flie for 't ibid. Bothwel Adam Bishop of Orkny p. 84. Bothwel Earl is sent by the Queen to clear the Borders of Thieves upon the departure of those that attended the Prince's Baptism p. 77. He and Earl Huntly attempt the slaughter of the Earl of Murray but were prevented ibid. Is suspected of some enterprise against the King p. 78. The Earl of Orkny tells him it would cost him his life if he stayed at Edinburgh ibid. Lays a Train of Powder and blows up the King's Lodgings ibid. Upon a rumour of his murthering the King he calls an Assize of Lords and is acquitted ibid. He with a great company seizeth the Queen p. 80. A number of Noblemen meet at Edinburgh and declare it is the Queen's interest to marry him which he did having at that time the Lord Huntly's Sister to Wife ibid. Intends to kill Secretary Lidington in the Queen's Chamber which had been effected had not the Queen interposed being married he was very earnest to get the young Prince into his hands ibid. Flies from Edinburgh and takes the Queen with him wherever he goes p. 82. Convenes a great number of his Friends against the Lords resolving to fight them ibid. Challengeth to fight any one that would maintain he murthered the King but refuseth the Lord Grange and Tallibardine because but Barons p. 83. Then the Lord Lindsay offered the Combat but he coldly declin'd it ibid. Flies to the Castle of Dunbar and from thence to Sheatland p. 84. Is pursued by two Ships of the Lord Grange's and he saved himself in a little Boat p. 85. Flies to Denmark is kept there close Prisoner and dies mad and miserable ibid. Bothwel and others endeavour to take the King and keep him p. 175. but fail in their Enterprise ibid. Labour with the-King to send Sir John Seatoun to Spain ibid. Bothwel Francis accused of a design against his Majesty Wards himself in the Castle of Edinburgh p. 194. Desiring to be Tried for the same ibid. Escapes over the Castle-wall and retires to Caithnesse p. 195. Is sent for by some Male-contents who design'd to take the King and kill the Chancellour p. 196. With whom he joyn'd and headed them ibid. He with others enters into the King's Palace by night ibid. Their proceedings therein p. 197. Steals away quietly but kills John Shaw Master Stabler to his Majesty and his Brother ibid. He and his Party makes a second attempt on his Majesty in Falkland p. 202. but finding resistance he and his Company fled ibid. Bowes Mr. Ambassadour Resident at Edinburgh from Queen Elizabeth p. 142. Attends upon Walsingham when he first received Audience p. 147. A long time Resident in Scotland p. 150. Informs the English of the Bishop of St. Andrews Qualities when he was sent Ambassadour to Queen Elizabeth ibid. Broderade Monsieur and Monsieur Fulke sent Ambassadours to Scotland from the States of Holland and arrives there upon the birth of the Prince p. 203. Buchanan Master to King James p. 125. His Character ibid. Buccleugh Laird Wise True Stout and Modest p. 113. Burleigh Lord see Cecil C CAiro Mr. Queen Elizabeths Cousin P. 141. Calis promised to be restored to England after the loss of St. Quintins p. 22 and 23. Caraffe Cardinal sent Legat to France from the Pope p. 19. The ground of his Embassy ibid. Is strangled by Pope Pius the 4th p. 20. And why ibid. Cardanus an Italian Magician Cures the Bishop of St. Andrews of his Distemper p. 14. Caprintoun Laird the Earl of Arran's Uncle is sent by his Majesty to reprove the Earl p. 155. Carmichael James Minist of Hadingtoun writes the History of those Tricks the Devil play'd in Scotland p. 195. And the whole deposition of the Witnesses upon the account of the Earl of Bothwel ibid. Carmichael Laird laments to the Author the ingratitude of the Regent of Scotland Mortoun p. 124. Follows the Authors Counsel and becomes a great Courtier p. 125. But proves afterwards ingrateful to the Author who promoted him ibid. Is made Captain of the Guards to King James p. 199. Boasts that he would kill Sir Robert Melvil ibid. Casimire Duke Second Son to the Elector Palatine is about the Contracting a Marriage with the Duke of Lorrain's Eldest Sister p. 31. But prov'd ineffectual ibid. The reason thereof p. 32. Finding no probability of a Match with Queen Elizabeth he Marries the Elector of Saxonies Eldest Daughter p. 40. Cavatius the Learned Mathematical Tutor of the Bishop of Valence is imprisoned by the French King p. 13. The reason why ibid. Cecil Secretary promiseth rewards to Ruxby by Letter but it was discovered to the Queen p. 69. Pretends to be her friend is the first person that whispered to her the News of the Birth of the Prince ibid. Informes the Queen that the Duke of Norfolk was come to Court and that she should seize him which was done accordingly p. 99 and 100. Created afterward Lord Burleigh and causeth Dallison to be sent Agent into Scotland p. 157. Is discontented that Walsingham was too precise and would not confer with the Earl of Arran ibid. Charles the 9th of France succeeds Francis the Second p. 29. Chattellerault imprisoned in Edinbrugh Castle p. 101. Set at liberty through the mediation of the Lord Grange Clergy of Scotland use their utmost endeavours to prevent the interview of Henry the 8 and his Nephew King James the 5th of Scotland p. 2. Clark Alexander Povost of Edingbrugh p. 129. Cockburne Sir Richard Secretary to King James p. 198 Colvil John and Colonel Steward are sent to the Convention at St. Andrews and return p. 133. Disagree in their Commission ibid. Colvil and others imprisoned p. 137. Constable of France entertains the Author with design to promote him p. 15. Is sent with 16000 Men to keep the Spaniard from entring upon the Frontiers of France p. 20. His Discourse and Passion with an Enthusiast who Fore-told his Mis-fortune ibid. His Noble and Resolute Answer to the Master of his Horse who advised him to fly p. 21. He being overthrown by a Party of Spaniards and his Men all slain desired to be kill'd but was shot in the Thigh and taken Prisoner p. 22. Is Commanded by Francis the Second King of France to retire p. 28. Yet still offers to retain the Author in his Service which he accepts ibid. Is sent for to Court but delays coming and in the mean time the French King dies and then he Posts to Court like the Constable of France Commanding all the Guards p. 29. The Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother are Commanded out of Town and the Constable is kindly received by the Queen-Mother p. 29 and 30. A Convention is appointed for ordering his Majesties Affairs after his return from Denmark p. 184. But few of the Nobility appear there being slighted at the Queens Coronation as they supposed ibid. Reformation is designed by this Convention but nothing performed ibid. Condingknows Laird is made Captain of
the Convention ibid. Retires discontented to the Castles of Edinburgh and Sterling p. 155. His unworthy Carriage with many other particulars ibid. Seizeth on Gaury's Lands and divideth them among several others upon condition they would assist him in the ruin of the said Gaury p. 156. Confers with the Earl of Hunsdon on the Borders and Plots with him secretly p. 158. Grants all that is desired at the Conference with the Earl of Hunsdon to procure Queen Elizabeth's friendship p. 161. Is not courted by the Danish Ambassadors p. 163. Whereupon he becomes their Enemy ibid. Is in disfavour at Court p. 166. Imprisoned in St. Andrews Castle ibid. Sends his Brother to the Master of Gray promising a reward to procure his liberty p. 166. Which he soon did ibid. Is ordered to retire to his House ibid. Obtains liberty to return to Court p. 168. Flies p. 169. Comes again to Court p. 200. Is shortly after kill'd by James Douglas ibid. Stuart Sir William is Captain of Dumbartoun p. 129. Sussex Earl is sent from England to Berwick p. 104. Enters the Merse with his Forces and takes the Castle of Hume and 〈◊〉 p. 106. Is sent to Scotland upon the Birth of Prince Henry from Queen Elizabeth p. 203. T TAggot a Scientifical Man who prognosticated the year of his own Death by Palmestry p. 13. And dies at Geneva accordingly p. 14. Throgmorton Sir Nicholas Ambassador from England to France complains to the King and Council of the Queen of Scotland's new Usurped Style and Arms p. 23. But without success ibid. Acquaints Queen Elizabeth with it p. 29. Is sent Ambassador to Scotland to disswade Queen Mary from the Marriage with Darnly p. 56. Owns when return'd the promises he had made to those who would stop those proceedings without fear of Queen or Council p. 60. And comes off well ibid. Is incensed that he was an instrument to deceive the Banished Lords therefore adviseth them to beg their Queens Pardon and penn's a perswasive Letter to her Majesty of Scotland p. 60 61 62 and 63. A man of a deep reach and great prudence studying the Union of both Kingdoms p. 98. Reconcileth the Duke and the Regent ibid. Tulke Monsieur see Broderode U VIllamonte a French Gentleman sent to Mary Queen of Scotland to shew no favour to the Protestant Banished Lords p. 63. A De vice of Cardinal Lorrains larely return'd from the Council of Trent ibid. W WAchop Patriarch of Ireland p. 9. Went several times to Rome by Post tho blind ibid. Walsingham Sir Francis is sent to Scotland p. 147. His Character ibid. Is conveyed by the Author to St. Johnstoun ibid. Refuseth to discourse with any person about his Embassy but his Majesty p. 148. Is much troubled at the Earl of Arran's Court favour ibid. Returns to England and dies ibid. William Bishop of Ely and Dr. Wotton sent Commissioners for Queen Mary in the Treaty of Peace at Cambray between France and Spain p. 22. Wood John Secretary to Murray the Regent of Scotland p. 95. Is desired to press forward the Accusation of the Queen of Scotland p. 96. Produceth the Accusation of Queen Mary upon the desire of Cecil who delivered it upon conditions p. 96 and 97. Which was snatcht from him by the bishop of Orkny who gave it in to the Council p. 97. Procures all the Letters sent from the Duke of Norfolk to his Master which might tend to his ruin p. 99. Is well rewarded for his pains ibid. Worcester Earl is sent Ambassador from England to congratulate both their Majesties of Scotland p. 182. Norminstoun kill'd at the seisure of the Lords at Sterling p. 114. Witches taken in Lauthian who depose against the Earl Bothwel p. 194. They discourse with the Devil his form and shape described and are burnt ibid. Wotton Mr. sent by Queen Elizabeth to King James as Ambassador p 158. His parts and qualifications p. 159. His carriage in France when very young p. 159 160 and 161. Brothers Son to Dr. Wotton Ambassador from England to Spain p. 161. Fifty years old when he came into Scotland ibid. Becomes one of his Majesties Favourites tho he did more prejudice to his Majesty as to his affairs then any Englishman that arrived there before him ibid. Is sent thither to use all his wiles to disturb the two Kings namely of Denmark and Scotland and their Countries p. 161 and 162. Visits the Danish Ambassadors making large profers to lend them Gold and Silver p. 162. But secretly incenseth them with the Kings mean Opinion of their Master ibid. Acquaints them that King James designed to affront them with delays p. 163. Notwithstanding his double dealing with the King he gains his Majesties Ear p. 164. Makes a complaint to the King of the killing of Sir Francis Russel on the Borders p. 166. Which occasioned the Earl of Arran's Imprisonment ibid. Obtains with the assistance of his Scotch friends the chief management of King James's Affairs p. 167. His designs against the King defeated ibid. Flies to England without taking leave of his Majesty p. 168. Perswades the Noblemen of that Nation who were banished into England to return to their Native Country ibid. His dangerous and circumventing Practices p. 171. Wotton Doctor Ambassador from Mary the Queen of England who was Resident there when she was married to Philip King of Spain p. 159. Y YOung Peter King James's Almoner sent Ambassadour to Denmark p. 167. His Commission ibid. Returns with a friendly Answer p. 171. Being very well contented mith all Transactions there and as well rewarded p. 176. Is sent again to Denmark with the Laird of Barnbarrow in Commission ibid. Returns his Commission being lookt upon by the King of Denmark as insufficient 177. Sent a third time with an Embassy to the Danish King and the Dukes of Mecklenburgh and Brunswick upon the birth of Prince Henry p. 203. Returns with the reward of three fair Chains ibid. Yungland Laird the Author's Brother undertakes the Embassie to the King and Princess of Navarre 177. Is well treated and rewarded ibid. A Scholar and Linguist p. 178. A N Alphabetical Interpretation OF ALL THE Scotish WORDS and PHRASES Contained in this HISTORY A Aback to hold or keep back Accession Condescention Alwise although Anent about concerning as thereanent concerning the same Assize a Suit or Trial. Ay still or ever B Banded joyned together combining Best as the next best way or course Bond of Alliance a League or Truce Brangled Turmoiled Involv'd in Trouble Burroughs Burghers or Burgesses By-gones all that is past C Caution or Cautioner Bail or Surety Clan a Tribe or Family Compear Appear Comported Patiently bore Patiently Compts Accompts Conform Agreeable or Suitable to Conquer Credit to gain Credit Convoyance Conveyance Counselable one that is or will be Advised D Decourted discharged from the Court. Demission laying down or transferring to another Devilry Devilishness or Devilish Tricks Devotious addicted to very favourable to Ditty Doom or Damage Down-casting pulling down or demolishing Houses Dunting the stunning of Hammers c. E Effectuate effected or done Emit send forth Evangel the Gospel Evite Avoid F Factioners People of a Faction Fashion as done for the fashion that is done as usual and customary Forefault to find guilty in the absence of a person Forth-setting Advancement Promotion Fraudful Fraudulent Deceitful G Gain-stand Withstand H Hand-writ hand-writing Home-going returning home Hostlaries Inns. I Indwellers Inhabitants Insestments Inheritance Estate or Tenure Ingeny Ingenuity or Wit Justice Eyrs Iustice Itinerant L Leave-taking bidding farewel Leesings Lyes or Lying Tricks Liberate free at liberty Logh a watry sloughy place Longsom Tedious M Manyest the major part the most Miscontent Discontent Misconstructed Mis-interpreted Misgave miscarried Missives Letters Mostly for the most part Moyen Means or Course N Noticed Manifested O Octavians Eight Lords appointed to govern Scotland Onwaiter an Attendant Oultmost last or utmost Outgate a Way or Means Out-taking freeing from Prison P Practised dealt or laboured with to be brought over to a Party Perilled Endangered Perturbed disturbed Prejudged Forejudged Procedure Proceedings To Process to Sue Proponed Proposed R Refuse as he caused refuse i. e. he made them deny it Regrated regretted inwardly lamented or grieved for Righteous Heir True Heir S Salutary wholesom healthful healing Skittering skittish sinical silly Signatures written Instruments to be signed Steadable firm that will stand one in stead available Stormsted driven by Tempest into a Port or Harbour To Suit to beg or request T Time-coming for the future or time to come Timously in good or due time Tolerance Toleration Permission V Vengeable Revengeful Volt as a merry volt a merry pleasant countenance Unfriends Enemies Unwonable not to be won or courted to side with a Party Uptaking composing or taking up a business or difference W Ward or Warding Imprisonment Wel of Affairs the Good or Promotion of business While by-gone a long or considerable time since or past Whingar a Scottish Sword commonly called Whinyard Wrongously injuriously or wrongfully A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and to be Sold by Robert Boulter at the Turk's-Head in Corn-hill 1683. Folio BIshop Reynolds's Works Calderwood's History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland from 1560 to 1625. Rushworth's Collections First Vol. His Second Volume Pharmacopoea Londinensis Sturmy's Magazine Curia Politiae Rea's Flora. Quarto Durham on the Revelations Baxter's Saints Rest. Owen of Justification Origen contra Marchionet Charles the Eighth A Play Lesley Historia Scotorum Man of Sin Lightfoot on Lucan Dr. Charleton's Anatom Lectures Flavel's Husbandry Boys's Sermons Pryun's Power of Parliaments Burnet's Thesaurus Behin's Remains Manley of Usury Brown against Quakers Seamans Calendar Mariners Calendar Seamans Practise Norwood's Trigonometria Large Octavo Pool's Nullity Wilson's Scriptures Durham of Scandal Dr. Trapham's Treatise of Jamaica Cloud of Witnesses Rutherford's Examen Sclater of Grace Bayfield De Capitis Danvers of Baptism Flavel's Two Treatises His Preparation for Sufferings Small Octavo Wars of Hungary History of Jewels Moral Gallantry Flavel's Saint Indeed Token for Mourners Roma Restituta Curious Distillatory History of Japan and Siam Looking-Glass for Children Hugh's Disputations Religio Stoici Petton on the Covenant Queens Wells Moreland of Interest Miltoni Logica Grey of Faith Sydenham's Works Rushworth's Solomons Remembrance Gale's Idea Binning's Miscellanies Kirkwood's Grammatica Norwood's Epitomy Gellibrand's Epitomy FINIS
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
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
and great bruits of an alteration Whereupon a Letter was written to me by Colonel Stuart at His Majesty's Command ordaining me with all diligence to repair to Court or in case I was not recovered of my Ague whereof I had been long sick that I might write my Mind and Opinion to His Majesty in a Letter what was like to fall out concerning the great Rumour and Bruits of an apparent alteration And being by reason of my foresaid Distemper unable for Travel I sent my return in Writing shewing His Majesty that there was an universal miscontent with great bruits not without appearance of probability of a sudden change occasioned by the misbehaviour of such as were managers at Court and by the great straits and desperate Estate of those who were pursued being men of Quality Active and Experienced And a greater number then could be born down or mastered as I had frequently shewn His Majesty before without respect of feud or favour but simply for His Majesty's Service Intreating His Majesty again to set forward his former acceptable intentions which he had resolved to do when he went to St. Andrews Seeing there was no other course advisable for setling his troubled Estate This kind of language was the better liked because of so many Advertisments that came daily to His Majesty's Ears These bruits made His Majesty be upon his Guard and to use means to get intelligence The lingring of the Earl of Gaury in Dundie gave ground of suspicion His Majesty had also been advertised That he had laid aside his intentions of going abroad according to his former resolutions and that he was designing to wait upon the in-coming of the banished Lords His Majesty also dreamed a Dream that he saw the Earl of Gaury taken and brought in Prisoner before him by Colonel Stuart And he thought his Estate was thereby settled which indeed for that time came true because the Lords who had taken Sterling so soon as they understood of the taking of the Earl of Gaury fled incontinently out of Sterling and at last out of the Country Believing that the said Earl had been taken willingly supposing his affection to have been so great to His Majesty as being his near kinsman come of the House of Angus his Mother being a Natural Daughter of the said House that he would be thereby induced to discover the whole design He not having been upon the first design of any enterprise but drawn in afterwards by the craftiness of others Upon these considerations His Majesty had compassion upon him and had no intentions of taking his Life But the Earl of Arran was fully resolved to have his Lands and therefore to make a Party to assist him in that design he ingaged to divide them with several others upon condition that they would assist him in the design of ruining him Which afterwards he did having by this means procured their Consent and Votes At his death upon the Scaffold he shewed himself a devout Christian and a resolute Roman much regrated by all who heard his grave Harangue and did see his constant End After his death there was quietness for a while though without appearance of long continuance to such as took up matters right During this little while of fair Weather there was a Parliament held to forfault the banished Lords wherein these were chiefly instrumental who hoped to raise their particular Fortunes upon the ruine of their Neighbours Among others it pleased His Majesty to write for me I was by him graciously received and remembring some of my Speeches he took me into his Cabinet and inquired how I now relished his proceedings I answered That he had reason to thank God and no good management and that I was assured there would be yet more enterprises That they who took Sterling and had retired again would never cease to make enterprise upon enterprise till they might see themselves in a better security His Majesty replied That they had gained so little by their last in-coming that he believed they would never commit such a folly again I answered That had not the accidental taking of the Earl of Gaury fallen out their enterprise would have been more successful For they suspected he was taken by his own desire to bewray their enterprise That otherwise they had gained their intent seeing some who were then about His Majesty would have concurred with them to lay aside the Earl of Arran whom they assisted for aw and not for love they hating his insolency and seeing no Outgate how to stand by him And that there had for that effect been secret promises made to them by instruments who went betwixt them But seeing the Earl of Gaury in hands and the said Lords thereby so discouraged as to fly away such as had made the said secret promises took up a new deliberation shewing themselves their greatest Enemies While in the mean time they but waited an opportunity of advancing their intentions About this time the Lord Burleigh chief Ruler in England caused send in one Mr. Davison to be an Agent here to see what business he could brew who was afterward made Secretary For after the decease of Walsingham Secretary Cicil being advanced to be Lord Burleigh and great Treasurer of England two Secretaries were chosen one called Mr. Smith and this Davison whose Predecessor was a Scotsman Upon which consideration he was thought more able to conquer credit here He had been in Scotland before and was at my house in company with Sir Henry Killegrew my old friend when he was Resident in Scotland At which time he acknowledged to me that he was come of Scotsmen and was a Scotsman in his heart and a favourer of the King 's Right and Title to the Crown of England He desired me to keep all secret from Mr. Killegrew promising if he could find the means to be employed here that he would do good Offices His Majesty was for the time at Falkland and wrote for me to be directed to ride and meet the said Davison Whom I was commanded to Convoy to Coupar there to remain till his Majesty had time to give him Audience Afterward I Convoyed him to my own house and from that to Falkland where His Majesty found his Commission to small avail But because Walsingham had refused at his being here to speak with the Earl of Arran albeit the said Earl had offered by me to give satisfaction to him in all his desires so that he would confer with him Which Walsingham still refused but Mr. Davison was directed at this time to deal with the Earl of Arran to see what advantage might be had at his hand For my Lord Burleigh was not content that Walsingham was so precise therefore Davison entred into familiarity with him and was made his Gossip and heard his frank offers and liked well of them For after that the Lords were fled to England and forfaulted the Council of England thought they had some ground to build
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
Ears which may serve for little Parenthesises to Historiographers who had not the occasion of being so well therewith acquainted Our Queen then Dowager of France retired her self by little and little further and further from the Court of France that it might not appear that she was any way compelled thereto as of a truth she was by the Queen Mother's rigorous dealing who alledged that she had been despised by her Daughter-in-law during the short Reign of King Francis the Second her Husband at the resignation of the House of Guise Monsieur de Martignes Monsieur Dosel Labrosse the Bishop of Amience and such other French-men as were lately carried out of Scotland in the English Ships resorted to our Queen and declared unto her the whole progress of affairs and the state of the Kingdom These as well as the rest of her friends advised her to return to Scotland encouraging her with the hopes of succeeding to the Crown of England rather then to endure the Queen Mother's disdain in France Desiring her as most conducing for her interest to serve the time to accommodate her self discreetly and gently to her own Subjects to be most familiar with my Lord James Prior of St. Andrews her natural Brother and with the Earl of Argile who had married Lady Jane Stuart her natural Sister and to use the Secretary Lidingtoun and the Laird of Grange most tenderly in all their affairs and in summ to repose most upon those of the Reformed Religion Thus those who were a little before cruelly persecuted are now to be esteemed for chiefest and truest friends Thus can God by his Divine Providence ranverse the finest practises and pretences of mighty Rulers and Potentates and turn all to the best to such as serve him with a sincere heart As on the other hand God abhorreth such Subjects as hypocritically under pretext of Religion take occasion to rebel against their native Princes for ambition greediness or any other Worldly respect The Prior of St. Andrews being advertised of the Queen his Soveraign's deliberation to return to Scotland and to use his and his friends advice He goeth himself to France requesting her Majesty to return to her own promising to serve her faithfully to the outmost of his power And returns again to Scotland to prepare the hearts of her Subjects against her home-coming After this her Majesty went to Janvile the Duke of Guise his dwelling place about the marches of Lorrain and at length went to visit the Duke of Lorrain at Nancy where I chanced to come shortly after in company of the Duke Casimir second Son to the Elector Palâ—â—ine But the Queen was already parted from the Court of Lorrain toward Janvile whither I took occasion to go to tender to her Majesty the offer of my most humble and dutiful service And the said Duke Casimir understanding that I was to ride thither did write a very kind Letter to her Majesty comforting her the best he could offering his service in case any in France should wrong or injure her and that he would bring to her aid upon her Letter Ten Thousand Men. Her Majesty was much refreshed with this friendly offer and she was pleased to give me thanks for the demonstrations I had given of being intirely devoted to her interest shewing me she had been made acquainted therewith while I was at the Court of France She desired me earnestly when I resolved to retire out of Germany to come home and serve her Majesty with very friendly and favourable offers So I returned back to the Duke Casimir who was about contracting a Marriage with the Duke of Lorrain's eldest Sister Which took not effect because the old Dutchess her Mother who was King Christierns Daughter of Denmark begotten upon the Emperour Charles his Sister who also lost the Kingdom of Denmark pretending to make it Hereditable whereas it was Elective The said King Christiernus was kept in Prison till his death This Dutchess his Daughter alledged that the Kingdom of Norway appertained unto her as Heir unto her Father and that the said Kingdom was Hereditary unto her Father albeit Denmark was not and intended then to marry her eldest Daughter unto Frederick King of Denmark and to give over with her said Daughter the Kingdom of Norway But the said Dutchess offered unto Duke Casimir her second Daughter which he refused and dealt with his Father to send me unto England to propose Marriage for him unto the Queen of England But I refused to undertake that Commission having ground to conjecture that she would never marry upon the reflection I made upon that story one of the Gentlemen of her Chamber had told me seeing she knowing her self unable for succession I supposed she would never render her self subject to any Man The said Duke was very much displeased at me because I refused About this time the Cardinal of Lorrain being at Trent took occasion to visit the old Emperour Ferdinand at Isbrack his dwelling place not far from Trent And there the said Cardinal proposed two marriages first the King of France Charles the Ninth to the eldest Daughter of Maximilian Son to Ferdinand lately chosen King of the Romans and co-adjutor to the Empire Then he proposed the Queen of Scotland Dowager of France to Charles Arch-duke of Austria brother to the said Maximilian The Queen was by this time returned to Scotland and apparently had been advertised by the said Cardinal that he had proposed the said marriage and it seems she had relished the Overture Her Majesty returning was gladly welcomed by the whole Subjects For at first following the counsel of her friends she behaved her self humanely to them all committing the chief handling of her affairs unto her Brother the Prior of St. Andrews whom afterward she made Earl of Murray and to the Secretary Lidingtoun as meetest both to hold the Countrey at her devotion and also to beget a strict friendship betwen her Majesty and the Queen of England For my Lord Murray had great credit with my Lord Robert Dudly who was afterward made Earl of Leicester And the Secretary Lidingtoun had great credit with the Secretary Cecil So that these four made a strict and sisterly friendship between the two Queens and their Countries So that there appeared outwardly no more difference but that the Queen of England was the Eldest Sister and the Queen of Scotland the Younger whom the Queen of England promised to declare second person according to her good behaviour So that Letters and correspondence past weekly betwixt them and at first there appeared nothing more desired by either of them then that they might see one another by a meeting at a convenient place whereby they might also declare their hearty and loving minds each to other For our Queen was so nettled with the hard usage she had met with from the Queen Mother of France who had likewise hardly used all her friends of the House of Guise that she was the more
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
moved in the beginning of the last Parliament was the establishing of the Succession and that it 〈◊〉 probable that the Subjects would yet be earnest to be at a certainty in that point And if she omits so good an occasion of doing something for Us whereby the World may understand that she useth Us and esteems Us as her next Cousin and only Sister the World will think that her amity is not so great as We take it to be And such as envy our familiarity and would have it broken will hence take occasion to speak that our friendship is rather in words then deeds Mary R. Being arrived at London I lodged near the Court which was at Westminster My Host immediately gave advertisment of my coming and that same night her Majesty sent Mr. Hatton afterward Governour of the Isle of Wight in her name to welcome me and to shew me that the next morning she would give me Audience in her Garden at eight of the Clock She had been advertised by the Earl of Bedford Governour of Berwick that I was upon the way That same night I was visited by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton one of my old and dearest friends by long acquaintance First during his banishment in France in the Reign of Queen Mary and afterward while he was Ambassadour in France for this Queen where I was for the time Pensioner to King Henry the Second and Servant to the Constable This Sir Nicholas was my dear friend and had procured a Pension for me from his Mistress to help to entertain me on my Travels when I had willingly banished my self the Court of France so long as there were Civil Wars between France and Scotland He was a devout friend to the Queen my Mistress and to her Right and Title to the Succession to the Crown of England From him I had full information of affairs and friendly advice how to proceed with the Queen and every Courtier in particular For he was a special instrument of helping my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun to pack up the first friendship betwixt the two Queens and betwixt the Earl of Murray and Lord Robert and between the two Secretaries Albeit he had no great kindness either for my Lord Robert or Secretary Cicil yet he knew that nothing could be done without them Among other counsels he gave me advice to use great familiarity with the Ambassadour of Spain in case I found the Queen his Mistress hard to be dealt with alledging that it would be a great Spur to move the Queen of England to give our Queen greater and more speedy contentment in her desire then yet she had done The next morning Mr. Hatton and Mr. Randolph late Agent for the Queen of England in Scotland came to my Lodging to convoy me to her Majesty who was as they said already in the Garden With them came a Servant of my Lord Robert's with a Horse and Footmantle of Velvet laced with Gold for me to ride upon Which Servant with the said Horse waited upon me all the time that I remained there I found her Majesty walking in an Alley And after I had kissed her hand and presented my Letter of Credence I told her Majesty in French the effect of my Commission as near to the foresaid Instructions as I could and sometimes being interrupted by her demands I answered as I judged most pertinent The reason why I spoke French was that being but lately come home I could not speak my own Language so promptly as was requisite Her first demand was concerning the Letter that the Queen had written to her with such despiteful Language that she thence conjectured all friendship and familiarity to have been given up Which had made her resolve never to write any more but another as despiteful which she took out of her pocket to give me to read she having had it ready written to shew it me She told me she had hitherto delayed to send it because she thought it too gentle till she had written another more vehement for answer to the Queens angry Bill For my part I appeared to find such hard interpretation to be made upon the Queen's loving and frank dealing very strange I told her Majesty that my Mistress could not call to mind what words they were which had given her such offence Whereupon she brought forth the Queens Letter giving it me to read Which when I had perused I said I could find therein no offensive word when I considered the familiarity had formerly been betwixt them Alledging that albeit her Majesty could speak as good French as any who had not been out of the Country that yet she was out of use of the French Court Language which was frank and short and had frequently two significations which familiar friends took always in the best part Intreating her Majesty to tear the angry Letter which she thought to have sent in answer And in revenge of the Queens I protested that I should never let her Majesty know that her true plain meaning had been so misconstructed Having tossed some words upon this matter she being desirous of an honest colour or pretext she appeared the more readyily satisfied in that point For the fear she had that friendship and correspondence should altogether break off our Queen being the first seeker to renew and continue the same by sending me thither thereby evidencing that she did not stand upon Ceremonies with her Eldest Sister in my presence then she did rent her angry Letter with promise of such friendly and frank dealing in times coming as all her good Sister's dealings and proceedings should be interpreted to the best Thus the old friendship being renewed she inquired if the Queen had sent any answer to the proposition of marriage made to her by Mr. Randolph I answered as I had been instructed That my Mistress thought little or nothing thereof but expected the meeting of some Commissioners upon the Borders with my Lord of Murray and the Secretary Lidingtoun to confer and treat upon all such matters of greatest importance as should be judged to concern the quiet of both the Countries and satisfaction of both their Majesties minds For seeing your Majesty cannot so soon find the opportunity of meeting betwixt your selves so much desired which in it self is not so expedient until all other jealousies be first removed and all former doubts cleared by your most trusty and familiar Councellors the Quen my Mistress as I have said is minded to send for her part my Lord of Murray and the Secretary Lidingtoun and expects that your Majesty will send my Lord of Bedford and my Lord Robert Dudley She answered It appeared that I made but small account of my Lord Robert seeing that I named the Earl of Bedford before him but said that e're long she would make him a far greater Earl and that I should see it done before my returning home For she esteemed him as her Brother and best friend whom she would
