man doubt let him first know that he was so far blinded therwith that he was not ashamed to make open and direct sute to the Queene in the time of her first widowhood to intaile the Croune of Scotlande to him though he were illegitimate and vncapeable therof to the blood name of the Stewards dissuading her in all he might from all maner of mariage Which things are wel knowen to most of the Nobilitie of that Realme But when he saw that deuise would not take place for that the Queene being yong hauing no childe desirouse as was both natural dutiful for the quiet of the Realm to leaue an heire of her owne bodie to reigne after her if so it should please God was determined to marche herself in mariage with the saied Lord Darley beeing a goodly yong Prince descended as her selfe also was of the Royall blood of the aunciente Kings bothe of Englande and Scotland and next after herself his mother the next Heire in apparance to the Croune of England Murrey seeing this matche to fall out very ill for his purpose and the woorse bycause such a yong and beautifull couple were not like to be long without children he firste determined and practised to haue killed both the said Lorde Darley and his Father and to haue imprisoned the Queene in Lochâ—euen and himselfe to vsurpe the regiment of the Realme as synce hee did But the mariage being soleÌ„nised before he could conueniently execute that his diuelish intente and the same as God would haue it being disclosed so greate was his malice and ambition that not being â—able any longer to conteine or dissemble the same he then brake forth into open rebellioÌ„ shewing him selfe with his CoÌ„plices in armes ageinst the Quene his Soueraigne his most louing bountiful sister by whose liberalitie he might dispend well xxvi thousand pounds by yere after the rate of their mony and next vnto herselfe ruled commaunded the whole Realme And to winne the moo to his faction tooke holde and occasion of the reuocacion shee had made of the Actes and Alienations of things perteining to the Croune made in her minoritie which al Princes of Scotland may iustly doe when or before they come to the age of fiue and twentie yeares preteÌ„ding that she meant to plucke from euery man al the possessions of the Church and Croune that he and the rest of the Nobilitie hadde gotten into their handes whiche amounted to more then two partes of three of the reuenues of the whole Churche and Croune of Scotland But his forces beeing by her highnes loyal subiects sone broken he fled into England wher while he remained he busily solicited and earnestly sued for aide against his Soueraigne Yet during the time of his remaining there twoo things did he finely cumpasse the one was his owne pardonne at the Quenes hands by the intreatiâ— of suche friends as he found in England the other the murder of Dauid the Quenes Secretarie â–ª wherof by his letters he gaue a plat â—o certaine of that coÌ„federats yet liuing so earnestly solicited the same that it was executed in such horrible sort as the world knoweth in the Queenes owne presence at what time shee being great with child labouring all shee coulde by intreatie to saue his life had a charged pistolet bent against her and was threatened it shoulde be presently shorte of at her if shee woulde not quiet her selfe Whiche barbarouse facte vsed towards her in the case shee was in gaue vnto Murrey a speciall hope that either shee or her childe or bothe by that sodaine fright and feare should perish and miscarie This Secretare beeing thus dispatched whose wisedome and fidelitie was no small lette to their desigâ—â—â— mentes Murrey the â—â—rye next daie euen at his â—ue as they saie for assisting of his Confederates if neede were entered into Scotlande and presented him selfe with as smoothe a countenance in the Queenes presence of whome hee was gratiousely pardoned as though he hadde neither benne of counsell of that freshe slaughter of the Secretarie nor of any other traiterouse attemptes against her Highnesse suche was hâ—â— noble curteouse and merciful â—â—ture kindely welcommed and louingly receiued him againe freely remitting all that was past Which when the Lord Darley saw he much misliked and repined thereat fearing that hâ— woulde be as afterwarde he waâ— in dede reuenged vppon him bycause he finding by the daâ—ger which both the Quene and him selfe stood in at the furiouse murder of Dauid that there was a farther fetch in the matter then the bringing of the Croune and gouernement to him which in secrete conference practice with him was their pretense did not onely forthwith reconcile himselfe to the Queene but disclosed to her Highnesse all the confederats in that conspiracie wheroâ— hâ—â—onfessed the said Murrey to be the head and principal Therefore doubting thaâ— when Murrey shoulde heare of this he would also seeke vpon his person a bluddy reuenge