret and craftie plotters sent on purpose That it is an ordinarie thing for Courtiers in all ages to vrge and driue them that be hated euen against their will into the crime of Treason and craftily to breed trouble vnto vnwarie Innocence that is once imprâ—soned There were others who thought shee was not a free and absolute but only a Titularie Queene because shee had made a Session and passed away her Kingdome to her sonne and had submitted herselfe vnto the protection of the Queene of England when shee came first into England and as by well doing she had and enioyed the benefit of the Lawes so in doing euill shee might be subiect vnto the equitie of the same lawes according vnto that saying of the Lawyers Hee that offendeth against the Law deserueth not the benefit of the Law Otherwise the condition of a Forraine Prince offending in the Realme of another Prince should be better than the condition of a King reigning well They also thought her to be a Subiect although not Originary yet Temporary for that two absolute Kings as concerning Royall authoritie cannot be at one time in one Kingdome That this is a receiued and ruled opinion of the Lavvyers The King out of his Territorie except it be in a voyage of warre is a priuate man and therefore can neither bestow nor
and maid-seruants mourning and weeping with an vndaunted minde she bade them be of good cheere and to abstaine from sorrow but rather to reioyce for that shee was to depart presently out of an abysse of euill And turning vnto Burgon her Physitian asked him if he did not obserue that the force of truth was great They said I must die for that I was of counsell to kill the Queene neuerthelesse the Earle of Kent insinuateth that there is no other cause of my death but that they feare their Religion by reason of me Neither is my offence against the Queene but their feare they haue of me hath hastened and procured my death whilest many seeke priuately their owne ends and purposes vnder the borrowed cloake of Religion and the publike good Toward the end of supper shee drinketh vnto all her seruants who pledged her on their knees in their order mingling their teares with the wine and asking pardon for the neglect of their dutie as she also of them After supper shee read ouer her testament readeth ouer the inuentory of her goods and mouables and writ on them the names of them vnto whom shee appointed them vnto some she gaue money with her owne haud Shee writeth vnto her Confessor to pray vnto God for her and also she wrote letters of commendation vnto the French King and vnto the Duke of Guise for her seruants Shee went to bed at her ordinary houre and slept certaine houres being awaked she spent the rest of the night in prayers The fatall day beginning to breake viz. the vi Ides of February she apparelled her selfe neatlier and finer as shee vsed to be on Festiuall daies and calling her seruants together read ouer her Will and requested them to take in good part the legacies she gaue since that her abilitie was not to bestow any more And then setting her minde all vpon God with all humility in her Chappell besought him to giue her his grace and fauour with sighes teares and prayers vntill the time that Thomas Andrewes Sheriffe of the Shire told her that shee was to come forth Shee came forth maiestically in stature beautie and shew with a cheerefull countenance matron-like apparell and very modest her head being couered with a linnen vcile and the same hanging very low her beads hanging down at her girdle and carying a Crucifix of Iuory in her hands In the gallery the Earles and other Gentlemen receiued her where Meluin her seruant on his knees and with teares in his eies lamented his fortune that he should carrie this heauie and sad newes of the wofull death of his Ladie into Scotland Shee comforting him said Doe not lament but rather be glad thou shalt straight-waies see MARY STVART deliuered and freed from all cares You may tell them that I die constant in my Religion and firme in fidelitie toward Scotland and France God forgive them who haue thirsted for my bloud as the Hart doth after the spring of water Thou our God who art truth it selfe and perfectly and thorowly dost know the most secret corners of my heart dost know how much I desire that the Realmes of England and Scotland might be vnited in one Salute my sonne and certifie him that I haue done nothing that may be preiudiciall vnto the Kingdome of Scotland Will him to keepe friendship with the Queene of England and see that thou serue him faithfully And then teares falling from her eies she bade Meluin farewell againe and againe And turning to the Earles shee requested that her seruants might bee courteously vsed and that they might enioy those things which she had bequeathed them that they might stand by at her death and be sent into their Country with a safe-conduct They promised the former things but the Earle of Kent shewed himselfe strange fearing some superstition Shee said Feare not these wretches desire to giue mee their last farewell I know my sister ELIZABETH would not deny mee so small a fauour as to haue my maids to be present if it be but for woman-hood sake I am most neere of kinne vnto her I come from King HENRY the seuenth I am Queene Dowager of France and the anointed Queene of Scotland When shee had said thus and turned away she was permitted to haue those of her seruants present whom shee would name Shee nominated Meluin Burgoine her Physitian the Apothecarie and Chirurgeon and two maids and others of the which Meluin bore vp her traine So the Gentlemen two Earles and the Sheriffe of the Shire going before her she came to the â—caffold which was set vp in the vpper end of the Hall in the which was a chaire a cushion a blocke and all couered with blacke cloth As soone as she sate downe silence being made Beale read the Commission and shee heard attentiuely as if it had beene another matter Then Fletcher Deane of Peterburgh began a tedious speech vnto her of the condition of her life formerly past and the present and that to come Once or twice she interrupted his speech and desired him not to trouble her and protested that she was setled in the ancient Catholike Religion and was readie to end her life in the same And when he perswaded her earnestly to doe true penance and with a firme faith to put her hope in Christ shee answered that shee was borne and bred and would now end her life in that Religion And vnto the Earles saying that they would pray for her she said she would giue them many thankes if they would pray with her but I should offend much if I did communicate in prayer with you who are of another profession Then they bade the Deane to pray and when the whole company there assembled prayed together shee falling on her knees carrying the Crucifix before him in her hands together with her seruants prayed in Latine out of the Office of our Ladie After the Deane had ended his prayers shee in the English tongue commended vnto God the Church her sonne and Queene ELIZABETH and besought him to auert his indignation from this Isle and professed that shee reposed her hope in the bloud of Christ and lifted vp the Crucifix and desired all the company of heauen to make intercession vnto him for her she forgaue all her enemies and kissing the Crucifix and signing her selfe with the Crosse shee said As thy armes O Christ were spread abroad on the Crosse so with the stretched out armes of thy mercy receiue me and forgiue mee my sinnes Then shee forgaue the Executioners who asked pardon And when her maids had taken off her vpper garments shee hastening them they cried out amaine shee kissing them and signing them with the Crosse and smiling bade them farewell Her face being couered with a linnen cloth lying on the block she said the Psalme In te Domine confido ne confundar in aeternum Then as she stretched out her bodie and oftentimes repeated In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum her head