a new faction upon to trouble the King and his Estate And whereas the said Davison had promised before to shew himself a kind Scotsman I perceived him clean altered and a perfect practiser against the quiet of this State whereof I advertised His Majesty After his return England appeared not to have such a fear as it had formerly had at the Earl of Arran For there was a meeting drawn on at the Borders betwixt the Earl of Hunsdon and the Earl of Arran Who had long and privy conference together to keep a great friendship betwixt the two Princes and Countries with a secret Plot That the Earl of Arran should keep the King unmarried for three years under this pretext That there was a young Maid of the blood in England who about that time would be ready for marriage whereupon the Queen would declare His Majesty Second Person This was a deceitful Traffique and kept secret from every Body the design thereof being to hinder the King to deal for any other honourable and profitable Match The Earl of Arran thinking himself setled being now in friendship with the Queen of Englond as he supposed moved His Majesty to send thither the Master of Gray who was entred in great favour and familiarity with His Majesty by some secret dealing and intelligence he had with the Queen his Mother in England by means of some of her friends in France For being there at his Travels and but lately returned he brought some Letters directed from Her Majesty to the King her Son and conveyed the answers back again by an interest he had in England with some who favoured Her Majesty He was a great dealer also between Her Majesty and some Catholicks in England He was a proper Gentleman of a Noble Spirit and fair Speech and so well esteemed by His Majesty that Arran thought fit to absent him from Court by this Ambassage Nevertheless he employed him also in the Course begun betwixt him and the Earl of Hunsdean And yet when he was at the Court of England so well esteemed and treated as was reported by such as were sent back it was alledged by some of the Master of Gray's friends that the Earl of Arran began to envy him and misrepresent him unto His Majesty as if he had discovered unto the Queen of England a great part of the Queen of Scotlands purposes and proceedings However the said Master returned again well rewarded and commended for his behaviour qualities and discretion unto the King's Majesty to the great increase of his Credit with the King Not long after his return he was informed what misreports had been made of him in his absence Which he recompensed the best he could with Court Charity at convenient times so that by little and little he began to Eclipse Arran The Master of Gray also forewarned His Majesty of a notable Person who was upon the way sent unto His Majesty by the Queen of England to do him honour and to bear him company to entertain a stricter friendship between that Queen and Him then any had ever been intended before And that the said Ambassadour called Mr. Wotton would not trouble His Majesty with Business or Country Affairs but would bear him company in his Pastimes of Hunting Hauking and Horse-riding and entertain him with friendly and merry Discourses as one come lately from Italy and Spain expert in Languages and Customs of Countries and a great lover of His Majesty's Title and Right to the Crown of England So that His Majesty was ingaged to love him before he did see him and caused with diligence to write to me to come and entertain the said Ambassadour At my return to Court I was the better taken with that Arran was under some Cloud The Master of Gray was then my great friend For His Majesty had told him that I had ever resisted the Earl of Arran's furious proceedings His Majesty desired me as I would do him acceptable Service to bear good company to the said Ambassadour declaring unto me all his properties and qualifications above specified willing me also to Banquet him at my house But after I had conversed certain days with him I remembred I had formerly seen him in France with Doctor Wotton who was there Ambassadour Resident for Queen Mary of England the time that she was married with King Philip of Spain During which time there were great suspicions and jealousies betwixt France and England For tho there was hot War between France and Spain yet the Peace continued still with the Queen of England who was lately married by the King of Spain She appeared still to keep the Peace with France though in the mean time she sent over to Flanders both Men and Mony to the help of the King her Husband The old Constable of France my Master who for the time had the whole management of the Country Affairs under King Henry the Second reproached the English Ambassadour for that the Queen his Mistress was doing her endeavour to break the Peace The Ambassadour excused his Mistress alledging That if any of his Country-men served in the Wars under the King of Spain that they would be found but Soldiers of Fortune ready to serve any Man for Mony She denied that she knew of their passing into Flanders or that she disbursed any Mony for the Wars Albeâ—t that there was ground enough ministred unto her by reciving and retaining in France all her Rebels and Fugitives giving them Pensions and Intertainment and stirring them up to enterprises against her Life and Estate This the Constable flatly denyed only he said That out of a general good will which was born to English-men in time of Peace they were suffered to live in the Country which bears the name of France because there should be Freedom and Franchise to every Christian. The Ambassadour being wise and subtil perceiving this answer to be but a shift and that Wars would inevitably follow these kind of suspicions he intended by some subtilty to Circumvent the Constable and for that effect had sent to England for his Brother's Son being One and Twenty years of Age as well to employ him as to teach him the French and Italian Languages This youth being arrived in France with an Irish Boy to be his Interpreter who could speak French both apparelled in mean array to be the less suspected to have any practice or policy in their minds Like a Forreign young Man he addressed himself to some of the King of France his Courtiers desiring Audience of His Majesty secretly as having a matter of great importance to propose The King again divers times directed him to deal first with the Constable At last when he came to the Constable he desired also of him that he might first declare unto the King his Errand which was of great importance although he knew that the King spoke with no Man in such matters until the Constable had first sounded him and then told his Opinion to
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
then about me perceiving my grief and miscontent offered even then to relieve me whensoever I would desire to be at greater liberty Whereupon I made you then that answer whereof you make mention in your Letter as I gave the like answer to the French Ambassadour Nevertheless I was ever resolved at a fit time to relieve my self for my honour as I have done lately following another saying of Isocrates willing Princes to hazard rather to dye honestly then to ring shamefully for how I did ring for the time you might know by your Cousin Mr. Cairo in whose ear I rounded my familiary inward grief because he said you desired him to require it at me apart promising that it should be secretly kept from all others albeit I used not such freedom with Mr. Bowes Indeed I subscribed such Writs and Letters as the said Lords presented to me for the time was unfit to dispute too precisely upon Circumstances that were determined by these who were Masters of me and the State This Answer I suppose will satisfie your own reasonable and equitable Judgment discreetly considering the same with your self apart I doubt if it will be so interpreted by others of your Councel who have particular designs of their own to whom because I impute the whole hard Language contained in your angry Letter and not to your self and gentle inclination I think it not needful now to write an Answer unto every part of the same So attending patiently upon your better intelligence and information in these matters I will rather retain in my memory your former fruitful friendship then now start at any wrong set Syllable or sowre sentence placed in your paper at the partial instance of others As concerning that which toucheth the Duke of Lennox his godly end hath declared his honest meaning Whose death I might justly lay upon such as forcibly removed him from my presence nevertheless I resolve to put all by-gones in Oblivion neither to compel any man to take a faultless Pardon Where you desire that I proceed no further until a trusty Messenger may come from you I intend to stay from doing any thing till then that you may justly be offended with Albeit Isocrates advises Princes speedily to execute such turns as good Councel thinks necessary to be done wishing that he who shall be sent may be as willing to work the effects of true love and friendship betwixt us as I am assured it is both our hearts desire and intention whereto I pray the Lord to grant