Princesses should come vnto an enteruiew or conference For that the Queene of Scotland required it bred a suspition that she did it for some commoditie or benefit and to espie some aduantage either to strengthen her right in England or else to giue a hope and erect the minds of the Papists in England and her Cousens the Guises in France On the other side others thought hereby a most firme amitie might bee concluded betweene them the league betweene the French and the Scots weakened by little and little and the Queene of Scots wonne by faire words vnto the Religion of the Protestants Others noted that out of such enteruiewes or conferences grew the seeds rather of emulation than of loue when one should hate and repine at the ostentation of the others brauerie wealth and power and for that many times the presence and view is not answerable vnto report and opinion and so of the comelinesse of the body of the beautie of the face and of the gifts of the minde And that one might haue cause and occasion to finde fault with the other Neither did the Queene of Scotland thinke it safe to deliuer her selfe into the hands of Queene Elizabeth with whom she had contended for the right of the Kingdome It made her to stagger and to doubt in the matter and also to which side to incline and sway when shee heard that Queene Elizabeth stood openly for the Protestants in France whilest she considered as shee wrote her selfe that shee came by her father from the English bloud and by her mother from the French that shee was crowned Queene and Dowager of France and the most rightful Heire of England and withall expected the Kingdome thereof That shee was much indebted vnto her Vncles in France which had brought her vp and that shee much desired the loue of Queene Elizabeth Yet she feared such was her piercing vnderstanding lest if shee ioined her selfe with her in a very strict kinde of amitie she might procure the euill will of the French King be abandoned by her Vncles and lose her dowrie out of France by preferring the vncertaine friendship of Queene Elizabeth which to vse her owne words passed not beyond the person before the certaine loue of the French Hereupon the conference which had beene treated of many moneths and the Articles also drawne came to nothing especially when shee by her letters did vtterly refuse to come vnto the enteruiew except she might be designed heire apparant of England by authoritie of Parliament or else bee adopted by Queene Elizabeth to be her daughter to lay a foundation of a most certaine peace and vnion of both the Realmes so often desired If these things were granted she promised to addict her selfe wholly to Queene Elizabeth yea and not to respect and regard her Vncle 's the Guises Also in these lettes shee insinuated that shee vrged these things the more vehemently for that shee had heard that many did secretly deuise to set in another successor and that onely for the cause of Religion though shee did tolerate in Scotland the Religion of the Protestants But when the Cardinall of Lorraine at the same time dealt with the Emperour Ferdinand that shee might marrie with his sonne Charles the Archduke who then sued vnto Q. Elizabeth for mariage Queene Elizabeth threatned her by Thomas Randolph that if shee did consent vnto the Cardinall the mortall enemie of England about that mariage both that the amitie betweene England and Scotland might be dissolued and perhaps she excluded from her hope of the Realme of England and if she would not misse thereof she in friendly manner willed her to choose such a husband in England in whose choice shee might principally giue her selfe content and then giue satisfaction to her owne Subiects and also to the English men in the conseruation of the peace and make the way smoother and plainer vnto her assured succession in England which cannot bee published and made knowne vntill it was certainly knowne whom she would take to her husband Anno 1563. WHen in the heat of the ciuill warres of France the Duke of Guise Vncle vnto the Q. of Scotland was slaine her dowrie out of France was not paid Hamilton D. of Chasteauleroy was depriued of his Duchie and the Scots were displaced from the Captainship of the Guard which things she tooke in very euill part The Cardinall of Lorraine another of her Vncles fearing lest hereupon she leauing the French should cleaue vnto the amitie of England he proposed againe by Crocus the mariage with Charles d' Austria offering to her the Countie of Tyrole for her dowrie Shee acquainted Queene Elizabeth with the matter who by Randolph gaue her those former admonitions about the choosing of a husband as I haue said before and then in plainer termes commended Robert Dudley whose wife being the heire of Robsert was killed a good while since by falling downe a paire of slaires and promised that if shee would marrie him she should be declared by the authoritie of Parliament sister or daughter heire apparant of England if she died without issue As soone as the Queene mother her Vncles heard this by Foixius the French Embassador in England they did so disdaine the mariage with Dudley as altogether vnequall vnworthy to match in a royall stocke and linage as they promised not onely to pay her dowrie but also to restore vnto the Scots all their former liberties and morelarge also if she would persist firmely in the friendâ—hip of France and refuse the mariage offered vnto her and also they suggested and put in her head that Queene Elizabeth did propose this mariage not seriously but colourably as though shee had assigned Dudley for her owne husband And that there was no cause why she should put any trust or confidence in the authoritie of a Parliament since that in England one Parliament may repeale that which another hath enacted Moreouer that the purposes of the English men were no other but by one meanes or other to keepe her alwaies from mariage But yet she referred this matter vnto conference being wonderfully vexed and troubled at home when Murrey cast into prison the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes because he abstained not from saying Masse vnto whom shee hardly got pardon with shedding of teares And the hot spirited Ministers of the Church bolstered by the authoritie of Murrey offered violence without any controlment vnto a Priest who had said Masse in the Court which was permitted by the Law Neither was shee able to represse the tumultuous persons though shee applied all her minde about the good of the common wealth by granting a generall pardon increasing the fees or wages of the Iudges by making wholsome Lawes as making Adulterie to bee death and sitting herself in iudgement thereby to make by Law the highest equall with the lowest Anno 1564. IN this yeere Queene Elizabeth created Robert Dudley Master of her Horse a man in high fauour with
subiects according to the times expressed in their licence The father excused himselfe most modestly in his letters the sonne desired that she would not be against his preferment insinuated that it may be that he may be profitable to his deare Countrie of England and openly professed himselfe a louer and honourer of the Queene of Scotland aboue all others who to giue correspondencie to his loue first made him Knight and afterward Lord Aâ—â—â—â—och Earle of Rosse and Duke of Rothsay and the fift moneth after his comming into Scotland tooke him to her husband with the consent of the most of the Noble men and proclaimed him King Murrey who applied all his wit to his owne priuate ambition and vnder the goodly pretence of Religion had drawne in the Duke of Chasteauleroy an honest minded man vnto his side fretting and others raising tumults and arguing these questions Whether a Papist was to be receiued to be their King Whether the Queene of Scotland might choose her selfe a husband at her owne election Whether the Noblemen of the Land might not by their authoritie appoint her a husband The Queene of England who knew the milde nature of Darly and the plaine and honest minde of the father taking compassion of the young man her Cousin and of the Queene a young woman also who had to deale with most turbulent persons who being aboue this twentie yeeres loosed from the gouernment of Kings could not now endure any Kings tooke it more quietly Neither had she any feare of them when she saw the power of the Queene her aduersarie not increased by that meane match and had the mother of Darly in her hand and foresaw that troubles would arise hereupon in Scotland which began incontinently for many Noblemen of Scotland as Hamilton and Murrey chafing fretting at the mariage this man for that the mariage was made without the consent of the Queene of England the other vpon a spight or priuie malice against the familie of Lennox but both of them vnder the pretext of the conseruation of Religion displaied their banners in manner of warre to disturbe the mariage so that the Queene was of necessitie enforced to leuie forces that the mariâ—â—â— might be celebrated with securitie and then she did so fiercely pursue the rebels by the helpe of the King her husband that she made them flie into England before the bands of English men promised to them could come but the Queene of England did couertly grant a lurking place vnto Murrey who was wholly addicted vnto the English and secretly maintained him with money by Bedford vntill hee returned into Scotland which was the day after the murder of Dauid Rizius The causes which Queene Elizabeth alleadged why shee admitted Murrey and the Scottish rebels into England were for that the Queene of Scotland had receiued Yaxley Standen and Welsh English fugitiues into Scotland and receiued O-Neale a great man of Ireland into her protection had intelligence with the Pope against England and had not done iustice on the theeues on the borders and on Pirates Queene Elizabeth not forgetfull of the Scottish affaires a moneth or two after the mariage sent Tamworth a Gentleman of her priuie Chamber vnto the Queene of Scotland to warne her not to violate the peace and to expostulate with her for her hastie marriage with the natiue subiect of England without her consent and withall to request that Lennox and Darly might be sent backe into England according to the league and that Murrey might be receiued againe into fauour Shee smelling his arrand admitted him not to her presence but in articles deliuered in writing promised in the word of a Prince that neither shee nor her husband would attempt any thing to