have appeared desirous of that marriage I should have offended both the Queens and lost their favour He intreated me to excuse him at her Majesties hands and to beg in his Name that she would not impute that matter to him but to the malice of his Enemies Being landed at London our Dinner was prepared by the Earl of Pembroke who being great Master yet humbled himself so far as to serve the said Table as Master of the Houshold himself He was a devout friend to my Queens Title of succeeding to the Crown of England After Dinner I took leave of the French Ambassadour and the Spanish having received divers advertisements from them My Lord of Leicester beside what he had spoke to me did write to my Lord of Murray to excuse him at the Queens hands The day appointed I received my dispatch from Secretary Cicil together with a Letter of Credit and a more ample Declaration of the Queens mind touching the same answers she had made me her self He gave me also a Letter to Secretary Lidingtoun For as is abovesaid Secretary Cicil and Leicester my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun ruled both Queens and as yet kept good correspondence together When I took my leave Secretary Cicil conveyed me through the Close to the outer Gate of the Palace where he himself put a fair Chain about my Neck My Lady Lennox and Sir Nicholas Throgmorten sent many good advices to the Queen to be followed according as occasion offered My Lady Lennox sent also Tokens to the Queen a Ring with a fair Diamond she sent an Emerauld to my Lord her Husband who was yet in Scotland a Diamond to my Lord of Murray a Watch set with Diamonds and Rubies to the Secretary Lidingtoun a Ring with a Ruby to my Brother Sir Robert For she was still in good hope that her Son my Lord Darnly would come better speed concerning the marriage of our Queen then the Earl of Leicester She was a very wise and discreet Matron and had many favourers in England for the time At my return I found the Queens Majesty still at Edinbrugh To whom I declared at large my manner of proceeding with the Queen of England and gave her Majesty her answers to the special heads of my instructions in writing Her Majesty answered to the first that whereas the Queen thought the time very long since she received either word or writ from her whereby she might understand of her good estate and had sent me thither to visit her in her behalf that she thought the time as long albeit she had conceived some displeasure concerning the angry Letter Which was the greater in respect it appeared that she disdained the offer of the best good she had to give to wit the Man whom she esteemed as her Brother And whereas she had sent me to visit her she was more satisfied with my coming then she would have been with any other being formerly of her acquaintance with whom she could the more familiarly declare her inward mind to the Queen my Mistress seeing she could not meet with her self so soon as she desired As I might declare how familiarly she had conferred with me acquainting me with all her inward griefs and desires and how well she was satisfied and how willing to continue all good offices of amity and that she would for that effect send shortly down to the Border Commissioners who were named by her self to meet with my Lord of Murray and Lidingtoun As for the Parliament it was yet in doubt whether it held or not If it held the Queen should get no hurt in her Right neither directly nor indirectly but she should be forewarned in due time Then I shewed her Majesty at length of all other purposes that fell out occasionally betwixt that Queen and me together with the opinions and advertisements of divers of her friends in England as well Catholicks as Protestants I gave her at the desire of the Spanish Ambassadour the intimation of his Kings good will toward her Her Majesty was very glad that matters were brought again to this pass between her and the Queen of England having thereby occasion of getting intelligence from a great number of Noblemen and others her friends in England For she was also afraid that the blame of the discord would have been laid upon her if it had continued After that her Majesty had at great length understood all my management and proceedings in England she inquired whether I thought that Queen meant truly toward her inwardly in her heart as she appeared to do outwardly in her speech I answered freely that in my judgment there was neither plain dealing nor upright meaning but great dissimulation emulation and fear lest her Princely qualities should over soon chace her from the Kingdom as having already hindered her marriage with the Arch-duke Charles of Austria It appeared likewise to me by her offering unto her with great appearing earnestness my Lord of Leicester whom I knew at that time she could not want Shortly after my Lord of Murray and Bedford met near Berwick to treat concerning the marriage with Leicester with slenderer offers and less effectual dealing then was expected But the said Earl of Leicester had written such discreet and wise Letters unto my Lord of Murray for his excuses that the Queen appeared to have so good liking to him as the Queen of England began to suspect that the said marriage might take effect Her apprehensions of this occasioned the Lord Darnly his getting more readily license to come to Scotland in hope that he being a handsome lusty youth should rather prevail being present then Leicester who was absent Which license was procured by the means of the Secretary Cicil not that he was minded that any of the marriages should take effect but with such shifts to hold the Queen unmarried so long as he could For he perswaded himself that my Lord Darnly durst not proceed in the marriage without consent of the Queen of England first obtained to the said marriage his Land lying in England and his Mother remaining there So that he thought it lay in the Queen his Mistress her own hand to let that marriage go forward or to stay the same at her pleasure And in case my Lord Darnly should disobey the Queen of Englands command to return upon her call he intended to cause for fault him whereby he should lose all his Lands Rights and Titles that he had in England The Queens Majesty as I have said before after her returning out of France to Scotland behaved her self so Princely honourably and discreetly that her reputation spread it self in all Countries She was determined and of her self inclined to continue so unto the end of her life desiring to entertain none in her company but such as were of the best conversation abhorring all vice and vicious persons In this her resolution she desired me to assist her by affording her my good counsel what way was
only guided by his Mother whom she had no good cause to like well of But Rixio was thought also not to think fit to offend so many Catholick Princes confederated and especially the Pope with whom he had secret intelligence Hereby the Queen was again induced to hold the Parliament to forfault the banished Lords against her own intention and her former deliberation Now there were a number of Lords at home friends to the Lords who were banished As the Earl of Mortoun the Lord Ruthven the Lord Lindsay and divers other Gentlemen who favoured them only for their Religion some of them were discontent that their friends should be forfaulted others had special reasons inducing them to fear the Sitting of that Parliament Especially the Earl of Mortoun and his dependers feared a revocation that was alledged to be made at the said Parliament to bring back again to the Crown divers great dispositions given out during the Queens minority and some benefices which had been taken by Noblemen at their own hands during the Civil-Wars under pretext of Religion These and such considerations moved them to consult together how to get the Parliament stayed and to make a change at Court The Earl of Mortoun had a crafty head and had a Cousin called George Deuglass the natural Son to the Earl of Angus who was Father to Dame Margaret Douglass Countess of Lennox the King's Mother The said George was continually about the King and by his Mother and Brothers means put in his head such suspicions against Rixio that the King was prevailed with to give his consent to his slaughter This the Lords of Mortoun Lindsay Ruthven and others had devised to become that way Masters of the Court and so to stop the Parliament The King was yet very young and not well acquainted with the nature of this Nation It was supposed also that the Earl of Lennox knew of the said design For he had his Chamber within the Palace and so had the Earl of Athol Bothwel and Huntly who escaped by leaping over a Window toward the little Garden where the Lyons were lodged This vile act was done upon a Saturday at six a-Clock at night when the Queen was at Supper in her Closet A number of Armed Men entered within the Court before the closing of the Gates and took the Keys from the Porter One part of them went up through the Kings Chamber conducted by the Lord Ruthven and George Douglass the rest remained without with drawn Swords in their hands crying A Douglass A Douglass The King was before gone up to the Queen and was leaning upon her Chair when the Lord Ruthven entered with his Helmet upon his Head and George Douglass and divers others with them so rudely and irreverently that the Table Candles Meat and Dishes were overthrown Rixio took the Queen about the waste crying for mercy but George Douglass plucked out the Kings Dagger and stroke Rixio first with it leaving it sticking in him He making great shrieks and cryes was rudely snatcht from the Queen who could not prevail either with threats or intreaties to save him But he was forcibly drawn forth of the Closet and slain in the outer Hall and her Majesty kept as a Captive That same night the Earl of Athol the Laird of Tullibardine and Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour were permitted to retire themselves out of the Palace and were in great fear of their lives The next morning being Sunday I was let forth at the Gate and passing through the outer Close the Queen being looking forth at a Window cryed unto me to help her I drew near and assured her of all the help that lay in my power She desired me with all haste to go to the Provost of Edinbrugh and desire him to convene the Town to relieve her out of these Traytors hands But run fast says she for they will stay you As this word was spoken one Mr. Wisbet Master of the Houshold to the Earl of Lennox was sent with a Company to stay me To whom I gave good words saying that I was only going to Sermon at St. Giles's Church But I went in haste to the Provost and told him my Commission from the Queen He answered That he had another commandment from the King but that he should draw the people to the Tolbooth and see what they would do though he expected no help from their hands because the most part of them were so discontent with the present Government that all desired a change Yet he convened them though in vain Which backwardness of theirs I did intimate to her Majesty by one of her Ladys whom she sent again unto me to tell me that she supposed my Lord of Murray and his associates who were yet banished remaining at Newcastle would be sent for by those who were about her Willing me at his coming to perswade him not to join with those who had so highly affronted her but to hold himself free and be her friend in this strait which doing should be his great advantage and purchase her love and favour for ever Which Commission I did not fail to execute at his coming upon Monday but he was more moved at his meeting with her Majesty who imbraced and kissed him alledging that if he had been at home he would not have suffered her to have been so uncourteously handled Which so much moved him that the Tears run from his eves He knew sufficiently well that it was not for his cause but for their own particular ends that the greatest part who had made that enterprise had therein ingaged which made him the less concerned in them Yet he and his Company resolved to keep the day against which they were summoned to the Parliament In the mean time the King repented himself of his accession to that affair whereupon her Majesty took occasion to perswade him to abandon those Lords who had committed so odious a crime as to hazard her life together with his Child which was in her Belly That nevertheless she was resolved to forgive them and give them what security thereupon they would demand The Lords seeing the King drawn from them and my Lord of Murray not so frank for them as they expected were necessitated to do the next best and consented that a pacification should be penned which was divers times written over to put in and out certain heads and clauses to drive time until the writing might appear plausible Her Majesty caused the King to advise them to discharge the Guard that kept her that so the security might be subscribed she being at liberty Seeing otherwise it would not avail them in Law if there were the least appearance of restraint upon her during the time thereof So upon Tuesday they went all to their rest but the Queen King Traquair and Arthur Areskin Master of the Horse for the time went out of Halirood-House at midnight toward the Castle of Dumbar and left word with one of her
Ladies to me that I should be earnest to keep the Earl of Murray from joining with the other Lords Who the next morning found themselves greatly disappointed being left without any appearance of a pacification In the mean time I used my endeavours very effectually to keep my Lord Murray from joining with the late offenders I ingaged to him that in so doing I should procure a pardon to him and all his followers They on this manner being destitute of all assisters were compelled to flee unto England to Newcastle where in a manner they might find the other Lords nests yet warm A few days before my Lord Duke my Lords of Glencairn and Rothes had obtained their pardons For they were divided during their banishment and her Majesty found it not her interest to have so many Lords against her She had also now again indeavoured to draw the Earl of Murray from the Earl of Mortoun and his accomplices because he had for the time a great friendship and many dependers that she might be the more easily revenged upon that most detestable deed of murthering her Servant in her presence For she being big with Child it appeared to be done to destroy both her and her Child For they might have killed the said Rixio in any other part at any time they pleased My Lord Murray and his dependants desired me to carry their humble thanks unto her Majesty and to signifie unto her how willingly they acquiesced to her Majesties desire and how they had discharged themselves to such as had committed that vile act And that they promised her Majesty never any more to have to do with them or intercede for them I rencountred her Majesty coming from Dumbar to Hadingtoun and was very favourably received with great thanks for my care of her honour and wellfare That night in Hadingtoun she subscribed divers remissions for my Lord Murray and his dependers lamenting unto me the King's folly ungratitude and misbehaviour I excused the same the best I could imputing it to his youth which occasioned him to be easily led away by pernicious Councel laying the blame upon George Duglas and other bad Councellors praying her Majesty for many necessary considerations to remove out of her mind any prejudice against him seeing that she had chosen him her self against the opinion of many of her Subjects But I could perceive nothing from that day forth but great grudges that she entertained in her heart That night in Hadingtoun the King inquired of me if the Lord of Murray had written to him I answered That his Letter to the Queen was written in haste and that he esteemed the Queen and him but one He said he might have also written to me Then he enquired what was become of Mortoun Ruthven and the rest of that Company I told him I believed they were fled but I knew not whither As they have Brewed says he so let them drink It appeared to me that he was troubled he had deserted them finding the Queens favour but cold The next day they came to Edinbrugh and lodged within the Castle where some were apprehended and executed who had been in the Court of the Palace and had kept the Gates that night wherein Rixio was slain Her Majesty was now far gone with Child and went to Sterling intending to lye in there Thither the King followed her and from that to Allway At length she came back to the Castle of Edinbrugh It was thought that she fled from the King's company I travelled earnestly to help matters betwixt them and was therein so importunate that I was thought troublesome So that her Majesty desired my Lord of Murray to reprove me and charge me not to be any more familiar with the King Who went up and down all alone seeing few durst bear him company He was misliked by the Queen and by all such as secretly favoured the late banished Lords So that it was a great pity to see that good young Prince cast off who failed rather for want of good Counsel and Experience then from any bad inclinations It appeared to be fatal to him to like better of flatterers and ill Company then plain speakers and good Men Which hath been the wrack of many Princes who by frequenting good Company would have proved gallant Men. About this time the Queen of England was taken with a great Fever that none believed she could live All that Kingdom was thereby in great perplexity But a strange thing is to be marked that two contrary Factions there had both determined unknown to other to send for our Queen and set the Crown of England upon her head My Brother Sir Robert Melvil was then Ambassadour there resident and I served in place of Secretary here at home because Secretary Lidingtoun was absent under some suspicion He sent home continual advertisements how to proceed and I again returned the answers at her Majesties direction Now began the Earl of Rothvel to be in great favour to the great dissatisfaction of many He and the Earl of Huntly and the Bishop of Rosse envied the favour that the Queen shewed unto the Earl of Murray for they were upon contrary courses The Queen on the other hand knew how generally he was well liked of both in England and Scotland and that she would be the better liked of in both Kingdoms that she shewed favour to him And as she resolved to follow the former advice and information sent her by Sir Nicholas Throgmorton so she forgat not the late help he had made her at his home-coming These two Earls with the foresaid Bishop took occasion when the time of her Majesties delivery drew near to perswade her to imprison my Lord of Murray to remain no longer then she should be delivered alledging that they were assuredly advertised that he and his dependers were resolved to bring in the banished Lords even at the very time of her Child-bearing For they thought if once he were warded they should find devices enough to cause him be kept and disgraced especially when he should be absent and not have opportunity of answering and resisting their Calumnies Whereof her Majesty gave me an accompt desiring me to mind her of their secret designs against Murray without any just cause flowing only from their own hatred who had devised his ruine The Earl of Mortoun was now in a hard condition though many of the Barons of Lauthran were his friends they could be little stedable to him Among the rest the Laird of Elphingstoun my Brother-in-law whose Mother was a Duglas of the House of Whittengem Upon accompt of this friendship the Earl of Mortoun caused to write unto my Sister the Lady Elphingstoun desiring her to perswade me to write in his favours to the Elector Palatine and other Princes of my acquaintance in Germany to suffer him to live in their Country For my Brother by her Majesties direction pressed the Queen of England to put them forth of her Kingdoms And
for fifteen days Therefore she welcomed me with a merry volt and thanked me for the diligence I had used in hasting to give her that welcome intelligence All this she said before I had delivered unto her my Letter of Credence After that she had read it I declared how that the Queen had hasted me towards her Majesty as one whom she knew of all her friends would be most joyful of the glad news of her delivery albeit dear bought with the peril of her life she being so sore handled that she wished she had never been married This I said by the way to give her a little scare from marriage For so my Brother had counselled me because sometimes she boasted to marry the Arch duke Charles of Austria when any Man pressed her to declare a second person Then I requested her Majesty to be a Gossip to the Queen to which she gladly condescended Your Majesty said I will now have a fair occasion to see the Queen whereof I have heard your Majesty so oft desirous Whereat she smiled saying she wished that her estate and affairs might permit her In the mean time she promised to send both honourable Lords and Ladies to supply her room Then I gave her Majesty in my Queen's name most hearty thanks for her friendly visiting and comforting her by Mr. Henry Killegrew She inquired if I had left him in Scotland and what was the cause of his long stay I answered That the Queen took her Chamber shortly after his arrival which was the chief cause of his delay But I had in Commission to tell her Majesty something thereabout to satisfie her mind in the mean time and to thank her Majesty for the putting away of the Scots Rebels out of her Country albeit there were some Reports that they were yet secretly entertained by some of her Subjects though I hardly believed that any of her Subjects durst be so bold or so disobedient She affirmed they were out of her Dominions and if it might be otherwise tryed out it should not pass without rigorous punishment I told her Majesty that upon her desire and Ambassadours complaint the Queen had caused to apprehend Mr. Ruxbie and had ordered him to be delivered to her Majesty whenever she should please to send for him And as concerning Oneel she had no dealing with him nor knew that there had been any Servant of his sent to my Lord Arguile until Mr. Killegrew's coming that she caused to enquire at the said Earl who acknowledged that Oneel had sent one unto him about private purposes betwixt themselves but that she did neither see nor speak with that Man nor had any dealing with any Man in Ireland Her Majesty seemed to be well satisfied with the matters of Ireland and concerning Mr. Ruxbie but she forgot to send for him Before I took my farewell in order to my return I entred with her Majesty concerning the Title For my Lord of Leicester was become my Queens avowed friend and had been twice in hand with the Queen of England a little before my coming desiring her to declare my Mistress next Heir Alledging it would be her greatest security and cried out in anger that Cicil would undo all Likewise the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Pembroke and several others shewed themselves openly her friends after they understood the birth of the Prince So that her Majesty's matters in England were hopeful and therefore I was advised to say unto her Majesty That I was assured she had formerly delayed the declaring the Queen second person only till she might see such Succession of her body as now God had graciously granted intreating her Majesty to embrace that fair offered opportunity of satisfying the minds of many as well in England as in Scotland who desired to see that matter out of doubt And the rather because that the Queen my Mistress would never seek any Place or Right in England but by her Majesties favour and furtherance She answered That the birth of the Prince was a great Spur to cause the most skilful Lawyers in England to use greater diligence in trying out that matter which she esteemed to belong most justly to her good Sister and that she wished from her heart that it should be that way decided I replied That at my last being with her I found her Majesty upon the same tearms but that as I had brought her good news from the Queen I was very desirous to be so happy as to carry home with me unto her Majesty the good tydings of that so long delayed Declaration She answered she was resolved to satisfie the Queen in that matter by those Noblemen she was resolved to send unto Scotland for the Baptism of the Prince All this I perceived to be but shifts and so took my leave because my Brother was to remain there The next day her Majesty sent unto me her Letter with the Present of a fair Chain My Brother gave me the advice of her Majesties friends together with his own instructions how to proceed after my coming home as followeth First That he is in such suspicion for his handling there by the advertisements of Mr. Ruxbie and practises of her Enemies that her Majesty must signifie to Mr. Killegrew that she is minded shortly to call him home else he fears he shall be commanded to return Secondly That her Majesty require the Earl of Leicester and Secretary Cicil to be sent to be her Gossips as fittest instruments to perfect all Articles and good Offices of Amity betwixt them Item That Mr. Killegrew be well treated and rewarded that he may make good report to hold off discord that intelligence may continue and desire him to declare unto the Earl of Leicester and Secretary Cicil that it cannot stand with good friendship to be so long fed with fair words without effect Item That her Majesty cast not off the Earl of Northumberland albeit as a fearful and facile man he delivered her Letter to the Queen of England neither appear to find fault with Sir Henry Pearcie as yet for his dealing with Mr. Ruxbie which he doeth to gain favour at Court being upon a contrary faction to his Brother the Earl Item That Mr. Ruxbie be well kept and sent far North to some secure part that he give no hasty intelligence for he hath already written unto Secretary Cicil by Sir Henry Pearcy his convoyance that he can discover all your practises and secrets Let my Lord Arguile entertain Oneel as of himself the Queen not appearing to know thereof The Secretary Cicil devised strange practises against the meeting which because my Lord of Leicester discovered unto the Queen his Mistress Cicil stirred up the Earl of Sussex to forge a quarrel against him but the Queen took the Earl of Leicester's part and finally agreed them and also Leicester and Ormond Item That her Majesty should write two Letters with Mr. Killegrew to my Brother the one that he might shew unto the
kind of Writings were for that time devised to overthrow and cast down some intelligences which were discovered by Ruxbie and some reports raised by Enemies that my Brother by his practises and perswasions had kindled a great fire and had raised a great faction in England he did not deny but he had dealt with many to win what favour he could to his Mistress but that he had done nothing that could offend the Queen of England and that he had no Commandment to enterprise any thing which could be displeasing to her by this means Ruxbie's intelligence was suppressed and my Brother suffered to stay still in England whereby the Queens friends so increased that many whole Shires were ready to Rebell and their Captains already named by the Election of the Nobility About this time her Majesty was advertised by my Brothers Letters that the Earl of Bedford was upon his journey toward Scotland with an honourable Company As also the Ambassadour of France and Savoy for the Baptism of the Prince which moved her Majesty to pass to Sterling with the Prince for the solemnizing thereof but she was still sad and pensive for the late foul act committed in her presence so irreverently she being their born Queen and thereby in hazard of losing the fruit of her Womb so many great sighs she would give that it was pity to hear her and few there were to endeavour to comfort her Sometime she would declare part of her grief to me which I essayed the best I could to asswage by telling her that I thought the greater multitude of friends that she had got in England should cause her to forget in Scotland the lesser number of Enemies and unruly offenders unworthy of her wrath and that her excellent qualities in Clemency Temperance and Fortitude should not suffer her mind to be possest or supprest with the remembrance of offences but that rather she should bend up her spirit by a Princely and Womanly behaviour whereby she might best gain the hearts of the whole people both here and in England humbly requesting her Majesty first to consult with her God next with her honour and thirdly with her interest in the establishing of her state and in joining the two Kingdoms in a happy Monarchy which she knew to be so near effectuate in her person seeing also the banished estate of the offenders so miserable they not having a hole to hide their head in nor a peny wherewith to buy their Dinner that the most noble natures would think them sufficiently punished that it was a comely thing for a woman to be pitiful and to want vengeance I leave it said I Madam to your own judgment whether presently it be more for your honour and advancement of your interest to cease from any desire or persuit of any further revenge whereupon may ensue more desperate enterprises or to give place unto necessity and reason to rule over the beastly passions of the mind For as Princes are called divine persons so no Prince can pretend to this Title but he who draws near the nature of God by godliness and good Government being slow to vengeance and ready to forgive It is manifestly known that wise Princes entertain no longer feud at their Enemies then they see it may be needful for the weal of their Affairs and State and they change their favour and hatred according to time and occasions Your Majesty may remember that many things might have been better managed I speak this with love and reverence Your Majesty might have been as well obeyed as ever was any King in Scotland if you had taken such Princely care as was requisite You know how that by your Majesties own express Commandment I did shew you long before what inconveniencies were like to fall out upon the grudges I perceived before the slaughter of Rixio and God is my witness I did what lay in my power to have them eschewed and prevented And since that time your Majesty hath repented that my advice was not followed I pray God that the like repentance fall not out again too late At my being in England your adversaries were beginning to vaunt upon vain reports that our Westerly winds had blown East among them so that my Brother and I had enough to do to beat it out of the heads of divers who were devotedly addicted to the advancement of your Title This communing began at the entry of her Supper in her Ear in French when she was casting up great sighs refusing to eat upon any perswasion that my Lord of Murray and Mar could make to her The Supper being ended her Majesty took me by the hand and went down through the Park of Sterling and came up through the Town ever reasoning with me upon their purposes And albeit she took hardly with them at the first she began to alter her mind thinking fit that my Lord of Bedford should intercede for her Rebels they to be banished out of England and Scotland during her pleasure and so to be by time reconciled to them according to their future deportments and for her part she purposed to proceed with such a gracious Government as should win the victory over her self and all her Competitours and Enemies in time-coming which she could have done as well as any Prince in Europe But alas she had bad Company about her for the Earl of Bothwel who had a mark of his own that he shot at as soon as he understood of her wife and merciful deliberations he took occasion to bring in the Earl of Mortoun and his associates thereby to make them his friends and by them to fortifie his faction For apparently he had already in his head the resolution of performing the foul murther of the King which he afterwards put in execution that he might marry the Queen Both which he brought to pass to his own utter wrack and confusion and thereby great trouble and mischief upon the Country and was also at last the Queens wrack and the hinderance of all our hopes in the hasty obtaining of all her desires concerning the Crown of England The Queens Majesty being advertised that the Earl of Bedford was come to Berwick on his Journey to the Baptism sent me well accompanied with diligence to meet him at Coldingham to be his first Convoy and to inform him rightly of all her proceedings and to overthrow all evil brutes invented by the malice of her adversaries For as I have said it was a perverse time and the more that the number of her friends increased in England the more practises her Enemies made and the more lyes were invented against her But the good Earl gave me more credit then he did to any wrong report that was made For he was at this time become one of the surest and most affectionate friends she had in England There came with him Mr. Cary eldest Son to my Lord of Husdean Mr. Hattoun greatest in favour with the Queen of England for
the time and one called Mr. Lignish greatest in favour with the Duke of Norfolk and a good number of Knights and Gentlemen of York-shire with the most part of the Captains of Berwick Her Majesty was sufficiently informed by my Brother's writing to her and me what kind of language and entertainment was most proper for the Earl and each of them When all the rest of the Ambassadours were come they repined to see the English-men more friendly and familiarly used then themselves For then we had more to do with England then with France And the French Earl who was sent was no Courtier but a simple Man And Monsieur de Morat the Duke of Savoy his Ambassadour being far of came after the Baptism During their abode at Sterling there was daily Banqueting Dancing and Triumph And at the principal Banquet there fell out a great grudge among the English-men for a Frenchman called Bastien devised a number of Men formed like Satyrs with long Tails and whips in their hands running before the meat which was brought through the great Hall upon a Machine or Engine marching as appeared alone with Musicians clothed like Maids singing and playing upon all sorts of Instruments But the Satyrs were not content only to make way or room but put their hands behind them to their Tails which they wagged with their hands in such sort as the English-men supposed it had been devised and done in derision of them weakly apprehending that which they should not have appeared to understand for Mr. Hattoun Mr. Lignish and the most part of the Gentlemen desired to Supp before the Queen and great Banquet that they might see the better the Order and Ceremonies of the Triumph But so soon as they perceived the Satyrs wagging their Tails they all sate down upon the bare floor behind the back of the Table that they might not see themselves derided as they thought Mr. Hatton said unto me if it were not in the Queens presence he would put a Dagger to the heart of that French knave Bastien who he alledged had done it out of despight that the Queen made more of them then of the Frenchmen I excused the matter the best I could but the noise was so great behind the Queen's back where her Majesty and my Lord of Bedford did sit that they heard and turned about their faces to enquire what the matter meant I informed them that it was occasioned by the Satyrs so that the Queen and my Lord of Bedford had both enough to do to get them appeased It fell out unhappily at such a time and the English Gentlemen committed a great over sight to notice it as done against them But my Lord of Bedford was discreet and interpreted all things to the best My Lord of Bedford was rewarded with a rich Chain of Diamonds worth two thousand Crowns Mr. Cary with a Chain of Pearl and a Ring with a fair Diamond Mr. Hattoun had a Chain with her Majesties Picture and a Ring Mr. Lignish and five other of Quality had each of them Chains I was commanded with many others to attend them towards the Road. They parted all very well content and satisfied with the Queens Majesty but lamented that they perceived the King so much slighted My Lord of Bedford desired me to request her Majesty to entertain him as she had done at the beginning for her own honour and the advancement of her affairs which I forgot not to do at all occasions After the Baptism and parting of the Ambassadours her Majesty desirous to put good order upon the Borders sent the Earl of Bothwel before who in the pursuit of Thieves was hurt Her Majesty past afterward to Jedbrugh her self where the Earls of Bothwel and Huntly enterprised the slaughter of the Earl of Murray but the Lord Hume came there with forces and prevented that enterprise Her Majesty returned by the Merse and desired to see Berwick afar off where she was honoured with many shots of Artillery and Sir John Foster Warden upon the English Border came and conferred with her Majesty for keeping of good order And the mean time while he was speaking with her Majesty on Horse-back his Courser did rise up with his formost Legs to take the Queens Horse by the Neck with his Teeth but his Feet hurt her Majesties Thigh very ill Incontinent the Warden lighted off his Horse and sate down upon his knees craving her Majesties pardon For then all England did much reverence her her Majesty made him to rise and said that she was not hurt yet it compelled her Majesty to tarry two days at the Castle of Hoome untill she recovered again The King followed her about whithersoever she rode but got no good countenance So that finding himself flighted he went to Glascow where he fell sick it being alledged that he had got poison from some of his Servants In the mean time the Earl of Bothwel ruled all at Court having brought home the banished Lords and packed up a quiet friendship with the Earl of Mortoun After her Majesties return to Edinbrugh she reconciled the Earls of Huntly Bothwel Arguile and others From that her Majesty went to Sterling to see the Prince and returned again to Edinbrugh whither the King was afterward brought and lodged in the Kirk-field as a place of good Air where he might best recover his health But many suspected that the Earl of Bothwel had some enterprise against him few durst advertise him because he told all again to some of his own Servants who were not all honest Yet Lord Robert Earl of Orkny told him that if he retired not hastily out of that place it would cost him his life which he told again to the Queen and my Lord Robert denied that ever he spoke it This advertisement moved the Earl of Bothwel to haste forward his enterprize he had before laid a train of Powder under the House where the King did lodge and in the night did blow up the said House with the Powder but it was spoken that the King was taken forth and brought down to a Stable where a Napkin was stopped in his mouth and he therewith suffocated Every body suspected the Earl of Bothwel and those who durst speak freely to others said plainly that it was he Whereupon he drew together a number of Lords of his dependers to be an Assize which cleansed and acquitted him some for fear some for favour and the greatest part in expectation of advantage This way being assailed he remained still the greatest favourite at Court My Lord of Murray was retired from the Court several days before Her Majesty kept her Chamber for a while I came to the door the next morning after the murther and the Earl of Bothwel said that her Majesty was sorrowful and quiet which occasioned him to come forth He said the strangest accident had fallen out which ever was heard of for Thunder had come out of the sky and had burnt the King's House