as he had trained him in bloud before he determined to preuent the said Earle and to kil him first Which his determination he opened to the Queene and though earnestly shee dissuaded him from it yet through feruent feare of his owne life and want of experience vndisâ—retely disclosed it to so many that it came at the last to Murreys eares But he hauing a much more craftie head then the yong Lord Darley had dissembling that he had any intelligence hereof began then to hasten as muche as he could the dispatche of the said Lord Darley whereof he had beâ—ore laied the plat with his confederates but chiefely with the Earle Bothwel whome at his departure from the court towarde France for the subtil fox to abuse the worlde would himselfe be out of the Realme when his deuises shoulde be executed he had put in trust as his singular and moste especial and secrete friende with thâ— whole order of that affaire promising him in rewarde of his paines to be taken in the dispatche of the Lorde Darley his counsell and furtherance in all he coulde to marie with the Queene wherein the craftie Foxe foresawe and intended as hath synce appeared the distruction both of the Queene and him and thereby an open way for himselfe to atteine the goale of the regiment of that Realme which synce he hath vsurped Here you see a concurrence of two causes that mooued Murrey to conâ—riue the murder of the Lord Darley First an ambitiouse hope by taking him away to atteine with muche more ease the Croune which was the marke he shot at the other a feare that he had to be himselfe murdered by the said Lord Darley if he did not find some meane to preuent him Now remaineth it to be proued that as Murrey was moued by these apparant causes to procure this murder so in dede he was the procurer of the same For proufe wherof first it is to be knowen that he to auoid from himself the open suspicion
hath before opened I wil therefore desiring herein to be as short as I may forbeare the repeating thereof againe in this place and proceede to the nexte Acte of this Tragedie Yet one thing farther may I not omitte to shew what faith and fidelitie was in this Traitor Murrey who seemed now to haue cast away al shame al regard not onely to God and his Prince but also of his own honour fame and credit For after all things brought to the termes you see euen as he would haue it yet could he not by any meanes brynge these thinges to suche passe but that diuers yet of the principal Nobilitie of Scotland fauored the Queene remained her faithfull and loyall subiectes soliciting daily by all meanes they could for by force they were not hable to compound these greate garboiles and troubles and to procure by some treatie the deliuery and reducing of their Queene whome bysides their duetie of allegeance they singulerly loued and honoured for her liberalitie clemencie wisedome and other singuler vertues They hauing therefore with earnest solicitation procured that Murrey was at the last contente to come to a parlee with them and to geue them safe conduct which he did with such other assurance by promise confirmed by oth and writing of free passing and repassing with safetie as they thought sufficient and so might if there had ben leaft in him any honor honestie feare of God or shame of the world behold euen in the midst of their talke and conference aboute pacification of their great troubles he caused violent handes to be sodainely laied on the Duke of Chastleroy the moste Noble and principall Peere of that Realme and on that graue stoute aud faithfull Noble man the Lorde Harris and cast them bothe into close and straight prison contrarie to his promise faith safe conduct and assurance geuen vnto them What Turke would so haue vsed himselfe How euidently did this part shew that he was rather of a Punike then of a Christianâ— faith Howe truely saith the wiseman Impius cum in profundum venerit contemnit sed sequitur eum ignominia opprobrium The wicked man when he is come to the bottome of iniquitie becoÌ„meth unpudeÌ„t but shame reproch foloweth him Whiche you shall soone see verified in this man who seâ—ed now to thinke him selfe in such securitie as he contemned al honest respects conscience honour honestie faith feare of God or any other thing that good men vse to regard in al their actions This bastard Earle hauing now by these blouddy faithlesse steps atteined to that absolute regiment of the Realme of Scotland by the murder of Dauid the Secretarie of that goodly yong Prince the Lord Darley the traiterouse imprisoning oâ— the Queene his Soueraigne the shameful slandering of her and the violente pulling from her and seaâ—ing into his bloudy clawes not only all her â—ewels and treasours but her deere childe also and only comforte now remaining to take his turne the same waie his father was sent ere he should grow vp to any yeares and discretion to take