have her self married had she ever minded to have taken a Husband But being determined to end her life in Virginity she wished that the Queen her Sister might marry him as meetest of all other with whom she could find in her heart to declare her second person For being matched with him it would best remove out of her mind all fears and suspicions to be offended by any usurpation before her death Being assured that he was so loving and trusty that he would never permit any such thing to be attempted during her time And that the Queen my Mistress might have the higher esteem of him I was required to stay till I should see him made Earl of Leicester and Baron of Denbigh which was done at Westminster with great solemnity the Queen her self helping to put on his Ceremonial he sitting upon his knees before her with a great gravity But she could not refrain from putting her hand in his neck smilingly tickling him the French Ambassadour and I standing by Then she turned asking at me How I liked him I answered that as he was a worthy Servant so he was happy who had a Princess who could discern and reward good Service Yet says she you like better of yonder long Lad pointing toward my Lord Darnly who as nearest Prince of the Blood did bear the Sword of Honour that day before her My answer was That no Woman of spirit would make choice of such a Man who more resembled a Woman then a Man For he was handsom beardless and Lady faced And I had no will that she should think that I liked him or had any eye or dealing that way Albeit I had a secret charge to deal with my Lady Lennox to endeavour to procure liberty for him to go to Scotland where his Father was already under the pretext of seeing the Countrey and conveying the Earl his Father back again to England Now I found the Queen of England was determined to treat with my Sovereign first concerning her marriage with the Earl of Leicester and for that effect she promised to send Commissioners unto the Borders In the mean time I was very favourably and familiarly used For during nine days that I remained at the Court it pleased her Majesty to confer with me every day and sometimes thrice in a day in the morning after Dinner and after Supper Sometimes she would say that seeing she could not meet with the Queen her good Sister to confer with familiarly that she was resolved to open a good part of her inward mind to me that I might shew it again unto the Queen She told me she was not so much offended with the Queens angry Letter as that she seemed so far to disdain the marriage of my Lord of Leicester which she had caused Mr. Randolph to propose to her I answered That it was probable he had let fall something thereof to my Lord of Murray and Lidingtoun but that he had never proposed the matter directly to her self and that as well her Majesty as those who were her most familiar Councellors could conjecture nothing thereupon but delays and driving off time concerning the declaring of her to be second Person which would be clearly tryed at the meeting of the Commissioners above specified She replied That the tryal and declaration thereof would be hasted forward according to the Queens good behaviour and applying her self to follow her pleasure and advice in her marriage And seeing the matter concerning the said declaration was so weighty and of so much import she had ordered some of the best Lawyers in England diligently to search out who had the best right and she heartily wisht it might be found to be her dear Sister rather than any other I said I was very confident that her Majesty was ingenuous in that Declaration and that my Mistress expected no other at her hand But I lamented that even the wisest Princes did not sufficiently pry into the hidden designs of their familiar Councellors and Servants except it were such an honourable and rare Prince as Henry the Eighth her Majesties Father of happy memory who of his own head was determined to declare his Sisters Son King James the Fifth Heir apparent to the Crown of England failing Heirs to be gotten of his own Body while her Majesty was not yet born but only her Sister Queen Mary and that for the earnest desire he had to unite this whole Island She said she was glad he did it not I said that then he had but one Daughter and expected no more Children and yet he had not so many suspicions in his head as your Majesty hath though you are certainly convinced you will never have any Children seeing your Majesty declares your self resolved to dye a Virgin Yes says she I am resolved never to marry if I be not thereto necessitated by the Queen my Sister 's harsh behaviour toward me I know the truth of that Madam said I you need not tell it me Your Majesty thinks if you were married you would be but Queen of England and now you are both King and Queen I know your spirit cannot endure a Commander She appeared to be so affectionate to the Queen her good Sister that she expressed a great desire to see her And because their so much by her desired meeting could not be so hastily brought to pass she appeared with great delight to look upon her Majesties picture She took me to her Bed-chamber and opened a little Cabinet wherein were divers little pictures wrapped within Paper and their Names written with her own hand upon the Papers Upon the first that she took up was written My Lord's Picture I held the Candle and pressed to see that picture so named she appeared loath to let me see it yet my importunity prevailed for a sight thereof and found it to be the Earl of Leicester's picture I desired that I might have it to carry home to my Queen which she refused alledging that she had but that one picture of his I said your