the Queens Chamber had not her Majesty come betwixt and saved him but he fled the next day and tarried with the Earl of Athol As for me I was not oft at Court but now and then yet I chanced to be there at the marriage When I came that time to the Court I found my Lord Duke of Orkny sitting at his Supper who welcomed me saying I had been a great stranger desiring me to sit down and Sup with him the Earl of Huntly the Justice Clerk and divers others being sitting at Table with him I said I had already Supped then he called for a Cup of Wine and drank to me saying you had need grow fatter for says he the zeal of the Common-wealth hath eaten you up and made you lean I answered That every little member should serve for some use but that the care of the Common-wealth appertained most to him and the rest of the Nobility who should be as Fathers of the same I knew well says he he would find a pin for every bore Then he fell in discoursing with the Gentlewomen speaking such filthy language that they and I left him and went up to the Queen who expressed much satisfaction at my coming The marriage was made at the Palace in Halyrood-house after Sermon by Adam Bothwel Bishop of Orkny in the great Hall where the Council useth to sit according to the order of the Reformed Religion and not in the Chappel at the Mass as was the King's marriage After the marriage he who was Earl of Bothwel now Duke of Orkny was very earnest to get the Prince in his hands but my Lord of Mar who was a true Nobleman would not deliver him out of his custody alledging that he could not without consent of the three States Yet he was so frequently crost by such as had the Authority in their hands that he was thereby put to a great strait And after that he had made divers refusals among others he made his moan to me praying me to help to save the Prince out of his hands who had slain his Father and had already made his vaunt among his familiars that if he could get him once in his hands he should warrant him from revenging his Father's death I assured his Lordship he should want no assistance I was capable to give He desired to know if I could propose any outgate I answered That I was intimately acquainted with Sir James Balfour and that I knew how matters stood betwixt Bothwel and him namely there were some jealousies arisen betwixt them which I thought if rightly managed might be improved for the Prince's safety I also told him that the Earl intended to have the Castle out of his hands for the Earl and he had been great Companions and he was also very great with the Queen so that the custody of the Castle of Edinbrugh was committed to him But afterward he would not consent to be present nor take part with the murtherers of the King whereby he came in suspicion with the Earl of Bothwel who would no more credit him so that he would have had the Castle out of his hands to have committed the charge thereof to the Laird of Beenstoun I told his Lordship he might make this one of his excuses That he could not deliver the Prince till he should see a secure place to keep him in And upon the other hand when I returned to Edinbrugh I dealt with Sir James Balfour not to part with the Castle whereby he might be an instrument to save the Prince and the Queen who was so disdainfully handled and with such reproachful language that in presence of Arthur Aroskine I heard her ask for a knife to stab her self or else said she I shall drown my self Now says I to Sir James Balfour there is no security for you to be out of suspicion but to keep the Castle in your own hands and so to be the good instrument both of saving Queen and Prince and in assisting the Nobility who are about to Crown the Prince and to pursue the Earl of Bothwel for the King's murther I told him that unless he took part with them he would be holden as guilty of the said murther by reason of his long familiarity with the Earl of Bothwel That it was a happy thing for him that the said Earl was in suspicion of him assuring him that I had intelligence by one who was of the Earl of Bothwel's Councel to wit the Laird of Whitlaw Captain of the Castle of Dumbar that the Earl of Bothwel was determined to take the Castle of Edinbrugh from him and make the Laird of Beenstoun one Hepburn Captain thereof and then to put the Prince there in his keeping Sir James Balfour gave ear to my proposition and consented to help to pursue the murtherers upon condition that the Laird of Grange would ingage upon his honour to be his Protector in case afterward the Nobility should alter upon him for he and most of them had formerly run contrary courses so that he durst not credit them The Earl of Mar being hereof from me advertised by his Brother Alexander Areskine who was true and careful of the Prince's safety coming secretly to me at midnight for the days were dangerous for all honest Men. Now my Lord of Mar being continually required and threat'ned to deliver the Prince out of his hands at length granted only to drive off time upon condition that an honest responsible Nobleman should be made Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh the only secure place of keeping the Prince in This answer was thought fit to asswage the present fury until the Nobility might convene to pursue the murtherers and to Crown the Prince as they had already concluded at a secret meeting among themselves which was not kept so private but that one of the said Lords gave advertisement thereof to the Earl of Bothwel how that they were minded to inviron the Palace of Halirood-house and therein to apprehend him Whereupon he forgot inquiring after the Prince being only now concerned how to save himself therefore he fled out of Edinbrugh to the Castle of Borthwick from that to the Castle of Dumbar taking always the Queen with him wherever he went All Scotland cryed out upon the foul murther of the King but few of them were careful how to revenge it till they were driven thereto by the crying out of all other Nations against all Scotishmen wherever they travelled either by Sea or Land Among other Princes the King of France sent hither to his Ambassadour Monsieur de Crook a grave aged discreet Gentleman advanced by the House of Guise a Letter therein expressing his wonder that such a foul murther being committed upon the person of a King so few honest Subjects were found to find fault with the same for less to seek after any tryal or see the same punished Whereupon the Lords who had the enterprise in hand were hasted forward to take Arms and in
the mean time they obliged themselves by a writing under their hands which they delivered to the said Monsieur de Crook to send to the King his Master that they should do their outmost diligence to try out the Authors of that foul murther of their King and in the mean time convened to the number of 3000 men and came to Edinbrugh and there set out a Proclamation of their just quarrel Also sundry Libels were set out both in Rhime and Prose to move the hearts of the whole Subjects to assist and take part in so good a Cause The Earl of Bothwel having the Queen in his Company convened a greater number out of the Merse and Lauthian and out of all parts where he had interest or friendship Her Majesties Proclamation was not well obeyed and so many as came had no hearts to fight in that quarrel Yet the Earl of Bothwel marched forward out of Dumbar toward Edinbrugh taking the Queen with him The Lords again with their Company went out of Edinbrugh on foot with an earnest desire to fight Both Armies lay not far from Carberry the Earl Bothwel's men Camped upon the Hill in a strength very advantageous the Lords incamped at the foot of the Hill And albeit her Majesty was there I cannot call it her Army for many of those who were with her were of opinion that she had intelligence with the Lords especially such as were informed of the many indignities put upon her by the Earl of Bothwel since their marriage He was so beastly and suspicious that he suffered her not to pass one day in patience without making her shed abundance of Tears Thus part of his own Company detested him other part of them believed that her Majesty would fain have been quit of him but thought shame to be the doer thereof directly her self In the mean time the Laird of Grange did ride about the Hill with two hundred Horse-men who came there with Drumlanrig Cesfoord and Couldinknows thinking to be betwixt the Earl of Bothwel and Dumbar and was minded to make an onset that way which was plain and that in the mean time that the Lords should come up the Hill to the part where their adversaries were Camped When the Queen understood that the Laird of Grange was chief of that Company of Horse-men she sent the Laird of Ormistoun to desire him to come and speak with her under surety which he did after he had acquainted the Lords with her desire and had obtained their permission As he was speaking with her Majesty the Earl of Bothwel had appointed a Soldier to shoot him until the Queen gave a cry and said that he would not do her that shame seeing she had promised that he should come and return safely He was declaring unto the Queen that all of them were ready to honour and serve her upon condition that she would abandon the Earl of Bothwel who had murthered her Husband and could not be a Husband unto her who had but lately married the Earl of Huntly's Sister The Earl of Bothwel hearkened and heard part of this language and offered the Combat to any who would maintain that he had murthered the King The Laird of Grange promised to send him an answer shortly thereunto So he took his leave of the Queen and went down the Hill to the Lords who were content that the Laird of Grange should fight with him in that quarrel For he first offered himself and acquainted Bothwel that he would fight with him upon that quarrel The Earl of Bothwel answered That he was neither Earl nor Lord but a Baron and so was not his equal The like answer made he to Tullibardine Then my Lord Lindsay offered to fight him which he could not well refuse but his heart failed him and he grew cold in the business Then the Queen sent again for the Laird of Grange and said to him that if the Lords would do as he had spoken to her she should put away the Earl of Bothwel and come unto them Whereupon he asked the Lords if he might in their name make her Majesty that promise which they Commissioned him to do Then he rode up again and saw the Earl of Bothwel part and came down again and assured the Lords thereof They desired him to go up the Hill again and receive the Queen who met him and said Laird of Grange I render my self unto you upon the conditions you rehearsed unto me in the name of the Lords Whereupon she gave him her hand which he kissed leading her Majesties Horse by the bridle down the Hill unto the Lords who came forward and met her The Noblemen used all dutiful reverence but some of the Rascals cryed out against her despightfully till the Laird of Grange and others who knew their duty better drew their Swords and struck at such as did speak irreverent language which the Nobility well allowed of Her Majesty was that night convoyed to Edinbrugh and lodged in the midst of the Town in the Provosts Lodging As she came through the Town the common people cryed out against her Majesty at the Windows and Stairs which was a pity to hear Her Majesty again cryed out to all Gentlemen and Others who passed up and down the streets declaring how that she was their native Princess and that she doubted not but all honest Subjects would respect her as they ought to do and not suffer her to be abused Others again evidenced their malice in setting up a Banner or Ensign whereupon the King was painted lying dead under a Tree and the young Prince upon his knees praying Judge and Revenge my Cause O Lord. That same night it was alledged that her Majesty did write a Letter unto the Earl of Bothwel and promised a reward to one of her keepers to convoy it securely to Dumbar unto the said Earl calling him her dear heart whom she should never forget nor abandon though she was necessitated to be absent from him for a time saying that she had sent him away only for his safety willing him to be comforted and be upon his guard Which Letter the Knave delivered to the Lords though he had promised the contrary Upon which Letter the Lords took occasion to send her to Lockleven to be kept which she alledged was contrary to promise They on the other hand affirmed that by her own hand writing she had declared that she had not nor would not abandon the Earl of Bothwel Grange again excused her alledging she had in effect abandoned the said Earl that it was no wonder that she gave him yet a few fair words not doubting but if she were discreetly handled and humbly admonished what inconveniencies that Man had brought upon her she would by degrees be brought not only to leave him but e're long to detest him And therefore he advised to deal gently with her But they said that it stood them upon their Lives and Lands and that therefore in the mean time
they behoved to secure her and when that time came that she should be known to abandon and detest the Earl Bothwel it would be then time to reason upon the matter Grange was yet so angry that had it not been for the Letter he had instantly left them and for the next best he used all possible diligence to make her and them both quit of the said Earl causing to make ready two Ships to follow after him who had fled to the Castle of Dumbar and from thence to Sheatland In the mean time her Majesty sent a Letter to the Laird of Grange lamenting her hard usage and shewing him that promises had been broken to her Whereunto he answered that he had already reproached the Lords for the same who shewed unto him a Letter sent by her unto the Earl of Bothwel promising among many other fair and comfortable words never to abandon or forget him which had stopped his mouth marvelling that her Majesty considered not that the said Earl could never be her Lawful Husband being so lately before married with another whom he had deserted without any just ground although he had not been so hated for the murther of the King her Husband And therefore he requested her Majesty to put him clean out of mind seeing otherwise she could never get the love or respect of her Subjects nor have that obedience payed her which otherwise she might expect It contained many other loving and humble admonitions which made her bitterly to weep For she could not do that so hastily which process of time might have accomplished Now the Laird of Grange his two Ships being in readiness he made sail toward Orkney and no man was so frank to accompany him as the Laird of Tullibardin and Adam Bothwel Bishop of Orkny but the Earl was fled from Orkny to Sheatland whither also they followed him and came in sight of Bothwel's Ship which moved the Laird of Grange to cause the Skipper to hoise up all the Sails which they were loath to do because they knew the shallow water thereabout but Grange fearing to miss him compelled the Marriners so that for too great haste the Ship wherein Grange was did break upon a Bed of Sand without loss of a man but Bothwel had leasure in the mean time to save himself in a little Boat leaving his Ship behind him which Grange took and therein the Laird of Fallow Iohn Hepburn of Bautoun Dalgleesh and divers others of the Earl's Servants Himself fled to Denmark where he was taken and kept in wrait Prison wherein he became mad and dyed miserably But Grange came back again with Bothwel's Ship and Servants who were the first who gave information of the manner of the murther which the Lords thought fit to let the King of France understand and of their diligence according to the promise made by them My Lord of Murray had obtained liberty to pass unto France shortly after the murther of the King for he did foresee the great trouble like to ensue The rest of the Lords enterprisers after they had secured the Queen in Lochleven began to consult how to get her Majesty counselled to demit the Government to the Prince her Son and for that effect they dealt first with my Brother Sir Robert because he was sometimes allowed access to her Majesty And after that he had refused flatly to meddle in that matter they were minded to send the Lord Lindsay first to use fair perswasions and in case he could not speed that way they were resolved to enter in harder tearms The Earls of Athol Mar and Secretary Lidingtoun and the Laird of Grange who loved her Majesty advised my Brother to tell her the verity and how that any thing she did in Prison could not prejudge her being once again at liberty He answered he would give no such advice as coming from himself but he should tell it as the opinion of those he knew to be her true friends But she refused utterly to follow that advice till she heard that the Lord Lindsay was at the new House at the shore coming in and in a very boasting humour And then she yielded to the necessity of the time and told my Brother that she would not strive with them seeing it could do her no harm when she was at liberty So at my Lord Lindsay's coming she subscribed the signature of Renunciation and Demission of the Government to the Prince and certain Lords named in the said signature to be Regents to the Prince and Country her Majesty desiring my Lord Murray who was absent in France to be the first Regent This being past the Lords concluded to Crown the Prince and sent Letters to France to the Earl of Murray to come home In the mean time there were a number of Lords convened at Hamiltoun as my Lord Hamiltoun my Lord Pasby Iohn Hamiltoun Bishop of St. Andrews my Lord Fleeming Boid and divers others to whom the Lords who were to Crown the Prince would have sent me Commissioner Which Commission at the first I refused but afterwards I accepted thereof at the advice of Secretary Lidingtoun the Laird of Grange and other secret favourers of the Queen who judged it very fit that the whole Country should bejoined together in quietness fearing that in case Civil Wars entred among them it might endanger her Majesties life For it was judged that those who were at Hamiltoun appeared to lean to the Queen At my coming to Hamiltoun I told them my Commission in the name of the other Lords how that the King being murthered all neighbour Nations cryed out upon the whole Kingdom but especially the King of France and the Queen of England sollicited them to inquire after and punish the murtherers How that they had found that it was the Earl of Bothwel and some of them who had assisted him who were punished And what was past since thereupon was known to the whole Country That the Queens Majesty had demitted over the Government to the Prince her Son whom they were minded to Crown shortly whereof they thought fit to warn all the Nobility as being resolved to prejudge no Nobleman of his Rights Titles or Prerogatives requesting them who were there Convened to come to Sterling and be present at the said Coronation for retaining their own priviledges the peace and quiet of the whole Country Some of the younger Lords answered and said that they would not believe that the Queens Majesty had demitted the Government and if she had done it it would be found for to save her life But the Bishop who had more experience then they reproved them and said that those Noblemen had dealt very reasonably and discreetly with them so he drew the rest aside to advise and then returned and gave me this answer We are beholden to the Noblemen who have sent you with that friendly and discreet Commission and following their desire we are ready to concur with them if they give us sufficient security
of that which you have said in their name and in so doing they give us occasion to construct the best of all their proceedings past and to come So that if they had acquainted us with their first enterprise of punishing the murther we should heartily have taken part with them And whereas now we are here convened it is not to pursue or offend any of them but to be upon our own guards understanding of so great a concourse of Noblemen Barons Burroughs and other Subjects For not being made privy to their enterprise we thought fit to draw our selves together till we should see whereto things would turn When I returned back to Sterling and declared this answer it was judged satisfactory by all wise and honest hearted men But others said That however they minded to do I had painted out a fair story for them and in their favours So that I perceived them already divided in Factions and Opinions For so many of our Lords as leaned to England desired not the stability of our state others had particular prejudices and designs against the Hamiltouns and expected to get them ruined to gain advantage to themselves by fishing in troubled waters So that the Hamiltouns were ill used for they would fain have agreed with the rest but their friendship and Society was plainly refused at this time and they not permitted to come to the Coronation nor yet to take instruments that they should not be prejudged in any sort which occasioned great trouble afterward in the Country For they perceiving themselves cast off and their friendship and assistance refused endeavoured for their own security and defence to draw in other Noblemen and Barons to join with them who had not as yet joined with the other Lords and therefore were the more easily drawn upon that side and these were afterward called the Queens Lords when they were convinced of the bad usage the Hamiltouns had received I have before related that my Lord Murray was written for to come home and so soon as he came to London the Lords were thereof advertise'd who desired me to ride and meet him at Berwick and shew him how that the Office of Regent was appointed for him Which Journey I accepted with the better will in that some friends who were best inclined thought meet to give him good counsel in due time My Commission from the Lords was to inform him of all their proceedings and of the present Estate and to desire him to do nothing without their knowledge with the Queen For they feared that he might carry himself with that mildness toward her as to oblige her to believe he intended some time to release her and that he would not run so hard a course against her as some of them would had him to do Another part of the said Lords that did still bear a great love unto the Queen and had compassion upon her estate and who had entred upon that enterprise only for safety of the Prince and punishment of the King's murther as the Earl of Mar the Earl of Athol the Secretary Lidingtoun the Lairds of Tullibardin and Grange sent their instructions with me to my Lord of Murray praying him in their name to behave himself gently and humbly unto the Queen and to procure so much favour for her as he could Not that they would advise him to forget any part of honest duty to the Lords so long as they kept touch with him but that in case they or any part of them would be offended at him afterwards for the refusal of some casuality benefice or the like they would come to themselves again seeing the Queen and him in so good tearms lest he should set her at liberty upon accompt of their misbehaviour And further That her Majesty being now free of ill company and of a clear wit and Princely inclination was beginning already to repent her of many things past and time might bring about such occasions as they should all wish her at liberty to Rule over them And that in that case he would lose by his discreet and friendly behaviour to her He appeared much to relish this device but he seemed somewhat refractory of accepting the Government refusing it plainly at first albeit I was informed by some of his company that he was right glad when he understood first that he was to be Regent There came home with him a French Ambassadour of my acquaintance who was sent to see how matters past to comfort the Captive Queen and to intercede for her but he did it very slenderly For he said to the Lords he came not to offend any of them alledging that the old Band and League betwixt France and Scotland was not made with any one Prince but betwixt the estates of the two Kingdoms and with those who were Commanders over the Country for the time After that my Lord of Murray had met with all his friends he granted to accept the Government But when he went to see the Queen in Lockleven instead of comforting her and following the good counsel he had gotten he entred instantly with her Majesty in reproaches giving her such injurious language as was like to break her heart We who found fault with that manner of procedure lost his favour The injuries were such that they cut the thread of love and credit betwixt the Queen and him for ever You have heard how that the Lords who were in Hamiltoun were cast off and refused to be accepted into Society with the rest against the opinion of the fewest in number though the wisest men and least factious But the worst inclined and manyest votes obtained their intent Whereupon the Lords who were refused to be taken into friendship drew themselves together in Dumbartoun under the pretext to procure by force of Arms the Queen their Sovereign's liberty and banded themselves together against the King's Lords which they would not have done if they could have been accepted in Society with the rest Albeit their publick professing their intentions of spending their lives for the Queens liberty put her Majesties life in greater danger so long as she was Captive in the hands of the contrary Party and was at length her Majesties utter wrack For the hope that she had to get friends and favourers caused her to use means to escape out of Lockleven too hastily e're the time was ripe enough to recover again the hearts of the Subjects who were yet alienated For albeit my Lord Regent was rigorous he was flexible and might have been won through process of time by her wisdom and the interest of her friends The tenour of their Bond was as followeth FOrasmuch as considering the Queens Majesty our Sovereign to be detained at yresent at Lockleven in Captivity wherefore the most part of her Majesties Lieges cannot have free access to her Highness and seeing it becomes us of our duty to seek her liberty and freedom We Ears Lords and Barons under subscribing promise
to win thanks at his hands But he would credit nothing but such things as came out of the mouths of those who had crept into his favour by flattery In the mean time the Queen was convoyed out of Lockleven by George Duglas the Lairds Brother and the Regents half Brother who was for the time in some evil tearms with them The old Lady his Mother was also thought to be upon the Councel My Lord Seatoun and some of the House of Hamiltoun and divers of their dependers received her Majesty at her landing out of the Logh and convoyed her to Hamiltoun The Regent being for the time at Glascow holding Justice Eyrs Proclamations and Missives were incontinently sent abroad by both sides to convene so many as would act for them in the Country One French Ambassadour was come to Edinbrugh ten days before called Monsieur de Beumont Knight of the Order of the Cockle whom I had convoyed to Glascow and had procured to him a sight of the Queen while Captive He said to me that he never did see so many men so suddenly convened for he rode to Hamiltoun to the Queen and dealt between the parties for Peace but was not heard Her Majesty was not minded to fight nor hazard battel but to go unto the Castle of Dumbartoun and endeavour by little and little to draw home again unto her obedience the whole Subjects But the Bishop of St. Andrews and the House of Hamiltoun and the rest of the Lords there convened finding themselves in number far beyond the other Party would needs hazard Battle thinking thereby to overcome the Regent their great Enemy and be also masters of the Queen to Command and Rule all at their pleasure Some alledged that the Bishop was minded to cause the Queen to marry my Lord Hamiltoun in case they had obtained the victory And I was since informed by some who were present that the Queen her self feared the same therefore she pressed them still to convoy her to Dumbartoun and had sent me word with the French Ambassadour the same morning before the battel to draw on a meeting for concord by the means of the Secretary Lidingtoun and the Laird of Grange And for her part she would send the Lord Herris and some other She had also caused my Brother Sir Robert to write a Letter to me that same morning for that same effect but the Queen's Army came on so fiercely that there was no stay The Regent went out on foot and all his Company except the Laird of Grange Alexander Hume of Manderstoun and some Borderers to the number of 200. The Laird of Grange had already viewed the ground and with all imaginable diligence caused every Horse-man to take behind him a Foot-man of the Regent's to guard behind them and rode with speed to the head of the Long'sid'-hill and set down the said Foot-men with their Culverings at the head of a straight Lane where there were some Cottage-houses and Yards of great advantage Which Soldiers with their continual shot killed divers of the Vaunt-guard led by the Hamiltouns who couragiously and fiercely ascending up the Hill were already out of breath when the Regents Vaunt-guard joined with them Where the worthy Lord Hume fought on foot with his Pike in his hand very manfully well assisted by the Laird of Cesfoord his Brother-in-law who helped him up again when he was strucken to the ground by many stroaks upon his face by the throwing Pistols at him after they had been discharged He was also wounded with Staves and had many stroaks of Spears through his Legs for he and Grange at the joining cried to let their adversaries first lay down their Spears to bear up theirs which Spears were so thick fixed in others Jacks that some of the Pistols and great Staves that were thrown by them which were behind might be seen lying upon the Spears Upon the Queens side the Earl of Arguile commanded the Battel and the Lord of Arbroth the Vaunt-guard On the other part the Regent led the Battle and the Earl of Mortoun the Vaunt-guard But the Regent committed to the Laird of Grange the special care as being an experimented Captain to oversee every danger and to ride to every Wing to incourage and make help where greatest need was He perceived at the first joining the right Wing of the Regent's Vaunt-guard put back and like to fly whereof the greatest part were Commons of the Barony of Ranthrow whereupon he rode to them and told them that their Enemy was already turning their backs requesting them to stay and debate till he should bring them fresh Men forth of the Battel Whither at full speed he did ride alone and told the Regent that the Enemy were shaken and flying away behind the little Village and desired a few number of fresh Men to go with him Where he found enough willing as the Lord Lindsay the Laird of Lockleven Sir James Balfour and all the Regents Servants who followed him with diligence and reinforced that Wing which was beginning to fly which fresh Men with their loose Weapons struck the Enemies in their flanks and faces which forced them incontinent to give place and turn back after long fighting and pushing others to and fro with their Spears There were not many Horse-men to pursue after them and the Regent cried to save and not to kill and Grange was never cruel so that there were but few slain and taken And the only slaughter was at the first rancounter by the shot of the Soldiers which Grange had planted at the Lane-head behind some Dikes After the loss of the Battel her Majesty lost all courage which she had never done before and took so great fear that she never rested till she was in England thinking her self sure of refuge there in respect of the fair promises formerly made to her by the Queen of England by word to her Ambassadours and by her own hand-writ both before and after she was Captive in Lockleven But God and the World knows how she was kept and used for not only she refused to see her of whom she appeared so oft so desirous of a sight and a meeting but also caused to keep her Prisoner and at length suffered her life to be taken away or else it was subtilly taken against her intention This puts me in remembrance of a tale that my Brother Sir Robert told me The time that he was busiest dealing betwixt the two Queens to entertain their friendship and draw on their meeting at a place near York One Bassintoun a Scots-man who had been a Traveller and was learned in high Sciences came to him and said Good Gentleman I hear so good a report of you that I love you heartily and therefore cannot forbear to shew you how that all your upright dealing and honest travel will be in vain For whereas you believe to obtain advantage for your Queen at the Queen of England's hands you do but lose your time and
your travel For first they will never meet together and next there will never be any thing else but dissembling and secret hatred for a while and at length Captivity and utter wrack to our Queen from England My Brother answered he liked not to hear of such devilish news nor yet would he in any sort credit them as being false ungodly and unlawful for Christians to meddle with Bassintoun answered good Mr. Melvil entertain not that harsh opinion of me I am a Christian of your own Religion and fear God and purposeth never to cast my self on any of the unlawful Arts that you mean but so far as Melancthon who was a godly Theologue hath declared lawful and written concerning the natural Sciences which are lawful and daily read in divers Christian Universities in the which as in all other Arts God gives to some less and to others clearer knowledge by the which knowledge I have attained to understand that at length the Kingdom of England shall of right fall to the Crown of Scotland and that at this instant there are some born who shall brook Lands and Heritages in England But alas it will cost many their Lives and many bloody Battels will be fought e're things be settled or take effect and by my knowledge says he the Spaniards will be helpers and will take a part to themselves for their labour which they will be loath to leave again After that the Queens Majesty had demitted the Government when she was Captive in Lockleven in such manner as is rehearsed my Lord of Murray being the first of the Regents of whom I have said something already I intend now to follow forth and shew a part of his proceedings and to begin where I left at her Majesties retreat to England After the Battel of Langside the Regent went through the Country and took up the Escheats and Houses of those who had assisted at the said Battel and caused to cast down divers of their houses distributing their Lands to his Servants and dependers The Council of England being crafty and in special the Secretary Cicil they knew what kind of Men had most credit about him for the time and thereupon took occasion to deal with the least honest most ambitious and covetous of that number and Society who had joined and banded themselves together to assist each other whereby to advance themselves and to disgrace all such true and honest men as had assisted and helped him in all his former troubles This sort of Men were soon perswaded and corrupted to move the Regent to pass unto England and accuse their native Queen before the Queen and Council of England to the great dishonour of their Country and Prince For the Queen of England who had no just cause to retain our Queen who had fled to England in hope of getting shelter and the assistance which had been so oft promised her both before and after her Captivity in Lockleven was very desirous to have some colour and pretext whereby she might make answer to the Ambassadours of sundry Princes who reproached her for her unkindly and unprincely proceedings therein Because the most part of those who had the Regent's Ear were gained to this opinion and the number few who were of a contrary mind he went forward to England accompanied with the Earl of Mortoun the Lord Lindsay the Laird of Lockleven the Bishop of Orkny the Abbot of Dumfarmling Mr. James Macgil Mr. Henry Balnears Mr. George Buchanan the Laird of Pittarrow George Duglas Bishop of Murray Mr. John Wood the Regent's Secretary a great Ring-leader Mr. Nicholas Elphinstoun Secretary Lidingtoun Alexander Hay Alexander Hume of North-Berwick the Laird of Cleesh with divers other Barons and Gentlemen who went there to see the fashion some to wait upon the Regent and Lords and some who could not get the Regent disswaded from this extream folly at home went with him to England to see if by any assistance of such as were friends there to the Union of the Isle and to the Title of Scotland he might be stayed from that accusation For those who were the Queens Lords who came there to defend the Queens part had no credit nor familiarity with the chief faction in England concerning the Title nor durst open their minds but to such as by long acquaintance they were well assured of their honesty and secrecy The names of the Queens Lords were the Lord Herreis the Lord Boid the Lord Fleeming the Lord Livingstoun the Bishop of Ross and some others with my Brother Sir Robert who attended to do all the good he could The Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Sussex and several other Councellors were sent down to York to hear the Regent's Accusation and to be as Judges between the King and Queen's Lords The first day of meeting the Duke of Norfolk required that the Regent should make Homage in the King's Name to the Crown of England thinking he had some ground to demand the same seeing the said Regent there to plead his Cause before the Councel of England Whereat the Regent grew red and knew not what to answer but Secretary Lidingtoun took up the Speech and said That in restoring again to Scotland the Lands of Huntingtuon Cumberland and Northumberland with such other Lands as Scotland did of old possess in England that Homage should gladly be made for the said Lands but as to the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland it was freer than England had been lately when it payed St. Peter ' s Penny to the Poor It appeared still that the Duke drave off time with us as having no inclination to enter upon the terrors of Accusation What was in his head appeared afterward but he was long in a suspence with whom to deal For he thought as he afterward said he neither did see honest men nor wise men At last he resolved to enter in Conference with Secretary Lidingtoun to whom he said That before that time he had ever esteem'd him a Wise man until that now he came before Strangers to accuse the Queen his Mistress as if England were Iudge over the Princes of Scotland How could we find in our hearts to dishonour our Kings Mother or how could we answer afterward for what we were doing seeing it tended to hazard the King her Sons Right to England intending to bring his Mothers honesty in question It had been rather the Duty of you his Subjects sayes he to cover her Imperfections if she had any remitting unto God and Time to punish and put Order thereto who is the Only Iudge over Princes Lidingtoun as he might well do purged himself and declared he came there to endeavour to stop the said Accusation which the Laird of Grange and divers others had endeavoured to do in vain before the Regent's coming out of Scotland And that now he would be glad of any help to hinder that shameful deliberation of the Regents pushed thereto by a company of greedy rash and careless