wrong the Queene of England or her children lawfully begotten or the quiet of the Realme either by receiuing fugitiues or by making league with strangers or by any other meanes yea most willingly that they would make such league with the Queene and Realme of England which might be profitable and honourable for both the Realmes neither that they would innouate any thing in the Religion Lawes and liberties of England if at any time they should possesse the Kingdome of England yet vpon this condition that Queene Elizabeth would fully performe this thing on her part toward her and her husband viz. by Parlament establish the succession of the Crowne of England in her person and her lawfull issue and if that failed in Margaret Countesse of Lennox her husbands mother and her children lawfully begotten As for the other things shee answered That shee had acquainted the Queene with her mariage with Darly as soone as she was fully determined to marie him and had receiued no answer from her That she had satisfied the Queenes demands forasmuch as she had not married a stranger but an English man borne who was the noblest in birth and most worthiest of her in all Britaine that she knew But it seemed strange that she might not keepe with her Darly whom shee had maried or not keepe Lennox in Scotland who was a natiue Earle of Scotland As for Murrey whom she had tried to bee her mortall enemie shee in faire words besought her to leaue her subiects vnto her owne discretion since that she did not intermeddle in the causes of the subiects of England With this answer Tamworth returned not respected as he thought according to his estate and place for to say the truth the malapert fellow had touched the reputation and credit of the Queene of Scotland with I know not what slander and had not vouchsafed to giue her husband the title of King Anno 1566. IN Iune the Queene of Scotland in a happie houre and to the perpetuall felicitie of Britaine was deliuered of her sonne Iames who is now the Monarch of Britaine which shee signified forthwith vnto Queene Elizabeth by Iames Meluin Who although she was grieued at the heart that the honour to bee a mother was borne away before her by her aduersarie yet she sent Henry Killigrew incontinently to congratulate with her for her safe deliuerance and the birth of a sonne And to will her not to fauour any more Shane O-Neale then rebelling in Ireland nor to entertaine Christopher Rokesby fled out of England and to punish certaine theeues vpon the borders Shortly after the estates of the Realme in the Parlament holden at London moued the Queene earnestly to marry and to set downe and nominate her successor but she by no meanes could be drawne to it Yet that it might appeare to the world whom shee thought most rightfull successor shee cast into prison Thornton the Reader â—f the Law at Lincolnes Inne in London at that time of whom the Queene of Scotland had complained that he in his reading had called into question and made a doubt of the right of her succession The time being come for the baptizing of the Prince of Scotland the Queene of England being requested to be Godmother
was cut off at two blowes The Deane saying aloud So let the enemies of Queene ELIZABETH perish the Earle of Kent saying the same and the multititude sighing and grieuing thereat Her bodie was embawmed and was after buried like a Prince in the Cathedrall Church of Peterburgh And her funerals were kept most magnificently at Paris at the charges of the Guises who performed all the best offices of kindred for their Cousin both aliue and dead to their great commendation In this lamentable manner ended her life MARIE Queene of Scotland the great grand-daughter of Henry the seuenth by his eldest daughter in the XLVI yeere of her age and the XVIII yeere of her captiuitie A woman most constant in her Religion adorned with a wonderfull pietie toward God wisdome aboue her sex and was also very faire and beautifull And is to be accounted one of those Princes whose felicitie was changed into aduersitie In her infancie shee was with strife desired for wife by King Henry the eighth of England for his sonne Edward and by Henry the second King of France for Francis the Dolphin At the age of fiue yeeres she was carried into France and at the age of fifteene yeeres married vnto the Dolphin Shee flourished and was Queene of France one yeere and foure moneths Her husband being dead she returned into Scotland and was maried againe vnto Henry Stuart Lord Darley and had by him IAMES the first Monarch of Great Britaine Tossed and turmoiled by Murrey her bastard brother and other her vngrate and ambitious subiects deposed from her Kingdome and driuen to flie into England and circumuented and entrapped as men speaking indifferently thinke by sundry English-men carefull of the conseruation of their Religion and of the safetie of Queene ELIZABETH and thrust forward by others desiring much to restore the Roman Religion and oppressed by the testimonies of her Secretaries who were absent and as it seemed corrupted with rewards Neere to the graue an Epitaph in the Latine tongue was affixed and forthwith taken away MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA REGIS FILIA REGIS GALLORVM VIDVA REGINAE ANGLIAE AGNATA ET HAERES PROXIMA VIRTVTIBVS REGIIS ET ANIMO REGIO ORNATA IVRE REGIO FRVSTRA SAEPIVS IMPLORATO BARBARA ET TYRANNICA CRVDELITATE ORNAMENTVM NOSTRI SECVLI ET LVMEN VERE REGIVM EXTINGVITVR EODEMQVE NEFARIO IVDICIO ET MARIA SCOTORVM REGINA MORTE NATVRALI ET OMNES SVPERSTITES REGES PLEBEII FACTI MORTE GIVILI MVLCTANTVR NOVVM ET INAVDITVM TVMVLI GENVS IN QVO CVM VIVIS MORTVI INCLVDVNTVR HIC EXTAT CVM SACRIS ENIM DIVAE MARIAE CINERIBVS OMNIVM REGVM ATQVE PRINCIPVM VIOLATAM ATQVE PROSTRATAM MAIESTATEM HIC IACERE SCITO ET QVIA TACITVM REGALE SATIS SVPERQVE REGES SVI OFFICII MONET PLVRA NON ADDO VIATOR Which may be Englished thus MARY Queene of Scotland daughter of a King widow of the King of France kinswoman and next heire to the Queene of England adorned with Royall Vertues and a princely spirit hauing often but in vaine implored the right of a Prince the ornament of our age and the true princely light is extinguished by a barbarous and tyrannical crueltie And by the same wicked iudgement both MARY Queen of Scotland is punished with a naturall death and all Kings liuing are made common persons and punished and made liable vnto a ciuill death A strange and vnheard kinde of grant is here extant in which the liuing are included with the dead for with the ashes of this blessed MARY know thou that the Maiestie of all Kings and Princes lye here depressed and violated and because the Regall secret doth sufficiently admonish Kings of their dutie O Traueller I say no more Out of this lamentable fortune of so great a Prince the disposition of the diuine prouidence most euidently appeared as some wise men haue obserued For those things which the Queenes ELIZABETH and MARY chiefly wished and studied to procure by this meanes came to passe Queene MARY which also shee said at her death desired nothing more earnestly than that the diuided Kingdomes of England and Scotland might be vnited in the person of her deare sonne And the other wished for nothing more than that the Religion by her established in England might be kept and conserued with the safetie and securitie of the people And that almightie God did heare their praiers England to her vnexpected felicitie doth now see and with great ioy acknowledge As soone as word was brought to Queene ELIZABETH that the Queene of Scotland was put to death shee not thinking thereof she heard it with great indignation shee looked heauily and could not speake a word and readie to swound for sorrow in so much that she put on mourning apparell and grieued exceedingly and lamented very much Shee caused her Counsellors being reproued and forbidden her presence to be examined and commanded Dauison to be brought into the Star-Chamber And as soone as her dolour would permit her she in great haste wrote this letter following vnto the King of Scotland with her owne hand and sent it by Mr. Robert Cary one of the Lord of Hunsdons sonnes Deare brother I would to God you did know but not feele with what incomparable griefe my minde is tormented and vexed by reason of the lamentable euent which hath befallen contrary to my minde and will which you shall vnderstand fully by my Cousin for as much as I cannot abide and endure to set it downe by writing I beseech you that as God and many others can beare witnesse vnto my innocencie in this matter so I desire you to beleeue that if I had commanded it I would neuer haue denied the same I am not of that base minde that for any terrour I should feare to doe that which is iust or to deny it being done I doe not so degenerate from my Ancestors nor am I of such an ignoble minde But as it is not the part of a Prince to couer and cloake the sense of his minde with words so will I neuer dissemble nor glose mine actions but I will performe that they shall come to light and appeare to the world in their colours I would haue you be assuredly perswaded that as I know that this was done vpon desert so if I had imagined it I would not haue put it ouer vpon any other neither yet wil I impute that to my selfe which I did not so much as thinke He who shall deliuer you these Letters shall acquaint and impart other things vnto you As for me I would haue you to beleeue that there is none other who loueth you better and beareth better affection to you or that will haue a more friendly care of you and your affaires If any one suggesteth or putteth other things into your head I would haue you to think that he beareth more good will and affection to others than to you God Almightie keepe you in health and preserue you alwaies In the meane time that Mr. Cary