Majesty hath here the Original for I perceived him at the farthest part of the Chamber speaking with Secretary Cicil Then she took out the Queens picture and kissed it and I adventured to kiss her hand for the great love therein evidenced to my Mistress Se shewed me also a fair Ruby as great as a Tenis Ball I desired that she would either send it or my Lord of Leicester's picture as a Token unto the Queen She said if the Queen would follow her counsel that she would in process of time get all she had that in the mean time she was resolved in a Token to send her with me a fair Diamond It was at this time late after Supper she appointed me to be with her the next morning by Eight of the Clock at which time she used to walk in her Garden She inquired several things of me relating to this Kingdom and other Countries wherein I had travelled She caused me
next day his Majesty gave him Audience accompanied with Mr. Bowes Ambassador Resident in Scotland Their first reasoning was upon his Majesties Liberty and wherefore he had left the Company who were about him being the best and most religious sort of the Nobility and of his Majesties best acquaintance and by whom she would deal in her affairs more friendly then she could do with others whom she could not so well Credit Whereunto his Majesty made answer so gravely and directly that Walsingham wondred The next day his Majesty appointed four of the Council and my self to be with them to reason with him and to sound what he would be at But he refused to deal with any but with his Majesty who heard him again without Mr. Bowes Where he discoursed long with his Majesty and when he came forth from his Majesty he took me by the hand and said that he was the best content man that could be for he had spoken with a notable young Prince ignorant of nothing and of so great expectation that he thought his Travel well bestowed The Earl of Arran desired to enter into familiar Conference with him but he refused to speak with him Making no longer stay but took leave of his Majesty who commanded me to accompany him to the Ferry At our parting he promised at all occasions to write to me and much lamented that the Earl of Arran was again in Court and in such Credit with his Majesty Which he said if he had understood before he took his Journey he would have shifted the same and suffered some other to have been sent For he could see no sure course could be taken between their Majesties so long as such instruments had such Credit about him For he esteemed the said Earl a scorner of Religion a sower of discord and a despiser of true and honest men and therefore he refused to speak with him or enter into acquaintance For he was of a contrary nature religious true and a lover of all honest men Therefore Arran to be revenged upon him spared not to do a great dishonour to his Majesty First for despite that he refused to speak with him he caused refuse to permit the Captains of Berwick and divers other honest Gentlemen who came to Convoy the Secretary Walsingham the entry of his Majesties Chamber door And then he caused to prepare a scornful Present for him at his departure to wit a Ring with a stone of Crystal instead of a rich Diamond which his Majesty had appointed for him valued at 700 Crowns which he was oftimes minded to send back again unto his Majesty rather to let him see how he was abused then how he was used Some promise was also made unto him about the repairing some wrongs done by Scotsmen upon the borders which he alledged was not kept For Arran did what he could to displease him and to render his Commission in all points ineffectual and his Travel in vain Nevertheless he made so good report of his Majesties vertues and qualities that it put him in some suspition at his return to the Court of England where shortly after he took sickness and dyed My opinion is that if God had granted him longer life he would have been found a great friend to his Majesty who marvelled that the chief Secretary of England burthened with so many great affairs sickly and aged should have enterprised so painful a Voyage without any purpose For it could not be yet perceived what was his Errand save only that he gave his Majesty good Counsel But he being religious and of a good conscience was desirous to see and understand assuredly such qualifications to be in his Majesty whereof he had frequently been informed He returned with great contentment in his mind for that part but very sorrowful for the company that he found in greatest favour and credit about his Majesty Which was the more unexpected by reason of a Letter that his Majesty had sent unto the Queen his Mistress promising not to bring in again to Court the Earl of Arran without her advice and consent For my part I never saw such appearance of a prosperous Estate for his Majesties honour surety love and obedience of his own Subjects increase of the number of his friends in England to the advancement of his Title neither before that time nor since if the said Arran had not been brought a-again to Court which I left not undeclared to his Majesty divers times not without some danger Indeed his Majesties intention was not that he should stay at Court but onely to come and kiss his hand But he again being once entred won some of the Lords whose particulars he promised to set forward if they would concur withhim and shew his Majesty that his presence about his person was necessary and that my gentle proceedings would ruin the Kings interest and them all Managing thus the matter he remained at Court and minded to make himself and his assistors rich by the wrack and spoil of others who had taken his Majesty at the Road of Ruthven And