notice of these thinges it remained that God hauing for suche causes as to his prouidence were best knowen permitted this wicked man beeing leaft ouer to his owne lustes thus farre to proceede in his mischiefe would now both by shew of his mercie and iustice geue matter to the fourth Act of this Tragedy He therefore casting doune from his high heaueÌ„ly Throne a pitiful eye and enclining his mercifull eare to the â—uefull lamentations of this wofull innocent and desolate Ladie criyng to him daie and nighte for some comfort redresse of these so many so intolerable wroÌ„gs done vnto her did first of his Diuine mercie and compassion miraculousely deliuer this pretiouse Iewell this Noble and innocent Quene out of the strongest prison of ScotlaÌ„d throughly furnished with numbers of souldiers enuironned with large deepe waters and garded by the very brother of this traitour Murrey with the assistence and lewd aduise of their dishonest mother This beeing done by Gods woonderfull prouidence the Queene tendering not so much the recouerie of her Croune as her honour and fame by that wretched Murrey his Complices so shamefully touched and vniustly impaired with many that knew no more oâ— these deepe practises then that that was openly geueÌ„ forth to her slaunder by the said Murrey and his fautors and now â—fâ—soues poursued by the saied Murrey by violence and force of armed men to haue ben murdered in open field if by the slaughter and death of many her faithfull subiectes her owne life had not bene redemed shee laying aside al other respectes tooke her waie into England â–ª where the Father and Mother of her murdered husbaÌ„d dwelt by whose meanes and good assistence shee nothing doubtedâ— but to get this soule matter indifferently examined the truth to be boulted out and thereby her innocencie made cleere to the world by the iust reuenge that the Noble menne of that Realme assisted with her owne loyall subiectes in Scotlande would take vpon those her rebels and most vnnaturall murderers of her deere husband But when her Highnesse comming with this honorable intent was by Gods guiding safely arriued in England behold she being at her first landing geÌ„tly receiued was alas soone after apprehended and after a sorte cast there againe into prison So greate was the solicitation of her Aduersaries and so great an impression had the slaunderous bruits and traiterous practises of the said Murrey and his friendes made there in the mindes not onely of the Noble men but almost â—f all others generally Howbeit God that knew the secrets of al after this notorious shewe of his merciful compassion by the miraculouse deliuerie of this innocent Ladie out of the handes of her greatest ennemies that intended her death into a more mild prison where shee was safe from suche blooddy attemptes whiche shee did with reason fearefully expecte in the other euery houre permitted Satan sone after to paie certaine the principal instruments and aduaÌ„cers of this his seruice with their due deserued hire For first he suffered a spirit of phrenesie to enter into the person of that Noble yong Prince the Earle of Arrane eldest sonne to the Duke of Chastleroy which Erle of Arrane being in FraÌ„ce of great estimatioÌ„ for his goodly person wit courage and nobilitie and hauing there great charge credit and very honourable interteinement was by this traitour Murrey and an Embassador then liggier there whom I wil forbear to name so finely practised with being promised y if he would ioyne with Murrey in these atteÌ„pts he should haue in England Scotland dubble the interteinment he hâ—â— there and perhaps marie with the best in England whereof they gaue him diuerse waies no small shewe of great likelihod that he vnwisely condescending to their lewd couÌ„sel craftie persuasions leaft the very honourable estate and interteinment that he had in France becomming vpoÌ„ these hopes
THE COPIE of a Letter writen out of Scotland by an English GentlemaÌ„ of credit and worship seruing ther vnto a frind and kinsman of his that desired to be informed of the truth and circumstances of the slaunderous and infamous reportes made of the Quene of Scotland at that time restreined in maner as prisoner in England vpon pretense to be culpable of the same WHereas you require me to sende you myne owne knowledge the truest inâ—ormatioÌ„ that I can otherwise get touching that troth or vntroth of thinfamous reports made of the Queenes Maiestie of Scotland for about the death of the Lord Darley her late husband vnderstaÌ„d you that albe it your request may do much with me yet wheÌ„ I haue gone about to accomplish the same I find the entreprise thereof greater then perhaps it semed to your self thâ— practise of the matter consisting in many parts depending oâ—â— vpon an other from sundry yeâ—res past so secretly contriued that now some difficultie is it â–ª to