in Paris One cannot declare with what applause of all the people with what congratulation of all the neighbour Princes with what Magnificence this mariage was solemnized By this her mariage her husband obtained not onely the Title of King of Scotland in the right of his wife but also another more rich and great which was of the most contented Prince the earth then beheld for that hee was ioyned in mariage with a Princesse who besides many other great vertues composed her selfe wholly to please and to giue content vnto her husband and therein vsed not the ordinary care of a Princesse but more trauell and sollicitude than doe the women of meane condition and qualitie maried vnto great Princes as also appeared after his death which befell not long after by her immeasurable mourning not being able to finde any consolation for her sorrow in that place where shee had lost that which shee had loued better than her selfe so much that the amitie of her kinsfolks and allies could not retaine her nor the sorrow and regret of all France could not call her backe nor the sweetnesse of that Court which inuited her could not stay her but that shee would depart from thence After this on the seuenteenth day of Nouember the same yeere deceased Mary of England at which time the Parlament was holden at Westminster being certified of her death with a vniuersall consent in regard of her most certaine right vnto the Crowne of England of the which none could doubt both the Prelates and Nobles with the Commons agreed to haue the Lady ELIZABETH proclaimed Queene which was done with the generall applause and consent of them and all the people Queene ELIZABETH being established and hauing taken order for things at home and domesticall affaires applied her minde next to settle her affaires abroad For which end it was thought fit to send Embassadors vnto Princes to signifie vnto them the death of Queene MARY and her succession vnto the kingdome Vnto Ferdinand the Emperor was sent Thomas Challenor with letterâ— wherein the Queene vnder her owne hand certified him that her sister Queene MARY was dead and that she by the goodnesse of God was succeeded as her rightfull heire and with the generall consent of her subiects in the gouernment of the Realme and that she desired nothing more than that the ancient League and amitie betweene the families of England and Austria might not only be conserued but also increased Vnto the King of Spaine being in his Low counâ—ries was sent the Lord Cobham with instructions to the same purpose King Philip vnderstanding the decease of Queene MARIE his wife fearing lest England Scotland and Ireland should be adioyned vnto France by mâ—anes of the Queene of Scotland her Title dâ—lt seriously with Queene ELIZABETH by the Conde of Feria whom he had sent before to visit his sicke wife and the then Lady ELIZABETH also about his mariage with her promising to procure a dispensation for the same This motion troubled her much for to reiect the most mightie King of Europe hauing deserued well of her and suing to her for mariage vpon his owne motion This thing no lesse disquieted the French King who was also fearefull that England and Spaine should bee conioyned againe iâ— one by mariage therefore â—ee did all that was possible to be done at Rome by the Bishop of Angulesme that no such dispensation should be granted but yet very secretly lest he should prouoke the Englishmen against him but she put him off with a modest and shamefast answer And when hee saw that he could not obtaine his suit for himselfe and had also giuen it quite ouer being agreed with the French King to marry his daughter yet that the kingdome of England might be retained in his family still he moued the Emperour Ferdinand to commend one of his sonnes to be a suiter vnto Queene ELIZABETH which motion he willingly entertained and for that purpose sent vnto her very louing letters and by Gaspar Preynerus free Baron in Stibing diligently followed and prosecuted the same the King of Spaine himselfe also to bring it the sooner to passe and to further it most courteously offering and promising vnto Queene ELIZABETH his singular loue kindnesse and affection THE LIFE DEATH AND VARIABLE fortunes of the most gracious Queene MARIE STEVVARD Queene of Scotland Anno 1559. THe French King Henrie the second for the benefit of his sonne the Dolphin King and MARIE Queene of Scots casting his eies vpon England did not withdraw his French Souldiers out of Scotland as hee had promised but sent secretly more daily into Scotland and dealt vehemently with the Pope to pronounce Queene Elizabeth an Heretike and illegitimate which the Emperor and the King of Spaine most diligently but couertly sought to hinder yet had the Guises drawne the French King into such a sweet hope of adioyning England vnto the Crowne of France by the title of their Niece the Queene of Scots that hee openly claimed the same in the right of his sonne and daughter in law And commanded them when hee could not obtaine his purpose at Rome to vse this title in all their Letters patents FRANCIS and MARIE by the grace of God of Scotland England and Ireland King and Queene and caused the armes of England together with the armes of Scotland to be painted in the walls buildings and in the houshold stuffe and also to be put into the Heralds coats The English Ambassador in vaine complained that herein great wrong was done vnto Queene Elizabeth with whom he had made lately a league and had not done this to Queene MARIE of England who had proclaimed warre against him But Henries sudden death which happened shortly after made an end of his attempts But Francis the second who succeeded him and MARIE Queene of Scots his wife by the counsell of the Guises who were then of great authoritie in France bore themselues openly as Kings of England and Ireland neither did they abstaine from claiming the armes but set them out more and more And vnto Nicholas Throgmorton the Lieger Embassador a man both wise and stout it was first answered That it was lawfull for the Queene of Scots to beare them with some little difference to shew the nearenesse of her bloud vnto the royall line of England Hee stifly denied it saying that by the Law of Armes none who was not begot of the certaine Heire might beare the armes of any familie Afterward they said they bore the armes for no other cause than to cause the Queene of England to abstaine from bearing the armes of France Yet at length he obtained at the intercession of Mont Morancy who loued not the Guises that they left off the armes of England and Ireland altogether But yet from this title and vsurpation of armes which Henrie made the young Queene of Scots to take on her moued thereto by the Guises proceeded all the euils which came so thicke vpon her afterward as from
her whom she had in her secret purpose appointed husband for the Queene of Scotland that he might be more worthy of that match Baron of Denbigh giuing vnto him Denbigh with the demeasnes and the next day Earle of Leycester to him and his heires males lawfully begotten For whose sake also shee had before created his elder brother Ambrose Baron Lisle and Earle of Warwicke and to his heires males lawfully begotten and to Robert his brother and to his heires males of his body lawfully begotten Dudly aduanced to these honours to purchase fauour and grace with the Queene of Scotland vnto whom hee made suit in mariage studied with all kinde of offices to deserue well of her and forthwith accused Bacon keeper of the great Seale vnto the Queene that hee had dealt in the matter of succession against the Queene of Scotland and that hee was priuie and accessary vnto a Pamphlet made by one Hales who endeuoured to proue the right of the Crowne of England to belong vnto the familie of Suffolke if the Queene died without Heire for the which he had beene put in Prison but Bacon though hee denied the same was with much adoe and after a long time restored vnto the Queenes fauour by Cecill who kept his owne iudgement in this point secret to himselfe and alwaies determined so to doe vnlesse the Queene as he would say commanded him to speake his mind for she could not endure of all things to haue the right of succession called into question and dispute but the wiser and the richer men were troubled with nothing more whilest in the controuersie of Religion the hot Protestants thought the Q. of Scotland was to be put by and reiected because she was of another Religion though her right was vndoubted out of some querks and words of their Law bookes Some of the Romanists and most that regarded equitie and iustice thought she was to be receiued as the true and certaine Heire by the Law And many preferred Margaret Aunt to the Queene of Scotland the wife of Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox and her children as those of whom they hoped the best as borne in England These things were not vnknowne vnto the Q. of Scotland who to preuent it as much as she could by the aduice of the Countesse of Lennox her Aunt sent for Matthew Earle of Lennox to come into Scotland vnder pretence to restore him into his ancient Patrimonie but indeed to aske him counsell in these affaires who by his wiues meanes obtained leaue and also letters of commendations from Queene Elizabeth after hee had beene banished from his natiue Countrie now full twentie yeeres Hee for I will for more perspicuitie and light to the matter rehearse the same somewhat higher was borne of the same stocke of the Stewarts as the royall familie of the Scots was For Marie daughter vnto Iames the second King of Scotland bore vnto Iames Hamilton Iames the first of this stocke Earle of Arran and Marie his daughter wife vnto Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox the first of this Christian name Iames Earle of Arran his first wife being diuorced and yet liuing married Ienet Beton Aunt to Cardinall Beton by whom he had Iames D. of Chasteauleroy whom his aduersaries hereupon accounted a Bastard Marie sister to the Earle of Arran bore vnto Matthew Iohn Earle of Lennox who being slaine by the Hamiltons at such time as he would haue restored Iames the fourth to his libertie left this second Matthew Stewart of whom we speake Earle of Lennox most deare to Iames the fift in regard of his father But Matthew the King being dead and the Hamiltons hauing all the gouernment in their power departed secretly into France from whence hee was sent by Henry the second the French King to see that the common wealth of Scotland tooke no harme by Hamilton the Regent and herein he behaued himselfe worthily but being a plaine and honest minded man and entangled by the craft and policie of Cardinall Beton and Hamilton he fell out of the fauour of the French King in a short time And when hee could neither tarrie at home nor returne into France he came into England and submitted himselfe to King Henry the eighth who accepted him as a man well beloued in the West borders and acknowledged him as next heire to the Crowne of Scotland after MARIE then an infant though the Hamiltons confiscated all his possessions as of a Traitor condemned and married him vnto the Ladie Margaret Douglas his Niece by his eldest