kind of Writings were for that time devised to overthrow and cast down some intelligences which were discovered by Ruxbie and some reports raised by Enemies that my Brother by his practises and perswasions had kindled a great fire and had raised a great faction in England he did not deny but he had dealt with many to win what favour he could to his Mistress but that he had done nothing that could offend the Queen of England and that he had no Commandment to enterprise any thing which could be displeasing to her by this means Ruxbie's intelligence was suppressed and my Brother suffered to stay still in England whereby the Queens friends so increased that many whole Shires were ready to Rebell and their Captains already named by the Election of the Nobility About this time her Majesty was advertised by my Brothers Letters that the Earl of Bedford was upon his journey toward Scotland with an honourable Company As also the Ambassadour of France and Savoy for the Baptism of the Prince which moved her Majesty to pass to Sterling with the Prince for the solemnizing thereof but she was still sad and pensive for the late foul act committed in her presence so irreverently she being their born Queen and thereby in hazard of losing the fruit of her Womb so many great sighs she would give that it was pity to hear her and few there were to endeavour to comfort her Sometime she would declare part of her grief to me which I essayed the best I could to asswage by telling her that I thought the greater multitude of friends that she had got in England should cause her to forget in Scotland the lesser number of Enemies and unruly offenders unworthy of her wrath and that her excellent qualities in Clemency Temperance and Fortitude should not suffer her mind to be possest or supprest with the remembrance of offences but that rather she should bend up her spirit by a Princely and Womanly behaviour whereby she might best gain the hearts of the whole people both here and in England humbly requesting her Majesty first to consult with her God next with her honour and thirdly with her interest in the establishing of her state and in joining the two Kingdoms in a happy Monarchy which she knew to be so near effectuate in her person seeing also the banished estate of the offenders so miserable they not having a hole to hide their head in nor a peny wherewith to buy their Dinner that the most noble natures would think them sufficiently punished that it was a comely thing for a woman to be pitiful and to want vengeance I leave it said I Madam to your own judgment whether presently it be more for your honour and advancement of your interest to cease from any desire or persuit of any further revenge whereupon may ensue more desperate enterprises or to give place unto necessity and reason to rule over the beastly passions of the mind For as Princes are called divine persons so no Prince can pretend to this Title but he who draws near the nature of God by godliness and good Government being slow to vengeance and ready to forgive It is manifestly known that wise Princes entertain no longer feud at their Enemies then they see it may be needful for the weal of their Affairs and State and they change their favour and hatred according to time and occasions Your Majesty may remember that many things might have been better managed I speak this with love and reverence Your Majesty might have been as well obeyed as ever was any King in Scotland if you had taken such Princely care as was requisite You know how that by your Majesties own express Commandment I did shew you long before what inconveniencies were like to fall out upon the grudges I perceived before the slaughter of Rixio and God is my witness I did what lay in my power to have them eschewed and prevented And since that time your Majesty hath repented that my advice was not followed I pray God that the like repentance fall not out again too late At my being in England your adversaries were beginning to vaunt upon vain reports that our Westerly winds had blown East among them so that my Brother and I had enough to do to beat it out of the heads of divers who were devotedly addicted to the advancement of your Title This communing began at the entry of her Supper in her Ear in French when she was casting up great sighs refusing to eat upon any perswasion that my Lord of Murray and Mar could make to her The Supper being ended her Majesty took me by the hand and went down through the Park of Sterling and came up through the Town ever reasoning with me upon their purposes And albeit she took hardly with them at the first she began to alter her mind thinking fit that my Lord of Bedford should intercede for her Rebels they to be banished out of England and Scotland during her pleasure and so to be by time reconciled to them according to their future deportments and for her part she purposed to proceed with such a gracious Government as should win the victory over her self and all her Competitours and Enemies in time-coming which she could have done as well as any Prince in Europe But alas she had bad Company about her for the Earl of Bothwel who had a mark of his own that he shot at as soon as he understood of her wife and merciful deliberations he took occasion to bring in the Earl of Mortoun and his associates thereby to make them his friends and by them to fortifie his faction For apparently he had already in his head the resolution of performing the foul murther of the King which he afterwards put in execution that he might marry the Queen Both which he brought to pass to his own utter wrack and confusion and thereby great trouble and mischief upon the Country and was also at last the Queens wrack and the hinderance of all our hopes in the hasty obtaining of all her desires concerning the Crown of England The Queens Majesty being advertised that the Earl of Bedford was come to Berwick on his Journey to the Baptism sent me well accompanied with diligence to meet him at Coldingham to be his first Convoy and to inform him rightly of all her proceedings and to overthrow all evil brutes invented by the malice of her adversaries For as I have said it was a perverse time and the more that the number of her friends increased in England the more practises her Enemies made and the more lyes were invented against her But the good Earl gave me more credit then he did to any wrong report that was made For he was at this time become one of the surest and most affectionate friends she had in England There came with him Mr. Cary eldest Son to my Lord of Husdean Mr. Hattoun greatest in favour with the Queen of England for
freedom reprove admonish and tell him his faults whereby we lost his favour And others who formerly had ever been against him came in and flattered him in all his proceedings and stouped very low to him calling him Your Grace at each word These men I said won him and we lost him And apparently said I to Carmichael you follow the like foolish behaviour as we did therefore you must take up another kind of doing And seeing your friend is become Regent imagine that you was never acquainted with him before but that you are entring to serve a new Master Cast never up your old and long service cringe low Grace him at every word find no fault with his proceedings but serve all his affections with great diligence and continual waiting and you shall be sure of a reward Otherwise all your former time spent in his service will be lost and he will hate you and take a despight at you which may bring on afterwards a greater wrack Carmichael gave me great thanks and his hand that he would follow this counsel which he afterward did very punctually and so became a greater Courtier then ever and was employed and rewarded and had credit to do pleasure to his friends but I found him not thankful afterwards to me for my counsel Now the young King was brought up in Sterling by Alexander Areskine and my Lady Mar. He had four principal Masters Mr. George Buchuanan Mr. Peter Toung the Abbots of Cambuskenneth and Drybrugh descended from the House of Areskine The Laird of Drumwhasel was Master of his Houshold Alexander Areskine was a gallant well natur'd Gentleman loved and honoured by all Men for his good qualities and great discretion no ways factious nor envious a lover of