boult out the truth withal the particularities circumstaÌ„ces so intricat that it would require the labour of a better penman then my self to set out the same And that which I haue doâ—â— albeit I began it at your request yet when I had entred to informe my self of the bottome therof I began then to thinke that euen for dutie conscience sake I was bound to bestowe therin a litle more paine regarding the terrible sequeles and lamentable consequeÌ„ces which I might perceiue were intended to be grounded builded vpon such forged foundations and malitious inuentions as I plainly discouered from time to time to be newly contriued not only first ageynst her Maiesties self but then also ageinst her said husband euery other good seruant and subiect that could not be hoped to be won to the Aduers partie I meane Iames Stewarde bastard brother to the Queene Priour of S. Andrew Who though he had bene created by her Earle of Murrey aduanced to more then 25. thousand pounds Scottish of yearely reuenue had yet his eye bent vpon such a marke ende as few or none of long time were able to espie that is to say an aspiring ambition to vsurpe the Croune of the Realm vnto himself so as whiles they y first set him on worke suborning him to take the matter in hand stil supported him in the same thought thereof to serue their owne turnes least inteÌ„ded that whiche he most eyed euen so did he likewise in his course and path by acceptinge their pensions and so muche of their counselles as made for his turne serued him selfe and made his profit of them And now for the more plain orderly and compendious opening of the matter I haue thought good so to frame my speache as if my selfe were the answerer of the Obiections to diuide the same into fower parts or chapiters In the first I wil place the Answers to certein friuolous presumptions that seme to be gathered out of some infamous libel or slauÌ„derous pamflet that hath bene set forth ageinst the Quene shewed in sundry Cours of Princes abrode whereby they labour to induce some shew of likelihod that the Quenes Highnes might be coÌ„senting to the murder of the Lord Darley her late husband whom they themselues cruelly made away as in the course processe of the matter shal clerely appere And in that part also shal ensue vehemeÌ„t presumptioÌ„s on the coÌ„trary side that maketh it more thaÌ„ probable that it could not possibly be that her Brace could be consenting thervnto In the second you shall see the Obiections of the Accusers with the Answer that is to be made vnto them therwithal certein deare and notorious proufes of her Maiesties innoceÌ„cie for any maner foreknowledge or consent therevnto In the third Chapter you shal finde not only vehement presumptions but moste cleare euident prouffes that her Accusers them selues mainely the Earle of Murrey her bastard brother were the contriuers procurers and some of them the Actors of the sayd murder The fourth Chapter shal disscipher vnto you the whole plat of this foule tragedie with the particuler parts therof froÌ„ the first Acte to the last so farfooâ—th as may yet be opened hauing such respect as is conuenient to some of the parties yet liuyng with a short remonstraÌ„ce of Gods wonderful workinges therein in merciful preseruing the innocent Lady and her deare sonne in discouering the drift of those moste lewde vile practises and due puÌ„nishment already taken vpon some of the Malefactors The answer to certen fâ—iuolous surmises made by the slaunderers whereby they laboure to insinuate some likelyhod that the Queene of Scotland should be consenting to the murder of the Noble prince the lord Darley her late husband together with other vehement presumptions produced in her defence to the contrary CAPVT 1. IT is like say they she was willing to the murder for there was no good agreement betweâ—e the Queene and heâ— said husband Item the said Lord Darley was not so honourably buried as had bene conuenient To the former of these two ghesses it is answeared that though there had bene once in very dede some vnkindnes betwene them by reason of the Lorde Darley being abused for want of yeares experience by the subtile practises of the craftie fore the Earle of Murrey his Complices who sought to kindle in the mind of that noble yong Gentleman an ambitious desire to aspire to the kingdom to conceaue vnkindnes in the Queene for that hauing made him her husband she did not also forthwith make him king of her Realme hauing therfore persuaded him to ioyne with them in the murder of Dauid her faithful Secretarie whom they made him beleue to be his hinderer and in the vndutifull and insolent restraint of her person yet the sayd Lord Darley sone after finding his owne errour and perceiuing that their attempts tended to farther and worse ende then at the first pretended and being ashamed of his very euill vnkind dealing through euil