then he and they were to guide all at their pleasure So many of them who shot at particular marks ran a strait Course with him because they thought by his Credit to make up themselves They feared to lose his Majesties favour in case Arran was not their friend And some of them did what they could to persuade me todo the like alledging that otherwise I should be shut out Which came to pass shortly after because I would not yield nor concurr to cast all loose to the peril of his Majesties Estate and Reputation remembring what was intended promised and proclaimed at his Majesties obtaining his Liberty It is certain that the Lords who made that interprise had great occasion given them to be discontent but no sufficient cause to oblige them to compel their Soveraign Prince to remove from him these he so well liked Which rebellious proceeding compelled them also for their surety to retain and hold the King as Captive His Majesty again being advertised and admonished that the dangerous proceedings of the Duke of Lennox and Earl of Arran were like to breed disorder took too little care to prevent the apparent inconveniencies and used too little diligence to get sure intelligence and information thereof which brought him to that strait of being taken and kept For it had been less pains to have taken good notice in due time how his Country was Governed then to put order or remedy thereto afterward For it is no little Error to render the most part of the Nobility and Subjects malecontent nor no great wisdome after his Majesty was in their hands to slip from them without their consents The interprisers assisters and allowers of the deed being so considerable a number as could not be overcome but by patience nor punished but by subversion of the State and endangering of the Prince his own person Yet it pleased God to guide his
Heresies and that it was fit that timously he should prevent the spreading thereof seeing the same would contribute much for his advantage while he might enrich himself by their Estates the names of whom they gave up in a sheet of Paper Which the King put in his Pocket thinking it a very profitable Proposition and therefore with all diligence to be executed The Laird of Grange had been lately made Treasurer and was in great favour with the King He had not yet discovered himself to be a Favourer of the Evangel but the King esteemed him true and desirous to advance his profit and very secret therefore he thought fit to make him privy to this profitable Overture He shewed unto him the written Roll of the Noblemen and Barons names who were given up to be burnt for Heresie telling him what great advantage he would make thereby Whereat the Laird of Grange began to smile and the King to enquire whereat he did laugh The Treasurer desired liberty from his Majesty to tell him the truth Whereat the King drew out his Sword saying merrily to him I shall slay thee if thou speak against my profit Then he put up his Sword commanding him to shew him what reasons he could alledge against the Prelats Proposition The Treasurer declared what troubles his Majesty had been tossed in during his Minority for the Government first between the Queen his Mother and the Lords then betwixt divers Factions of the Lords How that he had been couped from hand to hand sometimes kept against his will as Captive sometimes besieged sometimes brought to battle against his will by the Duglasses to fight against the Earl of Lenox and his best Friends who were slain coming to relieve him the Prelates being Partners for their ambition sometimes with one Faction sometimes with another And how that they could never agree among themselves nor let his Majesty take rest until the Duke of Albany was chosen Governour and brought out of France who had enough to do also For he would have fain done pleasure to France and raised a great many Scotchmen to enter into England who were making Wars in France but he got a rebuke when he when he was at the Border for they would march no further Alledging that the King was but young and Sister Son to King Henry That they saw no reason to enter into War with England to endanger their King and Country to serve France being the King his Father had to no purpose lost his life in their quarrel having entered into England with an Army against his good Brother whereby the whole Country was endangered After that this Duke retired himself your Majesty took the Government in your own hands at the Age of 13 years Yet they clapped again about you and kept you two years as captive And now you are but lately come to your liberty and your Country is not yet so well setled as were needful Albeit your Majesty hath done very much in so short space as to settle the Highland Islands and the Borders It were a dangerous thing if your Nobility should get intelligence that such greedy Fetches should be put in your head under pretext of Heresie to spoil them of their Lives Lands and Goods Wherein you may endanger your own Estate at the instance of these whose Estates are in peril who would hazard you and yours to save their own The Prelates I mean who fear that your Majesty at the example of the King of England of Denmark and several Princes of the Empire will make the like reformation among them Therefore they have no will of your familiarity with the King of England nor that your Estate should be so setled that your Majesty might put order to the abuses of the Kirk Did not one of your Predecessors called S. David give the most part of the Patrimony of the Crown to the Kirk erecting the same into Bishopricks and rich Abbacies Whereby your Majesty is presently so poor and the Prelates so rich so prodigal so proud