sister giuing him lands in England worth yeerely of the old rent 1700. Markes he promising for his part to deliuer into the hands of the King of England the Castles of Dunbritton the I le of Butha and the Castle of Rothsay which peeces being couragiously and valiantly attempted could not yet be gotten This man the Queene of Scotland a woman prudent and circumspect and who applied all her studies vpon the hopes of England sent for to come into Scotland as I haue said pardoned his banishment restored him vnto his ancient possessions as well that shee might oppose him against the attempts of Iames the Bastard as also to put other folkes out of hope of the succession of England by his sonne Henry Darly For if that young man borne of the royall bloud in England and well beloued of the English Nation should marrie with some of the great families of England shee secretly to her selfe feared that he bolstered vp with the power of England might bee a blocke in her way in the right of her succession in England since hee was accounted in most mens opinion the second heire of the Crowne of England after her and there was nothing shee more wished than that the Realmes of England and Scotland might deuolue by her meanes vnto some of the Scottish race and by him might bee propagated vnto posteritie in the ancient surname of the Stewarts This came to the knowledge of Queene Elizabeth and to preuent her purpose shee declared vnto her by Randolph that that mariage was so vniuersally disallowed by the English men that she adiourned the Parliament against the will of her Councell vntill another time lest the Estates moued vnto wrath for this cause should make some act against her right in succession which lest it should afterward come to passe she willed her not to doe so but to giue satisfaction vnto the English men by thinking vpon some other match And now againe she commended Leicester whom she had aduanced vnto the degree of an Earle and especicially for that cause with more earnestnesse to bee her husband Vpon this occasion at Barwicke in the moneth of Nouember there talked together about the mariage with Leicester the Earle of Bedford and Randolph and for her were Murrey and Lidington Commissioners The English men promised firme amitie perpetuall peace and certaine hope of the succession if shee would marrie with Leicester for vpon this condition Queene Elizabeth had promised to
and that forreigne Princes enemies vnto England did cast their eies vpon the Queene of Scotland as the most certaine Heire of England thought it would bee a better way to establish quietnesse and to containe the Queene of Scotland within bounds that shee were maried to the Duke of Norfolke the greatest and most honourable man of England and a man in the loue of the people and bred vp in the Religion of the Protestants rather than to a forreigne Prince who might bring both the Kingdomes into danger by her meanes and also come so to inherit both the Kingdomes which they heartily wished might be consolidated in a Prince of the English Nation if the King of Scotland should happen to die whom they also purposed to bring into England that hee being the true heire of England being brought vp amongst the English might be better loued of the English men And thus all the scruples about the succession might be taken away Queene ELIZABETH should haue no cause to feare the Duke and the Queene of Scotland when she had the King in her hands Moreouer that the Duke should attempt nothing against him but loue him more dearely They determined to espouse Margaret the Dukes onely and little daughter vnto him to bee maried together when they came to riper yeeres Amongst these were the Earles of Arundell Northumberland Westmerland Sussex Pembrooke and Southampton and very many Barons yea and Leicester himselfe whether in pollicie and to worke the Dukes destruction it is vncertaine yet all these thought it good to acquaint the Queene with the matter and to leaue the decision thereof to her pleasure and that she should prescribe the conditions for the full securitie and safetie of her owne person Religion and the Realme But now take the matter briefly if you please from the very beginning out of the written confession of the Duke which I haue seene and the memorials of the Bishop of Rosse who was the greatest dealer in this businesse When the Commissioners met at Yorke the last yeere Lidington and the Bishop of Rosse to winne his fauour talked with the Duke of a mariage to bee made bebetweene him and the Queene of Scotland and so did Murrey himselfe with the Duke at Hampton Court who in priuate talke with the Duke and also with many others fained that he wished nothing more than that matters in Scotland being set in good order the Queene of Scotland his dearest sister might be restored vnto her former dignitie and estate so that onely she would sincerely and vnfainedly receiue into her former fauour and grace her subiects and that all the remembrances of all offences might be quite forgotten Yet he feared if she maried a husband out of her owne choice from France Spaine or Austria that shee would reuenge the iniuries she had receiued change the Religion receiued in Scotland and procure great danger vnto Englâ—â—d To preuent these things he promised to bestow all his labour that where shee who had first maried a boy then a rash and heady young man and lastly too a mad-braine those were his very words might now bee maried to the Duke a man of discretion which thing might turne vnto the tranquillitie of both the Realmes the securitie of both the Princes and especially to the establishing of Religion since he such was his respect vnto the Queene of England might more prosperously containe Scotland in the amitie of the English and might with the more ease draw the Queene of Scotland vnto the true Religion which he professed With these same things Murrey also secretly acquainted the Queene of Scotland by Robert Meluin and offered his labour very officiously toward the effecting thereof But the Duke answered that he could determine nothing about the mariage before that shee did cleere her selfe of the crimes obiected against her yet Rosse as diligently as hee could ceased not to draw him to it being vnwilling A few daies after Nicholas Throgmorton met the Duke in the Court at Westminister vnto whom he profesled and offered his seruice very kindly and signified that Leicester would talke with the Duke about the mariage betweene him and the Queene of Scotland which Throgmorton said seemed strange to him since Leicester himselfe sued for the same mariage not long since But he willed the Duke in friendship if it were so that he should giue the honour of that mariage vnto Leicester who had beene before time a suiter therein But if hee stood stifly in it to denie and refuse it because that the Scots did charge her with very many hainous crimes But yet said Throgmorton I wish from my heart that shee were maried vnto you as well for the good of Religion as also that shee may not depend of any other but on our Queene Yet this I forewarne you if you doe any thing in this matter let Leicester guide you by aduice for you of yourselfe shall hardly get the Queenes consent A day or two after Leicester moued the matter to the Duke who answered iust euen as Throgmorton sorewarned him and when hee came to speake of the crimes Leicester extenuated the same and called Richard Candish witnesse whose seruice though suspected he commended vnto the Duke Then Leicester told Pembrooke of the matter and the Duke told Arundell and they together with Throgmorton in their letters commended vnto the Queene of Scotland the Duke as a fit husband which Murrey had done also before The Duke also wrote and signified his loue and offered his seruice in very louing words From that time he imparted vnto them all the letters he wrote vnto her or receiued from her and they talked oftentimes with Rosse about the manner of concluding it And by Richard Candish they propounded in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred threescore and eight vnto the Queene of Scotland these Articles written with Leicesters hand viz. That she attempt nothing to the hurt of the Queene of England and her children in the succession of the Kingdome of England Shee should make a league defensiue and offensiue betweene the two Realmes Shee should establish the Religion of the Protestants in Scotland Shee should receiue into her fauour the Scots which were now her aduersaries She should reuoke the assignation of the Kingdome of England made vnto the Duke of Anjeou She should marie some English Nobleman namely the Noble Prince Thomas Duke of Norfolke If she gaue her consent vnto these Articles they promised to procure the Queene of Englands assent and that she should bee shortly restored vnto her Realme and also bee confirmed in the succession of England She readily admitted them all but onely that she could say nothing vnto the league before the French King was certified thereof Shee protested that there was no assignation made vnto the Duke of Anjeou yet she would procure him to make a release and renuntiation if they stood vpon it And willed them aboue all things to get the consent of