counsel toward her Highnes to whom he was so singulerly bound reconciled him selfe in suche hartie sort to her Grace and so discouered vnto her all the designâ—mentes that he knewe of the said Murrey and his Complices that al thing past being remitted ther renewed betwen them as harty loue as euer had ben according to the old true saying Amantium irae amoris redintegratio est And thervpoÌ„ for proufe that the reconciliation was vnfeyned of her part by her excellent wit and policie first she saued both him and her self by making shift secretly in the night to escape out of the chamber where after the murder of Dauid they had rudely thruste her being great with childe and deteined her imprisoned with no small danger of her life Moreouer her Highnes hearing not long after that vpon his arriual at Glasco he was fallen sicke forthwith repaired to him with all spede cumforting and cherishing
not onely the Queenes highnes was vtterly innocent and vnwitting of the Lord Darleys death but that the same was coÌ„mitted chiefly by the counsel inuention and drift of the Earle Murrey and some others whose names I spare for iust respectes Secondly the Lord Harris a stout graue faithful Noble man who was at the first made priuy to the deuise after vpon good causes to long to be rehersed in this letter withdrew himself from any farther action or dealing in the matter tolde an Earle yet liuing to his face euen at the Earles owne table nulla circuitione vsus that the saide Earle was of counsell to the murder of the Lorde Darley And afterward at Yorke did the like openly in presence of the English Commissioners to the face of Murrey and of the other whose name I will forbeare to expresse in hope of his repentance and there protested that he well knewe the Queene to be vtterly giltlesse and innocente of the matter nobly demaunding the combat of them both in that quarrel Thirdly when the Confederates hauing nowe laid and raised so farfoorth the foundation of their building that they thought the worlde blinded with the mistes they had cast would iudge they had reason in their doings then proceeded they to open rebellion taking armes and assembling people agaynst their Queene whome they falsely charged with diuers crimes without care of their conscience allegeance the offense of God or regarde to any other honest or duetiful respect being caried hedlong with a furious desire only to that end wherto their restlesse ambitious heads had so longe before bended their Macheuelian practises The Queene seeing this assembled likewise a strong armie of her faithful subiects to represse these Rebels WherevpoÌ„ thei perceiuing her Heighnes to draw fast toward them sent to her from Edenborough where by the fauour of Sir Iames Balfore the Caâ—â—ellan they had assembled them selues and their power a Noble maÌ„ yet lyuing who in the names of al the lords and other confederats did most humbly vpon his knees assure her Highnes of the securitie of her person of the safetie both of her life and honour and of al loialtie and obedience at their hands if it would please her Grace to forbeare force to come peaceably into the towne of Edenbrough ioyne with them in searching out poÌ„nishing the murder of the Lord Darley her late husband the reueÌ„ge wherof they sayed was the only cause of their assembly and that in so doing her Highnes shuld finde them al there as ready to serue her to the sheding of their blood as any in her owne armie there present The good Queene hearing this their humble sute and thinking them to haue meant as plainly and honourably as she did loth if it might be auoided to see such effusion of the blood of her subiectes as was like otherwise to follow and being armed with the secure testimonie of a giltlesse conscience hauing there withall a minde no lesse desirouse in dede to see the horrible murder of her late moste deare husbande boulted out and duely punnished as so heinouse a crime deserued then they in wordes pretended to haue carriyng with her the innoceÌ„cy of her owne coÌ„science yeelded ouer soone to this theâ— fraudulent sute and so leauing her power made repaire into the Towne of Edenborough where when shee was arriued expecting to haue bene in solemne and dutifull sort receiued by the Lordes according to the saide Noble mannes woordes and pretensed promises made in all their names her Highnesse to her greate amasinge founde all contrary For her aduersaries proudlye remaining in her Graces Palace â–ª whereof they hadde possessed themselues seeing nowe the praie in their handes which they had so long hunted after and whereon they intended to feede their bloudy and ambitiouse mindes were so farre from dooing that whiche they had promised and she expected that they caused her to alight at a marchantes house there rudely and homely vsing her Grace al that daie the next night made her priuily and spedely to be