increase continuance and happiness to his glory and to the well peace and quiet of both our Realms The Secretary Walsingham was he of whom mention is made in her Majesties Letter to be sent in here but he was long by the way by reason that he was sickly In the mean time Mr. Bowes who was Ambassador resident at Edinbrugh had received this Letter by the ordinary Post and returned the Answer He declared many Commendations from my Lord Burly and several of the Council of England to my Brother Sir Robert and me alledging that they were glad to hear that such men were about His Majesty that were of their Religion and with whom they were long acquainted wishing many such to be in Court About this time the Earl of Arran obtained the keeping of the Castle of Stirling and insinuated himself so far upon His Majesty that he took upon him the whole management of affairs and caused sundry Noblemen to be banished as the Earls of Mar Angus and the Master of Glains and divers others And by his insolency he drove the Earl of Gaurie from Court far against his Majesties intention who sent me for him to his house to bring him again to Court which was for the time at Coupar in Fyffe where His Majesty agreed him and the Earl of Arran But no conditions promised were kept to Gaurie so that he was so vexed that he resolved to leave the Country I have already declared how loath I was that either His Majesty should leave the Lords who were about him or that I should in any wise be a medler again in publick affairs considering the many alterations I had seen by long and hurtful experience yet the affection I had for His Majesty engaged me not to refuse his Commands being my native Prince and Master and I his humble Subject and sworn Servant first as his domestick as being one of the Gentlemen of his Chamber and a Member of his Privy-Council But after his Majesty being taken I was no more admitted by his Keepers who thought fit for their security to place such men about him as were intirely at their Devotion As for my part as I was sorry that His Majesty should be used any other way then at his own pleasure so I was much satisfied to be permitted to live quietly at home the rest of my days yet being called again by His Majesty I waited upon his Commands Now again perceiving His Majesties most acceptable Proclamations slyly and cunningly changed contrary to His Majesties merciful intentions by issuing out contrary Proclamations and intending violent persuits against these concerned in the Road of Ruthven whereby too great a number of Noblemen and Gentlemen despaired of their Safety and Lives in a lamenting manner I remembred his Majesty how he was abused and what great inconveniencies were like to ensue Thereupon His Majesty upon my relation appeared very sorrowful and assured me of his resolutions to amend these disorders but it was his misfortune to advise thereabouts with these who underhand were chief instruments therein Believing that because he loved them they also loved him and the well of his affairs They again making some appearance of intentions of satisfying his expectation indirectly by means of too many who depended upon the Earl of Arrans extraordinary Credit and Favour the contrary to his Majesties princely and upright meaning was brought about so that many Noblemen left the Country and all honest men left the Court to the great satisfaction of the Earl of Arran and his Wife who had the greater opportunity of guiding all And that they might the easier set forward this course they perswaded His Majesty to pass to Stirling whither they knew few or none durst repair who were not at his Devotion he being Captain of the said Castle and Provost of the Town after I had frequently warned His Majesty of the storm I did foresee coming I retired my self from Court. His Majesty being at Stirling asked frequently for me regretting that I was not continually with him Whereupon the Earl of Arran advised that I should be sent ambassador to the Queen of England upon some pretended affair as well to absent me from His Majesty who he perceived had some favour for me as to take occasion upon my return to bring me in disgrace as if I had been guilty of some mis-management because he knew that as matters stood I could do no good at that time And
her heart and mind in that affair to be directed by the Almighty God But this herein her Majesty considereth that to seek out such a Husband as is sought for by your friends in the Emperours Linage will certainly procure at last some misunderstanding and give apparent occasion of dissolving the Concord that is now betwixt the two Nations and an interruption of such a course as otherwise might be taken to further and advance such a Title as your Highness hath to succeed to her Majesty to the Crown of England if she should depart without issue of her Body Then he useth some unfit perswasions and menaces threat'ning that some in England were going about with practices to set forward their pretended right to her Majesties prejudice which she by her discreet behaviour and conformity to his Mistresses pleasure might prevent by moving her thereby not only to proceed in the inquisition after your Majesties right and with her power to further the same but also to hinder that which appears to be to the contrary And now if your Majesty would know what kind of marriage would best content her and her Realm such a one as would breed no jealousie nor trouble betwixt your Majesties and your Countries as did the the marriage with the French King But rather it is to be wished that there might be found out some Nobleman of great birth in England who might be agreeable to you with whom her Majesty would more readily and more easily declare that she inclines that failing of Children of her own Body you might succeed to her Crown otherwise I do plainly tell you that my Soveraign can promise nothing in that matter tending to your satisfaction These were Mr. Randolph's first instructions and propositions unto the Queen concerning her marriage with the Arch-duke Charles But he had a secret Commission to my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun to propose my Lord Robert Dudley and he desired me also to set forward his marriage with the Queen as meetest of all other By this kind of procedure it was apparent that the Queen of England did not relish this proposal of marriage of the Arch-duke Charles to our Queen She gave a farther and more clear demonstration thereof a little after by sending the Earl of Sussex to the Emperour's Court as well to congratulate his Coronation as indirectly to draw on the marriage of the Arch-duke Charles with her self And she was put in hope that it would take effect Yet this design was not so secretly managed but our Queen was thereof advertised by some of her friends in England And from hence arose inward griefs and grudges between the two Queens which within a little time bursted forth occasion thereof being given by the Queen of England For in a familiar Letter to our Queen she appeared therein to give her as formerly a friendly advice which our Queen thought but double dealing remembring as well her late disswading answer from the marriage of the Arch-duke Charles as her late practises in the Emperours Court The Queen of England's Letter was written at the desire of some of the House of Hamiltoun For after that Mr. Randolph had spoken as is above mentioned against the marriage of the Queen with the Arch-duke Charles and had alledged that some Noblemen in England would be fitter matches for her he proceeded so far with my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun as to say What would you think of my Lord Robert Dudly for your Queen But finding small account to be made of him he advertised the Queen his Mistress thereof Whereupon liberty was granted to Matthew Earl of Lennox who dwelt then in England to go to Scotland as desirous to see the Queen and take course in some of his own affairs Now his Eldest Son my Lord Darnly was a lusty young Prince and apparently was one of the two that the Queen of England had told me she had in her head to offer unto our Queen as born within the Realm of England But to return unto the Letter written by the Queen of England unto our Queen she would appear therein to be very careful for the Queen her Sisters quiet Estate and Government desiring her to take heed that in shewing pleasure to the Earl of Lennox she did not displease the House of Hamiltoun seeing thereby trouble and strife might arise in her Country Sundry other such purposes she had which at some time would not have been taken in ill part but now all advices given by the Queen of England were misconstructed partly because of her being instrumental in hindring the marriage with Prince Charles and partly because David Rixio lately admitted to be her French Secretary was not very skilful in inditing French Letters which she did write over again with her own hand The answer then that our Queen did write unto the said Letter declared some suspicions and anger to have been taken and these she manifested in some harsh expressions which were constructed by the Queen of England as a violation of their