all honest Men and desired ever to see Men of good Conversation about the Prince rather then his own nearer friends if he found them not so meet The Laird of Drumwhasel again was ambitious and greedy his greatest care was to advance himself and his friends The two Abbots were wise and modest My Lady Mar was wise and sharp and held the King in great awe and so did Mr. George Buchuanan Mr. Peter Toung was more gentle and was loath to offend the King at any time carrying himself warily as a Man who had mind of his own weal by keeping of his Majesty's favour But Mr. George was a Stoick Philosopher who looked not far before him A man of notable endowments for his learning and knowledge in Latin Poesie much honoured in other Countries pleasant in Conversation rehearsing at all occasions Moralities short and instructive whereof he had abundance inventing where he wanted He was also Religious but was easily abused and so facile that he was led by every Company that he haunted which made him factious in his old days for he spoke and wrote as those who were about him informed him For he was become careless following in many things the vulgar opinion For he was naturally popular and extreamly revengeful against any Man who had offended him which was his greatest fault For he did write despightful invectives against the Earl of Monteeth for some particulars that were between him and the Laird of Buchuanan He became the Earl of Mortoun's great Enemy for that a Nagg of his chanced to be taken from his Servant during the Civil Troubles and was bought by the Regent who had no will to part with the said Horse he was so sore footed and so easie that albeit Mr. George had oft-times required him again he could not get him And therefore though he had been the Regent's great Friend before he became his mortal Enemy and from that time forth spoke evil of him in all places and at all occasions Drumwhasel also because the Regent kept all the Casualties to himself and would let nothing fall to others who were about the King became also his great enemy and so did they all who were about his Majesty The Regent again Ruling all at his pleasure made no accompt of any about the King untill a discreet Gentleman called Mr. Nicholas Elphingstoun advertised him That the King had no kindness for him advising him albeit too late to bestow part of his Gold unto so many of the King's Servants as were thought to be most wonable seeing he was envyed of many and hated of every Man especially by those who were in Sterling about the King He gave to one that was in mean rank Twenty five pieces of Gold at Twenty Pound the Piece what he gave to others I cannot tell but such as had spoken ill of him before durst not alter their language because of the King's Wit and good Memory who could check any that he perceived had first spoken evil and then began to speak good again As his Majesty had done to one of the company alledging That he had changed his Coat as I was afterward informed so that the Regent was too long in dealing part of his Gold to those about his Majesty who increasing in years and knowledge sundry Gentlemen began to look after Service and turned On-waiters Among others James Stuart Son to the Lord Oghiltrie a young Man of a busie Brain had an aspiring Spirit and through time won great favour and credit with his Majesty And though he was not well liked by those of the Castle of Sterling yet he was the more overseen because he gave continually evil information to his Majesty of the Earl of Mortoun and so did also my Lord Robert Earl of Orkny who had been warded and hardly handled by the Regent for some double dealing with Denmark as was alledged The Regent being in this manner brought in disgrace with his Majesty when he was upon the height of the wheel the Earls of Arguile and Athol were secretly practised and drawn to Sterling by Drumwhasel with the consent of Alexander Areskine Master of Mar and Mr. George Buchuanan by whose advice and counsel his Majesty was easily moved to depose the Regent from his Office who yielded easilier thereto then any Man would have believed against the opinion of his friends retiring himself to the House of Lockleven within the Logh for the surety of his person until he might understand what was like to follow thereupon and what might be the next best for him to do The King's Majesty having attained unto the Age of years ordained a Council to sit at Edinbrugh for ordering the Affairs of the Realm The Earl of Athol was made Chancellour because the Lord Glams was a little before slain in Sterling by the Earl of Grauford as was suspected though he denied the deed and purged himself thereof as far as he could The Earl of Arguile and the Master of Mar stayed in Sterling with the King's Majesty During the time that this new Council sate in Edinbrugh the Earl of Mortoun who was quiet in Lockleven making the walks of his Garden even his mind was in the mean time occupied in crooked paths plotting how
became effectual he having been at last induced to resign the Government into the Queens hands who thereupon was declared Regent The Protestants were thus at this time her best friends and by the diligent preaching of the Preachers they were increased to so great a number that she judged it would prove a dangerous and difficult matter to compel them to desert their Principles But the instructions which Bettancourt brought to her and to Monsieur Dosel Lieutenant in Scotland for the King of France and to all others who had greatest credit about her Majesty were so strict and mixed with some threatnings that she determined to follow them She therefore issued out a Proclamation a little before Easter commanding every man great and small to observe the Roman Catholick Religion to resort daily to the Mass that all should make Confession in the ear of a Priest and receive the Sacrament By word of mouth she acquainted several of the Protestant Lords that they behoved to desert their Principles she shewed to them the Commission that was sent her out of France and the danger that would follow thereupon if not obeyed When the Nobility and States of the Country perceived her to be in earnest finding themselves also threat'ned by Monsieur Dosel they left the Court And consulting together what was meetest for them to do they sent unto her Majesty the Earl of Argile and Lord James Prior of St. Andrews to shew her Majesty in name and behalf of the rest how that they had been permitted by her Majesty to keep their own Ministers of a long time sometimes secretly and sometimes openly That by her tolerance their Religion had taken such root and the number of the Protestants so increased that it was a vain hope to believe they could be put from their Religion seeing they were resolved as soon to part with their lives as to recant The Queen Regent did as much dis-relish this kind of Language as they had done her Proclamation so that she began to persecute and they to stand to their own defence binding themselves together under the name of the Congregation Therefore they brake down Images Kirks and Cloisters The Queen Regent sent to France advertising her Daughter and her Husband of these disorders requiring help and Forces to suppress this in time or else all would be lost Declaring that she had ground of fear that my Lord James Prior of St. Andrews natural Son to James the Fifth would under pretext of this new Religion usurp the Crown of Scotland and pluck it clean away from the Queen her Daughter unless sudden remedy were applied thereto Upon this advertisement some of the Council of France advised presently to raise a great Army for reducing of Scotland but the Constable counselled the King whose Pensioner I was for the time to send me unto Scotland The King first gave me his Commission by word of mouth and then the Constable his chief Councellor directed me at length in his Majesty's presence as followeth Your Native Queen saith he is married here in France unto the Dauphine and the King is informed by the Cardinal of Lorrain that a Bastard Son to James fifth called Prior de St. Andre pretends under colour of Religion to usurp the Kingdom unto himself his Majesty knows that I was ever against the said marriage fearing thereby to make our old Friends our new Enemies as is like to come to pass