to breake out in Norfolke which was quenched in the beginning some Gentlemen of Norfolke desiring to deliuer the Duke who was exceedingly loued of all men had deuised at Harleston Faire by sounding of a Trumpet to gather a multitude vnder the pretence to expulse strangers out of the land Iohn Felton who had fixed the Popes Bull on the Bishop of Londons gate in the night being apprehended for hee would not flie when hee might being arraigned with a stout courage confessed the deed which yet he would not acknowledge to bee any offence was executed neere vnto the place where hee had fixed the same The same day Felton was arraigned the Duke of Norfolke confessing his offence and shewing great penitence and hauing by his writing giuen his word not to deale any more about the mariage with the Queene of Scotland without the priuitie of Queene ELIZABETH was brought backe from the Tower of London to the great ioy of the people remaining at his owne house vnder the keeping of Sir Henry Neuill And indeed he could not be arraigned of treason by the Statute of 25. of Edward the third as Cecill said who desirous of the Dukes good was earnest to haue him marrie another woman whereby hee might bee lesse feared and the publike tranquillitie conserued Yet some there were that thought hee was let out of purpose that he might be thrust into some greater danger And indeed moe things came euery day to light than he suspected and the credit of his most secret counsellors were corrupted with hopes or with bribes These times were full of suspitions and conspiracies for there conspired to deliuer the Queene of Scotland out of prison Thomas and Edward Stanley the younger sonnes of the Earle of Derby by the daughter of Thomas Duke of Norfolke Thomas Gerard Rolston Hall and others in Derby-shire But Rolstons sonne who was one of the Pensioners opened the conspiracie and they were all cast into prison but Hall who escaped into the I le of Man and from thence vnto Dunbritton where being taken at the winning of the Castle hee was conueied vnto London and there executed as a Traitor And the Bishop of Rosse himselfe lately deliuered out of prison was againe deliuered vnto the custodie of the Bishop of London for that he had secret conference with the Earle of Southampton a man wholly addicted to the Romane religion Queene ELIZABETH her minde being in great doubt of trouble vpon the publication of the Bull and the insurrection intended in Norfolke sent Cecill and Mildmay vnto the Queene of Scotland who then lay at Chattesworth in Derby-shire to consult and deuise with her by what meanes the diuision in Scotland might in the best manner be compounded she restored vnto her former estate and prouision made for the securitie of Queene ELIZABETH and the safetie of her little sonne Shee did nothing but deplore her most distressed estate complaine of the crafty policies of Murrey excuse Norfolke and put all her hope in the benignitie of Queene ELIZABETH They for the making and establishing of a sincere league of amitie betweene the Realmes propounded these Articles 1 The Treatie of Edenburgh should bee confirmed Shee should renounce her title and right to England during the life of Queene ELIZABETH 2 She should not renew nor keepe any league with any Prince against England 3 Shee should not admit or receiue any forraine Souldiers into Scotland 4 She should haue no practice nor intelligence with any Irish or English men without the Queenes knowledge 5 She should restore the English fugitiues and rebels 6 Shee should make amends or recompence for the hurt done vnto the English borderers 7 She should enquire according to the Law for the murders both of Darly and Murrey 8 She should deliuer her sonne pledge into England 9 She should not marrie with any English man without the knowledge of the Queene of England nor with any other against the wills of the States of Scotland 10 The Scots should not passe ouer into Ireland without leaue obtained out of England 11 For the confirmation and assurance whereof the Queene and the Commissioners to be appointed should set to their hands and seales 12 Six hostages whom the Queene of England should name should be sent into England 13 If the Queene of Scotland attempted any thing against the Queene of England by her selfe or by any other she should lose all her right ipso facto which she claimeth in England 14 The Castles of Hume and Fast Castle to be kept by the English men three yeeres 15 Some Fortresse also in Galloway or Cantire should be deliuered vnto the English men lest the Irish-Scots should infest Ireland from thence 16 Lastly the Estates of Scotland should confirme all and singular these things by the authoritie of Parlament To these propositions she out of her discretion did answer warily enough vpon the sudden but shee referred them for a fuller answer vnto the Commissioners sent by her Lieutenants in Scotland who were the Bishop of Rosse her Embasladour in England Alexander Gordon Bishop of Galloway Vncle vnto the Earle of Huntley and William Lord Leuingston who afterward admitted some of these Articles and reiected others They answered That the treatie of Edenburgh should bee confirmed the title renounced during the life of Queene ELIZABETH That they must consider of the ancient league with France which if they did not keepe the Queene should lose her Dowrie the Scottish Nation of the which one hundred men at armes on horse-backe and one hundred foure and twentie Archers are maintained in the Guard Merchants Students many that possesse land by inheritance and that haue spirituall liuings should be put out and lose their pensions immunities and priuileges which they enioy being very great and Scotland should bee depriued of the amitie and aid of a most mightie Nation Which things except the English men did liberally and bountifully recompence they cannot renounce and forsake the French league by any meanes That they will not admit any forraine Souldiers except in case of such a rebellion that cannot bee supprest by Souldiers of their owne Countrie That the Queene of Scotland shall haue no intelligence with the subiects of England so that the Queene of England in like manner shall haue none with the subiects of Scotland to the hurt of Scotland If there bee any English rebels or fugitiues they be in the hands of the Scottish rebels and are to be demanded of them The hurts done are to be examined by Commissioners For the murder of DARLY and Murrey let them be inquired of according to the Lawes of Scotland That they cannot deliuer the King for hostage who is in the hands of them that vse the Kings name as a colour for their rebellion against the Queeene That it is strange and a thing not heard of at any time that a free Princesse should be prescribed in her mariage by a forraine Prince and her owne subiects That the Scots shall not
no other cause but to trie the Dukes minde whether hee stood constant and resolute But the crimes of the other he wittily extenuated and by no meanes he could be induced to tell the names of the Noblemen that promised to helpe the Duke to surprize the Queene But he confessed that he by the commandement of the Queene of Scotland did aske aduice of the Duke Arundell Lumley and Throgmorton by their seruants that came to and fro and the Vicount Mountague by Lumley about the deliuerie of the Castles in Scotland the hostages the deliuerie of the King of Scotland vnto the English men and the restoring of the English Rebels Thus much of these matters this yeere out of the Dukes confessions and the Commentarie of Rosse himselfe written with his owne hand sent to the Queene of Scotland Matthew Earle of Lennox Regent of Scotland Grandfather to the King had summoned an assembly of the Estates at Sterling in the Kings name where liuing securely he was taken on the sudden by the Noblemen of the contrarie faction who held a Parlament at Edenburgh at the same time in the Queenes name He had yeelded himselfe to Dauid Spense of Wormeston who labouring diligently to saue his life was slaine together with the Regent who had gouerned the Realme for the King his Grandchild but foureteene moneths by Bell and Caulder In his place was substituted by the voices of the Kings faction Iohn Areskin Earle of Marre who died after hee had beene Regent but thirteene moneths These dangerous times produced in the Parlament holden in England this Law It was made treason if any attempted any harme or hurt made warre or moued any other to raise warre against the Queene If any affirmed that she possessed not the Crowne rightfully but that others had more right to the Crowne or did say that shee was an Heretike Schismatike or Infidell did vsurpe the right of the Kingdome during her life or shall say that any other hath right to the Crowne or that the Lawes and Statutes cannot define and binde the right of the Crowne and the succession of the same If any in the Queenes life by written or printed booke expresly affirme that any is or ought to be heire or successor of the Queene besides the naturall issue of her owne body or shall print or sell any bookes or schedules to that effect hee and his fautors for the first time shall be imprisoned a whole yeere and lose halfe his goods and for the second offence incurre Premunire that is to lose all his goods and lie in prison for euer This seemed somewhat seuere vnto many who were of opinion that the tranquillitie of the Realme would bee established by the designation of a certaine heire But it is wonderfull what iests somelewd construers of words made of that clause Besides the naturall issue of her body since the Lawyers call them Naturall that are borne out of matrimonie but the legitimate they call out of the forme of words vsed in the Law of England Children of his body lawfully begotten insomuch that being a young man I heard it often said that that word was thrust into the Act by Leicester to the intent that hee might at one time or other thrust vpon them against their wills some Bastard sonne of his as the naturall issue of the Queene An Act was made also at this Parlament that it should bee treason in them who reconciled any to the Church of Rome by any Bulls or Rescripts of the Popes or any that were reconciled they that releeued the reconcilers or brought in any Agnus Dei Grana Crucifixes or other things consecrated by the Pope into England should incurre the penaltie of Premunire And that it should bee misprision of treason in them that did not discouer their reconcilers It was moued in the same Parlament that if the Queene of Scotland did offend againe against the Lawes of England that they might proceed against her according to the Law as against the wife of a Peere of the Kingdome of England but the Queene would not suffer it to passe Anno 1572. ON the sixteenth day of Ianuarie Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke was arraigned at Westminster Hall before George Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie appointed for that day Lord high Steward of England and on both sides of him sate the Peeres namely Reynold Grey Earle of Kent Thomas Ratclif Earle of Sussex Henry Hastings Earle of Huntingdon Francis Russell Earle of Bedford Henry Herbert Earle of Pembrooke Edward Seymer Earle of Hertford Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwicke Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Walter Deuereux Viscount Hereford Edward Clintōn Admirall William Lord Howard of Effingham Chamberlaine William Cecill Lord Burghley Secretarie Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton Iames Blount Lord Mountioy William Lord Sands Thomas Lord Wentworth William Lord Burrough Lewis Lord Mordant Iohn Powlet Lord Saint-Iohn of Basing Robert Lord Rich Roger Lord North Edmund Bruges Lord Chandois Oliuer Lord Saint-Iohn