former familiarity and Sisterly correspondence which had been ever kept up since the Queens return out of France Whereupon ensued so great a coldness that they left of for a considerable time from writing each to other as they had formerly done weekly by Post. So that the Queen resolved to send me to England to renew their outward friendship for in their hearts from that time forth there was nothing but jealousies and suspicions The Queen my Mistress thought that if their discord continued it would cut off all correspondence between her and her friends in England and that Queen had no inclination for War but by all means possible desired to shun trouble or any occasion of expences the King of Spain and she being already entered into controversie For he judged her a foinenter of the troubles in Flanders and the Low Countries and not without reason For she thought her self abandoned by the King of Spain at the late Peace made at Cambray and her chief Councellers thought it convenient for the interest of England that Factions should be nourished in France Flanders Scotland and Spain At my home-coming to Scotland I found the Queen's Majesty at St Johnstoun in the Year of God 1564 the fifth day of May. I was very favourably received by the Queens Majesty and presented unto her Letters from the Emperour Maximilian the Elector Palatine the Duke of Lorrain and Cardinal of Lorrain and Duke of Aumale all in my favours After that I had at length informed her that I found Maximilian was against the marriage of his Brother Charles she likewise understanding the Queen of Englands part therein as is above specified she altogether laid aside any further thoughts of the marriage with the Arch-duke Charles And whereas she had once resolved to have sent me to Germany she takes another resolution intending that I should be sent to England Though I was not yet resolved in setling my self
in Scotland seeing small probability of advantage and greater appearance of troubles and disorders then I could ever imagine to find at my home-coming And I was somewhat loath to lose the occasion and offers of great preserment that had been made to me in France and other parts But I found the Queen my Sovereign so urgent and of her self well inclined and indued with so many Princely vertues that I could not find in my heart to leave her requiring so earnestly my help and assistance to draw the hearts of her Subjects to her which were alienated upon account of difference in Religion I knew she stood in need to gain friends and that it was much her interest to keep correspondence with the Queen of England so that I resolved rather to serve her my native Queen for little profit then any other Prince in Europe for great advantage I found her naturally more liberal then her Revenues allowed her For she not only setled upon me in pensions one thousand Marks yearly out of her Revenues in France but she also offered me the heritage of her Lands in Aghtermughtie which I refused to accept alledging I could better want it then she Though another hearing of so liberal an offer a little after sought and obtained it Thus I was ingaged to resolve to wait upon her commands and to lay aside all hope of any other preserment in France and other Countries albeit for the time I had no heritage but my service So within a few weeks I was dispatched to England with these following Instructions out of the Queens own mouth to deal with the Queen of England with the Spanish Ambassadour and with my Lady Margaret Douglass and with sundry friends she had in England of different opinions The general Instructions were written with the Secretary Lidingtoun's own hand subscribed by her Majesty as follows Instructions to our familiar Servitor James Melvil presently directed to our dearest Sister the Queen of England Given at Edinbrugh the 28 th of September 1564. IN the first after that you have presented our Letters and our commendations in most hearty manner you shall declare unto our good Sister That having been upon my progress towards the Northmost parts of our Realm this two months during which time we have had neither Letter nor other Advertisement from our good Sister Therefore for continuation of the mutual Intelligence betwixt us by all good Offices of amity we resolved to direct you towards her to visit her on our behalf to inform her of our health and good estate that at your return you may be able to report the like of her unto us she being the person in the World to whom next our self we wish most good luck and prosperity Item That by Letters of my Lord Robert to Lidingtoun as also of her Secretary to Our Brother Murray and to Lidingtoun We have perceived that Our said good Sister finds some fault with Our Letters written to her in answer of hers in the Earl of Lennox's matter as if We had taken her motion therein in evil part We are most sorry that Our Letters have been so interpreted for of a truth We had no other meaning of her in that matter then that her Advertisement came from a friendly mind and was both worthy of thanks and to be answered with the like good will as We believe We did in Our Letter albeit We remember not presently the very words or substance thereof For We use not to reserve any Copy of Our familiar Letters written with Our own hand whereof We now repent because of that Letter For if We had any Copy thereof We might now clear Our selves of that doubt viz. What words therein could give her ground of offence Therefore you shall pray her in Our Name to let you see in that Letter what words they are which have offended her that you thereupon declaring my meaning may put her out of any such suspicion It is true at the receipt of the Letter We were somewhat offended and judged We had good cause seeing it appeared that Our Nobility were grieved with Our License granted to the Earl of Lennox that his coming was like to disturb the peace and quiet of Our Realm Our Brother and Lidingtoun shew unto Us that they perceived by their Secretaries Letters that they were also thought partakers in this matter and that they mistaking also his coming desired the stay thereof to be procured by these undecent means Though they protested the contrary unto Us and indeed We have better proof of their fidelity toward Us then that We can suspect any such double dealing from their hands they being so far obliged to Us and so much intrusted by us We thought Our selves little indebted to that person whosoever he was that made such report of Our Subjects that they would make known their grievances to any other then Our selves These and the like considerations moved Us to great choller which probably might have occasioned Us to write the more freely and that We were not curious to cover Our passions writing to her with whom We esteemed Our Selves so familiar that We had ground to believe she would take all in good part that proceeded from Us especially what was no ways designed for her offence Therefore you shall pray her to put away all such opinions if she hath conceived any and if there be any word in Our Letter having two senses so that any one may be misconstrued and so give to her occasion of offence intreat that she will rather interpret the same to the gentlest signification and not take it in the worst sense And then I doubt not but the whole Letter shall appear to her as it was by Us conceived and directed that is from one dear friend to another We have further hereupon imparted Our mind to you by mouth which you may enlarge as occasion requires You may desire her to give you an answer conform to the substance of Lidingtoun's Letters written to my Lord Robert and Mr. Cicil. Especially concerning the drawing on another meeting of Men of credit fully instructed with both Our minds and to deal so plainly and frankly as all suspicion may have an end You must also inform your self diligently concerning the proceedings and intentions of this present Parliament of all such as can give you any knowledg therein for what cause it is called what is to be treated in it how longit will fit Endeavour to inform your self if any thing touching Us will be therein handled You may say to that Queen as out of your own head that your Mistress expects that she will suffer nothing to be treated therein that may directly or indirectly tend to Our prejudice We not being by her forewarned thereof She knows that as well Our self as our Ministers whom We have at any time directed to these parts have ever depended upon her only advice and followed the same in all points And seeing the special matter