rest of the Regents Lords and Councellors had concluded among them That so soon as the Duke of Norfolk as chief of the Councel would inquire for the Accusation they should all with one voice cry and persuade the Regent to go forward with it Secretary Lidingtoun and I minded the Regent how far he had obliged himself to the Duke of Norfolk He said He would do well enough and that it would not come to that length So soon as he with his Counsel were within the Councel-House the Duke of Norfolk asked for the Accusation the Regent desired again the assurance of Conviction by Writing and Seal as is said It was answered again That the Queens Majesties Word being a true Princess was sufficient Then all the Councel cryed out Would he mistrust the Queen who had given such proof of her Friendship to Scotland The Regent's Councel cryed out also in that same manner Then Secretary Cicil asked if they had the Accusation there Yes sayes Mr. John Wood and with that he plucks it out of his Bosom but I will not deliver it sayes he till her Majesties Hand-Writing and Seal be delivered to my Lord Regent for what he demands Then the Bishop of Orkny snatcheth the Writing out of his hand Let me have it sayes he I shall present it Mr. John Wood run after him as if he would have taken it again Forward goes the Bishop to the Council-Table and gives in the Accusation Then cryes out the Chamberlain of England Well done Bishop thou art the frankest Fellow among them all none of them will make thy leap good scorning his leaping out of the Laird of Grange's Ship Mr. Henry Balneavs only had made resistance and called for Secretary Lidingtoun who waited without the Councel House But so soon as Mr. Henry Balneavs had called for him he came in and whispered in the Regent's Ear That he had shamed himself and put his Life in danger by the loss of so good a Friend as the Duke of Norfolk and that he had lost his Reputation for ever The Regent who by his facility had been brought to break with the Duke of Norfolk repented himself thereof so soon as Lidingtoun acquainted him with the danger and desired the Accusation to be rendred up to him again alledging he had some more to add thereto They answered They would hold what they had and were ready to receive any addition when he should please to give it in The Duke of Norfolk had much ado to keep his Countenance Mr. John Wood winked upon Secretary Cicil who smiled again upon him The rest of the Regent's Company were laughing one upon another only Secretary Lidingtoun had a sad heart The Regent came forth of the Council-House with Tears in his eyes and went to his Lodging at Kingstoun where his factious friends had much ado to comfort him The Queen of England having obtained her intent received thereby great contentment through the advantage she thereby received First she thought she had matter for her to shew wherefore she detained the Queen when she was challenged by the forreign Ambassadours upon that accompt Then she was glad of the Queens dishonour but in her mind she detested the Regent and all his Company and would notice him no more She sent also incontinent to the Queen to comfort her praying her to look on her self in a better case albeit for a while restrained of her liberty then to be in Scotland among so unworthy Subjects who had accused her falsly and wrongfully as she was assured and that neither should they be the better nor she the worse for any thing they had done For she would neither be Judge nor give out any Sentence thereupon nor should any part of the said false Accusation be made known by her or her Council to any praying her to take patience in her gentle Ward where she was nearer to get the Crown of England set upon her head in case of her decease who was but the eldest Sister Thus the Regent won no other thing for his labour but to be despised by the Queen and Council of England detested by the Duke of Norfolk and reproached by his best and truest friends suffered to lye a long time at Kingstoun in great displeasure and fear without Mony to spend and without hope to get any from the Queen In the mean time the agreement betwixt him and the Duke of Norfolk was told the Queen For the Earl of Mortoun caused a Minister called John Willock to declare what had past betwixt the Regent and the Duke of Norfolk to the Earl of Huntingtoun who caused my Lord of Leicester to tell it to the Queen The Duke of Norfolk finding himself disappointed by the Regent and his purposes discovered to the Queen began to boast and speak plain language That he would serve and honour the Queen his Mistress so long as she lived but after her decease he would set the Crown of England upon the Queen of Scotland ' s head as lawful Heir And this he avowed to Secretary Cicil desiring him to go and prattle that language again to the Queen The Secretary Cicil answered That he would be no Tale-teller to the Queen of him but would concur with him in any course and serve him in any thing wherein he would imploy him He threatned also Sir Nicholas Throgmorton who he supposed would be a true and devoted Servant to the Queen So that Sir Nicholas was necessitated to seek after his favour by the means of the Earls of Pembroke and Leicester who was also his friend albeit he durst not conceal from the Queen that whereof the Earl of Huntingtoun had advertised him seeing he had desired him to declare the same to her Majesty The Duke of Norfolk understanding that his whole purposes were discovered stood not to acknowledge to the Queen That during her life-time he would never offend her but serve and honour her and after her the Queen of Scotland as in his opinion truest Heir and the only means for eschewing of Civil Wars and great blood-shed that might otherwise fall out Now albeit the Queen of England liked not that language yet she would not appear to find fault with it for the time Now matters being cast loose in this manner between the Regent and the Duke and the Regent in great distress Sir Nicholas Throgmorton being a Man of a deep reach and great prudence and discretion who had ever travelled for the Union of this Isle after that he was agreed with the Duke and perceived that the Earls of Leicester Pembroke Secretary Cicil and the rest of the Court and Commons were all for the Duke and that the Queen durst not find fault with him he devised and effectuated a new friendship betwixt the Regent and the Duke who was unwilling again to enter with the Regent yet at length he suffered himself to be perswaded The Lord Regent on the other hand being destitute of all friendship in England for the
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
with these of my hands who he knew had no by-end then if they had proceeded from the most Learned Philosopher Therefore at his desire I promised to put them in writing to give him them to keep in his Pocket but he was Slain before I could meet with him After the Decease of the Regent England sent the Earl of Sussex to Berwick whither the Earl of Lennox came also at that same time as being sent for by the Lords of the King's Faction to be made Regent in place of the Earl of Murray The Earl of Sussex had with him the Forces of the North as if he had some enterprise to do and to take some advantage at this time when the Country wanted a Regent About that same time so many of the Lords as were banded and professed the Queens Authority caused to proclaim the same at Lithgow As yet they of the Castle at Edinbrugh professed the King's Authority albeit there were secret jealousies betwixt them and so many of the rest as had counselled the late Regent to apprehend the Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour and who would also have ruined Grange because he appeared concerned in them two and also because his Vertues were envied and his Charge coveted by others They who were within the said Castle for the time were my Lord Duke of Chattellerault and my Lord Herris warded wrongfully as I have said therefore the Laird of Grange obtained a Warrant from the rest of the King's Lords to set them at liberty The Lord Hume was there to assist with those of the Castle with the Laird of Grange the Secretary Lidingtoun his Brother the Prior of Condingham three of my Brothers Sir Robert Captain David and Sir Andrew Melvil the Lairds of Drylow and Pittadrow Sir James Balfour the Lairds of Fernihast Buccleugh Wormistoun Parbroth and divers other Noblemen and Barons who came there at all occasions and were ready at a call when they had to do This Company directed me to Berwick toward the Earl of Sussex to know what he intended to do with his forces whether to assist any of the two Factions or to agree them I was friendly received by him well lodged and my expences by him defrayed wanting nothing He sent me his own night-Gown furred with rich furrings to make use of so long as I abode there Albeit I knew him to be a great Enemy to all Scots-men he appeared desirous to enter in great familiarity with me and as if he was desirous I should believe he had communicated to me his most secret thoughts alledging his plainness to me was upon the report he had heard by sundry of his Country-men to my advantage He said That his coming with his Forces was not to assist any faction nor to decide Questions and Titles that were among us but to serve the Queen his Mistress in obeying her Commands That if he did any enterprise at that time against any Scots-man it would be against his heart That of all Scots-men he liked best of of those who were within the Castle of Edinbrugh and their dependers especially because he knew them to have been friends to the Duke of Norfolk his near Cousin whose part he said he would plainly have taken if the said Duke had out of his own mouth communicated his enterprise to him as he had foolishly done by a Gentleman of his to whose credit he durst not commit the secrecy of that matter being of it self of so great concernment as stood him upon his life and heritage And that albeit he with his Forces came not to set out nor to fortifie any Faction in Scotland yet he durst be plain with me privately as with a true friend to declare that he did esteem the Queen of Scotland and the Prince her Son righteous Heirs to the Crown of England which his judgment he had shown to few of his own Country-men So I returned with no direct answer but with a firm opinion that he was sent to appear to set forward the Earl of Lennox to be Regent and to send word to the Lords of the King's side that he would assist them and send in Mr. Randolph thither with the Earl of Lennox and yet to deal with the Lords of the Queens Faction to encourage them to hold forward their factions course because the said Mr. Randolph had a great dealing with the House of Hamiltoun as he who convoyed the Earl of Arran now visited with the hand of God out of France through England home to Scotland to assist the Congregation He knew also what old and long hatred had been betwixt the Houses of Lennox and Hamiltoun and was deliberately directed secretly to kindle a fire of discord betwixt two strong Factions in Scotland which could not be easily quenched and to conform the Lord Hume who was not yet resolved to take part with the Queens Faction which England thought had not money enough yet to sustain long strife against the King's Faction The Earl of Sussex entred the Merse with his Forces and took the Castle of Hume and Falhastle full of riches and precious moveables that way moving the Lord Hume to take plain part with the Hamiltouns and the Queens Faction Whereby it may be seen that the conclusion was to hold Countries in discord by the craft of the Council of England for the time as I have before mentioned and which was now put in practice incontinent after the decease of the Earl of Murray For albeit the Earl of Lennox had his Lady Children and Estate in England they would not credit him supposing he would be a true Scots-man as he proved indeed afterwards I being in Berwick when the Earl of Lennox was so far toward Scotland to be Regent I thought it my duty to visit him For at his first in-coming before the marriage of his Son the Lord Darnly with the Queen he sent this present Colonel Stuart for my Brother Sir Robert and me and because my Brother was absent I went to him alone At which time he told me That his long absence out of the Country had made him as a stranger to the condition of the Country and that his Lady at his parting from her had desired him to take my Brother's counsel and mine in all his affairs as her Friends and Kinsmen So that being familiar enough with him formerly I visited him at this time and told him the state of the Country I disswaded him from taking upon him the Regiment fearing that it might cost him his life as matters were like to be handled as I should inform him more at length being once at home As for my self I promised to serve and assist him albeit I could not find that same resolution in those of the Castle of Endinbrugh He thanked me promising me to be my friend so far as lay in his power upon which he gave me his hand Then he inquired What was the Cause that those who were in the Castle would oppose him
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
instrumental in perswading the Laird of Grange to be upon a contrary Faction I would not be that instrument neither would I desert the King's interest though he should cause all the rest of my Lands to be taken from me Seeing that Grange could not be moved to join with the Queens Faction according to the desire of the Court of England for the rest of that Kingdom was sorry to see this kind of dealing the English Ambassadour perswaded the Regent to irritate and incense him by all manuer of slights done to himself and his dependers In the mean time my Lord Duke the Earls of Arguile and Huntly addressed themselves unto him making their moan That they being Noblemen of the Country of considerable Interest were refused to be admitted in the Society of the rest who sought their ruine under pretext of the King's Authority by the Regent the Earl of Mortoun and others not their friends requesting him to be their Protector and to assist them during the King's minority Telling him how that they at first would gladly have joined with the King's Lords for maintaining the King's Authority but could not get place nor be admitted Thus Grange finding himself neglected with the King's Lords and sought after by the Queens he was compelled to declare with that side at length having with him the Lord Hume male-content Also Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour spurring him on to take that course he was resolved to take that side for his next refuge he having been among the rest summoned to be forfaulted Now the two furious Factions being in this manner framed their hatred and rage grew greater and greater For Mr. Randolph knew the animosities which were among the Nobility and the nature of every one in particular by his frequent coming and his long residence in Scotland And among the Ladies he had a Mother and a Mistress to whom he caused his Queen frequently to send Commendations and Tokens He also used his craft with the Ministers offering Gold to such of them as he thought could be prevailed with to accept of his offer but such as were honest refused his gifts He gave largely to all such as he knew were able to serve him in his design of kindling this fire and his endeavours were so successful that the two parties were not only stirred up to fight and shed one anothers blood but would revile each other with injurious and blasphemous words and at length fell to the down-casting of each others Houses to which England gave no small assistance having sent in a number of Men of War to throw down Hamiltoun This was occasioned by some probability that appeared of a Reconciliation of the two Factions by the endeavours of some of the most prudent Ministers who did all they could to prevent the ensuing troubles And they foresaw that this prejudice was done to the Hamiltouns to inrage them so as there might be no hope of agreement when they should see themselves so far injured Now as Nero stood upon a high part of Rome to see the Town burning which he had caused to be set on fire so Mr. Randolph delighted to see such a fire by his craft kindled in Scotland which was in all probability like to burn it up And in his Letters to some of the Court of England he gloried that he had kindled a fire in Scotland which could not be easily extinguished Which when it came to the knowledge of Sir Nicholas Throgmorton he wrote to my Brother Sir Robert and me advertising us how we were handled expressing his detestation both at Secretary Cicil directer and Mr. Randolph as executer All the honest Men in England were sorry at it of which number there are as many within that Country as in any other so much bounds in Europe My Brother and I did shew the Letters we had received from Sir Nicholas to the Laird of Grange and so many within the Castle as we knew to be secret which they easily believed as being Men of great understanding who had noticed Mr. Randolph's proceedings Whereupon there were some secret meetings drawn on between my Lord Hume and my Lord Ruthven as near kinsmen The Lord Ruthven was in greatest favour with the Regent for the time being also Treasurer he was desired to come and speak with my Lord Hume during the hottest of the Civil Wars At which time Secretary Lidingtoun and my Brother Sir Robert came into communing with the Lord Ruthven after that he and the Lord Hume had spoken a space together and did shew him how the Regent was used by England and how this Kingdom was abused by the tricks of a few for advancing their selfish ends and also how that the Earl of Mortoun had desired secretly to come at midnight accompanied with Mr. Archibald Douglas to the Castle of Edinbrugh and had entertained long conference with them desiring their assistance and he should chace the Earl of Lennox back to England if they would accept and acknowledge him for Regent in his stead which they of the Castle would not grant looking upon the Earl of Lennox as a true Scots-man And they declared that their denying to assist him at first was his being sent for and brought in by them That therefore they feared at the first that he would have been too much at the devotion of the Court of England as being an English-man and having yet his Lady Children and Lands in that Country and moreover that he should be so led by the Earl of Mortoun and their factious Enemies that he would seek their utter ruine both because that Captain Crauford who had accused the Secretary was for the time Servant to the Earl of Lennox and alledged that he had a Commission from the said Earl to give in the said Accusation And that which gave matter enough to my Lord Hume was the bringing in of the Earl of Lennox by the Earl of Sussex and the taking of his two Houses of Hoome and Falcastle all at one time which he supposed not to have been done without the Earl of Lennox his knowledge and consent But since they understood that the Earl of Lennox and the whole Country was abused by England Mr. Randolph the Agent and the Earl of Mortoun they were resolved both to agree themselves and to cause all Scotland agree with the Regent if he would grant them reasonable conditions My Lord Ruthven was very glad of this offer and said he hoped to bring them a good answer from the Regent and the rather because the Earl of Mortoun was absent being malecontent for denying to him the grant of the Bishoprick of St. Andrews which the King's house and the Regent's might ill spare So he returned with this offer to the Regent who much rellisht it and after twice or thrice passing betwixt the Regent with the Lord Ruthven had concluded a Peace quietly in their minds none being as yet made privy thereto But as Ambassadours are great Spies and
incontinently did write to France to her Uncle the Cardinal of Lorrain desiring him to send to her one of his most secret Servants to whom she was to Communicate matters of that weight and importance that she could not hazard to send them in Writing or Cyphers And accordingly the said Cardinal sent hither one of his most familiar Secretaries to whom the Queen caused my Brother and me to declare the state of England and the great party she had there to espouse her interest as is above specified desiring her said Uncle to send his advice what time would be most fit for her to stir and to send what help he and all his friends could procure This Secretary being returned to his Master informed him of the whole matter The Cardinal again to insinuate upon the Queen Mother and to appear to be a true French-man acquainted the Queen Mother how prejudicial to the Crown of France the Union of this Isle of great Britain would be that therefore it was her interest all she could to oppose it He therefore advised her to advertise the Queen of England of the said intended Plot as the only and most effectual means for preventing it which the Queen Mother failed not to do But whatever the Queen of England's thoughts of the truth thereof was she appeared to give no credit thereto as if she looked upon it as an Italian fetch to put her in suspicion of her Nobility This accompt I had from the Queens Majesty her self complaining to me one day of the Cardinal 's unkind dealing towards her Therefore I thought I had good ground to say There was no help to be looked for out of France And the Duke of Alva who was in Flanders had plainly refused to give her any help till the King his Master would command him Seeing as he alledged he had work enough to do to settle his Master 's own Subjects in Flanders These were the arguments which I used to move my friends to agree with the Regent and my indeavours wanted not success they having come very near a point by the dealing of the two Lords above-mentioned Hume and Ruthven assisted by Secretary Lidingtoun For the Lord Hume would then do nothing without his advice But after that the Earl of Mortoun was returned to the Court and had by Randolph's means obtained the Bishoprick of St. Andrews these two suspecting the probability of the apparent agreement which had been kept secret from them they fell a plotting some way to hinder the same and concluded to hold a Parliament wherein to forfault all the Queens Lords whereby the Regent should utterly ruine his ancient Enemies the Hamiltouns and there would be a bait to every one of the King's Lords seeing they should be made sharers of the spoil and so each of them get wealth enough Mr. Randolph for their encouragement gave them assurance of assistance from England so that they needed fear no resistance from their adversaries The Earl of Mortoun had made a great Faction in the Council partly by representing the Queens Lords as intending to re-establish Popery upon which allegiance he knew he would make them odious to the generality of the people but especially by promising each of his party a share of the forfaulters of the Queens Lords so that they were easily brought to consent to a Parliament to be held at Sterling for the foresaid effect The Queens Lords to be equal with them held another Parliament at Edinbrugh both at one time upon that very same design of forfaulting the King's Lords The Laird of Grange in the mean time took great displeasure to see Scotsmen so furiously bent against each other set on by the practises of England and the extream avarice of some particular men for their selfish designs who intended to augment their Estates and raise their own Fortunes upon the ruines of their Neighbours Therefore he sent for the Laird of Fernihast his Son-in-law the Laird of Buccleugh Father to this present Lord who loved the Laird of Grange better than any of his own kindred which Laird of Buccleugh was a man of rare qualities wise true stout and modest These two Gentlemen were desired to come well accompanied and arrived at Edinbrugh in an Evening late The Laird of Grange had already devised an enterprise to wit That same night after they had Supt themselves and baited their horses to ride all night forward with them to Sterling to be there early in the morning before any of the Lords who held the Parliament were out of their Beds hoping by the intelligence he had received assuredly to surprise them before they could be advertised All the Lords and Council found the advice exceeding good but they would in no ways grant that he should ride with them alledging That their only comfort under God consisted in his preservation He on the other hand alledged His presence would be necessary for he was acquainted with difficult enterprises and feared that they would not follow rightly nor carefully his directions But they ingaged to follow it most strictly and would not suffer him to ride with them but the Earl of Huntly my Lord Arbroth and divers others went forward with the Forces These two Gentlemen had brought them and were at Stirling before Four of the Clock in the Morning and entred the Town of Stirling at a little passage led by a Towns-man called George Bell which entry of theirs was immediately after the Nght-watches had retired to their rest They divided their Men and appointed such as they thought meetest to await at every Lord's Lodging and a Company with Captain Hackerstoun to wait at the Market-Cross to cause good order to be kept and to preserve the Town-houses from being spoiled only they appointed the Stables to be cleansed by Buccleugh and Fernehast's men giving them commands not to leave one Horse in Town uncarried away with them which Commission the South-land Lads forgot not punctually to execute But because Captain Hackerstoun came not in due time with his Company to stand where he was appointed a number of unruly Servants broke up the Merchants Booths and run here and there in disorder after the spoil leaving their Masters all alone After they had taken out all the Lords from their Lodgings and were leading them Captives down the steep Cassway of Sterling on foot intending to take their Horses at the nether Port and ride to Edinbrugh with their Prisoners But those within the Castle being allarumed with the noise of the Towns-men crying out because of the spoil taken from them imagining what shame they would indure if they did not shew themselves Men and perceiving the disorder of their Enemies they came down fearlesly upon them and rescued all the Prisoners save the Regent whom one came and shot behind his back commanded as was alledged by my Lord of Pacly The Laird of Wormistoun was the taker of the Regent and had been ordained by the Laird of Grange to wait
upon him to save him from his particular Enemies For they all had ingaged to him e're they went from Edinbrugh not to kill one man else he would not have left them Wormistoun was also killed against the Regent's will who cryed continually to save him who had done what he could for his preservation The Regent dyed not suddenly but some days after and made a very godly end They who had lost this fair enterprise for want of Granges conduct had enough to do to save themselves and had been all taken had not those in Stirling wanted horses to pursue after them For those who had taken the horses did ride forward with all possible speed leaving their Masters in danger to do for themselves When they were returned back to Edinbrugh they were very unwelcome guests to the Laird of Grange who greatly lamented the Regent's slaughter He said openly If he knew who had done that foul deed or had directed it to be done his own hand should have revenged it And whereas before he used to be meek and gentle he could not now command himself but bursted out in harsh language calling them disorderly Beasts For he knew the Regent was inclined to Peace and was only ignorantly driven on by the Earl of Mortoun and Mr. Randolph's practises to hold the said Parliament to the hinderance of concord and agreement therefore his intention was to bring all the Kings Lords to the Castle of Edenbrugh and to have made an agreement betwixt them and the other faction before they had parted But God in his providence would not permit this for further punishment of our wickedness For the Parliaments held forward and each one of them forefaulted others the Kings Lords came and lay at Lieth and the Queens within the Town and Castle of Edenbrugh Mr. Randolph would have had Mortoun made Regent instead of Lennox but the Lords liked better of the Earl of Marr and chose him For a little time there was hot skirmishing betwixt Lieth and Edinbrugh and extream hatred betwixt the two Factions and great cruelties exercised where they could be Masters of one another And frequently the Marshal of Berwick came to Lieth to assist Mr. Randolph privately tho publickly to find fault with him for his proceedings which my Lord of Marrs friends perceived and himself at last whereupon he began to grow colder in the quarrel and withdrew himself to Stirling advising with his friends what was meetest to be done Alledging that he could see nothing but the wrack of the Country under pretext of owning the King and Queens Authority while neither Kings nor Queens was in any of their minds but only put on by their own partialities of ambition greediness and vengeance England kindling up both the Parties and then laughing them all to scorn After this Conference Captain James Cunningham servant to my Lord of Marr a discreet Gentleman desired a secret meeting with my Brother Sir Robert In the mean time the most part of the Kings Lords went to Stirling where the Regent was living My Lord of Mortoun went to Dalkieth my Lord Lindsay lay in Lieth When the Wars grew colder and notice thereof taken by the Court of England a new Ambassador was hasted to Scotland to wit Mr. Henry Killegrew an old acquaintance of mine For Mr. Randolph was returned home because he had not such Credit with the Earl of Marr as to do service to these he served and had lost the favour of both the Factions For his double dealing was discovered he having no Credit but with the Earl of Mortoun This new Ambassador being Arrived at Lieth upon his way toward Stirling where the Regent remained for the time he sent up to the Castle of Edenbrugh to see if I was there For they had told him in Lieth that I was newly come from Fiffe He desired that I would come and speak with him which I did and convoyed him unto Cramond reasoning together all the way upon such matters as he said he had in Commission chiefly how he might be a good instrument to agree the differences that were between the two Parties albeit I knew there was nothing less in his mind at least in his Commission He said He had the Queen his Mistress commands to deal with both Parties forConcord but that he was most concerned in these of the Castle albeit that outwardly he behooved first to go to the Regent being in civility engaged to give him the prerogative yet in effect he said my friends in the Castle were these to them he was chiefly directed that they should be preferred both by his first salutation by me to them and by two familiar Letters the one from my Lord of Leicester to the Laird of Grange and the other from Secretary Cicil to Secretary Lidingtoun desiring me to intreat them to follow the good counsel given therein by the said Lords who loved them intirely for their vertue and old acquaintance Hewi led me to tell them that after he had declared his Commission to the Regent he would come back again to them and at length declare his Commission to them from Her Majesty It appeared to me that he had intelligence how that Mr. Randolph's double dealing had been discovered therefore he seemed to find fault with him in many things though in general he excused him as far as he could until I adjured him upon the long and great familiarity that had been betwixt us to deal plainlier with me I told him he might serve his Mistress truly enough without casting me and my friends upon a wrong side which might be afterwards our ruin who deserved better at his hands then to put us in such dangers as if we were untoward dishonest or uncounsellable as Mr. Randolph had done forgetting the fraternity of Religion so well grounded among us during his banishment in France for Religion There he was compelled to confess to me that his Commission and his mind went not one way and that he was imployed against his will tho as a Servant he durst not disobey his Princess he said he would give me his loving counsel and warning very freely He said that the Council of England neither built their course here upon the late Regent nor yet upon this but intirely upon the Earl of Mortoun as well of their own Plot laid down long since as by the Information of Mr. Randolph who hath confirmed them in that Opinion so that they will not alter for no contrary persuasion Willing my friends and me to joyn our course and band with the Earl of Mortoun or else to expect no friendship from the Court of England but hurt and ruin so far as they might For albeit he was not Regent they knew that he had a great Faction in the Country which they were resolved what they could to encrease so that whoever was Regent he should get little or nothing done without his consent In this I thought he dealt plainly my friends of the Castle were
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