of Bletneshoo Thomas Sackuill Lord Buckhurst and William West Lord De La-ware Silence being made the Letters Patents of the Commission was read then a white wand was deliuered vnto the Lord Steward by Garter King at Armes which hee shortly after deliuered vnto the Serieant at Armes who stood by and held it vp all the while Then the Earles and Barons were called by their names and euery one made answer to his name Then silence was made againe and the Lieutenant of the Tower was commanded to returne his precept and to bring the Duke to the Barre Forthwith he was brought in and Sir Owen Hopton stood on the one side of him and Sir Peter Carew on the other side and next by him stood a man holding an Axe with the edge from the Duke Silence being made againe the Clerke of the Crowne said thus to the Duke Thomas Duke of Norfolke late of Keningale in the Countie of Norfolke hold vp thy hand which when hee had done the Clerke read the Inditement with a loud voice that is to say That in the eleuenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH and after the Duke did traiterously deuise to put her from her Crowne and to kill her and to raise warre against her and to bring in forraine forces to inuade the Realme That whereas he knew MARIE late Queene of Scotland to haue claimed the Diadem of England with the title and armes thereof yet hee without the Queenes knowledge intended to marrie with her and lent her a great summe of money contrarie to the promise he had made vnder his owne hand That whereas he knew the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland Markenfield and others had raised rebellion against the Queene and were fled into Scotland he releeued them with money That in the thirteenth yeere of the Queene hee by letters requested aid of men from Pope Pius Quintus the professed enemie of the Queene the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alba to deliuer the Queene of Scotland and to restore Papistrie into England
Escouedo sent out of the Netherlands he had desired to haue some Hauens in Biscay granted vnto him from whence hee might inuade England with a Nauie But Philip disliked their intentions and began to neglect him as one ouer ambitious Yet Queene ELIZABETH vnderstood not these things fully vntill Orange informed her In the meane time Don Iohn couertly prosecuted the mariage and at the same time to cloake the matter sent vnto Queene ELIZABETH the Viscount of Gaunt to shew her the conditions of the peace and to request longer daies of paiment for the money lent vnto the Estates which she willingly granted and dealt with him againe by Wilson to recompence the Merchants of England for the hurt sustained in the sacking of Antwerpe He eludeth the matter whiles he seemed to attend about the Perpetuall edict for peace he brake out suddenly into open warre and by policie gat into his hands many Cities and Castles and wrote vnto the King of Spaine that he thought it best to subdue and conquer the Ilands of Zeland before the Inland Prouinces and beleeuing that which he hoped endeuoured to perswade him by his Secretarie that England was easier to be conquered than Zeland Anno 1578. ABout this time Margaret Dowglas Countesse of Lennox Neece to Henry the eighth by his eldest sister widow of Matthew Earle of Lennox Grandmother vnto IAMES King of Great Britaine ouerliuing her eight children departed to the ioies of heauen in the threescore and third yeere of her age and was buried at Westminster with a solemne funerall at the Queenes charge a Matron of worthy pietie patience and chastitie who was thrice cast into prison as I haue heard her speake it not for matter of treason but for loue matters First when Thomas Howard sonne to Thomas Howard first Duke of Norfolke being in loue with her died in the Tower then for the loue of Henry Darly her sonne to the Queene MARIE of Scotland lastly for the loue of Charles her younger sonne â—o Elizabeth Candish mother to Arbella of which mariage the Queene of Scotland was accused to bee a procurer as I haue said before About the same time the credit and authoritie of Mourton began to decay insomuch that hee was remoued from his office of Regent and the administration of all things deliuered vnto the King by the common consent of the Estates and because hee was not past twelue yeeres old vnto twelue of the chiefe Noblemen which were named of whom three euery three moneths by turnes should bee present with the King to giue him aduice and Mourton was one of them that they might seeme to bring him lower not to cast him downe Shortly after Mourton trusting on his sharpe wit long experience and many dependants and retainers thinking nothing well done except he himselfe did it and also not brooking not to be the same man he had beene drew backe all the administration vnto himselfe not regarding his associates and not obseruing the consent of administration set downe hee kept in his hand the King within the Castle of Sterling and shut out excluded whom he pleased and admitted others at his owne choice Wherewith the Noblemen being moued made the Earle of Atholl their Captaine and made Proclamation in the Kings name that all men aboue sixteene and vnder threescore yeeres should meet in Armour with victuals for fifteene daies There met very many and with Banners displaied they marched vnto Fawkirke where Mourton with his friends met them in Armour ready to fight But Robert Bowes the English Embassadour by intreatie and mouing honest conditions kept them from fighting and Mourton forthwith as wearie of businesse went home secretly and the Earle of Atholl died incontinently not without suspicion of poison which the mindes incensed against Mourton tooke to his slander and for this and other things they neuer ceased to persecute him vntill they had brought him to his destruction as we will declare hereafter Anno 1579. THe Scots were in feare of hauing their Religion altered by a French man called Amatus or Esmaus Stewart who came at this time into Scotland to see the King his Cousin for he was the sonne of Iohn Stewart brother vnto Matthew Earle of Lennox who was the Kings Grand-father and called Aubigney of a Towne in Berry which long since Charles the seuenth King of France had giuen to Iohn Stewart of the familie of Lennox who being Constable of the Scottish Armie in France put the English men to flight at Baugy and was afterwards slaine by them in the battell of Herrings and euer since that time it hath belonged vnto the younger sonne of that house This man the King vsed with singular kindnesse gaue him good liuings made him of his priuie Councell and Lord Chamberlaine of Scotland and Captaine of the Castle of Dunbritton and then Earle of Lennox and after Duke This extraordinarie fauour of the King towards him caused many to enuie him who murmured that he was a fauourer of the Guises and of the Roman Religion and sent purposely into Scotland by secret meanes to ouerthrow the true Religion The suspicion was much increased in that hee was familiar with the aduersaries of Mourton and intreated to haue Thomas Carre of Fernihurst recalled home who was the most assured friend to the Queene of Scotland of all others Mourton resisting the same with all his power but in vaine for his authoritie was lesse and lesse with all men although it might seeme that hee deserued well in profligating the Hamiltons and taking the Castle of Hamilton and Daffraine Anno 1580. IN Scotland when many Ministers of the Word and Noblemen perceiued that Lennox was in the Kings high fauour first they raised one Iames Stewart of the familie of Ochiltree Captaine of the Guard and Earle of Arran for hee had vsurped that title from I know not what cession of Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran whose Tutor hee had beene when hee was not well in his wit to affront him But the King in a short time reconciled them When this way serued not their turne they procured him as much hatred as they could at home and accused him hainously vnto the Queene of England as one sent in couertly by the Guises to shake the state of Religion to procure the libertie of the imprisoned Queene and to dissolue the amitie betweene England and Scotland These men were soone beleeued and vpon this matter was kept a serious consultation in England though hee in his letters cleered himselfe to the Queene and openly professed the Protestants Religion For the Councellors of England feared lest he should suppresse the Scots who were friends to England nourish excursions in the borders and entice the King to marrie in France or in some other place vnknowne to the English men whereupon the young King trusting might trouble England and being growne to mature yeeres assume to himselfe the title of the Realme of England as his mother had done before which if hee should
VINCVLA CRESCO Another was a Palme tree much laden but rising againe with these words PONDERIBVS VIRTVS INNATA RESISTIT Also an Anagram VERITAS ARMATA out of her name MARIA STEVARTA the letters being transposed which was taken in the worse part Moreouer there were letters shewne as if they had beene intercepted in the which the friends of the Queene complained that all their hope was quite cut off if she was but put into the custodie of the Puritans Vnder this colour she was taken from Shrewsbury and committed to the custody of Amias Paulet and Drewgh Drury and that of purpose as some thinke that being driuen into desperation she might be more apt to take abrupt counsels and more easie to be intrapped For Sbrewsbury in all that fifteene yeeres had so prouidently kept her that there was no place left of plots from her or against her And now also she dealt more earnestly with the Pope and the King of Spaine by Francis Inglefield to hasten that which was begun and that with all expedition whatsoeuer became of her And Leicester who was thought to study how to deceiue the right owner of the succession secretly sent ruffians as many said to murther her But Drury an honest minded and vpright man detested the wickednesse from his heart and suffered them not to haue any accesse vnto her Yet some spies secretly crept in and there were closely sent as well counterfeit as true letters by which her womanish weaknesse might be thrust forward to her destruction as we will say hereafter And to turne quite away the loue of Queene ELIZABETH from her it was whispered in her eares that Allan for the Catholikes Ecclesiasticks of England and Inglefield for the Laicks and the Bishop of Rosse for