moved in the beginning of the last Parliament was the establishing of the Succession and that it 〈◊〉 probable that the Subjects would yet be earnest to be at a certainty in that point And if she omits so good an occasion of doing something for Us whereby the World may understand that she useth Us and esteems Us as her next Cousin and only Sister the World will think that her amity is not so great as We take it to be And such as envy our familiarity and would have it broken will hence take occasion to speak that our friendship is rather in words then deeds Mary R. Being arrived at London I lodged near the Court which was at Westminster My Host immediately gave advertisment of my coming and that same night her Majesty sent Mr. Hatton afterward Governour of the Isle of Wight in her name to welcome me and to shew me that the next morning she would give me Audience in her Garden at eight of the Clock She had been advertised by the Earl of Bedford Governour of Berwick that I was upon the way That same night I was visited by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton one of my old and dearest friends by long acquaintance First during his banishment in France in the Reign of Queen Mary and afterward while he was Ambassadour in France for this Queen where I was for the time Pensioner to King Henry the Second and Servant to the Constable This Sir Nicholas was my dear friend and had procured a Pension for me from his Mistress to help to entertain me on my Travels when I had willingly banished my self the Court of France so long as there were Civil Wars between France and Scotland He was a devout friend to the Queen my Mistress and to her Right and Title to the Succession to the Crown of England From him I had full information of affairs and friendly advice how to proceed with the Queen and every Courtier in particular For he was a special instrument of helping my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun to pack up the first friendship betwixt the two Queens and betwixt the Earl of Murray and Lord Robert and between the two Secretaries Albeit he had no great kindness either for my Lord Robert or Secretary Cicil yet he knew that nothing could be done without them Among other counsels he gave me advice to use great familiarity with the Ambassadour of Spain in case I found the Queen his Mistress hard to be dealt with alledging that it would be a great Spur to move the Queen of England to give our Queen greater and more speedy contentment in her desire then yet she had done The next morning Mr. Hatton and Mr. Randolph late Agent for the Queen of England in Scotland came to my Lodging to convoy me to her Majesty who was as they said already in the Garden With them came a Servant of my Lord Robert's with a Horse and Footmantle of Velvet laced with Gold for me to ride upon Which Servant with the said Horse waited upon me all the time that I remained there I found her Majesty walking in an Alley And after I had kissed her hand and presented my Letter of Credence I told her Majesty in French the effect of my Commission as near to the foresaid Instructions as I could and sometimes being interrupted by her demands I answered as I judged most pertinent The reason why I spoke French was that being but lately come home I could not speak my own Language so promptly as was requisite Her first demand was concerning the Letter that the Queen had written to her with such despiteful Language that she thence conjectured all friendship and familiarity to have been given up Which had made her resolve never to write any more but another as despiteful which she took out of her pocket to give me to read she having had it ready written to shew it me She told me she had hitherto delayed to send it because she thought it too gentle till she had written another more vehement for answer to the Queens angry Bill For my part I appeared to find such hard interpretation to be made upon the Queen's loving and frank dealing very strange I told her Majesty that my Mistress could not call to mind what words they were which had given her such offence Whereupon she brought forth the Queens Letter giving it me to read Which when I had perused I said I could find therein no offensive word when I considered the familiarity had formerly been betwixt them Alledging that albeit her Majesty could speak as good French as any who had not been out of the Country that yet she was out of use of the French Court Language which was frank and short and had frequently two significations which familiar friends took always in the best part Intreating her Majesty to tear the angry Letter which she thought to have sent in answer And in revenge of the Queens I protested that I should never let her Majesty know that her true plain meaning had been so misconstructed Having tossed some words upon this matter she being desirous of an honest colour or pretext she appeared the more readyily satisfied in that point For the fear she had that friendship and correspondence should altogether break off our Queen being the first seeker to renew and continue the same by sending me thither thereby evidencing that she did not stand upon Ceremonies with her Eldest Sister in my presence then she did rent her angry Letter with promise of such friendly and frank dealing in times coming as all her good Sister's dealings and proceedings should be interpreted to the best Thus the old friendship being renewed she inquired if the Queen had sent any answer to the proposition of marriage made to her by Mr. Randolph I answered as I had been instructed That my Mistress thought little or nothing thereof but expected the meeting of some Commissioners upon the Borders with my Lord of Murray and the Secretary Lidingtoun to confer and treat upon all such matters of greatest importance as should be judged to concern the quiet of both the Countries and satisfaction of both their Majesties minds For seeing your Majesty cannot so soon find the opportunity of meeting betwixt your selves so much desired which in it self is not so expedient until all other jealousies be first removed and all former doubts cleared by your most trusty and familiar Councellors the Quen my Mistress as I have said is minded to send for her part my Lord of Murray and the Secretary Lidingtoun and expects that your Majesty will send my Lord of Bedford and my Lord Robert Dudley She answered It appeared that I made but small account of my Lord Robert seeing that I named the Earl of Bedford before him but said that e're long she would make him a far greater Earl and that I should see it done before my returning home For she esteemed him as her Brother and best friend whom she would
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
time and indigent of mony thought he would be very fortunate if again he could obtain the Dukes friendship and pardon so he was brought easily and secretly unto the Duke by Sir Nicholas At which time he granted his offence excusing himself the best he could by the craft and importunity of some of his Company The Duke helped him to frame his excuse alledging That he knew how his gentle nature was abused by the craft and concurrence of some of the Council of England who had joined with some about him That if he would for the future keep touch and be secret they should take a course with all those who had drawn on that draught The Regent promised as far as could be devised so that a greater friendship was packed up between them then ever The Duke had before told him That he was resolved to marry the Queen our Mistress and that he should never permit her to come to Scotland nor yet that he should ever Rebell against the Queen of England during her time Also that he had a Daughter who would be meeter for the King then any other for many Reasons Now the Duke took in hand to cause the Queen his Mistress to give unto my Lord Regent Two thousand pound sterling for the which Sum he became Cautioner and was afterward compelled to pay it After that the Regent had got this mony and had taken his leave of the Queen he was advised by such as had great credit about him to tell the Queen all things that had past again betwixt the Duke and him And to do it the more covertly it was devised That the Queen of England should send for him pretending to give him some admonition about some order to be observed upon the Border This being done and all things discovered to the Queen with a promise so soon as he came to Scotland and had received any Letters from the Duke by Cyphers or otherwise he should send them to England by an Express In the mean time the Duke wrote unto our Queen advertising her again of the new friendship between him and the Regent who was become very penitent and had been formerly deceived by craftier men then himself desiring her to let him pass by without any harm done to him or any in his company by the way At that time the Duke commanded over all the North parts of England where the Queen our Mistress was kept and so might have taken her out when he pleased And when he was angry at the Regent he had appointed the Earl of Westmerland to lye in his way and cut off himself and so many of his company as were most bent upon the Queens Accusation But after the last agreement the Duke sent and discharged the said Earl from doing us any harm yet upon our return the Earl came in our way with a great Company of Horse to signifie to us that we were at his mercy After the Regents safe return to Scotland Mr. John Wood his Secretary peocured upon the first occasion to be sent to England with all the Letters that had been sent from the Duke of Norfolk which could tend to undo him He desired Mr. Henry Balneavs to cause the Regent to give him the Bishoprick of Murray void for the time though he pretended it was neither for ambition