this day But I gave too great place to the House of Guise to deal in the affairs of Scotland because the Queen Regent is their Sister But now seeing their violent proceedings are like to occasion the loss of the Kingdom of Scotland I must needs meddle and put to my helping hand as having better experience of the nature of that Nation then apparently they have I assure you that the King is resolved to hazard his Crown and all that he hath rather then that your Queen be robbed of her right seeing she is now married unto his Son And he resolves to send an Army to Scotland for that effect though he would gladly shun the trouble thereof if it were possible For now after his Majesty hath had Wars long enough with his old Enemies and hath agreed with them upon very rational considerations he is loath to enter again into a new unnecessary War with his old Friends Seeing there is probable ground of conjecture that it is not their default but that the same is occasioned by the harsh usage they meet with I hear that Monsieur Dosel is cholerick hasty and too passionate Such are not qualified to rule over remote and form'd Countries I have also intelligence that the Queen Regent hath not kept all things promised unto them The King my Master is not so rash as readily to believe that Scotland who had kept so long Friendship with France would now so slightly break their old band and abandon their duty to their Lawful Prince The King is well acquainted with the inconveniencies which may arise upon so distant and beyond-Sea Wars He knows what charge it is to furnish out Ships which perchance may be thrice victualled e're they make Sail by reason of contrary Winds and that your Seas are very dangerous The Marquess de Albuiff was driven upon the Coast of Norway when he thought to have landed in Scotland so that his Voyage did no good though his preparations for the same was very expensive Though our Army were well landed in Scotland how oft might they stand in need of supply when we by reason of these and several the like difficulties will not be able to help them whereof we have too good experience when Monsieur de Lorge was there I have brought you up from a Child I understand that you are come of an honourable Family I have assured the King that I have had good proof of your honesty so that his Majesty is well minded toward you at whose hand I hope you shall deserve a good reward this is a Commission of a far greater importance then that which Betancourt carried For the King will stay or send his Army according to your report Give it out that you are only come home to visit your Friends Let neither the Queen Regent nor Dosel know of your Commission wherein you are implored by the King who is now your best Master First try diligently and perfectly well whether the said Prior pretends to usurp the Crown of Scotland to himself or if he be moved to take Arms only for Conscience sake in defence of his Religion himself his dependants and associates Next try what promises are broken to him and them by whom and at whose instance Thirdly if they desire another Lieutenant in place of Dosel If it be only Religion that moves them we must commit Scots-mens Souls unto God for we have difficulty enough to rule the Consciences of French-men It is the obedience due unto their Lawful Queen with the Body that the King desires If
this she might perchance do better at another time I answered that it was only the consideration of her interest that made me appear so concerned Many Noblemen being banished and so near as New-castle having many other Noblemen at home of their kindred and friends so malecontent as I knew them to be for the time made me fear some attempt towards an alteration For I told her I had heard dark speeches that we should hear news e're the Parliament was ended Her Majesty answered that she likewise wanted not advertisements of the like rumours but that our Countrey-men were talkative I vsed the same freedom with Rixio for then he and I were under great friendship But he evidenced a disdain at all danger and despised counsel so that I was compelled to say I feared over late Repentance You have heard that Sir Nicholas Throgmorton was one of the two English Ambassadours who were sent hither to stay the marriage and to make many promises in his Mistresses Name to so many as would resist the same which promises were afterward denied by the Queen of England and by Mr. Randolph But Sir Nicholas Throgmorton stood neither in awe of Queen or Council to declare the verity that he had made such promises to them in her Name whereof the Councellors and craftiest Courtiers thought strange and were resolving to punish him for avowing the same promise to be made in his Mistresses Name had not he wisely and circumspectly obtained an Act of Council for his Warrant which he offered to produce And the said Sir Nicholas was so angry that he had been made an instrument to deceive the Scots banished Lords that he advised them to sue humbly for pardon at their own Queens hand and to ingage never again to offend her for satisfaction of any Prince alive And because as they were then stated they had no interest he penned a perswasive Letter and sent unto her Majesty as followeth YOur Majesty hath in England many friends of all degrees who favour your Title but for divers respects Some for very Conscience sake being perswaded that in Law your Right is best some for the good opinion they have conceived by the honourable report they have heard of your vertues and liberality the consideration whereof ingageth them to esteem your Majesty most worthy to Govern some for factions who favour your Religion some for the ill will they bear to your competitour seeing their own danger if Lady Kátharine should come in that place Of these some are Papists some Protestants and yet however they differ among themselves in Religion or other particulars they are both of one mind for the advancement of your Title Your Majesty hath also divers Enemies for various respects not unlike to the other whose study hath always been and will be unless they be made friends to hinder any thing that may tend to your advantage In one point all concur both Friends and Enemies yea the whole People that they are most desirous to have the Succession of the Crown declared and assured that they may be at a certainty only the Queen her self is of a contrary opinion and would be glad the matter should always be in suspence Your un-friends have done what they could to take the advantage of the time to your prejudice And for that end pressed the holding of the Parliament which was before continued till October last Knowing assuredly that if the Parliament held the Succession of the Crown would be called in question And they thought the time served well for their purpose when there was division and trouble in your own Realm and no good understanding betwixt you and the Queen of England And her Subjects your friends for eschewing that inconvenience and winning of time to give your Majesty place to work and remove all impediments so far as wisdom may have found the means to drive it off till the next spring Now their advice is that in the mean time your Majesty indeavour by wisdom to assure your self of the whole Votes or at least of the best and most considerable of the Parliament when ever the matter shall be brought in question Which may be done by retaining the hearts of those you have gained already recovering of those who are brangled winning of the neutrals and so many of your adversaries as may be gained for it is not to be supposed that all can be won who are already so far addicted to the contrary Faction but when the cause of their aversion is removed the effect will cease Generally your Majesty will do well to forbear any act that will offend the whole people and use such means as will render your most acceptable to them Strangers are universally suspected to the whole people against which your Majesty hath in your marriage wisely â—â—â—â—ided by abstaining to match with a forreign Price So do they 〈…〉 your Majesty to abstain from any League or Confederacy with 〈…〉 forreign Prince that may offend England till you have first esâ—yed what you can purchase by the benevolence of the born Subjects thereof Not that they would desire your Majesty