that they will suffer nothing to be done without them And are also so sworn to the Pope of Rome when they get their Benefices confirmed that they ought not to be credited in any thing that toucheth the Popes Profit or Preferment The Venetians the wisest people in Europe will not suffer any Prelate albeit he be a born man of the Town to abide or stand in their Council-house when they are at Council because they know them to be so strictly sworn to the Pope Then he declared the gross abuses of the Roman Kirk and the ungodly lives of the Scots Prelates which the King and whole Country might see Therefore saith he if your Majesty would be well and be rich you may justly take home again to the profit of the Crown all vacan Benefices by little and little as they may fall by decease of every Prelate He told his Majesty anent his promise to the Ambassador of England there would come great trouble and Wars if it were not kept For King Henry VIII was a couragious Prince and high conceited and appeared to have for the Time an upright meaning his occasions pressing him thereto Having so great turns in hand and so many enemies without succession saving the foresaid Daughter Being corpulent and fat there was small hopes of his having any heirs That therefore it was his interest to be in a good understanding with him being his eldest Sisters Son nearest of blood and ablest to maintain and unite the whole Isle of Britain As for the retaining King James I. in England that was a far different case it was not the like time he was not the Kings Sisters Son nor his apparent heir And what hard success the King his Father had for making War against the King of England his good Brother was too manifestly felt by the whole Subjects And little better to be looked for in case a new unnecessary War be made for your Majesties staying away from the intended Meeting at York The King took such delight in this language that he determined to follow the advice given therein And at his first meeting with the Prelates who had then very great rule in the Country he could not contain himself any longer when they came hoping to see their Plots put in execution After many sore reproofs that they should have advised him to use such cruelty upon so many Noble men and Barons to the peril of his own Estate Wherefore said he gave my Predecessors so many Lands and Rents to the Kirk Was it to maintain Haulks Dogs and Whores to a number of idle Priests The King of England burns the King of Denmark beheads you I shall stick you with this Whingar And therewith he drew out his Dagger and they fled from his presence in great fear The King resolved fully to keep his promise with his Uncle the King of England thinking it both his honour and advancement so to do The Prelates of
became effectual he having been at last induced to resign the Government into the Queens hands who thereupon was declared Regent The Protestants were thus at this time her best friends and by the diligent preaching of the Preachers they were increased to so great a number that she judged it would prove a dangerous and difficult matter to compel them to desert their Principles But the instructions which Bettancourt brought to her and to Monsieur Dosel Lieutenant in Scotland for the King of France and to all others who had greatest credit about her Majesty were so strict and mixed with some threatnings that she determined to follow them She therefore issued out a Proclamation a little before Easter commanding every man great and small to observe the Roman Catholick Religion to resort daily to the Mass that all should make Confession in the ear of a Priest and receive the Sacrament By word of mouth she acquainted several of the Protestant Lords that they behoved to desert their Principles she shewed to them the Commission that was sent her out of France and the danger that would follow thereupon if not obeyed When the Nobility and States of the Country perceived her to be in earnest finding themselves also threat'ned by Monsieur Dosel they left the Court And consulting together what was meetest for them to do they sent unto her Majesty the Earl of Argile and Lord James Prior of St. Andrews to shew her Majesty in name and behalf of the rest how that they had been permitted by her Majesty to keep their own Ministers of a long time sometimes secretly and sometimes openly That by her tolerance their Religion had taken such root and the number of the Protestants so increased that it was a vain hope to believe they could be put from their Religion seeing they were resolved as soon to part with their lives as to recant The Queen Regent did as much dis-relish this kind of Language as they had done her Proclamation so that she began to persecute and they to stand to their own defence binding themselves together under the name of the Congregation Therefore they brake down Images Kirks and Cloisters The Queen Regent sent to France advertising her Daughter and her Husband of these disorders requiring help and Forces to suppress this in time or else all would be lost Declaring that she had ground of fear that my Lord James Prior of St. Andrews natural Son to James the Fifth would under pretext of this new Religion usurp the Crown of Scotland and pluck it clean away from the Queen her Daughter unless sudden remedy were applied thereto Upon this advertisement some of the Council of France advised presently to raise a great Army for reducing of Scotland but the Constable counselled the King whose Pensioner I was for the time to send me unto Scotland The King first gave me his Commission by word of mouth and then the Constable his chief Councellor directed me at length in his Majesty's