nor covetousness of the Rents but that he might have an honourable Style to set out the better his Ambassage The said Mr. Henry being indeed such a man as Mr. John would appeared to have been was very angry and never liked him ester that my Lord Lindsay vented himself That he was one of the number who gave the Regent counsel so to do alledging that such promises as were made to the Duke of Norfolk for fear of life ought not to be kept A little after that Mr. John was come back to Scotland well rewarded for his pains the Duke was sent for by the Queen to come to Court Whereupon first he posted in haste to Secretary Cicil to demand his counsel for he reposed much upon him they being joined in one course The other made answer That there was no danger he might come and go at his pleasure no man would or durst offend him Which made the Duke ride up quietly only with his own train whereas otherwise he would have been well accompanied In the mean time Secretary Cicil informed the Queen That the necessity of the time obliged her not to omit this occasion but to take the matter stoutly upon her self and incontinent command her Guard to lay hands upon the Duke or else no other durst do it which if she did not at this time her Crown would be in peril The Queen following this counsel the Duke was taken and secured when he thought all England was at his Devotion who after long Captivity was Executed ending his Life devoutly in the Reformed Religion Shortly after Mr. John Wood's returning out of England there was a great Convention held at Pearth where the Regent was resolved to accuse Secretary Lidingtoun as being of Councel with the Duke of Norfolk but he had so many friends for the time that they durst not lay hands on him albeit from that hour forth he retired from the Court and remained with the Earl of Athol where the Regent entertained him with friendly Letters And upon a time being at Sterling he wrote for him to come and make a dispatch for England whither being come Captain Crauford was directed to accuse him before the Privy Council of the late King's murther and being accused of so odious a Crime he was committed to Ward Sir James Balfour was also taken out of his own House when he expected no such thing Then my Lord of Doun wrote to the Laird of Grange to be upon his guard for the Regent was resolved to take the Castle of Edenbrugh from him and make the Laird of Drumwhasel Captain thereof Which advertisement he had formerly given to Grange as also of the design to take the Secretary and Sir James Balfour But at the first he would not give credit thereto but now when he did see the Advertisement take effect he began to think that the Regent was strangely missed he would have been satisfied to have wanted the Castle and to have left the Court were it not for the desire he had to save the Lives of Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour having upon his Honour engaged to protect the said Sir James upon his rendring up the Castle to him He knew they were wrongfully pursued only by the Malice and Envy of their Enemies for their Offices Sir James Balfour being taken sent unto the Laird of Grange minding him how he had joyned with the Lords and Regent upon the Trust he reposed on his Fidelity more than on all their Seals and Hand-writings which he had to produce Whereupon the Laird of Grange sent a Gentleman to the Regent but the Regent purged himself and alledged the Councel were
upon him to save him from his particular Enemies For they all had ingaged to him e're they went from Edinbrugh not to kill one man else he would not have left them Wormistoun was also killed against the Regent's will who cryed continually to save him who had done what he could for his preservation The Regent dyed not suddenly but some days after and made a very godly end They who had lost this fair enterprise for want of Granges conduct had enough to do to save themselves and had been all taken had not those in Stirling wanted horses to pursue after them For those who had taken the horses did ride forward with all possible speed leaving their Masters in danger to do for themselves When they were returned back to Edinbrugh they were very unwelcome guests to the Laird of Grange who greatly lamented the Regent's slaughter He said openly If he knew who had done that foul deed or had directed it to be done his own hand should have revenged it And whereas before he used to be meek and gentle he could not now command himself but bursted out in harsh language calling them disorderly Beasts For he knew the Regent was inclined to Peace and was only ignorantly driven on by the Earl of Mortoun and Mr. Randolph's practises to hold the said Parliament to the hinderance of concord and agreement therefore his intention was to bring all the Kings Lords to the Castle of Edenbrugh and to have made an agreement betwixt them and the other faction before they had parted But God in his providence would not permit this for further punishment of our wickedness For the Parliaments held forward and each one of them forefaulted others the Kings Lords came and lay at Lieth and the Queens within the Town and Castle of Edenbrugh Mr. Randolph would have had Mortoun made Regent instead of Lennox but the Lords liked better of the Earl of Marr and chose him For a little time there was hot skirmishing betwixt Lieth and Edinbrugh and extream hatred betwixt the two Factions and great cruelties exercised where they could be Masters of one another And frequently the Marshal of Berwick came to Lieth to assist Mr. Randolph privately tho publickly to find fault with him for his proceedings which my Lord of Marrs friends perceived and himself at last whereupon he began to grow colder in the quarrel and withdrew himself to Stirling advising with his friends what was meetest to be done Alledging that he could see nothing but the wrack of the Country under pretext of owning the King and Queens Authority while neither Kings nor Queens was in any of their minds but only put on by their own partialities of ambition greediness and vengeance England kindling up both the Parties and then laughing them all to scorn After this Conference Captain James Cunningham servant to my Lord of Marr a discreet Gentleman desired a secret meeting with my Brother Sir Robert In the mean time the most part of the Kings Lords went to Stirling where the Regent was living My Lord of Mortoun went to Dalkieth my Lord Lindsay lay in Lieth When the Wars grew colder and notice thereof taken by the Court of England a new Ambassador was hasted to Scotland to wit Mr. Henry Killegrew an old acquaintance of mine For Mr. Randolph was returned home because he had not such Credit with the Earl of Marr as to do service to these he served and had lost the favour of both the Factions For his double dealing was discovered he having no Credit but with the Earl of Mortoun This new Ambassador being Arrived at Lieth upon his way toward Stirling where the Regent remained for the time he sent up to the Castle of Edenbrugh to see if I was there For they had told him in Lieth that I was newly come from Fiffe He desired that I would come and speak with him which I did and convoyed him unto Cramond reasoning together all the way upon such matters as he said he had in Commission chiefly how he might be a good instrument to agree the differences that were between the two Parties albeit I knew there was nothing less in his mind at least in his Commission He said He had the Queen his Mistress commands to deal with both Parties forConcord but that he was most concerned in these of the Castle albeit that outwardly he behooved first to go to the Regent being in civility engaged to give him the prerogative yet in effect he said my friends in the Castle were these to them he was chiefly directed that they should be preferred both by his first salutation by me to them and by two familiar Letters the one from my Lord of Leicester to the Laird of Grange and the other from Secretary Cicil to Secretary Lidingtoun desiring me to intreat them to follow the good counsel given therein by the said Lords who loved them intirely for their vertue and old acquaintance Hewi led me to tell them that after he had declared his Commission to the Regent he would come back again to them and at length declare his Commission to them from Her Majesty It appeared to me that he had intelligence how that Mr. Randolph's double dealing had been discovered therefore he seemed to find fault with him in many things though in general he excused him as far as he could until I adjured him upon the long and great familiarity that had been betwixt us to deal plainlier with me I told him he might serve his Mistress truly enough without casting me and my friends upon a wrong side which might be afterwards our ruin who deserved better at his hands then to put us in such dangers as if we were untoward dishonest or uncounsellable as Mr. Randolph had done forgetting the fraternity of Religion so well grounded among us during his banishment in France for Religion There he was compelled to confess to me that his Commission and his mind went not one way and that he was imployed against his will tho as a Servant he durst not disobey his Princess he said he would give me his loving counsel and warning very freely He said that the Council of England neither built their course here upon the late Regent nor yet upon this but intirely upon the Earl of Mortoun as well of their own Plot laid down long since as by the Information of Mr. Randolph who hath confirmed them in that Opinion so that they will not alter for no contrary persuasion Willing my friends and me to joyn our course and band with the Earl of Mortoun or else to expect no friendship from the Court of England but hurt and ruin so far as they might For albeit he was not Regent they knew that he had a great Faction in the Country which they were resolved what they could to encrease so that whoever was Regent he should get little or nothing done without his consent In this I thought he dealt plainly my friends of the Castle were