to forfeit your friendship with France and Spain but rather that you should wisely entertain them both to remain at your devotion in case afterward you have need of their favour Nevertheless it is their wish that the same may rather remain in general terms as heretofore then that you proceed to any special act which may offend England which you cannot with honour bring back again when you would As many of your adversaries as are addicted to the contrary Faction for hatred of your Religion may be gained when they see your Majesty continue in the temperance and moderation you have hitherto used within your own Realm in matters of Religion without innovation or alteration As many as by misreports have been carried to the contrary Faction may by true report be brought back again when they shall hear of your clemency used towards your own Subjects which vertue in Princes of all others most allures the hearts of people to favour even their common Enemies As many as can deal warily and discreetly with your friends of both the Religions and are only addicted for Conscience sake to my Lady Katharine being perswaded of the preference of your Title in Law may be gained to your Majesty by contrary perswasions and by adducing of such reasons and arguments as may be alledged for proof of your good cause whereof there are abundance to be had Some your Majesty will find in England who will hazard as far as they dare to serve your turn in this behalf But because it is so dangerous to Men to deal in and may endanger Lives and Lands if they be seen earnest medlers travelling in that point so as would be necessary it will require such instruments of your own when time comes who may boldly speak without danger and with whom the Subjects of England dare freely communicate their minds and enter into
for fifteen days Therefore she welcomed me with a merry volt and thanked me for the diligence I had used in hasting to give her that welcome intelligence All this she said before I had delivered unto her my Letter of Credence After that she had read it I declared how that the Queen had hasted me towards her Majesty as one whom she knew of all her friends would be most joyful of the glad news of her delivery albeit dear bought with the peril of her life she being so sore handled that she wished she had never been married This I said by the way to give her a little scare from marriage For so my Brother had counselled me because sometimes she boasted to marry the Arch duke Charles of Austria when any Man pressed her to declare a second person Then I requested her Majesty to be a Gossip to the Queen to which she gladly condescended Your Majesty said I will now have a fair occasion to see the Queen whereof I have heard your Majesty so oft desirous Whereat she smiled saying she wished that her estate and affairs might permit her In the mean time she promised to send both honourable Lords and Ladies to supply her room Then I gave her Majesty in my Queen's name most hearty thanks for her friendly visiting and comforting her by Mr. Henry Killegrew She inquired if I had left him in Scotland and what was the cause of his long stay I answered That the Queen took her Chamber shortly after his arrival which was the chief cause of his delay But I had in Commission to tell her Majesty something thereabout to satisfie her mind in the mean time and to thank her Majesty for the putting away of the Scots Rebels out of her Country albeit there were some Reports that they were yet secretly entertained by some of her Subjects though I hardly believed that any of her Subjects durst be so bold or so disobedient She affirmed they were out of her Dominions and if it might be otherwise tryed out it should not pass without rigorous punishment I told her Majesty that upon her desire and Ambassadours complaint the Queen had caused to apprehend Mr. Ruxbie and had ordered him to be delivered to her Majesty whenever she should please to send for him And as concerning Oneel she had no dealing with him nor knew that there had been any Servant of his sent to my Lord Arguile until Mr. Killegrew's coming that she caused to enquire at the said Earl who acknowledged that Oneel had sent one unto him about private purposes betwixt themselves but that she did neither see nor speak with that Man nor had any dealing with any Man in Ireland Her Majesty seemed to be well satisfied with the matters of Ireland and concerning Mr. Ruxbie but she forgot to send for him Before I took my farewell in order to my return I entred with her Majesty concerning the Title For my Lord of Leicester was become my Queens avowed friend and had been twice in hand with the Queen of England a little before my coming desiring her to declare my Mistress next Heir Alledging it would be her greatest security and cried out in anger that Cicil would undo all Likewise the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Pembroke and several others shewed themselves openly her friends after they understood the birth of the Prince So that her Majesty's matters in England were hopeful and therefore I was advised to say unto her Majesty That I was assured she had formerly delayed the declaring the Queen second person only till she might see such Succession of her body as now God had graciously granted intreating her Majesty to embrace that fair offered opportunity of satisfying the minds of many as well in England as in Scotland who desired to see that matter out of doubt And the rather because that the Queen my Mistress would never seek any Place or Right in England but by her Majesties favour and furtherance She answered That the birth of the Prince was a great Spur to cause the most skilful Lawyers in England to use greater diligence in trying out that matter which she esteemed to belong most justly to her good Sister and that she wished from her heart that it should be that way decided I replied That at my last being with her I found her Majesty upon the same tearms but that as I had brought her good news from the Queen I was very desirous to be so happy as to carry home with me unto her Majesty the good tydings of that so long delayed Declaration She answered she was resolved to satisfie the Queen in that matter by those Noblemen she was resolved to send unto Scotland for the Baptism of the Prince All this I perceived to be but shifts and so took my leave because my Brother was to remain there The next day her Majesty sent unto me her Letter with the Present of a fair Chain My Brother gave me the advice of her Majesties friends together with his own instructions how to proceed after my coming home as followeth First That he is in such suspicion for his handling there by the advertisements of Mr. Ruxbie and practises of her Enemies that her Majesty must signifie to Mr. Killegrew that she is minded shortly to call him home else he fears he shall be commanded to return Secondly That her Majesty require the Earl of Leicester and Secretary Cicil to be sent to be her Gossips as fittest instruments to perfect all Articles and good Offices of Amity betwixt them Item That Mr. Killegrew be well treated and rewarded that he may make good report to hold off discord that intelligence may continue and desire him to declare unto the Earl of Leicester and Secretary Cicil that it cannot stand with good friendship to be so long fed with fair words without effect Item That her Majesty cast not off the Earl of Northumberland albeit as a fearful and facile man he delivered her Letter to the Queen of England neither appear to find fault with Sir Henry Pearcie as yet for his dealing with Mr. Ruxbie which he doeth to gain favour at Court being upon a contrary faction to his Brother the Earl Item That Mr. Ruxbie be well kept and sent far North to some secure part that he give no hasty intelligence for he hath already written unto Secretary Cicil by Sir Henry Pearcy his convoyance that he can discover all your practises and secrets Let my Lord Arguile entertain Oneel as of himself the Queen not appearing to know thereof The Secretary Cicil devised strange practises against the meeting which because my Lord of Leicester discovered unto the Queen his Mistress Cicil stirred up the Earl of Sussex to forge a quarrel against him but the Queen took the Earl of Leicester's part and finally agreed them and also Leicester and Ormond Item That her Majesty should write two Letters with Mr. Killegrew to my Brother the one that he might shew unto the