coÌ„ueied in disguised apparel to the stroÌ„g Castel of Loghleuen where within a few daies she was dispoiled of her Princely ornaments and clothed with a course broune caâ—â—ocke And though the good Lady ful often remembred vnto them their faithful promises made most pitiful earnest intercessioÌ„ that shee might be brought before the Counsel to haue her cause iustly examined yet for al this could finde no maner fauour or iustice at their handes The said Earle Murrey then hauing brought his reckenings to this passe presently without shame or farther cunctation boldely vsurped and intruded himselfe into the gouernement of the Realme for the whiche his ambitious and traiterous mind had so long and so greedily thirsted The Queene seeing these thinges and being therewith not a litle astonied repented though to late her so quiet relenting to their sute and ouer-quicke crediting their feyned humble promises when shee was in case wel enough by force to haue suppressed them But this her doing gaue yeâ— a moste cleare and notorious testimonie to the worlde of her innocent conscience tender care of her subiects liues and a plaine honourable mynd farre from crafte and muche farther from such blooddy and cruel malice as could geue coÌ„sent to the murder of her husband whome shee so dearely loued This her guiltlesse innocencie was yet more notoriously testified when her Highnes being by the merciful prouidence mighty hand of God deliuered out of the strong Castel of Loghleuen enuironed with a brode large water furnished with great garde and nuÌ„bers of souldiers whereof the Lorde of the Castel himself â–ª being Murreys halfe brother did euery night kept the keies â–ª wheÌ„ I say she being thus miraculously deliuered offered by diuers her owne subiects to be trustely coÌ„ueied into their quaâ—ters wher they would warranâ— her Grace safely to remain aâ— libertie to haue gone freely to any forreyne Prince at whose hands she might well hope foâ— aide in her iust cause ageynâ—â— her vnnatural subiects namelâ— in France where while sheâ— was Queene shee had by hâ—â— many vertues gayned greatâ— loue and estimation and wherâ— the worthie Cardinall of Loraine and the reast of her Noble Uncles bare vnder the yong King and his mother the chiefe swey in the gouernment of the Realme did yet for the more notoriouse clearyng of her selfe and notifiyng of her innocencie to the world chuse voluntarily to make her repaire into Englande where shee knewe were the Earle of Lineux and the Noble Princesse the Ladie Margarete her late husbandes father and mother who she trusted would not see the blood of their deare sonne vnreuenged where also shee knewe were a worthie sorte of Noble menne who woulde by all likelyhood affoord their traueile in the indifferente examination of the cause and therevppon finding out the truth would doe iustice to the guiltie for the murder of their Noble countrieman and see the innocent both
one of Murreys confederates repaired into Scotland and sone after into England But finding in time that things fel not out to the answering of his hope and that he failed both of the wife and double interteinment that was promised him he fel byside him selfe or rather starke mad and so lyuing certaine yeares at the last he died in plaine Lunasie and in very miserable case An other great man yet liuing a principall member of this conspiracie is displaced of the regimeÌ„t which next Murrey he looked for by such as hâ— thought had fauoured him and his doings But yet more notable was the paiment that by Gods sufferance the Deuill gaue of deserued hire to his principal seruant the Earle himself For hâ— being nowe in his chiefe pride enioying al his desires thinking himselfe to haue made so sure with all his Aduersaries that he needed not to feare by them any disturbance of his greate felicitie was sodainely striken as he rode in the midst of his Gard with two or three pellets that were at once shot at him by a Gentleman no Papist as the world knoweth to whome he had in his late gouernment done in priuate very great and insolente iniuries And with the blow falling presently from his horse sone after hee gaue vp his sinfull ghoste amidde his tyrannical gouernment of that Realme in al causes both spirituall and temporal whervnto he was climmed by suche meanes as ye haue heard before Herevppon the Nobilitie there are fallen also â—mong themselues to suche dissenâ—ion al the subiects to such a lawlesse loosenes while eche man attending chiefely to that increace of his faction malefactours are rather cheristâ—d and borne out in all their enormouse factes then any one iustly punnished and brideled by due course of law as is like shortly by confusion to breede the vtter ruine of that Realme For such is the natural agreement betwene the â—ead and the members and suche the secrete instinct betwene the true lawful Prince and