of that same Judgment yet they could not find in their heart to joyn with him albeit he sought their friendship offering to hold up the Queens Authority for they thought his course unsure for the King and setling of the Estate he being too much addicted to England After that this Ambassador had been with the Regent in Stirling and was come back again to Edinbrugh he told the rest of his Commission to them of the Castle to whom he used himself but like an Ambassador as he was directed He said that he found them more reasonable then the Regents Party Then he went to Dalkieth to meet with the Earl of Mortoun and thereafter returned to Edinbrugh to wait all fit occasions and informations how to proceed conform to the tenor of his instructions He had Commandment to stay in Scotland for a time to see if he could obtain as much Credit as to serve their turn who sent him And because I was of his greatest acquaintance he came with me to my house in Halhil and stayed a few dayes there to refresh his Spirits and after that I convoyed him back again to Edinbrugh he shewed me some Articles of his instructions one of the which was Item If the Captain of the Castle will condescend that all the differences now in question among the Scots be referred to be decided before us and our Councel as the rest of the Kings Lords have granted already we shall be his good friend maintain him in his Office and give him an honourable Pension But he plainly refused to comply with this saying he would prejudge his Prince and Country so that this and his other former refusals cost him his life afterwards About this time my Lord Regent sent a Letter to me with all diligence to come to him At my coming he made a heavy moan for the civil troubles that were kindled in the Country by the Craft and Malice of some in England and some in Scotland taking the colour of this or that authority and yet were only moved with their own particularities to the hurt both of King Queen and Country desiring me that I would go unto the Castle of Edinbrugh and shew them as of my own head and not as from him that I understood he perceived albeit too late how that we were all led upon the Ice and that it was the Interest of all true Scotsmen to agree that the State may be setled And says he you may desire them to seek to treat with me thereabout which you may assure them they will obtain if they will seek the same And offer your self to be the instrument to brâ—ng on a good agreement between them and me which shall by Gods Grace take good effect upon your return with their reasonable offers and answer Whereupon I went to Edinbrugh and found them all inclined to peace and quietness with little need of persuasions thereto for they were near a point before with my Lord of Lennox and some former Conference had been betwixt my Brother and Captain Cunningham thereabouts At my return to the Regent he was very glad saying he knew that these honest Gentlemen were ever willing to cease from civil discord seeing the Queen was Captive to whom their owning her authority could do no good but evil but that they had been by crafty practises cast against their wills upon a contrary course Then he inquired upon what conditions the Captain and his friends would agree I said that the Laird of Grange would not sell his Duty to His Prince and Country for advantage but would serve the King and his Country to settle the Estate so long as the Queen was detained in England and if God pleased to grant her liberty they doubted not but she and her Son should agree betwixt themselves to which all honest and good Subjects would consent They for their parts desired no Mans Land nor Goods but only Liberty peaceably to enjoy their own Livings Only Grange desired that the Regent would cause to pay certain Debts contracted for repairing of the Castle and Artillery which conditions the Regent promised to fulfil and to be an assured friend to Grange and those in the Castle And without any other Ceremonies he called the Laird of Tillibardin and after he declared unto him how far we had proceeded he put his hand in mine and did swear the Peace in presence of the said Tillibardin who had also been a good Instrument in the said agreement together with Mr. Clement Little afterwards Provost of Edinbrugh No man was privy thereto but my Lady Mar and Captain James Cuningham After this the Regent went to Edinbrugh to Convene the Lords of Councel to shew them the Calamities that the Civil-Wars produced and to let them see how necessary an agreement would be to the whole Country In the mean time until the appointed Councel-day he went to Dalkieth where he was nobly treated by the Lord of Mortoun shortly after which he took a vehement sickness which caused him to ride suddenly to Stirling where he dyed regrated by many Some of his friends and the vulgar suspected he had gotten wrong at his Banquet The Earl of Mortoun after the decease of the Earl of Marr was made Regent England helping it with all their might so soon as he was chosen he sent for me declaring how that against his mind and inclinations the Lords had burthened him with that troublesome Office whereof seeing he behoved to accept he could wish that he might stand the Country and Common-wealth in some stead First he would desire the help of all good and honest men to draw on Peace and Concord to the quieting the State praying me as one for whom he had ever entertained special favour to travail with my friends of the Castle for that effect and to persuade them to go forward with him as they were minded to do with the Earl of Marr assuring me that none of the former Regents had at any time been more willing then he was presently to put an end to the civil troubles nor that I should remember less the partialities past and that the Regent should not revenge the Earl of Mortoun's quarrels But whoever would serve the King and be his friend he would embrace them upon what faction soever they had formerly been And he was willing to give whatever conditions the Earl of Marr had offered that I should have the Priory of Pittenweem for my pains the Laird of Grange the Bishoprick of St. Andrews and Castle of Blackness and every one within the Castle should be restored to their Lands and Possessions as before It was very hard to bring on this agreement with the Earl of Mortoun for the evil opinion which was conceived of him and the hurtful marks they supposed by proofs and appearances that he would shoot at being by nature covetous and too great with England and ever Jealous that the King would be his ruine concerning which a Lady who was his
their houses that his Majesty sâ—ould not think himself any way deprived of his liberty by them for hey had got some intelligence of his inward grief for his taking and retaining Whereupon his Majesty takes occasion to appoint a Convention to be holden in St. Andrews for some English Affairs after the returning of Mr. John Colvil and Colonel Steward who both had been sent thither and had not agreed well concerning their Commission having brought back again different answers To the which Convention his Majesty by Missives invited some of the Nobility but he called none of the Lords thereto who had lately left him supposing that perceiving themselves so far slighted they would not come unwritten for and that way he thought he might slip himself out of their hands and retain about him such Lords as he had written for to wit The Earls of Arguile Huntly Montrose Crauford Rothess and the Earl of March who was an indweller in St. Andrews for the time and the Earl of Gaury of whom he judged himself assured though for some respects he would not imploy him till afterwards lest the rest of his associates should alledge that he had left them unhandsomly For the said Earl had repented him that he had suffered himself to be drawn in by Drumwhasel to join with the rest after that he had received sure information that the Duke of Lennox had not laid for his slaughter as was alledged Therefore he repented his folly and offered at all occasions to help to set him at liberty So his Majesty thinking himself assured of all these Noblemen the day appointed for the Convention drawing near it pleased him to send Colonel Stuart to my house shewing me that his Majesty having