so banded together against the Secretary and Sir James Balfour That it consisted not in his power to preserve them from Prison seeing they were accused for the King's Murther against his will but Grange should know his honest part thereof at meeting praying him in the mean time to suspend his judgment Nevertheless the Regent and his Councel were determined to proceed to Process the two Prisoners upon their Lives till Grange sent again and desired the like Justice to be done upon the Earl of Mortoun and Mr. Archibald Douglas For he offered to fight with Mr. Archibald and the Lord Herries with the Earl of Mortoun upon that head That they were upon the Councel and consequently airt and pairt of the King's Murther This stayed their Process at that time And the Regent still alledged That the Lords had taken them against his will and that he should send Sir James Balfour to the Castle of St. Andrews and should bring Secretary Lidingtoun to Edinbrugh and deliver him unto the Laird of Grange to be kept So the Regent came to Edinbrugh and brought the Secretary with him intending as Grange was informed to make the Secretary an Instrument to draw Grange out of the Castle to the Town the next morning to receive the Secretary to be carried up to the Castle and then to retain Grange also till the Castle should be delivered unto the Laird of Drumwhasel to be Keeper thereof and to send Grange home to his house and reward him with the Priory of Pittenweem But the Earl of Mortoun had appointed four men to slay Grange at the entry of the Regent's Lodging without the Regent's knowledg But Grange was loath yet to believe the worst of the Regent and being of opinion that the Regent's gentle Nature was forced by the Lords as he had sent him word understanding that they intended to carry the Secretary to Tantalloun he came down out of the Castle with a Company and took the Secretary out of the hands of his Keepers and convoyed him up to the Castle For he thought if it were true that the Regent said That he was forced by the Lords against his will to let the Secretary be retained after that he was accused the Regent would be glad that he had revenged his quarrel upon the Lords by taking the Secretary out of their hands whereof he might justly pretend ignorance And if the Regent would be dissatisfied with his carriage therein it would be a certain token of his dissimulation In that case Grange thought he did a good deed to save his Friends Life and so he would have good ground to believe divers Intelligences which formerly he would not credit and therefore he would be upon his guard in Time coming The Regent and his Councellors when they understood that Grange had taken the Secretary to the Castle were in great perplexity supposing all their Counsels to be disclosed They knew not how to help the matter but they advised the Regent to cover his anger until a fit opportunity causing him to go up to the Castle the next morning For he durst trust Grange tho Grange would no more trust him At meeting the Regent gave him more fair words than he was wont to do which Grange took in evil part After this there were many devices how to intrap Grange sometime in his down-coming to the Regent but he was ever advertised and upon his guard so as the Regent lost dayly of his best Friends and the number of his Enemies increased For the Duke of Chattellerault who was agreed with him by the intercession of the Lord Herreis when the said Duke and the Lord Herreis came to Edinbrugh as was appointed at the agreement to concur with the Regent in Councel and otherwise for the quieting of the Country they were both warded in the Castle against promise Which when the Laird of Grange found fault with Mr. John Wood said I marvel at you that you will be offended at this for how shall we who are my Lords dependers get Rewards but by the wrack of such men Yea said Grange is thas your holiness I see nothing among you but Envy Greediness and Ambition whereby you will wrack a good Regent and ruine the Country This was long before the taking of the Secretary and increased the hatred of a wicked Society against Grange who upon all occasions evidenced his detesting their selfish Designs who were dependers upon the Regent which was one of the faults also they had against the Secretary as also because his Wit so far excelled theirs The Captivity of the Duke and my Lord Herreis made many Enemies to the Regent who took the greater boldness to conspire against him when they perceived him to lose and cast off his best Friends It was a grievous thing to see that good Regent of himself so well inclined to do good offices in Religion and Commonwealth so led after other mens vain pretences and affections to his own wrack to the wrack of many worthy Persons and to their ruine at length who led him in these wayes He grew to give great ear to Flatterers and would not suffer his true Friends to tell him the verity The observation hereof made many conjecture that his Ruin was at hand and I among others devised a present remedy for his preservation which was this I knew that the taking Lidingtoun to the Castle sunk deepest in the Regent's heart and that the false practises and wrackful fetches of such as had taught him to dissemble moved Grange who had been his greatest Friend to be jealous of him the noticing whereof gave ground to his Enemies to conspire against him First I requested the Regent to remember the false Practises that some about him had sundry times used formerly to his great displeasure and to consider that they occasioned all the jealousies and suspitions that were fallen out between him and his Friends which might encourage his Enemies to take some wicked enterprise in hand against his Person To remedy this I proposed it as fit That Lidingtoun should go unto France finding Caution not to return to Scotland under the penalty of Twenty thousand pounds and withal giving his Son in pledg for further Security and that he should practise nothing against the Quiet of the Country And that Sir James Balfour should be set at liberty or banished after that same manner For he had already won the Regent's Familiars with great Sums of Gold which had stanched their wrath against him which Lidingtoun would not do albeit Sir James had sent him his advice to do as he had done These two being freed and out of the way The Laird of Grange should deliver to him the Castle of Edinbrugh to make Captain thereof whom he pleased That so the whole Country might see that all was in his power and at his command This I thought the best way to reduce again the opinion of the People and to scare all his Enemies from their desperate
I answered For no particular prejudice they had against himself but because the Lords who had sent for him without acquainting them therewith were not their friends and they suspected that in process of time they would move him to be their Enemy He said That the Laird of Grange had been always his great friend and had done him formerly great kindness I said I hoped he should yet be his friend after that he had setled himself in the Regiment and might have time to be rightly informed of every mans part Returning back from Berwick I met the Abbot of Dumfarmling sent by the King's Lords to England to meet with the Earl of Linnox in his passing by His chief Commission was so far as I could afterward inform my self to desire the Queen of England to deliver the Queen of Scotland to be kept by the King's Lords here at home seeing that she would not proceed otherwise according to the Accusation given in against her the time my Lord Murray was there Whereto the Queen of England made answer If they would find her sufficient Pledges for the security of the Queens life she would deliver her to be kept by them The Abbot alledged That would be hard to do for what in case the Queen dye in the mean time She answered My Lord I believed you had been a wise man you would press me to speak what is no ways necessary You may know Taat I cannot but for my honour require Pledges for that end I think you may judge also of your self what might be best for me Her meaning in this might be easily judged