the multitude of loyall subiectes as while their true and natural head is deteined from them they neither wil nor can in reason yeeld to the regimente of any vsurper there is not to be hoped or looked for any other then such inuasions as they haue already tasted and finally in shorte space a final ruine and desolation of the whole Realme of Scotland Beholde herein the merueilous iustice of God not only in notorious permitting thâ— iust punnishment by speedy death of the chiefe particular Authors in this to true a Tragedie but in suffering these plagues to light also on the whole Realme where suche foule attemptes could find not only free course but abettors also and partetakers in suche disloyall enterprises and wicked proceedings Of whiche their desolation and plagues when they haue struggled al they can one against an other yet can they not hope for any other staie til thei vniting themselues againe in the feare of God and mutual accord doe by al the good meanes they possibly may seeke to be reconciled in al humble dutiful and vnfeined sorâ— to their lawful natural and most gratiouse Queene and to procure the reducing and restoring of her to her libertie honour and kingdome wherof by the very lewd practices before laid foorth and wel knowen to the worlde her Highnes hath ben and presently is so wrongfully depriued And now good Cosine hauing accomplished your desire also satisfied mine owne dutie and conscience in reuealing vnto you the truth of these matters for so farreforth as I take on me to saie forasmuche as oftentimes it happeneth that such a priuate coÌ„ference groweth in time to bee made more common and coniâ—cturing by the maner of your earnest and curiouse demaunde to haue it with al such circumstances and particulars as I could learne that your meaning mighte bee perhappes in time to make it more publike common to the worlde then yet you would be acknowen of to mee and considering that thereby it should be by all likelyhode moste conuersant with the Nobilitie and Gentlemen of this Nation of Scotlande I haue therefore thought it conuenient vnto the ende of this Letter or discourse to adde these few wordes as a briefe Exhortation vnto them vnto whom for many respects I wish wel and haue coÌ„passion of their error and do not doubt for the good natures that I knowe to bee in sundry of the chiefe of them but that they will bothe take it well and in time as they may apply them sâ—lues therevnto And thus I bid you right hartily farewel AN EXHORTATION TO those Noble men of Scotland that remaine yet mainteiners and defenders of the vnnatural and dishonorable practiâ—es against the Queene AND now my Lordes of the Realme of Scotland you that â—â—ue vnaduisedly 〈◊〉 your selues to be made the instrumentes ioint-workers of these mischieffes by the craftie persuasions of thâ—â— baâ—tard Earle and are yet by other corrupt indirect meanes induced to persist and continue in the maintenance and defence of the same to you I wil now be hold for a few wordes to direct my speache If the iust consideration of the subtill persuasions and deceitfull pretenses made vnto you from time to time by the said Earle Murrey who neuer opened vnto you the fine end nor marke of his traiterouse ambitiouse minde that aspired to vsurpe the Croune of that Realme as more then manifestly appeared before he died if those false guiles I saie now so euident in al your eies suffise not to resolue you of the vnlefulnes of your procedings past in prosecuting of this enterprise and now at length to desist therefro yet let the iust end and the sodaine feareful fal of that Earle in the middest and height of his pride be vnto you al a spectacle and an example of Gods terrible iustice and righteous reuenge that neuer faileth at one time or other to fall vpon the Authors and woorkers of so horrible and monstruouse attemptes how long soeuer they bee sometimes differred and delayed Consider I beseeche you more aduisedly then you haue done the very nature and qualitie of these your actions and attempts and way how farre they passe the limites of all honour in your selues howe they exceede the boundes of all duetie to God to your Prince and to your Countrey how they surmount the cumpasse of al reason ciuilitie and humaine nature in the iudgement of the whole worlde And when you haue considerately bethought your sâ—lues vppon these your errors and haue seene howe meruelousely you haue bene abused by that false Traitour first to enter and since to walke and wade forwarde in that lothesome and odiouse bypath of vndutifull disobedience and vnnaturall treasons you are not I trust so vtterly gracelesse nor so deepely drowned in the dongeon of vnsensible darkenesse but that some remorse you shal feele and motions of repentance for your so great ouersightes both toward God and your Prince And let your passed experience of your traueile and