somewhat to do of great concernment he had directed him unto me as to one of his most faithful Servants of whose fidelity and foresight he had formerly had sufficient proof by the true warning I had made him before the alteration As a sworn Gentleman of his Chamber he desired that I would help him to his liberty which he was determined to attain at his being at St. Andrews whither he was resolved to go shortly to a Convention to which he desired my assistance and advice his Majesty being minded as he said to follow my counsel so long as he lived willing me not to refuse any service that his Majesty would demand of me at meeting This Commission was to me very unpleasant for I had taken my leave of the Court as being wearied with the many alterations I had seen both at home and in forreign Courts having got great trouble and damage to my self for other mens causes Therefore I had determined to be no more concerned in publick affairs but to lead a quiet contemplative life the rest of my days This desire of my Prince and Master was like to put me from this resolution In this perplexity I had recourse by humble prayer to God so to direct my actings as they might tend to his glory and to the weal of my Prince and Country And thereafter according to my dutiful obedience I went unto his Majesty When I came to him at Falkland he told me of his resolution lamenting his hard state and mishandling by his own Subjects and what displeasure he had taken and that he was thought but a Beast by all neighbour Princes for suffering so many indignities I again discoursed unto his Majesty about the common estate of all Countries during their Prince's minority the Nobility striving for state and for the chief handling whereby to advance themselves and their friends As did the House of Guise during the young age of King Francis the Second The Prince of Conde during the Reign of King Charles the Second of France and also the King of Navarr Likewise the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland during the youth of King Edward the sixth of England And as well in the Queen his Mothers time as in his own time some aiming to advance their own affairs some to defend and maintain their own Estate engaged in divers enterprises and strifes none of the parties bearing any evil will to his Majesty but every one being in love with him and desiring to be nearest to his person And albeit some of them be oft-times transported either by ambition greediness or vengeance to out-shoot themselves and forget their duty yet Princes who are wise and come to perfect age have ever found it their interest to pardon and oversee all such faults as have been committed at such times by too great a number of Subjects Now when Charles the Ninth agreed with the Prince of Conde all his former offences were reckoned for good Service And as your Majesty hath done in agreeing with so many of your Nobility as were in fear that the Duke of Lennox and Earl of ArraÅ„ would wrong both them and the Country as they did alledge Now Sir if your Majesty shall slip from them they will think their Estate in greater danger then ever not from your self but from some of their unfriends who may fall in again about you And albeit they be presently absent they have both a guard and some of their friends presently about your Majesty and so they will not fail to keep the Convention and be as soon at St. Andrews as the other Lords whom your Majesty hath invited by Letters For it stands them upon their lives and fortunes to be still chief about your Majesty Therefore saving your Majesties own pleasure I judge you presently in a far better and safer condition then you will be by abandoning them in case you get it not well effected wherein there will be found greater difficulty then your Majesty hath yet deeply considered as the importance of the case requires All their dissuasions had no force to stay his Majesty from his former deliberation as having taken up a great displeasure and a Princely courage either to liberate himself fully or dye in the attempt But for to follow the example of other wise Princes as he had begun himself to allow for good service the enterpise called the Read of Ruthven so he resolved that being at liberty he would make a general act of Oblivion for all by-gone faults and errours committed by his Nobility and Subjects during his minority and from that time forth to be as a Father to the Country and a just and equal Prince to all his Subjects that no Man's Life no Man's Land Goods nor Office should be taken from them That as the fittest and most effectual way for setling Peace in the Country he would give satisfaction to the Church in their desires That he would keep about his Person the most vertuous and discreet of his Nobility and Gentry who could be found His Majesty ingaged also to me to be secret constant and counselable For the better management then of his Majstey's design it was thought expedient that he should be in St. Andrews some few days before the Convention
to Hamiltoun p. 90. After the loss of the Battle of Langside she quite loseth her courage never thinks her self secure till she arrives in England p. 92. Is kept Prisoner in the North parts here p. 99. Endeavours to get her self declared second person of England p. 152. but it proves ineffectual ibid. Receives warning of her death from the Council the night before p. 172. Her carriage and deportment thereupon ibid. Takes her death patiently and dies couragiously p. 173. Receives divers strokes with the Ax through the Executioner's cruelty ibid. Master of Glams is Treasurer of Scotland p. 198. Designes to get the Office from Sir Robert Melvil and manage the Treasury solely ibid. Master of Gray is in great favour with the King of Scots and why p. 158. His Character ibid. Is sent Ambassadour to England and returns with great Credit and Approbation notwithstanding he is misrepresented by the Earl of Arran whom he begins by degrees to Eclipse ibid. Acquaints his Majesty that Mr. Wotton a Man of great Parts is upon his journy from the Queen of England and upon what account p. 158 159. Procures the Earl of Arran's liberty p. 166. Is rewarded for it with the Abby of Dumfarmling ibid. At which the English Ambassadour is enraged but afterward reconciled to him ibid. He retires to Dunkel p. 168. Is sent for again to Court p. 169. And in as great favour as ever ibid. Is deprived of his Benefice of Dumfarmling p. 175. And discharged from the Court ibid. Maurice Duke God-son to the Landgrave of Hesse p. 11. perswades his God-father to come to the Emperor who retains him Captive ibid. Is Cousin to the Duke of Saxony and obtains the Electorate as a gift from the Emperor p. 12. Sollicits the Emperor for the liberty of his God-father but in vain ibid. Lays Siege to Magdeburgh being the Emperor's Lieutenant ibid. A subtile man ibid. Surpriseth the Emperor at Isburgh compels him to fly so clearly out of Dutchland that he never set foot in it again p. 13. Yet he and the Emperor is after reconciled and lay Siege to the Town of Metz tho to no purpose ibid. Maximilian King of the Romans by his Politick carriage between Protestant and Catholick obtains the Empire p. 33. Is skill'd in several Languages p. 34. Proves an enemy to the Match with his Brother Charles the Arch-Duke of Austria and the Queen of Scots though seemingly a friend p. 35. Melvil Sir Andrew one of the undertakers to keep the Castle of Edinburgh p. 120. Is Master of the Houshold to Queen Elizabeth p. 173. After Master of the Houshold to King James p. 180. Marries Jane Kennedy who had been a long time in England with Queen Mary ibid. Melvil Sir James the Author and Brother to Sir Andrew Melvil is sent by the Queen-Mother with the Bishop of Valence to be Page of Honour to her Daughter there Married to the Dauphin p. 8. The kindness of Odocart's Daughter to him promising him Marriage p. 9. His pleasant Discovery of the Two Scots-mens Deceit to whose care he was committed in their Iourney to Paris p. 10. Is design'd to be promoted by the Bishop but prevented and by what means p. 14. Is entertain'd in the Service of the Constable of France by the consent of the Bishop of Valence p. 15. Is Commissionated by the French King and afterward by the Constable to go into Scotland and the purport of his Commission p. 25 and 26. Endeavours to be inform'd of the Prior of St. Andrews intentions who declares his mind to him at large p. 27. In his return to France meets with an English Mathematician and the Discourse between them p. 27 and 28. Gets licence of the Queen of France to Travel the reason thereof he takes his leave p. 29. Is recommended to the Elector Palatine by the Constable his Master and entertain'd as one of his Servants ibid. And is thereupon sent by the Elector to Condole the death of Francis the 2d French King ibid. Receives great Favour from the King of Navarre and Queen Regent dispatching him back with thanks and a gift p. 30. Returns visits the Queen of Scotland Mary in her return home at Janvile with a comfortable Letter from Duke Casimire p. 31. Receives thanks from the Queen for it with favourable offers when return'd from Travel ibid. Is desired