Whore had shewn him the answers of the Oracles Yet the Laird of Grange who was ever willing to see Concord in the Country was easily persuaded the Lord Hume and Lidingtoun made some resistance at the first but were also at length content So that after I had past twice or thrice between them they appeared to be agreed in their hearts and the Laird of Grange said he would cause all the rest of the Queens faction to agree with the Regent but he refused to take the Bishoprick of St. Andrews and Castle of Blackness desiring nothing but his own Lands When I returned to the Regent with this answer conform to his desire he was marvellously glad but when I declared that the Laird of Grange would be a good instrument to cause all the rest of the Queens faction agree also with him he answered that was not meet And when I reasoned against him and shewed him how that I had spoken in his name that he was resolved to have agreed all Scotland and that Grange had no quarrel of his own but to help a number of Noble-men who required his Protection during the Kings Minority and had requested the Regent once to agree with them altogether for Granges honour and afterwards he and all these of the Castle should band with him and lay aside all other bands The Regent answered and said James I will be plain with you it is not my Interest to agree with them all for then their faction will be as strong as ever it was thereby they may some day circumvent me if they please therefore it is my game to divide them And moreover there have been great troubles in this Country this while by-gone and during them great wrongs and extortions committed for the which some fashion of punishment must be made and I would rather that the Crimes should be laid upon the Hamiltouns the Earl of Huntly and their Adherents then upon your Friends and by their wrack I will get more profit then by that of those in the Castle that have neither so great Lands to escheat to us as the reward of our labours Therefore shew Grange and your friends that either they must agree without the Hamiltouns and the Earls of Huntly and Arguile or the said Lords will agree without him and these of the Castle To this I answered That I understood him his Speeches being very plain with this I went again to the Castle and rehearsed our whole reasoning Grange said it was neither godly or just dealing to lay the blame upon those who were richest for their Lands and Goods and not upon them who were guiltiest seeing these Noblemen had been ever willing to agree after that the Queen was kept in England but could not be admitted And yet if now they would abandon him and agree without him and those in his company he had deserved better at their hands yet he had rather that they should leave and deceive him then that he should do it unto them When I had given this return to Mortoun and that he perceived that Grange stood stiff upon his honesty and reputation he appeared to like him the better and seemed as if he had been resolved to go forward with these of the Castle He sent up Carmichael at my desire to hear out of their own mouths so far as I had spoken in their name they of the Castle likewise sent Pittadrow to the Regent to hear out of his own mouth so far about the agreement as I had said to them in his name This I did for my discharge whatsoever might come afterwards The Regent asked at what time the Castle of Edinbrugh should be delivered to him I said within half a year What security said he shall I have for it I said I should be a Pledg if he would accept me Then he enquired wherefore I sought so long delay I answered in the first place till all Articles and Promises might be performed and likewise because though the Laird of Grange was ever esteemed an honest man yet by wrong Reports and Practices the Ministers have been stirred up to cry out and preach against him therefore to inable him to serve for the future it would be some satisfaction to his mind to let the world see that as well after the agreement as before he should be esteemed alike honest and worthy to keep the house and then at the time appointed the Regent should be intreated to receive the Castle out of his hands He appeared to be very well content with this manner of dealing and gave me great thanks for his travel I had made desiring me to go home and he in the mean time would convene the rest of the Noble-men of his side and acquaint them with his Proceedings and take their advice and consent to this good work which he doubted not to procure and thereafter he said he would send for me again and put the form of the agreement in Writing But he took immediately another course and sent a fit man to the Hamiltouns the Earls of Huntly Arguile and their dependers and offered an accommodation to them if they would be satisfied to make an agreement by themselves not including Grange and those in the Castle which condition they accepted of without making therein any Ceremonies whereof they by their Letters instantly from Pearth advertised the Laird of Grange lamenting that the straits they were redacted to had compelled them to accept that agreement which the Regent had offered them praying him not to take it in evil part seeing they had no house nor strength to retire themselves to They gave him many thanks for the help and assistance he had made them which they said they would never forget so long as God would lend them their lives This was the recompence this good Gentleman obtained for the great help he had given the Lords the hazard he had run upon their account and the Charges he had been at in aiding them not imagining that the Regent would be so malitious as to cast him off and not except of his friendship which he incontinently offered after the rest were agreed but from that time forth the Regent would hear none of his offers persuading the rest of his Faction that these of the Castle were so proud and wilful that they refused to serve the King or acknowledge him as Regent And this was Published and Preached and yet the contrary was true For they would have taken any reasonable appointment What rage was in the Regents mind for greediness of their Lands and Goods or what should have induced him to bring an Army from England to besiege the Castle of Edinbrugh I know not it being to the dishonour of his Prince and Country seeing a little before the Castle was offered to the Earl of Rothess to be instantly delivered unto his hands to be kept to the Regents behoof which was refused So that apparently he had some other fetch in his head then a man
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
to be brought again to be Master of the Court which was accomplished upon a night at midnight When he came to the Gates of the Castle of Sterling they were opened unto him by the two Abbots and a Faction that they had drawn in there with them Albeit the Master of Mar and Earl of Aguile made what resistance they could where the Master 's eldest Son dyed in the throng yet the enterprisers prevailed and brought in again the Earl of Mortoun and put out the Earl of Arguile the Master of Mar Drumwhasel and such others as they misliked and so made a new change at Court Where the Earl of Mortoun handled the matter so discreetly and moderately as he could that the alteration should not appear to be over sharp or violent The new chosen Council scattered incontinently some of them retiring home and some joined with the Earl of Mortoun hoping never to see a turn again About this time came out of France my Lord of Aubonie who was afterward made Duke of Lennox who was Brother's Son to the Earl of Lennox and obtained afterward great credit and favour James Stuart of Oghiltrie of whom I formerly made mention assisted him through process of time to perswade the King's Majesty to desire to ride out of Sterling and make a progress among the rest of his Subjects which the Earl of Mortoun could not resist supposing that it lay in his power to frame the Court at his pleasure For by his great wealth he was resolved to gain so many as he judged necessary and so by the multitude of his friends to bear out the business however the Court was ruled after he had obtained a discharge and alliance of his intromission For though during the time that he was Regent he was always strongest about the King but my Lord Aubony and James Stewart were most in favour who by their continual rounding in the King's Ear against the Earl of Mortoun ingendered at last a greater dislike in the King of him then he had before And as James Stuart was the stirrer up of the other so afterward when he found the time convenient he took occasion to accuse the said Earl before the Council of the late King's murther Whereupon the Earl of Mortoun was made Prisoner and sent first to the Castle of Edinbrugh and afterward to the Castle of Dumbartoun which was thought strange in respect of his many friends that were in Court for the time who were then found to be but friends to his fortune For he was loved by none and envied and hated by many so that they all looked through their fingers to see his fall England was also angry at him for the time because of his slowness to answer their turns which they had hoped for at his hands having put the King and Country in his power Yet they made some offer to assist him which occasioned to hasten his ruin For they sent down Seventeen Companies to the Borders boasting to send a greater number and to declare open War in case the Earl of Mortoun was not set at liberty and the Lord Aubony put out of Scotland Mr. Randolph was sent in with this Ambassage His Majesty again having these two young Counsellors about him who knew of no perils raised a Taxation to pay Soldiers and caused to make a Proclamation for every Man to be in readiness upon a call which moved the English to retire and leave off endeavouring any more his assistance encouraging thereby such as were deadly Enemies to the Earl of Mortoun to ride to Dumbartoun with a thousand raised and hired Men together with their own friends to bring the Earl of Mortoun back again to Edinbrugh to undergo an Assize Some of the Earl's friends convened to take him out of their hands but found not themselves strong enough They might have done it had it not been the Forces which had been newly levied occasioned by the threat'nings which England had made Being brought to Edinbrugh he found few friends to appear or act for him His Gold and Silver was transported long before by his Natural Son James Douglas and one of his Servants called John Mac-Morran It was first carried in Barrels and afterward hid in some secret parts part whereof was given to be kept by some who were lookt upon as his friends who made ill accompt of it again so that the most part thereof lighted in bad hands and himself was so destitute of mony that when he went through the Street to the Tolbooth to undergo his Assize he was compelled to borrow Twenty shillings to distribute to the Poor who asked Alms of him for God's sake The Assize condemned him to death as being Airt and Pairt in the King's murther and as being of Councel with the Earl of Bothwel who brought him out of banishment when he was absent for the slaughter of David Rixio He granted that he was made privy thereto but had no hand in devising thereof And as concerning the young King he owned that he purposed to send him to England for his weal that he might the rather obtain his Right to the Crown of England being within the Country and brought up among them He dyed resolutely and had ended more perfectly if he had declared and confessed his Worldly practises and fetches to nourish the Civil Troubles partly at the devotion of England and partly for his own particular profit during the Government of the first three Regents which occasioned great blood-sheding that commonly cries to Heaven for vengeance During the King's young years the partialities were so great and the whole Country so disturbed by the two several parties who alledged to fight and strive for the King and the Queen being then Captive in England and the King yet very young that many perceived them to be but factious ambitious avaritious greedy worldly wretched persons Both parties were craftily stirred up and kept in trouble by one only Faction in England who had that Queens Ear intending the wrack as well of our King as Queen to advance some of their friends to inherit the Crown of England which occasioned a great out-cry against our foolish contentions After that the Earl of Mortoun the last of the four Regents was deposed the King's Majesty being young took the Government into his own hands my Lord of Aubony being made Lord Dalkieth and afterward Duke of Lennox was chief about his Majesty and James Stuart formerly mentioned who afterward took unto himself the style and then the Earldom of Arran thinking that he had done great Service and deserved well for accusing and wracking the Earl of Mortoun he married the Earl of March his Relict The Duke was of nature upright just and gentle but wanted experience in the state of the Country At the first he was wholly guided by the said James Stuart and his Wife who both began to envy him and therefore they endeavoured how they might cast him off that they might attain to the
sole management of Affairs And for this end they gave him bad advice and sinister informations against sundry of his best friends And being likewise Educated a Papist and suspected to be at the Duke of Guise's devotion and therefore a dangerous Man to be about his Majesty the whole Country was stirred up against him England by their Ambassadour helping to kindle the fire Mr. David Macgil and Mr. Henry Keer were his chief Councellors both wise enough for their own profit but careless of his standing and therefore not fit to counsel him who was his Majesty's greatest favourite At the instigation and mis-information of the Earl of Arran and his Lady he first did cast off his true friend the Master of Mar Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh and after that Sir William Stuart Captain of Dumbartoun and then Alexander Clerk Provost of Edinbrugh and the Earl of Gaurie Treasurer The rest of the Nobility were also dissatisfied to see these two young Lords only in favour with the King finding that they both did aim at Noblemens lives for their Lands And albeit some of them misliked the Earl of Mortoun's proceedings yet they judged the taking of his life an hard preparative They likewise suspected Religion to be in hazard the one being a Papist and the other a scorner of all Religion They thought that from two such Counsellors no wholsome advice could proceed for the peace of the Country and the establishment of Religion Therefore a number of them consulted together to displace both the Duke and the Earl of Arran to send the one to France and to remove the other from Court In the mean time they resolved to throng themselves in about the King and to make a reformation of the abuses and to inviron his Majesty with their Forces so soon as he came to Dumfarmling whither he had appointed to come at his return out of Athol where he was for the time ahunting and to present to him this Supplication IT may appear strange to your Majesty that we your most humble and faithful Subjects are here convened beyond your expectation and without your knowledge but after your Majesty hath heard the urgent occasion that hath pressed us hereto your Majesty will not marvel at this our honest lawful and necessary enterprise Sir For the dutiful Reverence that we owe unto your Majesty and for that we abhor to attempt any thing that may seem displeasing to your Majesty we have for the space of two years suffered such false Accusations Calumnies Oppressions and Persecutions by means of the Duke of Lennox and him who is called Earl of Arran that the like Insolencies and Enormities were never heretofore born with in Scotland Which wrongs albeit they were most intolerable yet when they only touched us in particular we comported with them patiently ever attending when it should please your Majesty to give a remedy thereto But seeing the persons aforesaid have plainly designed to trouble the whole Body of the Common-Wealth as well the Ministers of the blessed Evangel as the true Professors thereof but in special that number of Noblemen Barrons Burgesses and Commonalty who did most worthily behave themselves in your Majesties Service during your youth whom principally and only they molest and against whom they use most extremity and rigour of Laws oft-times most sinistrously perverting the same for their destruction so that one part of these your best Subjects are Exiled another part Tormented and put to questions which they are not in Law obliged to answer and withal execute with partiality and injustice all your Laws And if any escape their barbarous fury they can have no access to your Majesty but are falsly calumniated and debarred from your presence and kept out of your favour Papists and most notable Murtherers are called home daily and restored to their former honours and heritages and oftimes highly rewarded with the Offices and Possessions of your most faithful Servants Finally your Estate Royal is not Governed by the Council of your Nobility as your most worthy Progenitors used to do but at the pleasure of the foresaid persons who enterprise nothing but as they are directed by the Bishops of Glascow and Ross your denounced Rebels having with them adjoyned in their ordinary Councels the Popes Nuntio with the Ambassador of Spain and such other of the Papists of France as endeavour to subvert the true Religion and to bring your Majesty in discredit with your Subjects They travel to cause you negotiate and traffick with your Mother without the advice of your Estates perswading your Majesty to be reconciled with her and to associate her conjunctly with you in the Authority-Royal meaning nothing other thereby but to Convict us of Usurpation and Treason And so having these your best Subjects out of the way who with the defence of your Authority maintained the true Religion as two things united and inseperable what else could have followed but the wrack and destruction of both For conclusion your whole native Country for which Sir you must give an account to the Eternal God as we must be answerable to your Majesty is so perturbed and altered and the true Religion the Commonwealth your Estate and Person are in no less danger then when you were delivered out of the hands of the cruel Murtherers of your Father who they were we will not insist on at this present Sir beholding these great dangers to be eminent and at hand without speedy help and perceiving your noble person in such hazard the preservation whereof is more precious to us then our own lives finding also no appearance that your Majesty was forewarned hereof but like to perish before you could see the peril we thought that we could not be answerable to our Eternal God neither faithful Subjects to your Majesty if according to our ability we prevented not this present distress preserving your Majesty from the same For this effect with all dutiful humility and obedience we your Majesties true Subjects are here convened desiring your Majesty in the name of God and for the love you bear to his true Religion to your Country and Commonwealth and as you would see the tranquillity of your own Estate to retire your self to some part of the Country where your Majesties person may be most safely preserved and your Nobility secured who are under hazard of Lands Life and Heritages And then your Majesty shall see the disloyalties falshoods and Treasons of the persons aforesaid evidently proved and declared to their faces to the glory of God advancement of his true Religion your Majesties preservation and honour and the deliverance of your troubled Commonweal and Country and to their perpetual ignominy and shame At this Highland hunting His Majesty was very meanly accompanied The Duke of Lennox tarried for the time at Dalkieth the new Earl of Arran was at Kinneel many of the Councel were appointed to hold Justice Airs in divers Shires of the Country I was ordained to
hold the Justice Air of West Lauthian at Edinbrugh with my Lord Neubottle Mr. David Macgill and Mr. John Sharp There came to my Bed timely in a morning a Gentleman alledging that I had formerly done him courtesies which till now he was never able to recompence that he would make me the instrument of saving the Kings Majesty my Master out of the hands of those who were upon an enterprize to take and keep him I said I could hardly trust that but I feared that the Duke of Lennox might be in hazard who was gone to Glascow to hold Justice Airs because of the hatred which I knew was born him especially for the maintaining the two Bishops of St. Andrews and Glascow He answered They will lay hands first on the Kings Majesty and then the Duke and the Earl of Arran dare no more be seen their insolency and misbehaviour being the cause of all the present disorders for there is an enterprize to present a supplication against him to his Majesty After he had told me this news he desired me to conceal his name though to tell the matter to his Majesty He said this turn would be done in ten dayes and as I started up to put on my Cloaths he slipt to the door with a short farewel Because the Duke was at Dalkieth I did ride thither and shewed him the whole matter advising him to ride himself to His Majesty with this Advertisement for his own security but he chose rather to direct a Gentleman with all possible diligence to His Majesty willing me also to write unto the Earl of Gaurie for the Gentleman had not named him to me with the rest of the enterprizers either out of forgetfulness or else because he was but lately won to that purpose by the Laird of Drumwhasel who had assured him that the Duke of Lennox had determined to slay him at the first meeting persuading the Earl upon this ground to joyn with the rest of the Noblemen who were determined to reform the Estate Unto the which invented Advertisement he too easily gave Credit and so joyned with the rest of the Nobility who were minded to present the forenamed supplication to the King at his coming to Dumfarmling It is certain that the Duke of Lennox was led by evil Councel and wrong Informations whereby he was moved to meddle in such hurtful and dangerous courses that the rest of the Nobility became zealous of his intentions and feared their Estates As for the Earl of Arran they detested his Proceedings and esteemed him the worst and most insolent instrument that could be found out to wrack King Kirk and Country The Duke had been tolerable had he hapned upon as honest Councellors as he was well inclined of himself but he wanted experience and was no ways versed in the State of the Country nor brought up in our Religion which by time he might have been brought to have imbraced But the Earl of Arran was a scorner of Religion presumptuous ambitious covetous careless of the Commonwealth a dispiser of the Nobility and of all honest men so that every man was expecting a suddain Change which should have been made in Dumfarling in presenting the above specified supplication But what moved the Lords to surprise His Majesty within the House of Huntingtoun I know not If it was not to imbark the Earl of Gaury whose House it was more deeply in their bond or that they fearing their enterprise to be discovered made the greater hast and stayed His Majesty in that place which was afterward called the Road of Ruthven After that the Duke of Lennox was advertised of this enterprise he sent for the Earl of Arran who was peaceably passing his time in Kinweel He took in hand to ride and save the King boasting that he would chase all the Lords into Mouse-holes but he was chased and saved himself in the House of Ruthven where they had shortly made an end of him had not the Earl of Gaurie interceeded for his life whose destiny it was to keep him alive to be his own wrack afterwards The Duke of Lennox being advertised that His Majesty was in their hands retired himself to Dumbartoun and His Majesty was conveyed to Stirling and there retained The King of France and the Queen of England being informed that the King was taken and kept in Custody sent each of them an Ambassador to this Country to comfort his Majesty to see what the matter meant and to offer him their assistance in case he required the same and declared that he had been taken and kept against his will But after great thanks given unto the said Ambassadors the King willed them to declare unto their Princes that he was very well satisfied with the Lords who were about him and that they were all his own Subjects willing to obey him but that they had conceived some hard apprehensions of the Duke of Lennox and some others who had been about him before Albeit his heart was full of sorrow and displeasure as he told himself afterward and even then likewise to Mr. Cairy Cousin to the Queen of England who whispered in His Majesties Ear requesting him to tell the plain verity which he should keep secret from Mr. Bows his Companion and also from the Lords and shall only shew his inward mind privily to his Mistress the Queen yet it neither appeared by the success to have been kept secret nor did that Queen make any further instance for his liberty The Lords in the mean time thought meet to hold a Councel to resolve what course to take wherein it was determined that their enterprise was good service to his Majesty the Kirk and Common-wealth which His Majesty granted also to be true whereupon an Act of Councel was formed At that same time the general Assembly of the Kirk was held at Edinbrugh to the which his Majesty was moved to send two Commissioners to testify that he had allowed for good service the said Lords enterprise desiring likewise the Kirk to find it good for their parts and to ordain the Ministers and Commissioners of every Shire to publish the same to their Parishioners and to get the principal Gentlemens Subscriptions to maintain the same Notwithstanding of all this His Majesty took the matter further to heart then any man would have believed He lamented his mishandling to sundry Noblemen and others and at length acquainted some of them that he intended to relieve himself through time out of their hands who held him as Captive He desired such as he trusted in to assist him with their counsel and help The Lords again who were joined together for the Reformation of the State being rid of the Duke of Lennox who had past through England to France where he shortly after dyed of a sickness contracted through displeasure And being also rid of the Earl of Arran whom they kept Captive in the custody of the Earl of Gaury they retired themselves from the Court to
that being once there Proclamation might be issued out to forbid any Nobleman or other to come to the Convention without being expresly called by Letter from his Majesty For this end it was advised that the Earl of March should invite his Majesty to be at St. Andrews two or three days before the Convention by reason of his preparation of wild meat and other fleshes that would spoil in case his Majesty came not to make good chear with him some days before Whereupon his Majesty went forward contrary to my opinion and the judgment of some others about him who though we were sensible of the inconveniencies which might follow durst not be so bold as to stay him though we told his Majesty our opinion that we judged it was hazardous for him to ride till the Lords who had been advertised to attend him might come forward Nevertheless he went on and advertised the Earl of March the Provost of St. Andrews and other Barons to attend him at Darsie Where meeting them his Majesty thought himself at liberty expressing great joy like a Bird flown out of a Cage passing his time in Hawking by the way after his meeting them thinking himself sure enough albeit I thought his estate far surer when he was in Falkland For when he came to St. Andrews he lodged in an old Inn a very open part the yard dikes being his greatest strength few of the Lords he had written for being yet come except only the Earl of Crauford who was near In the mean time I perceived the folly and went to the Provost of the Town desiring to know what forces he had within the Town at his devotion He answered Very few and those not to be trusted to I asked who was in the Castle He told me the Bishop with whom I dealt incontinently to have the Castle in readiness to receive his Majesty which he promised to do But when I returned to his Majesty believing that the Proclamation had been made That no Man should come to the Convention but such as had been written for I found that the Abbot of Dumfarmling was arrived out of Lockleven and the Earl of Marshal out of Dundee The Earl of Mar was still with his Majesty but all the Lords were advertised with diligence from Falkland that his Majesty was suddenly gone for St. Andrews desiring them to make haste to go thither else they would be late The said Abbot for his part was soon enough there and behaved himself with great dissimulation extolling his Majesties enterprise so that he gain'd so much credit as to cast down all their devices who were upon the King's side though he was a special doer for the contrary party He said it was not fit by Proclamation to stay the Nobility but rather to write Missives to them not to come accompanied with any more then two persons with every Nobleman When his Majesty told me this I was very angry and shewed him that this was the ready way to put him again in their hands without thanks from whom he had lately fled assuring his Majesty that they were coming forward very strong and in Arms and would be sooner there then those Lords he had written for adding that they might come in quietly themselves and cause their Companies to come in by two's and three's to the Town whereas it had been better to let them come in all together that their whole Forces might have been seen Yet his Majesty was loath to enter within the Castle that night for his greater security until it was very late after Supper giving those that were there already time to advise and to enterprise that same night to take him again in case he had gone to the Abby yards to walk as they had perswaded him till the Castle was prepared And some were already entred the said yard for that effect in Armour whereof I had some suspicion and therefore instantly advertised his Majesty who thereupon changed his resolution and past by the yard Gate to the Castle The next day the whole Lords as well written for as unwritten for arrived at St. Andrews the King's Lords quite without Armour the other Lords strongly Armed The Earl of Marshal and Mar and the Abbot of Dumfarmling lodged within the Castle with his Majesty where the crafty Abbot counselled the King to let none of the Lords come within the Castle accompanied with more then twelve persons He ever appeared to favour the King's intention and therefore this crafty counsel was followed The next morning the Castle was full of men and those of the contrary party being well Armed had already taken the Stair-heads and Galleries resolving again to be Masters of the King and all the rest which being too late preceived diligence was incontinently used to bring within the Castle all the Earl of March his Gentlemen with the Lairds of Dairsy Balcomy Segie Forret Barns and others with so many of the Town as were at the Provosts devotion which for that night prevented the foresaid design The Earl of Gaury was also a great stay in that matter for albeit he came thither as strong and as angry as any of the Lords yet he was advertised of the King 's good will towards him and so was drawn from the rest That dangerous day being thus past without any harm done the next day such order was taken as his Majesty was Master of the Castle following no more the said Abbot's counsel but declared his moderate intentions to all the Lords to the Fiffe Barons and Towns upon the Coast side who had been sent for and likewise to the Ministers and Masters of the Colledge Namely That albeit he had been detained against his Will for some time yet he intended not to impute it as a Crime nor to remember any thing done in his minority but that he would pass an Act of Oblivion as to all that was past satisfie the demands of the Church agree parties among whom there were differences and to carry himself to all his Subjects equally knowing none of them to bear him any evil will and that they had been driven to enterprise the thing they had done by the force of their Factious partialities using many other such words of clemency and discretion to all their contentments Thereafter he ordained four Lords two of every faction to retire them for a while to wit The Earls of Angus Bothwel Huntly and Crauford retaining all the rest about him as indifferent for his ordinary Council by whose advice he was resolved to settle his estate and thereafter to bring again to Court the whole Lords above-named Then his Majesty called for me before a number of the said Lords and gave me greater commendation and thanks then I had merited as being the only instrument under God of his liberty His Majesty caused also to make a Proclamation conform to his former promises and moderate intentions But I took no pleasure to be praised in presence of so many answering
done me service Julius Pollux Master to Caesar points out a true Prince to be of Divine Countenance Godly Merciful Just Equitable Careful of his Affairs Constant in his Deeds true in his Promises Subject unto reason Master over his Affections fatherly towards his Subjects of easie Access gentle to be spoken to ready to forgive slow to punish princely liberal subtil secret and sharp of ingeny Now because it appeareth your Majesty in youth hath been sufficiently versed in many of these vertuous precepts I wish from my heart that such impressions may be as well taken of them that are presently about you seeing that Princes are commonly deemed to be like those whom they make most their familiars Therefore Sir for eschewing all those evils and to put the nearest Remedy unto all the appearing inconveniencies it is fit so soon as it may please your Majesty to pass to Edinbrugh to convene the most ancient of your Nobility and Barons of best reputation by whose advice together with those that are already in Court your Country may be quieted and your Subjects satisfied For now as matters are handled to speak of Clemency by causing them to take remissions it will want Credit and be ill interpreted as not conform to your Majesties first Declaration The Emperor Adrian inquired after men of great age and experience and helped himself by their many perils Alexander Severus would perform no matter of importance but with advice of the most ancient and best experimented He never went out of Rome unaccompanied with four or five of the most honourable ancient and grave personages that none should need to fear that he would commit any Error He never suffered the Senate to conclude any weighty purpose unless Fifty of them had been present He caused all his Counsellors to put their Opinions in writing to see if any were possest with passions or partialities He changed oft his familiarity with sundry of the Senate lest he who had alwayes his ear might be overcome with importunate pursuits or partiality The urgent necessity of the time most Noble and Excellent Prince causeth me to be so tedious Humbly craving pardon and heartily kissing your Majesties hands I pray the Eternal God grant you long and happy life From Halhil this 15th of October 1583. Your Majesties most Humble And Obedient Servitour James Melvil When I came to Stirling and shewed his Majesty this Letter he not only liked well of it but ingaged to follow the advice therein contained He lamented to me the partial dealing of those about him Only he said that my Brother Sir Robert was upon a sound course for quieting of the Estate and that some Noblemen against whose partialities he had opposed himself had discorded with him in his Majesties presence It pleased his Majesty also to tell me that the cause why I was written for was to be sent to England to travel with the Queen there for entertainment of mutual Amity and encrease of her favour and good will concerning the Title and Succession to the Crown of England and assistance to help to establish his troubled Estate perturbed by the insolence and partialities of his Subjects bred and ingendred among them during his minority I answered that I judged it was a very unmeet time seeing I knew as matters stood in Scotland that England would make no account of him nor of any that would be sent from him until first he would let it be seen and heard that he could settle his own Estate and by his wise and prudent management render his own Subjects obedient to his Commands this being done they would honour and esteem him And that the best and readiest way to obtain also one day the Crown of England was to guide Scotland so well that they might find ground some day to wish to be under the Government of such a Prince By this kind of Language and his Majesty pondering what ground I had to use the same he was satisfied that my Voyage should be stayed till a more convenient time So I returned from Court to my own house It is mentioned here above in the Queen of Englands Letter how that she was minded to send a Trusty Servant unto his Majesty willing him to stay from any strict proceeding against the Lords who were pickt at for the Road of Ruthven until the Arriving of the said Ambassador who was the Secretary Walsingham a Counsellor of worthy qualities who had great Credit with the Queen of England But he was of a sickly Complexion and was not able to endure riding Post therefore he was long by the way being carried in a Charriot So that during his longsome Voyage the Earl of Arran went ay forward forgetting the tenour of the Queen of Englands Letter So soon as his Majesty was advertised of the Arrival of Sir Franers Walsingham I was sent for to come to Court and directed to ride and welcome him in his Majesties name to bear him company and Convoy him about by Stirling to St. Iohnstoun where his Majesty thought fit to give him Audience Desiring me also to say unto him that his Majesty was very glad of the coming of such a notable Personage who was known to be indued with Religion and Wisdom whom he had ever esteemed as his special friend being assured that his tedious travel in his long Voyage being diseased as he was tended to more substantial points for the confirmation of the amity between the Queen his Sister and him then had been performed at any time before The Secretary Walsingham answered me again that the great desire he had to establish an assured Amity betwixt the two Princes and Countries moved him to undertake the Embassage himself his Majesty being the Prince in the World that he loved next unto the Queen his Mistress and wished most to see and be acquainted with And that he hoped his Commission should succeed the better that he had met first with me his old friend and only acquaintance in Scotland For we had been Companions abroad upon our Travels and divers times when I was sent to or passed thorow England he would have me to lodge and lye with himself at London which occasioned that we had more familiar Conferences Whereupon I did write two several Letters that his Majesty might be the better provided to make answer to such heads as I knew he would propose Then we took our Journey thorow Lithgow to Stirling and from that to Pearth He had heard that my Lord Seatoun and Livingstoun were written unto to Convoy him but he requested me to stay them that he might have the more Conference by the way with me otherwise he would be compelled to entertain the Noblemen I judged it probable that his design in this was to let see his own Train For he was Sevenscore Horse in Company Being near the Court his Majesty sent out two of the Council to meet him to wit my Lord of Doun and my Brother Sir Robert The