and understood The Earl of Lennox came to Edinbrugh shortly after me and after he had accepted the Government his first enterprise was to take Breechin which was kept by some Companies of Foot-men lifted by the Earl of Huntly to assist the Queens faction These Soldiers being advertised that the new Regent was coming to pursue them fled except a few who kept the Kirk and Steeple who were all hanged I had made my self ready to ride with the Regent but Mr. Randolph the English Ambassadour who came with the Earl of Lennox appearing to set him forward with his power hindred me from prosecuting that intention fearing that I would be an instrument of perswading the Laird of Grange and those in the Castle to come to an amicable agreement with the Regent For if those of the Castle and their dependers had assisted the Regent the Queens faction were so few and weak that they would not have been able to make a party answerable to the King's faction who were greatest in number and had the hearts of the Subjects on their side I was very loath to stay behind the Regent both because I had promised to assist him and also because I had obtained a promise of the Bishop of St. Andrews of the Lands of Lethem given by the Earl of Murray to Mr. Henry Balneavs whereof I had no Lease but Possession by reason that the Bishop was for the time in Dumbartoun forsaulted so the said Lands were in the Regent's power to dispose to any other yet he had promised that I should enjoy it I told Mr. Randolph that the said Land might be in danger to be disposed in case I were absent from the Regent Tush says he I am Tutour at this time to the Regent I shall not only warrant you that but shall cause you get a better gift In the mean time he promised to write a Letter unto the Regent who had already taken journey to secure the same to me and to let him know that he had stayed me to draw on an agreement between my friends in the Castle and him therefore desiring him not to dispose the said Lands to any other But though I knew him to be a double dealer and a sower of discord yet I could not believe that he would abuse me in any thing having received so great obligations from me during his banishment in France for Religion during the Reign of Queen Mary Neither would I blot Paper with this much concerning my particular were it not to declare the strange practises of Princes in matters of State Now at Mr. Randolph's desire I stayed His first proposition to me was to desire the Captain of the Castle to agree with and assist the Regent I told him That I supposed he might be brought to that through time but not so hastily And that same answer I brought to him from him with a request from the Laird of Grange That he would be plain with him for there had been also great friendship betwixt them in France After some Ceremonies and Protestations of Secrecy he said Tell your friend this from Mr. Randolph but not from the English Ambassadour That there is no lawful Authority in Scotland but the Queens she will prevail at length and therefore it is his interest as the safest course to join himself to her Faction This was the help he made to the Regent who believed that his only Ambassage was to advance his Authority I appeared to be very well satisfied with this wholesom advice and went up to the Castle and told the Captain and his associates no more then I assured them of at my return from Berwick The Laird of Grange was still resolved to own the King's Authority seeing to be factious under pretext of owning the Queen during her absence and captivity might do her more ill then good and occasion great bloodshed among the Subjects by the malice of the Ring-leaders of the Court of England and partialities of a few in Scotland and was therefore expecting a fit opportunity of making agreement betwixt the parties In the mean time I went up and down betwixt those of the Castle and Mr. Randolph who gave me another Commission to wit In case the two Queens of England and Scotland agree betwixt themselves to appoint an English-man Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh and send unto him a Letter subscribed by both their hands to him to render up the same to him whom they Commissionate him to deliver it whether he would for great advantage to himself give it to the person who should be appointed This in great anger he refused to hear and this was all the good agreement that Mr. Randolph and I made during the Regent's absence And instead of minding the Regent not to dispose the foresaid Lands he dealt with the Tutor of Pitcur that he might seek a gift of the said Lands from the Regent informing him that I wanted a right thereto When the Regent was returned to Edinbrugh I remembred Mr. Randolph of his promise and informed him a way how I might get them He answered That he found the Regent so stubborn and of so ill a nature that he could not deal with him Then I told him That I was abundantly sensible of his practises and that whereas it appeared that he would cause me not only to abandon the Regent but to be
commonly suspitious Mr. Randolph who lay at Lieth having his own Jealousies of an intention of accommodation knew the only way to stop it was to bring again the Earl of Mortoun who he knew would violently oppose it and use the utmost of his endeavours to render that Design ineffectual He therefore dealt earnestly with the Regent to give the said Bishoprick of St. Andrews to the Earl of Mortoun alledging to her That the Queen his Mistress had written to him for that effect and that she would recompence it to him with greater advantage That he would cause her hand-writing to come to him thereabout and that she would be much dissatisfied if he refused that her desire When the Regent had upon Mr. Randolph's desire granted this he incontinently advertised the Earl of Mortoun thereof who immediately came to Court and smelling the foresaid design of agreement he used all the contrary practices he could to hinder it For as he had fished that Benefice in troubled Waters he hoped by such means to fish much more And finding that I was much inclined to draw forward the accommodation one of his Devices was to cause the Councel to Vote and direct the Earl of Buchan to take me Prisoner out of my own house But I was at a Marriage in Fordel where the said Earl came with whom I went willingly tho I had as many Friends there as offered to chace him back again without his Errand but I would not prejudge my just Cause For the Earl of Buchan was of a gentle and discreet Nature and assured me they had nothing to lay to my charge but to see if I could be a good Instrument of Concord He desired me when I was in Lieth to send up to the Castle of Edinbrugh and alledg that my Life was in hazard in case they would not render up the Castle to the Regent I answered It was a Childish thing in them to propose such a thing to me seeing they could not but know that my Friends in the Castle were angrier at me than they were because I did not take part with them However the Laird of Grange was dissatisfied when he heard that I was taken For he knew how far I was injur'd seeing I had several times perswaded him to take part with the Regent and how far I had reasoned against the Secretary and Sir James Balfour in their proceedings with the Queens Faction For seeing she was Captive so that neither could she help them nor they her it would but occasion her to be the stronglier guarded and kept more straitly in England For hearing that there was a Faction risen up in her Name it would cause them to suppose that she was in hope of sudden liberty by some Practices with the Subjects of England Sir William Balfour alledged That her Majesty had Friends in France and other Parts who would be more encouraged to do for her if they understood that a number of the Nobility did own her Authority I said That her only Friends were in England and France that those who were in England durst not as yet appear seeing there would be a special Eye held over them and her French friends would do her no good the Queen Mother who had the chief Rule of that Country being her great Enemy and the House of Guise neither able to help her nor yet were they her sure friends as I shall shew more at length anon I was declaring that the Laird of Grange was angry at my taking I being