by the Duke and his Father to go into England about a Match with that Queen and the Duke but refuseth p. 32. And why ibid. Receives a Letter from Scotland to inquire about the Arch-Duke of Austria p. 33. Is sent for by Maximilian and goes with a Letter from the Elector to him p. 34. The passages between them ibid. Finds the proposition of a Match with the Arch-Duke would prove ineffectual and therefore presseth for a dispatch which at length he obtains p. 35. Receives a Letter from Maximilian to the Queen of Scots ibid. Is sent by the Prince Elector to the Queen-Mother of France with an Answer and Picture to her Propositions of a Match between her Son Charles the 9th and Maximian's eldest Daughter p. 36. Is introduced into her Presence by the Constable ibid. Is profer'd very large offers of Preferment by the Queen Mother if he would reside there p. 38. Receives Letters from Queen Mary to return home ibid. Parts with a Commission to the Queen of England p. 39. Presents the Pictures of Casimire and his Relations to the Queen ibid. Which she returns next day p. 40. Refusing to accept of them ibid. Writes back to his Father and himself a disswasive from that Marriage and receives thanks ibid. Returns into Scotland and presents the Queen with Letters from Forraign Princes p. 43. Receives great proffers from the Queen but refuseth them and upon what ground ibid. Is sent with instructions to Queen Elizabeth and her Friends to procure a Reconciliation ibid. The instructions at large p. the 44th and 45th Being Arrived at London he next morning receives his Answer from the Queen p. 46. Perswades her Majesty to tear the angry Letter she intended to send to Queen Mary in answer to hers p. 47. Which she did ibid. The private Conference between the Queen of England and Melvil being a Character of the Two Queens full of diversion p. 47 48 and 49. Takes his leave and returns to Scotland with many Presents p. 52. Acquaints his Queen with Queen Elizabeth's Answer ibid. After the Queens Marriage begs leave to Travel which she refuseth p. 58. Upon her promises stayes and adviseth her p. 59. Officiates as her Secretary Lidington being absent upon some suspicion p. 67. Rides Post to London to give an account to the Queen of the Birth of a Son in Scotland p. 69. Has a satisfactory Audience p. 70. Shews a Letter to her Majesty from Tho. Bishop against her Marriage with Bothwel and is forced to fly for it p. 79. But returns Bothwel's rage being allayed ibid. Is afterward taken Prisoner when Bothwel seized
travel I did at length At first the Colonel swore a great Oath That if his Majesty suffered that villain to remain at Court he would yet again undo all For a little time he kept himself quiet but there was no appearance of his home-going Sometimes he would reprove my gentle kind of procedure in his Majesties affairs and could not endure to see them handled by a number He insinuated to his Majesty That he would find it a troublsome business to be incumbred with many contrary opinions He desired him to recreate himself at hunting and he would attend the Council and report again at his Majesties return all our Opinions and Conclusions This he observed two or three times and so in a very short space changed the former order laid down to have been followed So that he gave accompt of no Man's advice but his own yet he made his Majesty believe that it was all our Opinions that it was his interest to follow a violent course And though the same was directly against his Majesties first Deliberation Intention and proclamation of Clemency yet he caused to make contrary Proclamations against those of the Road of Ruthven ordaining them all to take remissions for that which before was allowed for good Service moving divers Noblemen and others to withdraw from the Court for fear to some place of Security When he caused to be read before the Council his new invented Proclamation I down-right opposed my self to it saying That I knew it was directly against his Majesties mind and promise Whereupon he leapt out of the Council-house in a rage and said I would wrack the King by my manner of doings I answered either you or I my Lord with other sharp pricking language so that for that time it was stayed Afterward he waited a meet occasion to get it past having procured a flattering Faction to assist him in expectation to be made sharers of the spoil he hoped to make a part whereof he had promised them to gain their Votes to his desire And so all things were turned up-side down a great number of Noblemen and others being put thereby in fear of their Lives and Estates And when any of us who were desirous of his Majesties quiet and prosperous estate would acquaint his Majesty with the danger of these proceedings of the Earl he would be very sorry saying The Earl made him believe that he did nothing but by common consent of the Council And when his Majesty understood the contrary he was very earnest and willing to amend the disorder but was still Circumvented by the said Earl and such as for fear flattery or expectation of profit advanced all his designs About this time there came a sharp Letter from the Queen of England unto his Majesty who thought the Noblemen who were aimed at and were absent from Court fittest instruments to be about his Majesty And for entertaining of Amity and Concord betwixt their Majesties and Kingdoms she was not content to see them so hardly handled The Copy of which Letter I have here inserted AMong your many studies my dear Brother and Cousin I wish Isocrates's noble Lesson were not forgotten that wills the Emperour his Sovereign to make his Words of more accompt then other men do their Oaths as meetest Ensigns to shew the truest Badge of a Prince's Arms. It moveth me much to moan you when I behold how diversly sundry wicked Spirits abstract your mind and bend your course to crooked Paths and evil illusions wrapt under the Cloak of your best good How can it be that you can suppose an honourable and satisfactory answer can be made unto me when all your actings gainsay your former Vows You deal with one whose experience will not take dross for good payment and with one who will not be easily beguiled No no! I mind to send to School your craftiest Councellors I am sorry to find you bent to wrong your self in thinking to enjure others Yea those who if they had taken the opportunity in their hands they might have done you more prejudice then a thousand such mens lives be worth who perswade you to avow such deeds as to oblige the best deserving of your Subjects to demand a faultless Pardon Why do you forget what you wrote to my self with your own hand shewing how dangerous a course the Duke was entred in though you seemed to excuse him as if he had intended no evil therein and yet you would not make them guilty who delivered you therefrom I hope you more esteem your honour then to give it such a stain since you have so oft protested that you was resolved to notice these Lords as your most affectionate Subjects in the full perswasion that all they had done was by them intended for your advantage To conclude I beseech you proceed no further in this course till you receive an express Messenger a trusty Servant of mine by whom I intend to deal as an affectionate Sister with you as one from whom you may see you shall receive honour and contentment with more surety to your Self and State then by following the pernicious Councels of these crafty dissembling Councellours as knows the Lord to whose safe keeping I do commit you Your most Assured and Faithfullest Sister and Cousin ELIZABETH Unto this Letter his Majesty commanded me in his name to write an answer that he might write it over again with his own hand For the Secretary for the time was in suspicion to have been upon the contrary course The answer was as followeth MADAM I Have received a Letter of yours containing in the entry that sentence of Isocrates which willeth Princes Words to be more intirely observed then other Mens Oaths as though some sinister report were made unto you of some forgetfulness in me or that you fear that in time coming I fail in keeping such promises unto my friends as may be made upon just and convenient occasions For answer unto that head I remember another saying of Isocrates where he would not have them repute friends who allow or praise whatsoever we say or do but rather such who modestly reprove our faults So that I take your sharp admonition at this time as proceeding from a Sisterly love albeit upon wrong information hoping that so soon as you shall truly understand of my hard handling and patient behaviour you shall be so well satisfied as to deem me to have done nothing but that which you would have done your self in the like condition First When I was detained Captive under a fair pretext it pleased you to send your Ambassadours like as did the King of France friendly to visit me offering me great kindness and help in case I needed any for the time for which I do yet render your Majesty hearty thanks Which offer I did not think fit to embrace alledging that I was well content and had good friends about me which was very true For one part of these same Lords who were