the Queene of Scotland with common consent and with the consent of the Pope and the King of Spaine had decreed that Queene ELIZABETH was to be deposed from her Crowne and the King of Scotland was to be disinherited of the kingdome of England as manifest and open Heretiques the Queene of Scotland to be maried to some Catholike Nobleman of England he to be chosen King of England by the English Catholikes and the election to bee confirmed by the Pope The lawfull children of this man by the Queene of Scotland to be declared successors in the kingdome And all these things vpon the credit of Hart a Priest But who this Englishman should be Walsingham made diligent inquiry but he found not who he was But the suspicion fell vpon Henry Howard brother to the D. of Norfolke who was of the chiefe Nobility a single man and an earnest Roman Catholike and amongst them of great reputation and account Anno 1585. IN the beginning of this yeare was a Parliament holden at Westminster where the aforenamed Association was confirmed by the common consent of both the houses And it was enacted that foure and twenty or more of the Priuy Counsell and Nobility of the land chosen by the Queenes letters Patents might inquire of them who shall inuade the Realme raise rebellion or attempt to hurt or kill the Queenes person for any whosoeuer or by them whosoeuer who may challenge right vnto the crowne of England But he for whom or by whom they shall attempt shall bee made vtterly vncapable of the Crowne of England and shall be vtterly depriued of all right thereunto and shall be pursued euen vnto death by all the subiects if he shall be iudged and publikely declared by those foure and twenty men to be priuy to such an Inâ—asion rebellion or hurt There were also acts made against Priests and Iesuits to this effect That they should depart out of the Realme within X L. daies That for them who from thenceforth came into the Realme and staied it should be treason That they who knowing them to be such doe reâ—eeue receiue or helpe them should be fellons so they call all capitall offences vnder treason That they who are brought vp in the Seminaries if within six moneths after proclamation made they doe not returne and doe not make submission vnto the Queene before the Bishop or two Iustices of peace shall be guilty of treason But they who shall submit themselues if within ten yeeres they come vnto the Court or neerer it than ten miles their submission shall be void They whosoeuer shall send any money by any manner of meanes vnto the Students in the Seminaries shall incurre a Praemunire that is perpetuall imprisonment and losse of all their goods If any of the Peeres of the land that is to say Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons Lords of the Parliament shall offend against these lawes he shall be tried by his Peeres They who shall know any such Iesuits and others to lie hid in the Realme and shall not discouer them within twelue daies shall be fined at the Queenes pleasure and put into prison If any man be suspected to be a Iesuite or Priest and doe not submit himselfe vnto examination for his contempt he shall be imprisoned vntill he doe submit himselfe He that shall send his children or any others vnto the Seminaries and Colleges of the Roman profession shall lose and forfeit a hundred pounds of English money And they who are sent shall not succeed in their heritages nor enioy the goods that may fall vnto them by any manner of meanes And so shall they also who within a yeare after they returne home from the Seminaries except they doe conforme themselues vnto the Church of England If the keepers of hauens permit others beside Sailers Mariners and Merchants to passe ouer the sea without the Queenes licence or six of her Counsellors shall lose their places and the Masters of the ship who shall carry them oâ—t shall lose and forfeit their ships and goods and be imprisoned a whole yeere With the seuerity of these lawes the Roman Catholikes in England were very much terrified and amongst them Philip Howard Earle of Arundell eldest sonne vnto the Duke of Norfolke insomuch that he determined to depart out of the Land lest he should offend against them This man by the benignitie of the Queene was restored in bloud three yeeres before this time a little after he fell out of the Queenes fauor grace by the secret insimulation of some great Courtiers had secretly reconciled himselfe vnto the Romane religion and vsed a very austere life Hereupon he was once or twice called before the Counsell and cleared himselfe of the obiections laid to his charge but yet he was commanded to keepe his house After six moneths more or lesse he was discharged and came to the Parlament yet the first day when the Sermon was preached he stole couertly out of the company The Parlament being ended as being resolued to depart away out of the Land in his letters written vnto the Queene which yet he commanded to be deliuered after he was gone ouer he made a long and lamentable complaint of the enuie of his mighty aduersaries
to our welbeloued and trusty Henry Lord Compton another of the Lords of the Parlament And also to our welbeloued and trustie Henry Lord Cheney another of the Lords of the Parlament To our welbeloued and trusty Francis Knolles Knight Treasurer of our houshold another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our welbeloued and trusty Iames Crofts Knight Controller of our said houshold another of our Priuy Counsell To our beloued and trusty Christopher Hatton Knight our vice-Chamberlaine another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbâ—loued Francis Walsingham Knight one of our chiefe Secretaries another of our Priuy Counsell And also vnto our trusty and welbeloued William Dauison Esquier another of our principall Secretaries of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and welbeloued Ralph Sadleir Knight Chauncellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbeloued Walter Mildmay Knight Chauncellor of our Exchequer another of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and beloued Amyas Powlet Knight Captaine of the I le of Iersey another of our Priuy Counsell And to our trusty and welbeloued Iohn Wolley Eâ—quire our Secretary for the Latine tongue another of our Priuy Counsell And also to our trusty and welbeloued Christopher Wâ—ay Knight chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench And to our trusty and welbeloued Edmund Anderson Knight Chiefe Iustice of the Common Bench Roger Manwood Knight Chiefe Baron of our Exchequer Thomas Gawdy Knight one of our Iustices of the Kings Bench And William Peryam one of the Iustices of our Bench Greeting c. And not to set it downe verbatim After the recapitulation of the Act made the last yeere these words follow When after the end of the Session of Parlament viz after the first day of Iune in the XXVII yeare of our reigne diuers things haue beene compassed and deuised tending to the hurt of our Royall Person as well by Mary daughter and heire of Iames the fift lately King of Scotland and commonly called Queene of Scotland and Dowager of France pretending title vnto the Crowne of this Realme of England as by diuers other persons with the priuity of the same Mary as it is giuen vs to vnderstand and for that we intend and determine that the said Act should be executed rightly and effectually in all things and by all things according to the tenour of the said Act and that all the offences aforesaid in the aforesaid Act as it is said mentioned and the circumstances of the same should be examined and sentence and iudgement thereupon giuen according to the tenor and effect of the said Act We giue vnto you and to the greater part of you full and ample power faculty and authority according to the tenour of the said Act to examine all and singular things compassed and deuised tending to the hurt of our Royall Person with the priuity of the said Mary and all the circumstances of the same and all the aforesaid offences whatsoeuer mentioned in the said Act as it is said and all circumstances of the same offences and of euery one of them And moreouer according to the tenour of the said Act to giue sentence and iudgement euen as the matter shall appeare vnto you vpon good proofe And therefore we command you to proceed diligently vpon the aforesaid things in the forme aforesaid at certaine daies and places which you or the greater part of you shall appoint and prouide for this purpose c. The most of these came to Fodringhay Castle in Northamptonshire on the xj day of October where the Queene of Scotland was then kept On the next day the Commissioners sent vnto her Sir Walter Mildmay Sir Amyas Powlet and Edward Barker a publike Notary who deliuered into her hands the letters of Queene ELIZABETH which when she had read ouer she with a Princely countenance and quiet minde said I am much aggrieued that the Queene my most deare sister is wrong informed of me and that I who haue so straitly beene kept so many yeeres and being now lame after I haue offered so many equall and faire conditions for my liberty haue laine so long time neglected Although I haue fully forewarned her of many dangers yet I was not beleeued but was alwaies despised although I am most neere to her in bloud When the Association was made and when it was confirmed in the Parlament I foresaw that whatsoeuer danger befell either by forraine Princes abroad or any harebraine fellowes at home or for the cause of Religion I should pay deare for the same I hauing so many deadly enemies at the Court I may take it in euill part and I haue cause for it that a league was made with my sonne without my priuity or knowledge but such like things I pretermit But to come vnto these letters It seemeth strange vnto me that the Queene commandeth me as if I were her subiect to come vnto a triall I am an absolute Queene neither will I doe or commit any thing which may empaire or wrong the Royall Maiestie of Kings and Princes of my place and ranke or my sonne My minde is not so deiected neither will I yeeld and sinke downe vnder calamity I referre my selfe vnto those things which I protested before Bromly and the Lord De la Ware The lawes and statutes of England are to me vtterly vnknowne I am destitute of counsellours I tell you plaine I know not who may be my Peeres my papers and notes of remembrances are taken from me there is none that dare pleade or speake in my cause I am free from all offence against the Queene neither am I to be called in question but vpon mine owne word or writing which can neuer be brought against me But yet I cannot deny but that I haue commended my selfe and my cause to forraine Princes On the next day returned vnto her in the name of the Commissioners Powlet and Barker who shewed this answer put into writing and they asked her if she persisted in the same After she had heard it distinctly read she commended it as truly and rightly conceiued and said she would persist in the same But said she I did not remember one thing which I wish may be put in Whâ—reas the Queene hath written I am subiect and liable vnto the lawes of England and am to be iudged by them because I liued vnder the protection of them I answer That I came into England to aske and craue aid and helpe from which time I haue beene kept and deteined in prison and could not enioy the protection and benefit of the lawes of England and hitherto I could not vnderstand by any body what the lawes of England were In the afternoone many chosen out of the Commissioners with men skilfull in the Canon and Ciuill lawes came vnto her but the Chancellor and the Treasurer declared their authority out of the letters patents and shewed her that neither captiuity nor the prerogatiue of