Majesty to his liberty albeit not without some peril with honour at the first and with the universal contentment of all his Subjects so soon as they understood his honest meaning and gracious deliberation as well by Promise as by Proclamation as is already specified For my part I forget not at all occasions to remember his Majesty I refused the Office of Secretary when offered by his Majesty in reward of my service because it was promised that no man should want his Offices Benefits Lands or Escheats I opposed my self in full Council against the Earl of Arran because he had formed a Proclamation against the Lords of the Road of Ruthven contrary to His Majesty's former Proclamation of Grace and Oblivion For which he leapt out of the house in a great rage at me and for despight he made a List of the Names of so many as should be upon the Privy Council and left out my name Likewise he named so many of his dependers as should serve in every Office which his Majesty was resolved not to acquiesce to without my advice Yet he prevailed with His Majesty to subscribe the same assisted by the foresaid Lords who took plain part with him So I was shut out of door and had no more place to do good His Majesty graciously excused the matter and said That the Lords had no will of two Brothers being upon the Council But when he should get a Wife I should be her Councellour and chief about her So that if they were glad to be quit of me I was as glad to be free of them and not to be partakers with them in advices tending directly to indanger the Prince and the Country Yet his Majesty assured me That he would go to Edinbrugh according to the advice I had given in my forementioned Letter and Convene the Nobility Barons and others whom I had named in order to the settling of the Country And in the mean time he told me That the Earl of Arran thought fit to send to England the Bishop of St. Andrews alledging That he was passing to the Spaw for recovery of his health Who passing through England might have Commission to deal with that Queen in his Majesties affairs And in case he found her willing to discourse friendly and freely he should then shew her that his Majesty would send me thither to satisfie her more sufficiently in such things as she would require And to that effect the said Bishop should send back word by a Gentleman Captain Robert Melvil who went thither expresly to be sent back with the said answer I was commanded to write in the Bishop's favour but he was too well known in England For Mr. Bowes who remained long in this Country had informed them sufficiently of the said Bishop's qualities who was disdained in England and dishonoured his Country by borrowing of Gold and pretious Furniture from the Bishop of London and divers others which was never restored nor payed for His Majesty nevertheless would have me to grant to go to England and to be in readyness He desired me to make my own Instructions alledging That I knew what was meetest for him to require at that time I would not take upon me to make my own Instructions but I promised to pen the Speech that I would think most proper to recite to her Majesty in case I went thither and which I would judge to be the fittest language that any sent thither could speak for the time After his Majesty had perused the same he much relished it and declared it was fully conform to his own intentions It was in these words MADAM ALbeit that your Majesty be as sufficiently certified of the King my Sovereign's conformable mind to satisfie your Majesty as well by Sir Francis Walsingham your Secretary as by the Bishop of St. Andrews his Ambassadour granting the one his whole desires by mouth and declaring by the other how strictly he hath observed and performed the same in effect more to satisfie your motherly mind by shewing the tokens of a thankful and obedient Son then for any great advantage he perceives you thereby seek for your self So that it is his Majesty's intention chiefly seeing he hath taken the Rudder into his own hand to discover to you ay the longer the more the perfect fruits of his hearty affection For now having attained unto some years of knowledge and dear bought experience by that which hath been oft beat in his Ears he is not ignorant how that your Majesties favour and assistance will be more contributive for his advantage and advancement then can be any or that he can obtain from all the other Princes in Europe Your Majesty being to him so dear a Mother and so near a Neighbour both your Subjects appearing to be but one People Especially since your prudent Government began the effects whereof hath not only been found by your own but by your neighbours The same having extended it self to the advantage of other Kingdoms especially overshadowing this whole Island to your Majesties everlasting honour For never in any Princes days hath been seen so much rest so great riches and felicity in England which likewise might have been in Scotland if the particularities of some of the Subjects had suffered them to have followed your Sage Charitable and Loving admonitions As the consideration thereof is the reason which induced his Majesty whom the matter most toucheth to direct me to your Majesty after ripe deliberation and upon the sure ground of the good information of such as are best inclined and have greatest experience to seek the assistance which he hath so oft seen sent unto him help and wholsom advice where he hath so oft found it and salutary Plaisters to be laid unto the Sores that yet daily breed and arise in his Realm as remains of the Canker and disorder ingendred during his Minority Seeing then the thing that he craves is your accustomed Kindness and Counsel which because the strength of your constancy will compel you to continue towards him he is the more humbly to suit the same as most seemly for his neerness of Kin Age and Estate to do Perswading himself that such friendly Offices might be used between you as may tend to both your contentments and weal of your Kingdoms which for lack of sure intelligence of others minds by secret and mutual conference of devotious and discreet instruments might otherwise turn to the contrary The King my Master knows that a mighty Man cannot stand upon one side he grants that he hath now greater need of your help then you of his in many things But he thinks himself as able and is as willing to deserve favour at your hand as any who can contend with him for the same or would presume to sound the Bell of Succession in your Ears For his part he requires no instant Declaration thereof but will continually crave by his behaviour all such preferment as an humble Son ought
Gentlemen of each Shire to subscribe a Signature or the Copy wherein the Road of Ruthven was allowed for good Service and to be ready to defend the same I declared also unto His Majesty that there was a common Clause contained in all Remissions to wit Except the laying hands upon the King's person so that how little secured they were by their present Remissions His Majesty might easily judge He answered That seldom or never was any Remission seen broken and wondered what made me think or speak contrary to the rest of the Council I said If I had always spoken as the rest I had not been put off the Council by the Earl of Arran whose qualities I had before described unto His Majesty and what inseparable inconveniencies would attend his being again brought into Court I requested His Majesty for his own weal to send him home to his own House For by his underhand dealing I understood that this Convention would shortly bring on new desperate enterprises His Majesty said That I was in the wrong to the Earl of Arran and that there would never be more desperate enterprises I affirmed that there would be continually ay and while the Lords who were in despair might mend themselves or find themselves in a better security I said moreover to His Majesty that the Earl of Arran would yet again put his Person and Crown in hazard so that His Majesty left me in anger And yet he turned about again and asked who shall then remain about me if I put away the Earl of Arran I answered Who but your ancient Nobility the Earls of March Arguile Eglintoun Montrose Marshal Rothess Huntly and Crauford with some Ministers and Barons known not to be factious But so many of the Noblemen and of their Friends as were yet remaining within the Country after they had heard of their Remissions they Combin'd together and gained divers Lords who were about His Majesty to make a new enterprise and were minded to slay the Earl of Arran Colonel Stuart and some others that were about His Majesty whom they knew to have been most instrumental in carrying on this design though it should be in His Majesty's presence and that way to become Masters again of the Court. Whereof I not only was advertised by some to whom I had formerly done kindnesses but I was advised to absent my self from Court four or five days till the first fury of the alteration was over For the Earl of Arran's hatred to me procured me many friends I again to save his Majesty from peril and dishonour thought it my duty to advertise him intreating him to send home the said Earl I cannot tell what moved the Earl but that same night he invited me to Supper which I refused The next day again he took me by the hand before His Majesty saying That I should Dine with him in his Majesty's presence He shewed me a very favourable countenance for the King had forbidden him to offend me in any sort as he would retain his favour If he had got any word of my contrary Opinion to his I cannot tell or that I had desired him to be sent home but there was some appearance of this by his behaviour and passionate Speeches unto me soon after that I had told my judgment unto his Majesty as men may judge for leading me by the hand to dine with him in His Majesty's presence which I could not evite Before we did sit down to Dinner he askt me how all would be I told him very freely all I had spoken unto His Majesty Then said he you would place about His Majesty the Earl of March who is a Fool guided by the Laird of Compte and Robert Sives I said he behoved to be one with the rest of the Noblemen already named He said it should pass my power or any Man's to cause him leave His Majesty so long as he was in such danger I answered That the King was in danger for no other cause but because he was with him I perceived he entertained a great discontent at me in his heart which burst out afterward Threatning to put me out of the Gates if I fished any more in his Waters I answered if I pleased to tarry it would pass his power seeing I would get more honest Men to take my part then he would get Throat-cutters to assist him So soon as His Majesty heard of this language he sent the Earl's Uncle the Laird of Caprintoun to reprove him very sharply Whereupon he retired in great discontent to the Castle of Edinbrugh whereof he was Captain declaring he would not come near his Majesty till I was sent home to give him place which I perceived His Majesty was satisfied I should do to please him For his Wife came daily to His Majesty and said That her Husband was highly discontent finding His Majesty to take my part against him Whereupon I resolved to retire At my leave-taking His Majesty said he doubted not but I would return when called for By which I understood that I should not come back till sent for Which suited very well with my former intentions being resolved to attend no longer then the foresaid Convention was ended Now the Earl of Arran triumphed being Chancellour and Captain of the Castles of Edinbrugh and Sterling He made the whole Subjects to tremble under him and every Man to depend upon him daily inventing and seeking out new faults against divers to get the gift of their Escheats Lands Benefices And to procure Bribes he vexed the whole Writers to make sure his gifts Those of the Nobility who were now unsure of their Estates fled others were banished he shot directly at the Life and Lands of the Earl of Gaury For the Highland Oracles had shewn unto his Wife that Gaury would be ruined as she told to some of her familiars But she helped that Prophesie forward as well as she could For Gaury had been his first Master and despighted his insolent Pride Oppression and Misbehaviour plainly in Council which few others durst do therefore he hated his Person and loved his Lands which at length he obtained For Gaury being unable to be a Witness of the Oppression of his Country obtained His Majesties consent to go out of the Country But as he was making his preparations too longsomly and slowly in Dundie as he was of Nature over slow where his Ship was to receive him he was advertised by some Factioners that the Earls of Angus Mar and Master of Glams had an enterprise in hand viz. To come out of Ireland and take the Town and Castle of Sterling Having correspondence with divers Nobles and others their Friends who were in the Country Malecontents so that they were in hope to make a party sufficient against the Earl of Arran The despight the Earl of Gaury had against the Earl of Arran moved him to stay to take part with them There was at this time an universal miscontent in the Country
the King what answer were fittest to make At length he said he would declare the matter unto the Constable under promise of great secrecy causing the Constable by this niceness to suspect some practice When he gave him Audience he caused me to be present beside him At their meeting in the Constable's Cabinet his Irish Interpreter was put forth against his will as appeared But he was so instructed by the Ambassadour his Uncle to use such forreign and rude fashions Yet again e're he began to propose his Errand he desired secrecy The Constable being an old wise experimented Councellor put him a little aside and rounded in my Ear to know if ever I had seen this young Man before I answered That I had observed him the preceding day at long conference with one Mr. Sommer Secretary to the English Ambassadour Then the Constable thought that he should handle the matter well enough for he instantly conjectured that all this niceness proceeded from the Ambassadour to intrap him So calling the young Man again he desired him to shew what he had to say Mr. Wotton began to declare the great miscontentment that was in England not only for bringing in the proud Spaniard to Rule over them but also for the alteration of Religion made by Queen Mary moving many to Rebel and others to remove off the Country who nevertheless were all well received and treated by the King's Majesty of France Whereby he had gained the hearts of the third part of England so devoutly towards him that they would gladly put the Crown of England on his head getting liberty in Religion to be quit of the Spanish Tyranny and terrible Inquisition which was feared would also be established in England And for the first proof of their good will and gratitude a number of Lords and Knights who durst not write had sent him secretly with an Overture to put the strong Town of Calis into his hands with the whole Earldom of Oye At this the Constable made a start and said Know you not my friend that there is a sworn Peace betwixt your Queen and my Master The other replied again how that the Queen of England aided secretly whith Mony and Men the King of Spain her Husband in his Wars of Flanders against France Which the Constable alledged that she denied by her Ambassadour willing him however to tell out the rest of his Commission Then said he My Lord the means how you may get Calis is this First The most part of the Town is of the Reformed Religion and are Malecontents having refused to receive a Garison of Spaniards And they are friends to those who have sent me and keep correspondence with them only the Towns Ship keeps the Town keeping Watch and Ward being unskilful in handling their Arms. Therefore the King shall cause Monsieur Senarpon his Lieutenant in Normandy to lye in ambuscade at such a Wood within a mile and an half of the Town at an appointed day then a Ship well furnished with Armed Men shall lye at Anchor half a mile from the Town And some of them clothed like Marriners shall come on Land and have Swords and Pistols under their Cloaths and shall wait about two of the Afternoon at which time the Ports of the Town are opened to let Men in and out Part of those who attend the Ports will be at their Dinner when one or two will come before the rest to open the Gates Thus the Gates being easily seised upon let one of the Company shoot off a Culverin that the Ship may hear and shoot a Cannon to cause Monsieur de Senarpon with his Company advance In the mean time there shall be a mutiny raised in the Town by our friends and partners so that the Town shall be obtained without stroke After that the Constable had heard all this long discourse he said That it was a very probable design and he doubted not but it might be easily effectuated but in respect of the sworn Peace the King his Master would not nor should never have his consent to break it But that he was much ingaged to the Noblemen who did bear him so much good will and as for him who had taken so great pains the King should reward him willing me to remember to cause give mony to the young Gentleman So he gained nothing at the Constable's hand and never came again to seek his reward but was afterward manifestly known to be Brother's Son to Doctor Wotton Ambassadour as said is This is he now who was sent hither to bear His Majesty company as one who will not meddle with Practises but with Pastimes But when I forewarned His Majesty to beware of him and told how that he being little above Twenty years old was imployed to beguile the wise old Constable Now he was Fifty years and His Majesty but Twenty it was to be feared he would endeavour to beguile him Yet His Majesty would not believe me but believed the said Mr. Wotton to have a great kindness for him and so he became one of his most familiar Minions waiting upon him at all Field-pastimes and in appearance he despised all busie Councellors and medlers in matters of State as he was instructed by such as said he would please His Majesty best to appear such But he had more hurtful fetches in his head against His Majesty then any English-man that ever came in hither had at any time before You have heard before of a meeting that was drawn on at the Borders betwixt the Earl of Hunsdean and Arran where at their secret conference Arran was required by the craft of the Lord Burleigh and his faction in the English Council to stop the King from any marriage for three years upon many fair counterfeited promises One whereof was That he should be declared Second Person upon his marriage of the forenamed English Lady of the Blood At which Arran granted all that was desired he was so glad to procure the Queen of England's friendship About that time the Queen of England by her intelligence from Denmark was advertised of a great and magnifick Ambassage to be sent from Denmark to Scotland viz. Three Ambassadours with Sixscore Persons in Two gallant Ships Whether she suspected or had heard that it was to draw on a marriage I cannot tell But this far I learned that her Council judged it was to confirm at least a greater friendship betwixt the two Kings and their Countries which was one of the Causes that moved them to send this Mr. Wotton to Scotland to use all his wiles to disturb and hinder any greater Amity that might proceed from the said Commission and Negotiation between their two Kings and their Countries For England trusted nothing to the Earl of Arran's promise for they esteemed him as an inconstant Man as is already declared So soon as the Danish Ambassadours arrived by Ship in this Country His Majesty ordered me to entertain them and bear them company And
diligence and another from the Earl of Arran intreating me to accompany him from Kinneal to the Court But I went to His Majesty strait whither also the said Earl came that same night For he had procured liberty to return again to Court and remain about His Majesty At my coming to Sterling I had intelligence from a very sure hand That the said Lords were already at the entry of the Borders assisted by my Lord Hamiltoun my Lord Maxwel my Lord Bothwel my Lord Hume and sundry others who had not formerly joined with them Also the Earl of Athol the Laird of Tillibardine Buccleugh Cesfoord Coudingknows Drumlanrick and others who were in greatest credit about His Majesty were to join with them at their in-coming Whereof I advertised His Majesty and Colonel Stuart who undertook to ride unto the Borders and overthrow them before they were wholly Convened together which might very probably have been effectuated if the design had not been craftily disappointed by such as were about His Majesty who appeared to set forward the Colonel's enterprise to please His Majesty and to conquer credit saying They would write to Coudinknows Buccleugh Cesfoord and such others to assist him Whom they knew to be upon the contrary Faction already so that the design of scattering them was rendered by that Craft ineffectual And because I perceived the crasty intention and that they feared I would therewith acquaint His Majesty they caused His Majesty to send me a forged Errand to Dunkel that they might the better bring their purpose to pass without any contradiction The pretext of my Commission was to cause the Earl of Athol to stay at home and not to join with the Lords who were to come shortly to Sterling And by the way I was to deliver a Letter to the Baylies of St. Johnstoun to be upon their Guards and not to suffer any of the King's Enemies to come within their Town The Bayliffs inquired of me what if the Earl of Athol and Master of Gray would desire to come within their Town I said They might let themselves enter with Ten in Company but no more They alledged That their Letter specified not that I told them That was committed to me by mouth the Conclusion of my Letter willing them to credit me When I came to Dunkel I knew that the Earl of Athol would not stay for me who had a Thousand Men in readiness to take the Town of St. Johnstoun and to come thence to Sterling with the Master of Gray who was yet with him But however I told him that the Collonel Stuart was gone with Forces to defeat the Lords at their entry into the Country before they might be joined together And that therefore he would do well to lye at home till he might understand the issue of the said enterprise If that took effect it would be folly to him to march forward and if it did not succeed he might do as his heart served him He thought this Counsel good desiring me to write unto His Majesty for a License to him and his to remain at home which I did In the mean time the Master of Gray was sent for to Court the Ports of the Town of Pearth being refused to his Men who were come out of Angus to assist him At his returning to Court he was as great with His Majesty as ever he was remaining with him within the Castle of Sterling Where there were two Factions who discovered themselves so soon as they saw the Malecontents and banished Lords draw near unto the Town of Sterling Whither they came to the number of Three Thousand and entred unto the Town without stop His Majesty inclined most to the Faction who brought in the said Lords who advised His Majesty to send some down to the Town to Commune and Compound matters Which was at length Agreed upon and Concluded That His Majesty should remain in their hands that no rigour should be used to those who were about him So that those who were mediators appeared to be good Instruments and stayers of Blood-shed For Arran was escaped and fled at their first entry But Colonel Stuart only with Ten or Twelve gave them such a charge in the midst of the narrow part of the Town that a little more help might have put them in great disorder For the most part of their South-land Men were busie spoiling Horse and Goods The Lords when they came into His Majesty's presence fell down upon their knees humbly begging pardon Adding That the hard handling by Arran and other partial Persons about His Majesty had compelled them upon plain necessity and for their last refuge to take the boldness to come in Arms for the surety of their Lives and Lands being ever humbly minded to serve His Majesty and obey him The King again like a Prince full of Courage and Magnanimity spoke unto them pertly and boastingly as though he had been Victorious over them calling them Traitours and their enterprise plain Treason Yet said he in respect of your necessity and in hope of your good behaviour in time-coming he should remit their faults And the rather because they had used no vengeance nor cruelty at their in-coming In the mean time His Majesty committed and recommended the keeping of the Earls of Montrose and Crauford unto my Lord Hamiltoun And the keeping of Colonel Stuart unto my Lord Maxwel These three were for a time in some danger because they had too violently espoused Arran's interest The rest of His Majesty's Servants were over-lookt Sir Robert my Brother and his Son were both courteously used This moderate behaviour of the Lords conquered daily more and more favour from His Majesty They pressing him in nothing but by humble Intercession of such as formerly had his Ear. A Parliament was proclaimed at Lithgow for their restitution whither His Majesty was convoyed to pass his time at Hunting thereby to Recreat his Spirits Many Noblemen and others were written for to come unto the said Parliament Among the rest the Earl of Athol to whom I had been sent and with whom I was at the Lords coming to Sterling Where I was waiting upon an answer from His Majesty of the Letter which the Earl of Athol had desired me to write as said is When I came to kiss His Majesty's hand I was gladly made welcome His Majesty alledging That I was Corbie's Messenger I answered That my absence with the Earl of Athol had saved all my own Horse and the Town of St. Iohnstoun untaken and had kept the said Earl from assisting with the rest So that if those who had remained at Sterling with him had kept the South as well as I had done the North their Horse had been safe as well as mine was His Majesty said That God had turned all to the best For he had been before made believe that he would be in danger of his life in case these Noblemen had ever any more power about him And yet though
they had both Him and his Servants in their power they had used no rigour nor vengeance His Majesty remembred how frequently I had forewarned him of this and the like accidents that I said would follow upon the Earl of Arran's rash proceedings He acknowledged he had been a bad Instrument and declared that he should never have more Place or Credit about him He desired me to wait at Court and help to do all good Offices betwixt him and his Nobility And to tell them the truth who was to blame for their trouble as having occasioned the same seeing he had great prejudice and no advantage thereby it being far from his inclination to seek any Man's Life Lands or Goods but only the peace and quiet of the Country and the settling of the Subjects among themselves Which I could testifie for a truth the verity thereof consisting within my knowledge His Majesty told me also how he had shewn unto the Noblemen my honest and friendly advices toward them and that I opposed my self continually to the Earl of Arran's proceedings He desired me also to help to satisfie the Ministers who were seeking to be restored unto their former free Assemblies which he had forbidden them at the advice of the Earl of Arran The same being one of the occasions of all the following troubles which were chiefly grounded upon the dissatisfaction of the Ministers by whom the Country was influenced So that I tarried a while at Court till matters began to take some setling Divers of the Lords also were earnest with me to stay offering me great kindness saying That His Majesty had told them every Man's part and behaviour in relation to their Banishment and Persecution And that I was ever for a moderate Course desiring and pressing as His Majesty's interest an Act of Oblivion to be Past for all by-gones during his Minority The said Lords therefore caused me to propose some of their suits to His Majesty whom in nothing they would press beyond his own pleasure But the Council was of different opinions concerning the restoring of the Ministers to their former Priviledges and Freedoms where I was brought in to give my Opinion The greatest part thought fit to delay them for a time chiefly such as had remained about His Majesty and had said too much before to the contrary But they had yet some private designs hatching in their heads which could not be brought about if the Country were wholly in Peace Which they knew would be were the Ministers satisfied My Opinion was That His Majesty was not to be blamed that the Noblemen were banished or the Ministers Priviledges taken from them seeing all these insolencies were committed by evil Instruments who ruled over His Majesty's good mind to satisfie their own Ambition Who now being fled and absent I knew no reason why the Ministers should not be restored to their former Priviledges as well as the Noblemen to their Lands and Honours the one being no less contributive to the setling of the Kingdom as the other Seeing if this were omitted the blame would still lye upon His Majesty and the Country would be still in trouble The Secretary Maitland was against this Opinion for he had formerly spoken too much on the contrary But the rest of the Noblemen and the Council thought my Opinion best But yet at that time it was not followed nor granted at that Parliament Yet shortly after it was found His Majesty's interest and conducing for fully Establishing Peace in the Country that the Ministers should be restored to all their former Priviledges It is above-mentioned That the Mr. Almoner was sent to Denmark Shortly after Colonel Stuart took occasion to go thither about his own affairs for he had a Pension of the King of Denmark He obtained also some writing whereby he was Commissioned to speak of the King's marriage with the King of Denmark's Eldest Daughter And they both returned with so good and friendly answers that there was little more mention made of the restitution of the Isles of Orkny The King of Denmark was also put in hope by them that His Majesty would send the next Summer an honourable Ambassage to Denmark to deal further in these matters I have shewed already the dangerous practices of the English Ambassadour Mr. Wotton and a part of their effects but the principal is yet behind The Council of England having concluded to take the Life from the Queens Majesty his Highnesses Mother after she had been many years kept Captive in England thought first to get the King her Son in their hands and to put him in hope that he should obtain the Crown of England the rather that he was within their Country And in the mean time to be sure that he should not be able to revenge his Mother's death but might be as a pledge among them in case his Country-men or his Forreign and French friends would pretend to menace them or to make War for his Liberty or in revenge of her death For in that case they might threaten to cut him off if for his Cause they should be troubled And however it were through time it was suspected that they intended to take his life also after that they had laid their Plots how to make him odious to the People by false counterfeit Letters and alledged practices as they had craftily and deceitfully alledged upon his Mother against the State But finding this their design of carrying him to England discovered by my Brother's intelligence the said Ambassadour fled as said is And for the next best thought fit to see His Majesty put in the hands of the most part of the Nobility who were banished for the time and during their banishment had been sheltered in England who they thought by fitted Instruments might be stirred up to take his Life at least to keep him in perpetual Prison in revenge of the injury had been done them But herein they were disappointed For they used themselves so moderately and discreetly that they sought nothing but their own native Country and Lands and that they might have access to serve and obey their Prince without any further vengeance or rigour against their particular Enemies As their actions and proceedings have sufficiently declared since to the great increase of their favour with His Majesty and estimation of the whole Country It hath been rarely or never seen in any Country that there have been so great alterations with so little bloodshed as hath been in Scotland in this Kings time Now those who were Enemies to our Queen and King's Title to the Crown of England seeing some of their fetches to fail them entred in deliberation what way to proceed to take the Queen's life The Council of England a great part of the Nobility and States fell down upon their knees humbly requesting Her Majesty to have compassion upon their unsure Estate albeit she should slight her own Alledging That her life was in hazard by the practices of the
the Laird of Barnbarrow and the said Mr. Peter to be again employed in that matter with uncertain and irresolute Instructions to propose marriage and with divers fair allegiances concerning His Majesty's sufficient Right to the. Isles of Orkny which the King of Denmark was minded to sue for more sharply but for the hope he was put in of the apparent marriage of the King's Majesty with his Eldest Daughter These Ambassadours were not well imbarked when Monsieur Dubartus arrived here to visit the King's Majesty who he heard had him in great esteem for his rare Poesie set out in the French Tongue He would not say that he had a secret Commission to propose the Princess of Navarre as a fit marriage for His Majesty but that the King of Navarre's Secretary willed him seeing he was to come this way as on his own head to propose the said marriage Monsieur Dubartus's Qualities were so good and his Credit so great with his Majesty that it appeared if the Ambassadours had not already made Sail that their Voyage should have been stayed for that Season The Chancellour assured Monsieur Dubartus as he shewed me that the marriage of Denmark should not take effect For our Ambassadours had indeed such strait Instructions and so slender a Commission that it was enough to have caused the King of Denmark to start and to quarrel with our King were it not that they dealt above their Commission Which kept that King in some Temper albeit they returned without fruit full of displeasure thinking themselves scorned as they were indeed In the mean time that they were in Denmark Monsieur Dubartus being in Falkland with His Majesty came to my house to perswade me to take a Commission in hand which he said His Majesty would lay to my charge which was to be sent unto the King of Navarre and to be acquainted with Madam the Princess his Sister And because His Majesty knew that I would be loath to go he named also my Lord Tungland my Brother who undertook the journey and became well acquainted with the said Princess and was well treated and rewarded by the King her Brother now King of France and brought with him the Picture of the Princess with a good report of her rare qualities The Laird of Barnbarrow and Mr. Peter Young being returned back from Denmark declared that the King of Denmark thought nothing of their Commission judging it but fruitless dealing and delaying of time and fair language without any power to conclude I am uncertain whether he got intelligence of His Majesties sending my Brother to the King of Navarre But the marrying of his Eldest Daughter with the Duke of Brunswick gave some appearance that he had got some notice thereof from the Court of England who were abundantly well informed of all our proceedings After this Colonel Stuart desirous to see the marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter take effect went thither upon his own expences divers times And seeing the Eldest Daughter already married he excused the King's Majesty and laid the blame upon those who had the handling of his affairs So that the King of Denmark promised yet to give his second Daughter unto the King upon conditions that Ambassadours should be sent there the next year before the first day of May. In the mean time the King of Denmark took sickness and departed this life leaving the same Commission with his Council and such as were appointed for Regents of the Realm Now the King being suited in marriage by many great Princes and his Ambassadours being come back both out of Denmark and Navarre with the Pictures of the young Princesses His Majesty determined first to ask counsel of God by earnest Prayer to direct him where it would be meetest for the weal of himself and his Country So that after fifteen days advisement and devout Prayer as said is he called his Council together in his Cabinet and told them how he had been advising about that matter of so great concernment to himself and his Country the space of fifteen days and that he was now resolute to marry in Denmark The Council appeared all to relish his resolution requiring meet Instruments to be imployed to compleat the marriage and to make the Contract Then His Majesty said That he had already chosen me in his mind for one desiring the Council to choose another which they did to wit The Lord of Atry Uncle to the Earl of Marshal We two being written for and come to Court found not such earnestness with the Council as with the King Which my Lord of Atry perceiving he drew home again excusing himself upon his Age and sickliness His Majesty used many perswasions and reasons to induce me to undertake the Voyage declaring how he had many times sent for me to be employed in Ambassages and could never tell why I went not I answered That His Majesty would have done me that honour many times above my deserving which he would not have done if he had known my insufficiency for such matters of so great import as I did my self His Majesty said That this business concerning his marriage was the greatest matter that ever he had to do and that he would take no refusal I said That my Lord Tuangland my Brother was far meeter then my self being a good Scholar who could perfectly speak the High Dutch the Latine and the Flemming Languages with the French Tongue But His Majesty would still repose upon me in that Errand but at my desire was satisfie that my Brother should be put in Commission with me Then His Majesty said Albeit the Council will form your Instructions yet you shall receive mine out of my own mouth First If the King of Denmark had been alive he would not have stood to have given a great Portion with his Daughter wherein it is probable the Regent and his Council will be as sparing as they can I doubt not therefore but you will endeavour to draw from them as much as can be had but at length stand not upon mony to conclude the marriage Secondly Know what friendship and assistance they will make me when it may please God to place me by Right in the Kingdom of England by decease of this Queen in case any Country man or other would wrongously pretend to usurp and debarr me from the same Thirdly Concerning the Isles of Orkny you may chuse any Man of Law that you please for that head must be answered and debated by Form of Law Alwise if the marriage take effect that purpose would not be over precisely handled It may be that my Council will give you straiter Conditions but this Instruction of mine you shall follow let them say what they please I told His Majesty That I would chuse to take with me for a Lawyer Mr. John Skeen His Majesty said he judged there were many better Lawyers I said he was best acquainted with the German Customs and could make them long