so frank for the Regent and he so willing to join with him That same night he sent down a Woman from the Castle to Lieth with a Ticket to me That he was resolved to come that same night at mid-night and relieve me out of their hands that he had sent that Woman to know how I was kept and where I was lodged The Regent's Camp lay between Lieth and Edinbrugh and many of the Noblemen and Barons lodged in Lieth for every one had not Pavilions to lodge in the Camp The Laird of Grange had appointed a Boat to lye at Grantoun and had resolved to come sailing up to Lieth Harbour as if it had been a Boat come from Fiffe and thought without stroke to come to my Lodging and take me out of my Keepers hands and go up the water again to a part where he had Horsemen in readiness to carry me up to the Castle with him But I would upon no accompt condescend thereto assuring him That I was in no danger and that my Lord Bughan had promised when I pleased to let me slip away which I would not do but desired daily to come to a Tryal Many of the Lords marvelled wherefore I was taken seeing they knew That since the Regent's entry to Scotland I had ever assisted him The Regent himself was much therewith dissatisfied so that after inquiry it was found that few of the Councellors knew of my taking The Earl of Mar a true Nobleman said That the Earl of Buchan for embracing such a Commission was madder than the former Earl his Father who was known not to be very wise But the Earl of Mortoun sent me word That nothing should ail me more then his own heart For the fashion they desired me to find Caution that I should serve the King's Majesty and his Regent and so I was dismissed and never brought before the Council Of a truth I could see no reason to set up two Factions to destroy the Country seeing I knew That though the one party professed to be for the Queen it was so far from conducing to her advantage that I knew it had a quite contrary effect so long as she was Captive nor yet could I see any out-gate for those who professed her Authority and who were compelled thereto for their own defence For whereas they would gladly have assisted the King's Lords if they would have accepted of them finding themselves refused necessity drew them to defend themselves under the name of some Authority not true love to the Queen And therefore I thought them the less to be relyed upon The rest of my reasons why the Queen could expect no help out of France from her own friends nor yet from the Queen Mother were these The Queen Mother had not been well used so long as our Queen's Husband Francis the Second lived The Council and States of France desired not the Union of this Isle For a proof hereof after that my Brother Sir Robert when he returned the first time of his Ambassage out of England brought the hand-writings of twenty five principal Earls and Lords in England to set the Crown of England upon the Queen of Scotland's head For the Captains in the particular Shires were already named and by those Lords set down in that Paper who were to be in readiness to march forward whenever they should be charged only they waited the Queens opportunity and advertisement when to stir Upon this intelligence the Queen
because they were three joined in Commission he willed me to choose any other two whom I thought meetest to bear them company with me I named unto His Majesty the Laird of Segie and William Shaw Master of Wark First At Dumfarmling they Congratulated His Majesty in the King their Master's Name with a long Discourse of the old Amity Bond and mutual Friendship between the two Kings and their Kingdoms And last of all they required the Isles of Orkny to be restored again to the Crown of Denmark alledging they were mortgaged to be redeemed again for the Sum of Fifty Thousand Florins Their coming and demand was diversly scanned some supposing Wars would ensue unless the said Isles were rendred others thought that their intention was to bring on a marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter Now albeit His Majesty was determined to treat them well and honourably they were nevertheless mishandled rufled and delayed here the space of Months to their great charge and discontent for they lived upon their own expences and were not defrayed by His Majesty as all other Ambassadours of that Nation have been since When they were appointed to part out of Dumfarmling toward St. Andrews there to get their dispatch His Majesty ordered to tell them That he would send them Horses out of his own Stable to ride upon The day of their parting being come they sent away their Baggage and Officers before them and were booted themselves waiting upon His Majesty's Horses and because they came not in due time they went forward on foot The King was much dissatisfied when he understood how they were handled and caused his Horses to follow fast after them and overtake them When they came to St. Andrews divers appointed days of Council and Covention were broken unto them which were promised to be kept for their dispatch for obtaining whereof they were very earnest Then Men were appointed to deride them at their Lodgings and before their Windows when they lookt out to the street So that nothing was left undone which could enrage them or stir them up to choller Only Mr. Wotton the English Ambassadour visited them frequently and did well and favourably entertain them comforting them at all occasions appearing to be sorry that they were so abused He offered to lend them Gold and Silver largely for the great friendship that he knew to be between the Queen his Mistress and the King of Denmark For he was assured of good payment and thought to purchase credit at their hands by his apparent friendly dealing At length under great secrecy he said he would not conceal from them that he had heard the King speak disdainful language of their Country and Customs and also That some of his Gentlemen had heard the King speak evil of their King undervaluing him as being descended of a Race of Merchants And he further assured them That he and his Council were resolved to keep them long here without any dispatch to affront and weary them Then again the said Ambassadour and two of his Gentlemen informed his Majesty of these hard Speeches of the reproachful dealing they had met with from King and Council reflecting upon their Master He informed him also of the rude manners and drunkenness of those that were about His Majesty who had the like scornful language of the King of Denmark his Country and Ambassadours moving His Majesty to make the less of them Whereby they were stirred up to such a rage that I had much to do to keep them two or three several times from going to their Ships to have returned to their King without any answer and to have given him an accompt of the disdainful usage they had met with and the injury thereby done to him The Earl of Arran was also their great Enemy because they made no court to him but rather slighted some of their Company having known him in Sweden a Common Soldier So that he was as ready as the rest to mock and deride them albeit at that same time the Ring-leaders about the Court were Combined together with the English Ambassadour against him The principal of the three Ambassadours was a wise grave and ancient Councellor The second was furious in his Speeches The third cried out The King our Master is affronted we must be revenged I took the first apart requesting him to hear me patiently for he spoke good Dutch but mine was not so good Therefore I desired that he would more notice my meaning then my words and be more careful to cause his friendly Commission to take effect that he might return home with happy success then to withdraw abruptly to be called unhappy Instruments of discord at the pleasure of a few scornful Factioners who had laid their heads together to cause them part dissatisfied and to be as instrumental in doing evil as they were minded at their coming to do good I told him how that the Queens Majesty of England was a wise well inclined and politick Princess and that there were as many honest and good Men in England as in so much bounds in the whole World abeit there was in it divers Opinions and Factions shooting at sundry marks as is done in all other parts And because that their Queen would