it vnto Burleigh Burleigh vnto the rest of the Counsellors who all gaue their consent to the quicke dispatch of the execution and euery one vowed to stand to it and to sticke one to another and sent Beale with the Mandate and Letters The third day after when I perceiued that her minde wauered hearing her tell a dreame of the death of the Queen of Scotland I asked if she had changed her minde she said no but said shee another way might haue beene inuented and withall asked if any answer were comefrom Powlet And when I had shewed his letters wherein in plaine termes be refused to take vpon him that which was neither honourable nor iust she chasing said that he and others who had taken the oath of the Association were periured and forsworne men as they who had promised many things but would performe nothing But I shewed her how vniust and infamous this would be and into what danger shee brought Powlet and Drury For if shee approued and allowed the fact shee should draw to her selfe both danger and dishonour with the note of iniustice but if shee disauowed and disallowed the fact shee ouerthrew vtterly those well deseruing men and their posteritie And afterwardshee on the same day the Queene of Scotland was put to death slightly checked mee that the execution was not done What griefe and anger soeuer Queen ELIZABETH conceiued or made shew of for the death of the Queen of Scotland I am sure the King of Scotland her only son tooke it wonderfull heauily who with the most admirable pietie that could bee in a sonne reuerenced his most deare mother and mourned and lamented for her exceedingly For he did not thinke that Queene ELIZABETH in regard of the mutuall loue that was betweene them and the league of stricter friendship lately made betweene them neglecting the so many intercessions of Princes would haue deliuered his mother a Prince of equall estate and her neerest cousin of the Royal bloud into the hands of a base hangman He suffered not Mr. Robert Cary sonne to the Lord Hunsdon who was sent from England to excuse the Queene by laying the fault vpon her Counsellors and Dauison to come into Scotland and hardly would heare him by another man and with much suit receiued the letters he brought Called his Ambassadour out of England and threatned reuenge And some there were that perswaded him that other Princes of Christendome would not let such an iniury done vnto the Maiestie and Royall name of a King goe vnpunished The Estates of Scotland who were assembled in great number professed that they were most readie to reuenge the death of his mother and to defend his right to the Crowne of England yea and to spend their liues and goods in the quarrell and that they could not disgest the iniurie done not onely vnto the King but also vnto the whole Nation of the Scots Some there were who perswaded the King to require aid of ships and of a Nauie of the King of Denmarke vnto whose daughter he began then to sue for mariage Some who were addicted to the Romane Religion suggested vnto him that hee should rather ioyne with the Kings of Spaine and France and with the Pope and so hee might with case get the possession of England And aboue all things to giue no credit vnto the Protestants of England who now ruled all and closely plotted to destroy him also whispering this in his eares He that hath killed the mother will also kill the children if he can Some there were who secretly aduised him to keepe himselfe as Newter openly and to hold both the Protestants and Romanists in suspence For if that hee shewed himselfe openly for the Protestants the Romanists of Europe will lay all their plots against him and would set vp another prop and stay in England to his great danger Some also there were who aduised him to keepe a firme peace with England and not to put his certaine hope vpon the vncertaine fortune of warre And to be constant in his Religion in the which if hee once wauered he should neither get nor purchase friends nor lessen nor diminish his enemies Thus euery man as their fancie gaue or their profit lead them spake But the King being more prouident and more wittie than his age gaue him vsed no haste which is alwaies blinde but weighed their counsels in his minde considerately and maturely a long time both with himselfe and a very few others But Queene ELIZABETH by laying all the fault on Dauison and the rash credulitie of her Counsellors so to mitigate his griefe and sorrow by little and little lest the comfort giuen out of season might more exasperate him and so stayed vntill his sorrow lessened by length of time would suffer it selfe to be handled But when shee saw the French egge on the King to reuenge she fearing lest he by their policies and vpon a burning heat of reuenge should be drawne away from the Religion of the Protestants and the friendship of the English she laboured with all her power to pacifie his minde exulcerated and in a manner alienated from her by all meanes not vnworthy of a Prince Therefore by her Messengers and Agents and after by the Lord Hunsdon Gouernour of Berwicke she proposeth these weightie and important Reasons most diligently First what a dangerous thing it may be for him to breake into open warre against England for this cause which seemed vnto the Estates of England to be as well necessarie for the safetie of the whole Island as also most iust Then let him consider if he be of abilitie to take such a warre in hand for as much as England was neuer better furnished with Military men and Leaders with forces and riches and Scotland exhausted with intestine warres neuer more weake If he depended vpon forraine aid with what great difficultie and how long it would be ere hee can get it and if he doe obtaine it what successe can hee hope for since that England hauing the Fleets of Holland and Zealand ioyned thereunto hath no cause to feare the most mightie and potent Kings of Europe What hope can he place in the French King or the King of Spaine For as much as his power much increased and augmented by the accession and addition of England may crosse or empeach their designes and purposes for that his Religion may be so opposed vnto their profession that they cannot helpe and aid him but with their owne losse and detriment Neither can the French King see with a contented minde the King of Scotland to be augmented with the Kingdome of England for feare lest hee should with warre prosecute the ancient right of the English-men in France or else giue helpe or succour vnto the Guises his Cousins who at this time gape after the Realme of France But the King of Spaine without all doubt will doe all things to serue his ambitious humour for as much as he vaunteth himselfe to be the first Catholike Prince of the bloud Royall of England and the stocke of Lancaster though vntruly In respect of which some Iesuites and others also endeuoured to aduance him whilest the Queene of Scotland was yet liuing vnto the Crowne of England as a man most fit to restore the Roman authority in England the mother and the sonne being not respected nor regarded Moreouer they perswaded him that shee determined in her last Will and Testament to bequeath the Kingdome of England vnto this King of Spaine if her sonne continued in the Religion of the Protestants What may be the meaning of these things and whereunto they may tend and what aid and helpe can be hoped for from the King of Spaine the King may thereby see and perceiue And withall if he shall reuolt and fall from his Religion in the which he hath beene brought vp with what great ignominie he may precipitate and cast head-long his soule into eternall damnation and the whole Iland of Britaine into danger and destruction Moreouer he is to consider and be aduised lest the Estates of England who haue giuen sentence against his mother doe not exclude him altogether from the right of Succession by a new sentence whose loue by yeelding and giuing place vnto necessitie and restraining the passionate motions of his minde he may easily winne and purchase vnto him for as much as that which is done cannot be vndone And at his time he may possesse and enioy quietly the most flourishing Kingdome of England In the meane time he may enioy securitie and may seeme with all men indifferent men that haue vnderstanding and consideration of things to haue receiued no blemish in his honour for as much as when time was he omitted no part of a most pious and vertuous sonne toward his mother And let him assuredly perswade himselfe that the Queene of England would account and vse him most louingly and affectionately as if shee were his owne mother These things shee caused to be beaten into the head of the King of Scotland and that he should not doubt but that his mother was put to death without her knowledge and to confirme him in that opinion shee determined to send vnto him the sentence giuen against Dauison in the Starre-chamber vnder the hands of all the Commissioners and also vnder the Great Seale of England And also another instrument to please him the more signed with the hands of all the Iudges of England wherein they confirmed that the sentence giuen against his mother was no hurt vnto his right in Succession nor could be any preiudice vnto the same And thus an end of this History FINIS 1 2 3 4 5 6