Harangues in Latine that he was a good true stout Man like a Dutch-man Then His Majesty was content that he should go with me After that I had tarried long at Court and could see no preparation for our Dispatch neither Mony nor Ship making ready the appointed time wherein we should have been in Denmark being past to wit before the first of May. For it was so ordered by the King of Denmark e're he dyed that in case that day was not kept that they might think themselves but scoffed This moved me to employ my friends at Court to cause another be named in my place seeing so many suiting to get the said Commission And the Chancellour gave me such terrors as he could for his part Now the Farl of Marshal was desirous to supply the place of his Uncle my Lord of Atry and His Majesty was content that he should be sent thither Whereupon I took occasion to represent to His Majesty That the said Earl was very well qualified for that imployment and that he would go the better contented if he might have in Commission with him some of his own friends and acquaintance His Majesty answered That it was his part to chuse his own Ambassadours that the Earl of Marshal should have the first place as a Nobleman but that he would repose the chief handling with the Regent and Council of Denmark upon me Then I declared That the appointed time was past and that yet there was no appearance of any preparation of Mony or Ship wherewith His Majesty was very angry I named the Laird of Barnbarrow or Mr. Peter Toung as very fit to be imployed in the Commission with the Earl of Marshal because they had been there already But he would not hear thereof for the blame had been wrongously laid upon their insufficiency it being alledged That their mismanagement was the occasion that matters formerly took not the desired success Would not this kind of Court dealing scare any man from medling in such weighty matters where such men are preferred to have the special credit about a Prince who mind only their own designs and not the Prince's advantage Those who at present ordered Affairs counselled His Majesty first to send to the Queen of England and require her advice and consent to the said marriage with Denmark who they knew would not only disswade him from the said marriage but also stay him from any marriage as she and her Council had ever done and dealt both with his Mother and himself When I understood of this new delay I obtained license to go home to my house and make me ready against the next warning In the mean time the season of the year was well spent The Queen of England's answer returned not to marry with Denmark She said That she had credit with the King and Princess of Navarre that she would imploy the same for effectuating that marriage which was much more His Majesty's interest In the mean time she did write to the King of Navarre to hold back the marriage of his Sister three years for such frivolous pretexts as carried no reason Upon this answer of England our Council was Convened and inticed to Vote against the marriage of Denmark Whereat His Majesty took such a despight that he caused one of his most familiar Servants to deal secretly with some of the Deacons of the Craftsmen of Edinbrugh to make a mutiny against the Chancellour and Council threat'ning to slay him in case the marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter were hindered or longer delayed This boasting and fear caused a new resolution to be taken that the Earl of Marshal should be dispatched with diligence with the Constable of Dundie and the Lord Andrew Kieth whom the said Earl requested His Majesty to send with him Which His Majesty granted the more easily because he found so many difficulties in the matter and some of my friends had informed him that it would be very satisfactory to me that some other were imployed Now it was yet a long time before the Earl of Marshal could be ready and dispatched Then as to his dealing with the Council of Denmark his power to conclude was so limited and his Commission so slender that he was compelled to send back again my Lord Dingual either for a License to come home or for a sufficient power to conclude Where it chanced that he found His Majesty at Aberdeen and the Chancellour and most part of the Council absent Which was a great furtherance to get a full power to conclude the Contract and Ceremony of the marriage by the Earl of Marshal who was incontinently dispatched by the Regent and Council of Denmark and the Queen sent home with him well accompanied But the tempestuous winds drave them upon the Coast of Norway where they Landed and stayed a long time for fair Winds and Weather Which storm of Wind was alledged to be raised by the Witches of Denmark as by sundry of them was acknowledged when they were for that cause burnt That which moved them thereto was as they said a blow which the Admiral of Denmark gave to one of the Bayliffs of Copenhaven whose Wife consulting with her associates in that Art raised the Storm to be revenged upon the said Admiral His Majesty had heard that they were upon the Sea and left nothing undone to make all in a readiness to receive the Queen and her Company honourably But in the mean time was very impatient and sorrowful for her long delay laying the blame thereof upon the Chancellour and such others of his Council as had plainly Voted against the said marriage and thereby had delayed the dispatch of the Ambassadours so long untill the Season of Sailing upon the Seas was near past The storms were also so great here that a Passage-Boat perished betwixt Bruntland and Lieth wherein was a Gentlewoman called Jean Kennedie who had been long in England with the Queen His Majesty's Mother and was since married to Sir Andrew Melvil of Garvock my Brother Master of His Majesty's Houshold Which Gentlewoman being discreet and grave was sent for by His Majesty to be about the Queen his Bed-fellow She being desirous to make diligence would not by the storm be stopped the Sailing of the Ferry where the vehement storm drave a Ship forcibly upon the said Boat and drowned the Gentlewoman and all the Persons except two This the Scotish Witches confessed to His Majesty was procured by them In that Boat also I lost two Servants Now His Majesty remained quietly in the Castle of Craigmillar dissatisfied as said is with the greatest part of his Council He could neither sleep nor rest In the mean time he directed Colonel Stuart to my Brother Sir Robert and me charging us to take care of his mishandled Estate in time-coming lamenting that he had been abused by such as formerly he had too much trusted to and that he had always found us faithful and careful of his welfare
He therefore desired us to sit down and advise how he might best put remedy to things by-past and prevent such inconveniencies in time coming seeing he had determined hereafter to repose most upon our Council Our answer to His Majesty was That we had great reason to render His Majesty most humble thanks for the favourable opinion he entertained of us which we should endeavour to deserve and were very sorry for the displeasure His Majesty had taken praying His Majesty to take patience seeing that as he had always reposed upon God and not Man that the same God would mend his Estate as he had oft-times done before That our care should be presently how to receive the Queen honourably who was upon the Sea we daily looking for her landing and next how to treat and reward the Noblemen of Denmark Her Majesties Convey That being done and they returned back to their Country it would be best time to take order with the Affairs of the Kingdom conform to His Majesty's desire with the concurrence of so many of the Council as His Majesty had found most faithful and least factious But we did not think fit to take upon us the whole burthen in respect that hath been always the chief cause of the wrack of Scots Kings especially of all His Majesty's own troubles in laying the whole burthen of his Affairs upon any one or two who most commonly for greediness and ambition abuse good Princes and few or none dare controul them for fear of their great Authority and Credit The Chancellour being advertised of His Majesty's discontent and displeasure as said is made preparation to go off the Country and caused it come to His Majesty's Ears that he would Sail himself and bring home the Queen with him And that they were all but Triflers who were with her He forgot not to Anoint the hands of some who were most familiar with His Majesty to interpret this his design so favourably that it made the King forget all by-gones and by little and little he informed him so well of the said Voyage and the great charges he had bestowed upon a fair and swift sailing Ship that His Majesty was moved to take the Voyage himself and to sail in the same Ship with the Chancellour with great secrecy and short preparation making no Man privy thereto but such as the Chancellour pleased and such as formerly had all been upon his Faction He had also heard an incling of a word That His Majesty in the time of his high displeasure had said That he would lay the burthen of his Affairs upon my Brother and me whereat he had a great envy and despight and was the cause why His Majesty made me not privy to his Voyage He was very discontent when His Majesty had appointed my said Brother Robert to be left Vice-Chancellour and Convene the Council in His Majesty's absence to hold hand with the Duke of Lennox my Lord Hamiltoun Bothwel and other Noblemen with the Officers of the Crown and to Rule the Country in His Majesty's absence Three other Ships sailed with His Majesty wherein was the Justice Clerk Carmichal the Provost of Lincludin Sir William Kieth George Hume Iames Sandiland with all His Majesty's Ordinary Servants The weather was rough enough for it was in the beginning of Winter But the last day was so extream stormy that they were all in great hazard but His Majesty landed that same night at in Norway where the Queen was abiding the turning of the Wind and where he accomplished his marriage in person But he could not be perswaded to return to Scotland that Wiuter by reason of the raging Seas and storm he had sustained a little before The Queen and Council of Denmark being advertised that His Majesty was resolved to abide all that Winter sent and requested him to come to Denmark Whither he went by Land with the Queen his new bride and behaved himself honourably and liberally by the way and at the Court of Denmark where he tarried during his abode there But the Company who were with His Majesty put him to great trouble to agree their continual janglings strife pride and partialities The Earl of Marshal by reason that he was an ancient Earl and had been employed in this honourable Commission thought to have the first place next unto His Majesty so long as he was there The Chancellour by reason of his Office would needs have the preheminence There were also contentions betwixt him and the Justice Clark The Constable of Dundie and my Lord Dingwal could not agree about place George Hume did quietly shoot out William Kieth from his Office of Master of the Wardrobe At length they were all divided into two Factions The one for the Earl of Marshal the other for the Chancellour who was the stronger because the King took his part So that the Chancellour triumphed and being yet in Denmark devised many Reformations to be made and new Forms and Customs to be set forward at His Majesty's return As to have no Privy Council but the Exchequer and the Nobility to be debarred from it Sundry of the Lords of the Session to be put out who he judged had no dependence upon him and others his Creatures put in their room He caused a Proclamation to be pen'd which was sent home to be proclaim'd before His Majesty's return That none of the Nobility should come to Court not being sent for and then to bring with them six persons and no more Likewise every Baron to bring but four Likewise he resolved to cause Ward such as had been unruly and disobedient during His Majesty's absence as the Earl Bothwel the Lord Hume and divers Borderers and Highland Men. The next Spring His Majesty came home and Landed at Lieth well accompanied with the Admiral of Denmark and divers of the Council and many other Gentlemen All whom His Majesty treated honourably and after the Queens Coronation they were magnificently rewarded with more then twelve Golden Chains and many Medals of Gold with His Majesties Picture His Majesty at his landing was pleased to send to me to bear them company which I did until their parting to His Majesty's great contentment In the mean time the Earl of Worcester was sent Ambassadour from England to Welcome and Congratulate both their Majesties with some Presents unto the Queens Majesty Upon whom I was commanded by His Majesty to attend diligently all the time of his being here and at his parting he was presented with a Ring of seven great Diamonds He parted well satisfied and so did all his Company His Majesty was pleased at leasure to declare unto me his whole Voyage and proceedings during his absence He said that he wished that I had been sent alone Ambassadour to Denmark in place of the Earl of Marshal and the two who were joined with him he was so ill informed of the said Earl I answered That I understood that the Earl for his part had behaved himself
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
hazard of being couped and wracked About this time the Earl of Arran who had been absent ever since the Road of Sterling came to Court and spoke with his Majesty and pretended to have obtained again his Office of Chancellour His Majesty had still some favour for him and would have been content of his company But others held him back and shortly after that he was surprised and slain by James Douglas of Park-head in revenge of the death of the Earl of Mortoun his Uncle Little diligence was made to revenge the same many thinking strange that he was permitted so long to live in respect of his arrogant and insolent behaviour when he had the Court at his will Now the Chancellour who was decourted at the alteration made in Dalkieth did what he could to procure his Majesties favour which at last he obtained and was again introduced But at first the Queen would not see him yet at length by the moyan of Sir Robert Ker of Cesfoord who had married his Brother's Daughter his peace was also made with her Majesty About this time there did arise great strife and disorders in the Country between the Earls of Huntly and Murray between the Earls of Caithness and Sunderland between my Lords Hamiltoun and Angus for divers of them had made suits and obtained Commissions with ample Priviledges over others Lands as well as over their own which ingendred many discords Whereof I advertised his Majesty that order might be taken therewith Whereupon the Council being Convened they ordered Letters to be directed in his Majesties name charging them all to desist from Hostility and to compear before the Privy-Council at prefixed days First the Earls of Murray and Huntly compeared there being a Gentleman of the name of Gordoun killed with a shot out of the house of Tarnua by the Earl of Murray Both the parties being come strong to Court were commanded to keep their Lodgings for preventing of trouble before their compearing When his Majesty was advised by the Chancellour what to do in reference to that matter then his Majesty proposed the same to the Council to wit three points either present Agreement to be made or Warding both the Earls or Caution to be taken of both then to send home the one and hold the other still at Court for a while His Majesty following forth this proposition declared first That the parties could not be agreed because of the hot blood of the Laird of Cluny Gordoun's Brother lately slain Concerning Warding he alledged That the Castle of Edinburgh had enough of Prisoners already that the Abby was not a fit Prison for Noblemen So that it would be fittest to take Caution of them both and to hold them sundry to send home the one and retain the other at Court for a season The Chancellour was of that opinion and sundry others who used to depend upon such who had the chief handling Then his Majesty commanded me to tell my Opinion which was different from this I advised present agreement supposing that the Earl of Huntly for his Majesties pleasure and in obedience to his command would not refuse to compound the matter by a present up-taking seeing he was come so great a journy with his Lady and whole Houshold to remain all Winter at Edinburgh At this the Chancellour took me up tantingly saying that the Earl of Huntly would tarry at Court all that day till to morrow and would part no sooner for he had promised to the said Earl that advantage over his Enemy albeit I knew the Earl's intention was to tarry all Winter at Court The Justice Clark was of my judgment but said that it appeared his Majesty with the Chancellour had already concluded to send Huntly home and keep the other at Court So soon as Huntly went home wanting his competitor he triumphed and took sundry advantages upon the Earl of Murray's Land giving the Earl just occasion of complaint and getting no redress he retired himself from the Court and became so malecontent that he took plain part with the Earl of Bothwel who was still upon his enterprises The Earl of Huntly being advertised that his Adversary was an Out-law with the Earl of Bothwel he returned again to Court to get yet some advantage upon him But in the mean time the Lord Ochiltrie endeavoured to agree them by consent of his Majesty He drew the Earl of Murray to Dunibirsil to be near hand that Conditions and Articles might be added and paired at the pleasure of their friends The Earl of Huntly being also made privy to his coming to Dunibirsil obtained incontinently a Commission appearing therein to do his Majesty acceptable Service to pursue by Fire and Sword the Earl of Bothwel and all his partakers Little knew his Majesty that under this general he was minded to assail the Earl of Murray at his own house to kill him as he did to the regret of many But the Lord Ochiltrie took such a despight that his friend was so slain under communing as he alledged that he took plain part with the Earl of Bothwel and so did divers others in revenge of his quarrel incouraging the said Earl to assail his Majesty within his Palace of Falkland having divers in Court familiar enough with his Majesty upon the said conspiracy with him whose Council his Majesty followed most So that they drew him into a Net to abide still in Falkland notwithstanding of the many sure advertisements that had been made unto him Such hath been his Majesty's hard fortune in many such straits The few number who were faithful to and careful of his Majesty counselled him after the first advertisement to pass the Coupar and Convene with all possible diligence the Barons of Fiffe for his defence But such as sought his wrack persuaded him to tarry and delay alledging that they had sure advertisement that the Earl of Lauthian would not come out of Lauthian till such a day which would have been two days longer and behind the day which he kept for he came to Falkland two days sooner This advice was given that his Majesty might be surprised before he could either enter within the Tower of Falkland or be provided with any forces to defend him And because they knew my Brother and me to be careful for him they advised his Majesty to send us home to our houses that same night that we understood the Earl of Bothwel would be there and had so told his Majesty but he believed his abusers better We gave his Majesty counsel to ride quietly to Bambrigh that there he might when he pleased take a Boat and go over to Angus where he would have leisure to Convene the Towns of Pearth and Dundie and the Country thereabouts But this advice was also overthrown by those who were upon the contrary part Thus we being commanded by his Majesty to ride home and to warn the Country in case he were besieged within the Tower we obeyed My Brother that
the Castle of Edinburgh p. 174. Desires a Commission to go Ambassador for England but is denied ibid. The Council of England conclude to take away the life of Mary Queen of Scotland Prisoner in England p. 171. Falsly alledging that She practiced against the State p. 172. Think fit to secure his Majesty in Scotland in the hands of the Banished Lords that so they might seek his life or keep him a perpetual Prisoner but herein prove defeated ibid. Fall down upon their knees with many of the Nobility Alledging that her life as well as their lives and fortunes was in hazard by reason of the practises of Queen Mary ibid. Received the Summons from Secretary Davison and give her warning to prepare for Death the Night before ibid. A Council Conven'd about the dissention of several Lords p. 200. De Crook Monsieur is sent Ambassador to the French King from Scotland with a Letter about the foulness of the Murther of their King p. 82. Receives an Answer from the Lords with a resolution to use all diligence to detect the Murtherers ibid. Crauford Captain Accuseth Secretary Lidington of the Murther of the late King of Scots p. 100. He being at that time Servant to the Earl of Lennox Alledging his Commission for so doing from the said Earl his Master p. 110. Crauford Lord is Committed to the Custody of the Lord Hamiltoun p. 170. Cunningham James Captain a discreet Man Servant to the Lord of Marr then Regent in Scotland p. 115. D DArnly Son to the Earl of Lennox a Handsom Beardless Lady-fac'd Man p. 48. Procures a License from the Queen of England to go to Scotland p. 53. His intention therein ibid. Proposeth a Marriage to Queen Mary who refuseth a Ring he presented to her p. 56. Which the Queen seems to disrelish ibid. Becomes acquainted with Rixio who was his great Friend to the Queen of Scots ibid. Finds the Queen cold in her favours after her confinement upon the murther of Rixio p. 66. Follows the Queen though slighted whithersoever she went p. 77. Goes to Glascow falls sick being suspected to have poison given him by a Servant of his own ibid. Is brought from thence to Edinburgh to recover his health p. 78. Dies and how ibid. Davison is sent Agent into Scotland and afterward made Secretary to Queen Elizabeth p. 157. Professeth himself a Scot ibid. Remains at Coupar till he had Audience which he had at Falkland ibid. But proves deceitful p. 158. Returns to England ibid. Receives the written Summons for the Execution of Queen Mary with a strict charge not to deliver it without her express Command p. 172. But being deceived by the Council of England delivers it ibid. For which he is Committed to the Tower by Queen Elizabeth for disobeying her orders upon that account p. 175. Dingual Lord is sent to King James for a License to return or a Commission to conclude the Match with Denmark p. 179. Finds his Majesty at Aberdeen the Chancellour and most part of the Council being absent p. 180. So that he obtained a full power to conclude the said Match ibid. Dosel Monsieur Lieutenant in Scotland for the French King p. 24. a passionate Man p. 25. Douglas Archibald is cleansed of the late King's murther in Scotland p. 174. Frequents the Court familiarly ibid. returns to England to remain Ambassadour there ibid. Hath great reputation with Mary Queen of Scotland yet injureth her Cause in England and is discharged of his Embassy upon the Arrival of Sir Robert Melvil in England ibid. Douglas George the Natural Son of the Lord Angus enters the King's Closet with the Lord Ruthven the Queen being present and with the King's Dagger struck him p. 64. And afterwards drew him into the outer Hall and kill'd him p. 65. Conveys the Queen to Lockleven as a Captive to the King's Lords p. 90. Hath the House of the Castle delivered to him p. 121. Douglas Sir George desires to have the Commission for Ambassadour to Spain p. 175. But is denied ibid. Douglas James the Natural Son of the Earl of Mortoun p. 127. Kills the Earl of Arran in Revenge of his Uncle's death the Earl of Mortoun 200. Drake Sir Francis by a stratagem of a Ship full of Powder with a burning Link fires the Spanish Navy and discomfits them p. 176. Drumhafel Laird Master of King James his Houshold when young p. 125. Draws the Earl of Arguile and Athol to Sterling p. 126. Is discharged out of Court ibid. Assures the Earl of Grange that the Duke of Lennox designed to kill him p. 131. though it prov'd false p. 133. Is imprison'd by the procurement of the Earl of Arran and his Lady p. 137. Du Bartas Monsieur famous for his French Poesie arrives in Scotland p. 176. Proposeth a marriage with the King of Scots and the Princess of Navarre ibid. Resides at Falkland with the King p. 177. Dundee Earl is sent one of the Ambassadours to Denmark about the King's marriage p. 179. Dudly Lord Robert afterward made Earl of Leicester is proposed by Mr. Randolph as a fit Match for Mary Queen of Scotland p. 40. E EAster Weems Laird goes with a Commission to England and France p. 203. Is a Pensioner to the French King ibid. Elizabeth Queen of England sends Instructions to Mr. Randolph her Ambassadour in Scotland to propose the Lord Robert Dudly as a fit Match for Mary Queen of Scotland p. 40. Disrelisheth the proposal of a Match between Queen Mary and Charles the Arch-Duke of Austria p. 41. Which appears by her sending the Earl of Sussex to the Emperor's Court to draw on the marriage of the Arch-Duke with her self ibid. This occasion'd grudges between the Two Queens of England and Scotland p. 42. She designs Darnly for Queen Mary's Husband ibid. Creates the Lord Robert Dudly Earl of Leicester and Baron of Denbigh p. 47. Is distemper'd with a Fever insomuch that her life is question'd p. 67. Disturbed at the Birth of the Prince Queen Mary's Son p. 69. Yet promiseth to be Gossip to him by proxy of Lords and Ladies p. 70. Upon her fair promises Queen Mary flies to England but she would not see her though she often desired it p. 92. Causeth her to be kept Prisoner till she lost her life after a tedious confinement ibid. Is Reproached by the Ambassadours of Foreign Princes for her unprincely dealing with Queen Mary p. 93. Having obtained her desires upon the Accusation of Queen Mary received great content having now matter sufficient to shew Foreign Ambassadours why she detained the Queen p. 97. Is glad of the Queen's dishonour yet sends privately to comfort her upon her false Accusation ibid. Her Answer to the Abbot of Dumfarmling upon his Propositions p. 106. Sends an Ambassadour to the King of Scots when confin'd offering him her Assistance p. 132. Sends a sharp Letter to King James p. 139. The Contents thereof p. 140. Receives intelligence of a Magnificent Embassy from Denmark to
Scotland p. 161. by Three Ambassadours with a splendid Train ibid. Upon which she sends Wotton to land to disturb the Affairs of that Kingdom ibid. Is intreated by the Council and Nobility to take away the life of Queen Mary p. 172. Which at first she refuseth but afterwards condescends to ibid. Purgeth her self of the Death of Queen Mary as being deceived by her Council and Mr. Secretary Davison p. 175. Is sent to for consent to the Marriage of King James with the Daughter of the King of Denmark and returns her Answer p. 179. Saying She would employ her Credit with the King and Princess of Navarre to bring his Marriage with that Princess to pass ibid. Sends the Earl of Sussex Ambassador to Scotland and upon what account p. 203. Elphingstoun Nicholas adviseth the Regent Mortoun that he was in disfavour with the King and ought by Gold to purchase friends p. 125. Emanuel Duke of Savoy leads the Spanish Army that Invades France p. 201. Emperor of Germany retires to a Monastery of Monks in Spain p. 18. Endeavours to get his Son Philip Elected Emperor but is denyed ibid. Gives him all the Dominions he had in Spain Italy and the Low-Countries p. 19. Labours for a Treaty with France for 5 years which was agreed and sworn to but broken by the Popes persuasion ibid. Enig the Dutch word admits of Two divers interpretations which was disputed by the Emperor c. p. 12. F FErdinand King of Bohemia Brother to the Emperor Philip and Arch-Duke of Austria Elected Emperor by the Princes p. 19. Fernthast Laird Warden of the Borders on the Scots side p. 166. Marries to the Earl of Arran's Brothers Daughter ibid. Foster Sir John Warden a strange trick of his Steed that mounted and hurt Mary Queen of Scots when discoursing with him p. 77. Francis the 2d Dauphin of France Married to Queen Mary of Scotland p. 8. Succeeds his Father Henry the 2d p. 28. Is wholly guided by the Duke of Guise and Cardinal Lorrain ibid. Raiseth Men to send into Scotland p. 29. Dies at Orleans in France ibid. Frederick King of Denmark his Genealogie related by the Author to King James when he had Three Ambassadors joyned in one Commission in Scotland p. 165. Hath several fair Daughters p. 167. G GAury Earl Treasurer of Edinburgh p. 129. Intercedes for the life of the Duke of Lennox p. 132. Keeps the Earl of Arran in Custody p. 133. Repents his being drawn in by Drumhasel to joyn with the Lords that were against the King ibid. But at St. Andrews he turns to the Lords of the Kings Party p. 136. Treats his Majesty Royally at the House of Ruthven p. 137. Begs his Majesties Pardon and obtains it ibid. Is driven from Court by the Earl of Arran but reconciled to him p. 142. Yet conditions being unperform'd he resolves to leave the Country ibid. Obtains his Majesties consent to depart the said Earl of Arran proving his mortal Enemy p. 155. Before he goes takes part with the Earl of Angus and others in their design to take Sterling in despight of the said Earl ibid. Is taken Prisoner in that enterprize p. 156. Is near of Kin to his Majesty hath his Lands seized and is Executed on the Scaffold dying a devout Christian ibid. Gordoun a Gentleman of that name is kill'd by the Earl of Murray p. 200. Graham Richard hath a familiar Spirit p. 195. Is brought to Edinburgh and examined before his Majesty about the Earl of Bothwel and burnt with other Malefactors ibid. Grange Laird is Lord Treasurer and Favourite to King James upon the Kings Command alledgeth reasons against the Prelates Propositions p. 2 3 and 4. A stout bold Man p. 4. Pursues with two Ships Bothwell p. 184. But he escapes and his Servants were taken and the first discoverers of the King's Murther p. 185. Is made Chief of a Company of Horsemen who came to fight against Bothwel which the Queen understanding sends for him under surety p. 83. Was like to be kill'd by a Souldier appointed by Bothwel for that purpose but was saved by the Queens crying out ibid. Offers to Combat Bothwel upon his Challenge but is coldly refused ibid. Promiseth upon his honour to protect Sir James Balfour upon his delivery of Edinburgh Castle to him p. 100. Offers to fight with Mr. Archibald Douglas being guiltless of the Kings Murther ibid. Takes Secretary Lidington into the Castle of Edinburgh p. 101. His vertues are envied by some and his Charge coveted by others p. 104. Obtains a Warrant from the King's Lords to set the Duke of Chattellerault and the Lord Herreis at liberty p. 105. Sticks close to the Kings Authority p. 108. Sides at last with the Queens Lords ibid. Sends for the Laird of Fernihast and Buccleugh who resolved to seize on the Lords at Sterling p. 113. Which they attempted but failed p. 114. Laments the slaughter of the Earl of Lennox Regent of Scotland ibid. Was ever esteemed honest p. 119. Is taken Prisoner after the delivery of Edinburgh Castle with Sir Robert Melvil and Lidington p. 121. Is wracked to death p. 123. His Character ibid. Guise Duke goes with a great Army into Italy after the breach of the Truce between the Emperor and French by the Popes persuasion p. 19. He and the Lieutenant of Picardy unexpectedly enters on the King of Spain's Dominions p. 19 and 20. Is killed by Poltrot at the Siege of Orleans p 35. For which the Admiral of France is Accused p. 36. But cleared ibid. H HAmiltoun Laird is advanced to be Governour of Scotland p. 7. Induced to resign the Government to the Queen p. 2. Shoots the Regent Murray in his passage to Lithgow p. 203. And Escapes ibid. Henry the 8th King of England is discontented at the Popes denial of his Divorce from Queen Katherine and thereupon proclaims himself Head of the Kirk discharging St. Peter's Pennies here and the Popes Authority p. 1. Declares his Daughter Mary a Bastard ibid. Obtains a Divorce from his own Clergy and seeks amity with his Nephew James the 5th King of Scotland desiring an interview with him at York ibid. A short Character of him p. 3. Is highly offended at the disappointment and affront put upon him by King James his not meeting him at York that he sent an Army to Scotland to destroy it p. 5. Is much afflicted at the death of the King of Scotland and lays down the reasons of his Warring with that Nation p. 6. His wrath against the Pope is great ibid. He demolisheth Abbeys and compells the Nobility to exchange their Lands for them that might never return to the Kirk ibid. Endeavours a Match between Edward the Sixth his Son and Mary of Scotland though it brake off and caused War between the Two Kingdoms p. 7. But it was at last agreed ibid. Henry the Second of France had hot Wars with the Emperour the occasion and management thereof from p. 15 to p. 18. Is hurt