never marry to have Succession of her own Body they were all very desirous to know who after her should Reign over them The most part of the Country expects that it shall be our King and wisheth his welfare and prosperity as being righteous Heir to the Crown of England both by the Father and Mother's side But those who at present have the chief management of the Court shoot at other particular marks of their own minding to set forward some of themselves or of their friends to brook the Kingdom And for that cause they make all the opposition they can to our King because of their unmerciful dealing to his Mother for the which they fear some day to be punished when he comes to be King of England For all these respects they endeavour to keep him from marriage and from all forreign Friendship and Alliance This Ambassadour of England is a very ill Instrument both himself and his Gentlemen and hunting daily with His Majesty makes the worst reports they can The Ambassadour of Denmark answered to that marvelling that Mr. Wotton should make such report of them he offering them so great friendship and giving them daily intelligence how they were scorned and mocked both by the King and his Council to his great regret offering to lend them mony and to do all other pleasures to them that lay in his power I replied He knew well enough that he would get good payment and great thanks For the King of Denmark was esteemed a worthy Prince and his Ambassadours worthy to be honoured but the guiders of the Court of England desire not that our King should think or esteem so of them wishing him to have but few Friends and many Enemies Then
for his greater security where there were divers new enterprises made whereof my Brother Sir Robert getting frequent advertisements sometimes to keep his Lodging such a night sometimes to be well accompanied such a night as being one who had done pleasures to many and was not hated nor would never have been in danger so that he could but save himself from the first fury of the attempters This hath been the hard estate of this good King occasioned by his laying the burthen of his Affairs upon a few hated and envied for their Ambition Covetousness and Partialities who so soon as they had attained so weighty a charge took only care how to make themselves soon rich most commonly by the wrack of others So blindly transported by ambition and greediness that they neglected both King and Common-Wealth satisfying the King with fair language though displeasing the Country with foul deeds caring only how to discredit and bear down so many honest men as they knew would discover their misbehaviour or who would oppose them in their pernicious designs which I may justly testifie for my part Not long after this a new enterprise was made to make a great alteration in Court by some Courtiers among themselves When as the Master of Glams was Treasurer Sir George Hume Master of the Wardrobe my Lord of Spinze Gentleman of the Chamber and young Logie also Sir John Maitland Lord Thirlstane Chancellour Sir Robert my Brother Treasurer depute had the principal handling of the Office by disbursing and receiving the Provost of Lincludin Collector and Seatoun of Parbroth Controller Sir Richard Cockburn of Clarkingtoun Secretary and I was one of the Privy Council and Gentleman of her Majesties Chamber my Lord Duke of Lennox my Lord Hume and my Lord of Mar were drawn upon this course to reform the abuses at Court as was alledged There was no good liking between the Master of Glams and my Lord of Spiny chiefly for the feud between the Houses of Crauford and Glams At that time my Lord Spiny was in great favour with his Majesty and sometime his Bed-fellow And upon that accompt he was envied And besides the foresaid feud he was accused to have been a dealer with the Earl of Bothwel and upon that was for a time decourted Young Logie was also thought to have had much dealing with the said Earl and was accused taken and warded for the same But he escaped out of a Window in Dalkieth by the help of a Danish Gentlewoman whom he afterward married There was great hatred betwixt my Lord Duke and the Chancellour For after the late enterprise in the Abby the Chancellour caused close up the passage with Stone and Lime that was betwixt their Lodgings whereby he gave the Duke to understand that he suspected him which was too rashly done by the said Chancellour For after that the new alteration was intended and called the enterprise made at Dalkieth my Lord Duke and my Lord Hume riding from Dalkieth to Edinburgh met the Chancellour well accompanied riding to Court where the said Lords made a mint to set upon him to slay him yet the matter was at that time taken up by Alexander Hoom of North-Berwick and my Brother Sir Robert who were in company with the Chancellour for the time But shortly after that the Chancellour left the Court retiring himself to his House and in his absence a great number of faults were charged upon him and among the rest how he had so long hindered the King's marriage whereby the Queens Majesty was made his great Enemy The Master of Glams also would fain have had my Brother out of his Office to brook the whole Office of Treasurer alone Therefore the Laird of Carmichall Captain of the Guard was easily perswaded to cause a number of the Guard who stood with Culverins at the Gates of the House of Dalkieth to boast to slay my said Brother divers times in his passing in and out of the same house supposing that my Brother should fear his Life and leave the Court as the Chancellour had done But my Brother made no accompt of their boasts for he knew the Duke was his friend and that he had but few enemies Therefore he frequented the Court more frequently then formerly but came always well accompanied for they could get nothing to lay to his charge but said to his Majesty that he was too lavish in his Office to be a Treasurer over easie in his Compositions and over gentle to such as were denounced to the horn The Queens Majesty according to her custom whenever she understands that his Majesty by wrong information is stirred up against any honest Servant or Subject she incontinently intercedes for them and useth great diligence to get sure knowledge of the verity that she may the boldlier speak in their savour Therefore so soon as her Majesty understood that they were dealing against Sir Robert my Brother it pleased her to speak far in his favour declaring how that at her first Landing in this Country his Majesty had presented him to her praising him as one who had been a true and faithful Servant to the Queen Regent his Grand-mother to the Queen his Mother and to himself willing her to look upon him as such and to follow his advice Also many of the Lords took my Brother's part in such sort as he still kept the Court and his Office When this alteration was made I was absent and at my coming again to Court his Majesty told me of the Chancellour's fearful retreat and that he was in no danger in his company I answered again that the Prince's presence should be a safeguard albeit it was not always so in Scotland It appeared that his Majesty was somewhat altered upon the Chancellour my Lord Spiny and my Brother For as the Master of Glams would have had his Office so others misliked him because he haunted the Chancellour's company and was lookt upon as his great friend who was generally hated So that his Majesty was moved to think and say that he was not meet for his Office I being present answered That it grieved me to the heart to hear and see so good a Prince always invironed with bad company causing him so oft without reason or offence to cast off his most faithful Servants and that it would be seen let men serve never so well if they were misrepresented by such as had his Ear it availed nothing To this His Majesty replied That he knew my Brother to be a true Servant but too gentle liberal and easie in his Compositions he declared that he would never alter upon him nor me so that he continued constant against the intentions of those who were about him Here it may be seen how necessary it is to have good friends about the Prince and how hurtful and dangerous it is for a Courtier when such as have the Prince's Ear are his Enemies For in that case whatsoever his good Service hath been he is in