by the shiver of a Spear engaging with the Earl of Montegomery at the Iustings of his Daughter's Marriage with the King of Spain p. 28. And dies Eight days after ibid. Henry Prince King James his first Son born at Sterling 202. Herreis Lord is Imprisoned in the Castle of Edinburgh p. 101. Hume George turns William Kieth out of his place of Master of the Wardrobe when King James was in Denmark p. 182. Being Knighted is made Master of the Wardrobe p. 198. Hume Lord takes part with the Hamiltouns and Queens Faction p. 106. With whom the Regent Mortoun durst not meddle standing in awe of his Party p. 122. Dies shortly after being a Prisoner in Edinburgh Castle ibid. Hunsdon Earl hath a Conference on the Borders with the Earl of Arran p. 158. Contrives a secret Plot ibid. Huntley Earl is Chief of the new Faction about his Majesty p. 175. Endeavours to turn out the Master of Gray and Martland the Chancellor ibid. Procures the Gift of the Benefice of Dumfarmling ibid. Great disorders occasioned by the Dissention between him and other Earls p. 200. Is sent home hereupon p. 201. Triumphs and takes advantage of the Earl of Murray's Lands giving him just cause of Complaint ibid. Kills the Earl of Murray ibid. I JAmes the Fifth of Scotland his resolute Speech to the Prelates p. 4. Gives the Ward and Marriage of Kelly in Angus to the Second Son of the Lord Grange ibid. Gives ear to the Clergy to put off the Convention with King Henry the 8th at York ibid. Is forced to raise an Army to defend his Country upon that account p. 6. Is much troubled at the Defeat of his Army and useth severe Language against the Prelates who fearing his displeasure poison him with an Italian Posset ibid. His Character p. 7. James Lord Prior of St. Andrews the Natural Son of James the Fifth p. 25. Hears of Queen Mary's Resolution to return to Scotland and goes to France to request it p. 31. Returns to Scotland to prepare them for her Reception ibid. James the Sixth King born p. 69. When of Age he causeth the Heirs of the Lord Grange to be restored p. 123. Orders his bones to be taken up and honourably buried at Killingborn ibid. Is brought up at Sterling by Alexander Areskine and the Layd Mar p. 125. Hath Four Masters their Character ibid. The Earl of Mortoun being deposed he takes the Government into his own hands p. 128. Is surprised by the Lords in the House of Huntingtoun p. 132. Is conveyed afterward to Sterling and there retained ibid. Laments his mishandling during that Captivity ibid. Invites by Letters some of the Nobility to a Convention p. 133. Goes from Falkland to St. Andrews some few days before the Convention to the Earl of March p. 135. Thinks himself there at liberty ibid. Lodgeth in an old Inn there ibid. Becomes Master of the Castle p. 136. And declares his moderate intentions toward all the Lords ibid. Orders 4 Lords to retire and retains the rest as his Council ibid. Causeth a Proclamation to be made according to his moderate intentions p. 137. Returns the Author thanks as the only instrument of procuring his liberty ibid. Is gently inclined to all the Nobility and Treated particularly by the Earl of Gaury ibid. Solicits the Author to prevail with the Lord Gaury that the Earl of Arran might come to Court and kifs his hand p. 138. Promising he should not stay there ibid. Sends a Letter in Answer to Queen Elizabeth's p. 140. The Contents thereof p. 140 141 and 142. His Majesty is taken again p. 142. Gives Secretary Walsingham Audience p. 147. Sends a Letter to Queen Elizabeth promising not to bring again the Earl of Arran into Court p. 148. Is taken at the Road of Ruthven p. 149. And retain'd Captive ibid. Takes little care to prevent inconveniences yet obtains his liberty ibid. Assures the Author that he would Convene a Council of Lords at Edinburgh p. 150. His Dream concerning the Earl of Gaury p. 156. Writes for Melvil the Author to come and advise him p. 157. As also to come and entertain Wotton being sent to him by the Queen of England p. 159. Whom he loved before he saw by reason of the advantageous Character which the Master of Gray gave him ibid. Orders the Author to entertain the Danish Ambassadours 162. And because they were three in Commission wisheth him to choose two more to accompany him which he did ibid. Gives them Audience at Dumfarmling and is much dissatisfied at their ill handling ibid. Grows impatient to hear the Author speak against Wotton p. 164. Acquaints the Author that he was informed the King of Denmark's Descent was from Merchants ibid. But after he was informed of the truth he sends for the said Ambassadors p. 165. Promiseth them a speedy dispatch to their satisfaction ibid. Orders a Banquet for them is hindred from being present at it but being informed how matters stood goes thither and drinks to the King Queen and Ambassadors of Denmark to their great content p. 166. causeth their dispatch to be ready according to promise ibid. Sends to the Earl of Arran for a great Gold Chain which he got from Sir James Balfour to present it to the Three Ambassadors which was done accordingly ibid. Sends to agree with the Banished Lords at their coming to Sterling p. 169. Where it was agreed his Majesty should be in their hands and no rigour used to those about him ibid. Calls them Traytors at first but after grants them a Pardon ibid. Acknowledgeth the Earl of Arran to have been a bad Minister of State and that he should never be readmitted to Court p. 170. Hears the news of his Mothers Execution which highly displeas'd him p. 173. Convenes a Parliament desiring the Assistance of his Subjects ibid. When he at first hears they were about the Conviction of his Mother he sent Two Ambassadors on her behalf ibid. Sends for the Author to prepare him to go Ambassador to England ibid. Goes to the Western Borders to reform some disorders between the Maxwels and Johnstouns p. 175. Resolves to wait an opportunity to revenge his Mothers Death rather then trouble the Peace of the Kingdom of England ibid. Is Courted in Marriage by many great Princes p. 177. Asks Council of God by Prayer Fifteen days and then resolves to Marry the King of Denmark's Daughter ibid. Makes choice of the Author to go Ambassador to Denmark ibid. Perswades him to undertake that Embassy p. 178. Consents that his Brother the Lord Yungland should be joyned in Commission with him and gives him Commission by word of mouth ibid. Is angry-with the Author p. 179. Is advised to send to Queen Elizabeth to desire her Consent to his Marriage with Denmark ibid. Her Answer thereunto ibid. Is incensed with his Council for Voting against that Marriage ibid. Deals privately with those at Edinburgh to threaten the Council and Chancellor menacing him with Death if
that Marriage was hindred upon which he sends the Earl Marshal with 2 other Persons to Denmark ibid. Hears of their being at Sea with the Queen and makes preparations for her Reception and being impatient at their long delay lays the fault on his Council p. 180. Directs Colonel Stuart to Sir Robert Melvil and the Author charging them to take care of his Estate in his absence p. 180 and 181. Is perswaded to go in person to Denmark p. 181. Sails to Denmark in person to fetch the Queen and leaves Sir Robert Vice-Chancellor ibid. Three Ships went with him besides his own he lauds at Norway where the Queen waited for a Wind and there Celebrates the Marriage ibid. Returns not that Winter is sent for to Denmark whither he went by Land with his new Queen where he behaves himself libe rally and honourably by the way and at the Court of Denmark ibid. Is much troubled to make those Officers of State agree that were with him there p. 182. Returns the next Spring with the Admiral of Denmark and other Persons of Quality ibid. Treats them all honourably and after the Queens Coronation dismisseth them Magnificently Rewarded ibid. Sends for the Author at his Landing ibid. Repents his anger with Sir Robert Melvil and turns it against the Chancellor who incensed him against Sir Robert p. 183. Rewards the Strangers nâ—â—ly after the Queens Coronation and Banqueting to their great satisfaction p. 184. Desires Sir Robert Melvil and the Author to advise upon some good Rules for the establishing Affairs before his going to Denmark p. 185. Is abused upon the account of Maclean and other Highlanders p. 192 and 193. Sends for Melvil the Author to wait upon the Queen promising him rewards p. 193. takes occasion at Table to discourse advantageously of the Author to his Queen p. 193 and 194. Secures himself in Edinburgh after Bothwel's Attempt on the Palace p. 197. Thinks Sir Robert Melvil not fit for his Office yet continues him still p. 199. Is design'd to be seized at Falkland by Bothwel and his Party p. 201. And miraculously delivered by God from that Conspiracy p. 202. Determines to send Ambassadors to England Denmark France and Flanders about the Birth of his Son Prince Henry p. 203. Requiring them to send Ambassadors to solemnize the Baptism of his first born Son ibid. The Ambassadors are sent p. 203. Jane Kennedie the Wife of Sir Andrew Melvil was a long time in England with his Majesties Mother p. 180. Is sent for by him to wait upon the young Queen who making hast was drowned in the Passage-Boat in a great Storm which was raised by the Witches of Scotland as appears by their own Confession to his Majesty ibid. John de Monluck Bishop of Valence is sent Ambassador from France to the Queen-Mother of Scotland p. 8. Goes first to Ireland by his Masters Command and why ibid. A pleasant story of his Harlot ibid. Was formerly Ambassador from the French King to the great Turk Solyman p. 9. After his Arrival at Paris is sent to Rome p. 10. And wherefore p. 10 11 12 and 13. But to no effect p. 11. Learns the Mathematicks of Cavatius other Sciences by Taggot another knowing Man p. 13. K KEer Henry one of the Counsellors of the Duke of Lennox p. 128. Keeth Sir William is sent Ambassador to Flanders upon the Birth of Prince Henry p. 203. Kieth Andrew Lord is sent Ambassador with the Earl of Marshal to Denmark at the request of the said Earl p. 179. Killegrew Henry is sent Ambassador from England to Scotland p. 68. Complains against Mr. Raxby as a Rebel and Papist harboured there ibid. Upon which he was secured p. 69. Is dispatch't with a friendly Answer some time after p. 72. He carries two Letters from Queen Mary to Sir Robert Melvil in England and to what intent p. 72 73 and 74. Is hasted Ambassador to Scotland after Mr. Randolphs return to England p. 115. Desires the preservation of Sir Robert Melvil's Life as a reward for his labour p. 122. King of Denmark marrieth his eldest Daughter to the Duke of Brunswick p. 177. Excuseth to King James laying the blame upon his Ministers ibid. But promiseth to dispose of his Second Daughter to him if he would send his Ambassadors thither but in the interim dies leaving the same Commission with the Council and Regents ibid. King of Navarre is Governour for the time of the young French King Charles the 9th p. 30. Procures of the Three Estates assembled at Orleans that the Queen-Mother should be Regent of the Realm ibid. King of Spain enters the Frontiers of France with a great Army p. 20. Kings of Scotland never grew rich since they left the High-Lands to dwell in the Low-Lands p. 193. But ever since diminished which his Majesty found true ibid. Knolls Sir Henry is sent Ambassador from Queen Elizabeth at the Dyet Imperial held at Franckfort Anno 1562 p. 39. L LEicester Earl Queen Mary's avowed Friend p. 71. And several other Persons of Quality ibid. Lennox Duke endeavours to free the King of Scots but is chased into the House of Ruthven and saved by the intercession of the Earl of Gaury p. 132. Retires to Dumbartoun ibid. Afterward goes to France and dies p. 133. Lennox Earl is sent for to be made Regent of Scotland in the room of the Earl of Murray p. 104. Proves a true Scotsman p. 106. After he had accepted of the Regency he takes Breechin and hangs the Soldiers found in the Kirk and Steeple p. 107. Is shot in the Back in the Enterprize of taking the Lords Prisoners at Sterling p 114. Dies in few days after and makes a godly end ibid. Lennox Lady the Mother of Darnly King of Scotland is Committed to the Tower and kept there a long time because he Married the Queen of Scots without Queen Elizabeth's advice p. 58. Lidingtoun Secretary to Queen Mary and of great Credit with Secretary Cecil p. 32. He with the Prior of St. Andrews procures a fair Correspondence between the 2 Queens of England and Scotland ibid. And p. 33. He retires with other persons being in danger of their lives p. 65. Goes from Court p. 100. Is Accused of the late King's murther and Imprisoned ibid. Is brought by the Regent to Edinburgh and delivered to the Lord Grange to be a Prisoner ibid. Is set at liberty by the King's Lords p. 105. Taken Prisoner after the surrender of Edinburgh Castle p. 121. dies at Lieth to prevent his coming to the Shambles with the rest p. 122. Logie a young man Gentleman of the Chamber to King James p. 198. Is Accused and Imprisoned for dealing with Earl Bothwel ibid. Lords called the Queen's Lords as the other the King's meet together at Dumbartoun to procure their Soveraign's liberty being against the King's Lords p. 88. Binding themselves in a Bond ibid. They issue out proclamation on both sides to Convene their friends p. 90. Meet and fight but
the Queen's Lords are Routed p. 91. The King's Lords send for the Earl of Lennox to make him Regent in the room of Murray p. 104. They hold a Parliament at Sterling and the Queen 's at Edinburgh p. 113. Lords all written and unwritten for arrive at St. Andrew's to attend the Convention intended there by the King p. 136. Design to have the King in custody ibid. Lords met at Edinburgh pass a Vote unanimously being preoccupied by the Earl of Arran p. 153. Those Lords who designed the attempt on Sterling fly to England p. 157. Are forefaulted p. 158. They return and come to the Borders with Assistance p. 168. 3000 of the banished Lords enter Sterling fall on their knees and beg his Majesty's pardon p. 169. Which is granted ibid. The Lords gain great credit by their moderate behaviour p. 170. Lorrain Cardinal designs to promote Queen Mary to the Crown of England by alledging Queen Elizabeth to be Illegitimate p. 23. Causeth all Queen Mary's Silver Vessels to be engraven with the Arms of England ibid. After the conclusion of Peace is sent Ambassadour to Spain to take that King's Oath and to swear for his Master 's observing the same ibid. Proposeth two Matches to the Emperour of Germany p. 33. M MAcclean and others chief of the Highlands is subtilly brought to Court by the Chancellour p. 192. Are imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle accused of foul murther but get off ibid. Maitland Secretary is confin'd to his house with others p. 166. Opposeth the Author in Council p. 171. Mar Earl keeps the young Prince and will not deliver him to Bothwel p. 80. Is made Regent in the room of Lennox p. 111. Goes to Edinburgh to Convene the Lords in order to an Accommodation p. 118. In the mean time goes to Dalkieth and shortly after dies at Sterling ibid. Margil David one of the Duke of Lennox his Councellors p. 128. Marshal of Berwick besiegeth Edinburgh assisted by an English Army and all Scotland p. 120. Contends with the Ambassadour p. 121. Is forced to deliver up the Prisoners in Edinburgh Castle to the Regent being commanded by the Queen of England to do it ibid. Which he doth with much regret and returns to Berwick discontented ibid. The Laird of Cleesh having before offered them good Conditions to quit the Castle ibid. Takes the death of the Laird of Grange very much to heart by reason of the breach of his promise and thereupon quits his Employment of Marshal whose loss is much lamented being a worthy Captain ibid. Marshal Earl and others lodge within the Castle with his Majesty of Scotland p. 136. He and others retire to their Houses p. 137. Desires to supply the place of the Lord Atry as Ambassadour to Denmark p. 178. Which is granted ibid. But his Commission is so slender that he sends the Lord Dingual for a License to return or a power to conclude the Match with Denmark ibid. Which he receives and is presently dispatcht for Scotland by the Regent and Council and the Queen sent home with him well attended p. 180. But are driven by Tempest upon the Coast of Norway the winds being raised by the Witches of Denmark and the reason why ibid. Is not well thought of by the King upon the account of his Embasby to Denmark occasioned by the Chancellour's misrepresentation of him to his Majesty p. 182. Martland is made Chancellour in Scotland p. 175. Threatned to be kill'd p. 179. Hears of his Majesties discontent at the Queens delay of coming from Denmark and adviseth him to sail thither in person to fetch her home p. 181. Who goes with him privately ibid. Being at Denmark he deviseth many Reformations to be made at his Majesties return p. 182. Causeth the Lord Hume Earl Bothwel and divers others to be imprisoned for their disobedience during the absence of the King ibid. Misrepresents Sir Robert Melvil and envies him though a great friend to his promotion ibid. Emulation between the Council and him who design to turn him out p. 183. But prevents it being discovered ibid. Great hatred between him and the Duke of Lennox p. 198. He retires to his own House and is accused of several Crimes ibid. Procures again his Majesties favour and is re-introduced at Court p. 200. And at length reconciled to the Queen ibid. Mary Queen of Scotland the only Child left of King James the 5th p. 7. Born when he lay on his death-bed p. 7. After her Arrival in France great disputes arise about her Marriage between the two Factions in France but is at last wedded to the Dauphin p. 8. Proves a sorrowful Widdow after the death of her Husband p. 30. By degrees leaves the Court upon dislike ibid. Occasion'd by the Queen-Mother's rigorous dealing with her p. 31. Is advised to return to Scotland and behave her self moderately ibid. At length arrives in her own Country p. 32. Seems to approve of the Match proposed by Cardinal Lorrain between her and the Arch-Duke of Austria ibid. Advertiseth the Queen of England of this proposal desiring her advice p. 40. Which she Answers by Mr. Randolph ibid. and p. 41. Lays aside the thoughts of that Match p. 43. And the Reasons why ibid. Behaves her self very discreetly and gains great reputation in all Countries p. 53. Her Character p. 54. Is much taken with the Lord Darnly p. 56. Determines to marry him tho opposed by several Lords ibid. And is married to him accordingly p. 57. Is kept Prisoner by Douglas and his Party upon the murther of Rixio p. 65. Causeth the King to advise them to withdraw the Guards they had upon her ibid. So they went all to their home but the Queen King and some in their Retinue went at midnight to Dunbar p. 66. Subscribes Remissions for the Lord Murray and his Dependers lamenting the young King's folly ibid. Goes to Sterling to Ly In her time approaching p. 67. She mislikes the King who grows melancholick thereupon ibid. She is much troubled at that foul fact committed in her presence by killing her Servant Rixio to the endangering of her self and the Child in her Womb p. 74. Keeps her Chamber some time after the murther of her Husband Darnly p. 78. She wonders at the reports of her marriage with Bothwel but denies it ibid. Is forced to marry him the Nobility approving it and he having first Ravished her p. 80. Is married by Adam Bothwel after the Reformed Religion ibid. Resigns her self to the Lord of Grange and conveyed to Edinburgh p. 83. where she is respected by the Nobles but reviled by the vulgar ibid. Writes a Letter wherein she calls Bothwel her dear heart promising never to forsake him p. 84. Which being brought to the Lords by the Treachery of one of her Keepers they sent her to be secured in Lockleven ibid. Upon the Lord Lindsay's coming she subscribed to the Demission of the Government to the Prince and certain Lords named as Regents p. 85. Is conveyed from Lockleven
the Queen p. 80. Refuseth at first to be sent Commissioner by the Lords who concluded to Crown the Prince to the Lords Assembled at Hamiltoun but at last accepts p. 85. Declares their Answer at Sterling p. 86. Is sent to meet the Lord Murray at Berwick upon his return from France to advise him p. 87. Is sent by another Party with contrary Instructions ibid. Deviseth with others a remedy for his preservation and brings into a good opinion with the People p. 102. Is sent to Berwick to the Earl of Sussex and why p. 105. Receives an Answer ibid. Visits the Regent the Earl of Lennox there p. 106. Disswades him from the Regency as dangerous ibid. Is taken Prisoner by the Earl of Bughan p. 111. Whom the Laird Grange would have released by force but he disapproves of it ibid. Finds Bail to serve his Majesty and the Regent and is discharged p. 112. Is sent by the Regent Marr to Edinburgh to make an Accommodation between them and him p. 117. Which they were all inclinable to ibid. And after Marr's death by the Regent Mortoun p. 118. Proferreth himself a Pledge that the Castle of Edinburgh should be delivered by the Laird Grange to the Regent p. 119. Loseth the Regents favuor by telling his faults freely p. 124. Is ordained to hold the Iustice-Eyre of West Lauthian with other persons at Edinburgh p 1. 31. Is sent for by his Majesty p. 133. Goes to wait upon him though resolved to lead a contemplative life ibid. Discourseth with his Majesty about the State of all Countries p. 134. Prevails with the Bishop of St. Andrews to entertain his Majesty in the Castle p. 135. Adviseth him to go into the Castle for his security p. 136. Is acknowledged by his Majesty to be the sole Procurer of his liberty p. 137. His Council is much depended upon by the King p. 138. Is made one of his Council ibid. Opposeth the Earl of Arran's new invented Proclamation in the Council-House p. 139. Is made Gentleman of his Chamber and a Member of the Privy-Council p. 142. Is writ to by his Majesty to attend him and obeys p. 143. Takes a long Letter with him to put him in mind of his Promises the Contents thereof p. 143 144 145 and 146. Arrives at Sterling and disswades his Majesty from sending Ambassadors to England for that present p. 146. Which his Majesty condescends to and he retires ibid. Is sent for again to conduct Secretary Walsingham to his Audience p. 147. Is appointed with four more to endeavour the understanding his intentions p. 147 and 148. Refuseth the Office of Secretary offered him p. 149. Is deprived of all employment by the Earl of Arran's means though contrary to his Majesties promise p. 150. Yet is ordered to prepare for an Embassy to England and Pens the Speech he intends to pronounce to the Queen ibid. The Contents p. 150 151 and 152. A large Conference is held between King James and him about his Affairs p. 153 and 154. Is left by his Majesties manager p. 154. He entertains a smart discourse with the Earl of Arran p. 155 Is resolv'd upon that account to attend no longer then the end of the Convention ibid. Is sent for by his Majesty and graciously receiv'd p. 157. Conducts Davison the English Agent to his Audience at Falkland ibid. Adviseth his Majesty that Davison endeavours the disturbance of that Kingdom p. 158. Is sent for to entertain Mr. Wotton p. 159. Gives an account of his carriage and designs in France at the age of 21 p 159 160 and 161. Gives his Majesty caution to be wary of him but is not taken notice of p. 161. Is appointed with Two more to entertain the three Danish Ambassadors p. 162. Pacifies the first of the 3 with discourse for Indignities offered them p. 163 and 164. Gives an account of the King of Denmark's Genealogy p. 165. Which undeceives the King of Scotland and satisfies him ibid. Goes on Board of the Ambassadors from Denmark being upon their departure with Presents p. 167. Takes leave of them rewards the Officers declaring the particulars to his Majesty ibid. Shifts off his going Ambassador to Denmark ibid. Is sent for to Court p. 168. Is sent upon a framed Errand to Dunkel and his Commission p 168 and 169. At his return forewarns his Majesty of what would follow the Earl of Arran's rash proceedings p. 170. Is for an Act of Oblivion and restoring the Banished Lords but Opposed p. 171. Is sent for to go to England to confirm the League with Queen Elizabeth p. 173. But endeavours to avoid it ibid. Is discharged of that Embassy p. 174. And design'd Ambassador to Spain p. 175. but has no desire for that Voyage ibid. Is nominated to go to Denmark which he likewise declines p. 176. Is desired by Du Bartas the French Poet to go with a Commission to the King of Navarre p. 177. But refuseth it ibid. Seeing no preparations for his dispatch to Denmark he obtains licence and prepares himself for the next Order p. 179. Is sent for by his Majesty at his landing in Scotland p. 182. Is Commanded to attend the Earl of Worcester Ambassador from England sent to Congratulate both their Majesties at their Arrival ibid. Is acquainted with his Majesties proceedings in his Voyage p. 182 and 183. He and Sir Robert Melvil set down some Rules for the management of his Affairs by his order from p. 185 to p. 192. Is sent for to Falkland and acquaint him that he is design'd to wait upon the young Queen p. 193. Which he did several years p. 194. He and his Brother Sir Robert advertised his Majesty of a design against him by Bothwel and his Complices p. 197. Which was slighted ibid. Is one of the Privy Council and Gentleman of her Majesties Chamber p. 198. Is appointed with others to entertain Ambassadors from Forraign Parts upon the British of Prince Henry p. 203. Is also appointed to attend the Two Ambassadors from Denmark about the performance of the Contract of Marriage p. 204. Melvil Sir Robert is sent Ambassador in Ordinary into England by Queen Mary p. 63. And upon what account ibid. Is taken Prisoner with others after the Surrender of Edinburgh Castle p. 121. Is made one of the King's Council p. 138. Gets intelligence of the English Ambassadors designs against King James p. 167. Acquaints his Majesty therewith ibid. Offers by Combat to justifie it p. 168. But is prevented by his Majesty ibid. Is sent Ambassadour with another to treat about the Accusation of the Queen of Scots p. 173. Speaks boldly and had been detained Prisoner but for the interest of the Master of Gray in England ibid. Is left Vice-Chancellor of Scotland during his Majesties absence at Denmark p. 181. Though calumniated and threatned to be imprisoned and have his Office taken through the Chancellour's means p. 183. Gives his Majesty notice of Bothwel's design against him p. 197. Is made Deputy-Treasurer
p. 198. Is threatned with death by the Captain of the Guards p. 199. But the Queen stood his Friend ibid. Sends his Servant to acquaint the King with Bothwel's Conspiracy against him in Falkland for which he is derided p. 202. Sir Robert is sent Ambassadour to England from King James p. 204. Mortoun Earl is challenged to fight by Lord Herreis upon the account of the King's death p. 100. Appoints 4 men to kill Grange at the entrance of the Regent's Lodgings without the Regent's privity p. 101. Has a great Faction in the Country though disappointed of the Regency p. 116. But is made Regent after the decease of the Earl of Mar by the assistance of England p. 118. Promiseth to the Agreement with the Lords of the Castle of Edinburgh but steers another course p. 120. Anticipates the Marshal of Berwick and gets an Answer from the Queen of England to have the Prisoners taken at Edinburgh Castle and a Commission for their Execution before he could send p. 121. Triumphs a while being with great Assistance from England p. 123. His whole study is to gain riches from England and Scotland p. 123. Of which England too late repented ibid. Holds the Country in a more setled Estate then it had been in for many years p. 124. Grows proud despiseth the Nobility commits several wrongs and prosecutes several Lords ibid. exposeth the Earl of Orkny to great hardship p. 126. Yields easily to his deposition from the Regency retiring to Lockleven ibid. But by his designs gets in again to be Master of the Court ibid. Is Accused by James Stuart of the late King's Murther p. 127. Is condemned at the Assize for it 128. And dies resolutely ibid. Murray Earl takes part with Bothwel p. 201. And is kill'd at his own House Murray Lord and Bedford meet at Berwick about the marriage of Queen Mary with Leicester p. 53. With slenderer offers then expected from him ibid. Murray being one of the banished Lords is sent for from Newcastle and re-entertain'd by the Queen p. 65. Retires from Court p. 78. Obtains leave to go to France before the Queen married Bothwel p. 80. Is appointed by the Queen first Regent of the young Prince p. 85. Whereupon he is sent for from France by the Lords ibid. Accepts the Regency of the Prince after a Refusal p. 87. Enters at first sight upon such injurious Reproaches of her Majesty as were like to break her heart ibid. Takes the Forts and Castles into his hands p. 90. Clears the Borders of Thieves and holds Iustice in Evre ibid. Goes to England accompanied with many Lords to accuse Queen Mary p. 93. Is privately dissuaded from it by the Duke of Norfolk p. 94 and 95. 'T is agreed that he shall by no means proceed in that Accusation p. 95. Breaks his word with the Duke and comes from the Council-House with Tears in his Eyes p. 97. Is despised by the Queen of England for his intention to Accuse her detested by the Duke reproached by his Friends living at Kingston penyless and unregarded p. 97. Is reconciled to the Duke p. 98. Has 2000 l. of the Queen for which the Duke becomes surety and afterward paid it 99. Takes leave of the Queen but discovers again all that ever past between the Duke and himself p. 99. Promising to send the Queen those Letters he should receive in Scotland from him ibid. Sends for Secretary Lidingtoun as being of Council with the Duke of Norfolk resolving to accuse him and writes for him to come to make a dispatch for England p. 100. Being come is Accused before the Privy Council of the late King's Murder and Imprisoned ib. Is misled though well inclined by vain pretences to his own and the ruine of others p. 102. Gives ear to flatterers ibid. Dissembles with Grange and Lidingtoun ibid. His Character p. 103. Is shot by Hamiltoun and dies the same night ibid. N NOrfolk Duke sent with an Army out of England to help the Congregationists p. 29. He and several other Councellors sent down to York to hear the Regent's Accusation of his Queen and be Iudges thereof p. 94. Privately dissuades the Regent from Accusing the Queen for the King her Son's sake p. 95. Is the greatest Subject in Europe not being a free-born Prince p. 96. Ruling the Queen and all ibid. His purposes discovered to the Queen whereby the Regent lost the Duke's favour yet speaks boldly to her Majesty p. 98. Is prevailed with to enter into friendship again with the Regent upon promise of his future secresie ibid. Acquaints the Regent with his resolution to marry the Queen of Scots and that he had a Daughter fitter for the King then any other p. 98 and 99. Becomes Security for 2000 l. which Murray the Regent of Scotland received from the Queen of England which he after paid p. 99. Is sent for by the Queen to come to Court being again deceived by the Regent then in Scotland applies himself to Secretary Cecil who told him there was no danger so that he rode with his Train only ibid. Is seized by the Treachery of Cecil and after a tedious Captivity dies of the Reformed Religion p. 100. Normand Lesly gains great honour in the Wars between Henry the Second of France and the Emperour p. 17. O OChiltrie Lord and divers others in revenge of the death of the Earl of Murray takes part with Earl Bothwel p. 201. Adviseth him to Seize on his Majesty in his Palace at Falkland ibid. Octavians in Scotland who and why so called p. 191. Octavio Duke Son-in-law to the Emperour Charles the Fifth is left to the Pope's discretion and why p. 11. P PArliament Proclaimed at Lithgow for the restitution of the banished Lords p. 170. Parma Duke Governour of Flanders wins the hearts of his Soldiers and Enemies by his prudent behaviour p. 166. Is suspected by the Spanish King to have a design on Flanders which caused him to deny the Spaniard Victuals Ships and landing in his Territories ibid. Paul the Fourth Pope breaks off the five years Truce between the French King and the Emperour p. 19. Peace concluded between Scotland and England and upon what Terms p. 30. Pool Cardinal appointed to be Mediator between the Two Princes p. 16. Prelates of Scotland endeavour to win King James by large proffers and perswasions to their Opinion p. 4. They exasperate his Majesty against the Treasurer by their insinuations p. 5. But he gets well off ibid. Prior of St. Andrews the Lord James Natural Son to James the Fifth King of Scotland p. 25. Afterwards Earl of Murray p. 32. Prior of Pittenweem a great debaucher of Women and Maidens p. 5. Protestants grown very numerous in Scotland p. 24. Q QUeen Mother of France is glad at the death of Francis the Second her Son he being wholly ruled by the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother p. 29. Whereupon she dischargeth the King of Navarre and Prince of Conde who had
a Scaffold erected for their Execution ibid. Is made Regent by the Three Estates during the minority of Charles the Ninth p. 30. Seems inclinable to the Protestant Religion intending to joyn with the Protestant Princes ibid. Makes a Peace after the battle of Drues p. 36. Queen Regent of Scotland receives the Government from Hamiltoun p. 24. Issues out a severe Proclamation against Protestants ibid. Is disturbed at the discourse of the Prior of St. Andrew's and others and resolves to persecute the more p. 25. Sends to France about the disorders in her Country for help ibid. She during the Controversie with the Congregation retires with Monsieur Dosel and other French-men to Lieth which is fortified expecting French supplies p. 29. But being indisposed retires to the Castle of Edinburgh atd dies with regret that she followed the advice of her French friends ibid. Queen of Scotland married to King James from Denmark is Crowned p. 184. Shews Melvil no great countenance at first p. 194. But at length seems well satisfied with his Service ibid. Is offended with the Chancellour for delaying her Marriage with the King of Scots p. 198. Usually speaks in favour of those Officers that are misrepresented to the King p. 199. Is offended with the Chancellour but reconciled p. 200. Gives the English Danish and Dutch Ambassadours Audience p. 204. St. Quintin and several other Towns lost by the French to the Spaniard p. 22. R RAndolph Thomas Queen Elizabeth's Agent in Scotland p. 40. Denies the Queen of England made any promises to those who would oppose the Marriage of the Queen of Scots p. 60. Is sent with the Earl of Lennox Ambassadour unto Scotland to set him forward with his power p. 107. Is a double dealer and Sower of Sedition ibid. Glories that he had kindled such a fire in Scotland as would not easily be extinguished p. 109. Designs to have Mortoun Regent in the lieu of Lennox but failed p. 115. Returns home and why ibid. Is sent again Ambassadour to Scotland p. 127. Hears that the Author was designed to be sent Ambassador into England and opposeth it proposing other persons in that juncture of time p. 173. Rixio David a mean fellow who came to Scotland with the Ambassador of Savoy is made Secretary to the Queen of Scots p. 54. A Musician perswaded to sing with others the occasion of his promotion ibid. Is suspected to be Pensioner and Favourite to the Pope p. 55. Is kill'd in the Queens Presence to her great regret she being with Child by consent of the King p. 64. Russel Sir Francis Warden of the English Borders p. 166. Is kill'd at a meeting between the two Wardens ib. Ruxbie sent to sift what he could get out of Mary Queen of Scots as to her right to the Crown of England p. 68. Which he is to send to Mr. Secretary Cecil p. 68. Addresseth himself to the Scots Queen ibid. Writes to Cecil in her prejudice p. 69. Is promised a reward but his intrigues are discovered and he secured ibid. S SEatoun Comptroller to King James of Scotland p. 198. Segie Lord made one of the Kings Council p. 138. Chosen to accompany Melvil in the entertainment of the Danish Ambassador p. 162. Senarpon Monsieur Lieutenant in Normandy for the French King p. 160. Shaw William Master of Wark is chosen to accompany Melvil in his entertainment of the Danish Ambassadors with the Lord of Segie p. 162. Skeen a Lawyer chosen to go to Denmark with the Author p. 178. Sinclare Oliver promised by the Clergy to be made Lieutenant of the Army against England if King Henry the 8th should War against Scotland p. 4. Is proclaimed Lieutenant over the whole Army yet the Lords disdaining so mean a person would not fight under him but suffered themselves to be taken Prisoners p. 6. Simson Amy a Midwife and Witch p. 194 Is burnt with others p. 195. Smith is made Secretary to Queen Elizabeth p. 157. Sommer Secretary to the English Ambassador in France p. 160. Spanish Navy is rumour'd to be bound for England Scotland and Ireland p. 175. Is three years preparing ibid. The Commanders knew nothing of the Design but what they understood by the opening of their instructions at every Landing place p. 175 and 176. A violent storm of Wind dissipates the whole Navy and many of their Vessels suffer'd Shipwrack ibid. Spiny Lord and the Master of Glams at variance p. 198. Spiny is in great favour with his Majesty ibid. For which he is envied and accused as a dealer with Bothwel for which he is displaced and imprisoned ibid. But escapes out of a Window in Dalkieth by the help of a Danish Gentlewoman whom he afterward married ibid. Is in disfavour with the King p. 199. Spinze Lord is Gentleman of the Chamber to King James p. 198. Stuart Colonel is sent to St. Andrews with Mr. John Colvil p. 133. Is made Captain of King James his Guards p. 137. Writes to the Author to repair to Court p. 156. Is one of the Kings Council p. 138. Rides to overthrow the Banished Lords at their entry upon the Borders p. 168. But his design is frustrated ibid. Is committed to the care of the Lord Maxwel being in danger for espousing too violently the Earl of Arran's Interest p. 170. Obtains leave to go to Denmark about his own Affairs being that Kings Pensioner p. 171. Has a Commission to treat about the Marriage of King James with the Eldest Daughter of the King of Denmark ibid. Goes to Denmark several times at his own charge to complete his Masters Marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter p. 177. Stuart James Son to the Lord Oghiltrie a Favourite in Scotland p. 126. Perswades the King to a Progress p. 127. Accuses the Earl of Mortoun of the late Kings Murther ibid. Takes upon himself the Title of Earl of Arran p. 128. Marries the Earl of March his Relict ibid. Casts off his true friends p. 129. His Character p. 131. Is kept Prisoner by the Lords in the Custody of the Earl of Gaury p. 133. Obtains the favour of being confin'd to his own House at Kinneal p. 137. adviseth the King but is opposed by Gaury ibid. Gets access to Court and stays there contrary to promise ibid. Is reconciled to Colonel Stuart by the Authors means p. 139. He and Melvil the Author clash in Council p. 139. His insolent carriage p. 142. He and Gaury are reconciled by his Majesty ibid. He and his Wife ruling all perswades his Majesty to go to Sterling p. 143. He is Captain of the Castle and Provost of the Town ibid. Adviseth his Majesty to send the Author Ambassador to Queen Elizabeth intending thereby to ensnare him ibid. Desires a familiar Conference with Secretary Walsingham who refuseth it p. 148. At which being incensed he puts several Indignities upon him ibid. Endeavours to be made Chancellor and Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh p. 152. Useth his Craft to pervert the effect of