presence as followeth Your Native Queen saith he is married here in France unto the Dauphine and the King is informed by the Cardinal of Lorrain that a Bastard Son to James fifth called Prior de St. Andre pretends under colour of Religion to usurp the Kingdom unto himself his Majesty knows that I was ever against the said marriage fearing thereby to make our old Friends our new Enemies as is like to come to pass this day But I gave too great place to the House of Guise to deal in the affairs of Scotland because the Queen Regent is their Sister But now seeing their violent proceedings are like to occasion the loss of the Kingdom of Scotland I must needs meddle and put to my helping hand as having better experience of the nature of that Nation then apparently they have I assure you that the King is resolved to hazard his Crown and all that he hath rather then that your Queen be robbed of her right seeing she is now married unto his Son And he resolves to send an Army to Scotland for that effect though he would gladly shun the trouble thereof if it were possible For now after his Majesty hath had Wars long enough with his old Enemies and hath agreed with them upon very rational considerations he is loath to enter again into a new unnecessary War with his old Friends Seeing there is probable ground of conjecture that it is not their default but that the same is occasioned by the harsh usage they meet with I hear that Monsieur Dosel is cholerick hasty and too passionate Such are not qualified to rule over remote and form'd Countries I have also intelligence that the Queen Regent hath not kept all things promised unto them The King my Master is not so rash as readily to believe that Scotland who had kept so long Friendship with France would now so slightly break their old band and abandon their duty to their Lawful Prince The King is well acquainted with the inconveniencies which may arise upon so distant and beyond-Sea Wars He knows what charge it is to furnish out Ships which perchance may be thrice victualled e're they make Sail by reason of contrary Winds and that your Seas are very dangerous The Marquess de Albuiff was driven upon the Coast of Norway when he thought to have landed in Scotland so that his Voyage did no good though his preparations for the same was very expensive Though our Army were well landed in Scotland how oft might they stand in need of supply when we by reason of these and several the like difficulties will not be able to help them whereof we have too good experience when Monsieur de Lorge was there I have brought you up from a Child I understand that you are come of an honourable Family I have assured the King that I have had good proof of your honesty so that his Majesty is well minded toward you at whose hand I hope you shall deserve a good reward this is a Commission of a far greater importance then that which Betancourt carried For the King will stay or send his Army according to your report Give it out that you are only come home to visit your Friends Let neither the Queen Regent nor Dosel know of your Commission wherein you are implored by the King who is now your best Master First try diligently and perfectly well whether the said Prior pretends to usurp the Crown of Scotland to himself or if he be moved to take Arms only for Conscience sake in defence of his Religion himself his dependants and associates Next try what promises are broken to him and them by whom and at whose instance Thirdly if they desire another Lieutenant in place of Dosel If it be only Religion that moves them we must commit Scots-mens Souls unto God for we have difficulty enough to rule the Consciences of French-men It is the obedience due unto their Lawful Queen with the Body that the King desires If
Commission which was according to his hearts desire the Tears came over his cheeks crying alack for the loss of the King my good Master that he should not have seen before his death Scotland recovered again which he esteemed lost seeing you are thereby also frustrate of a good reward which this your service merited Now I have not such interest as I formerly had to advance you but if you will take such part as I have you shall be very welcome I answered that as I had been with him in his prosperity I would not desert him in his adversity Now there was no more appearance of concord betwixt the Queen Regent and the Congregation in Scotland For the King of France was raising Men to send thither The Congregation again sought help from England which they obtained the rather because the English Ambassadour resident in France had advertised his Mistress how that the Queen of Scotland and her Husband had taken the Style of England and Ireland and also had ingraven the Arms thereof upon their Silver Plate The Queen Regent and Monsieur Dosel with his French men inclose themselves within Leeth which they did fortifie to receive the French supply which was daily expected At length those who were besieged made a sally caused the Congregation to fly and took their Artillery till an Army from England came under the conduct of the Duke of Norfolk At which the Queen Regent being indisposed by the Sea Air at Leeth retired her self to the Castle of Edinburgh Where she took sickness and dyed during the time that Leeth was besieged both by Scotland and England regreting that she had occasioned to her self and the Kingdom so much unnecessary trouble by following the advice of her French friends During the Siege of Leeth all Scotch men who were in France were detested and divers of them upon suspicion made Prisoners Which obliged me to repair from the Constable's House to the Court to require License from the Queen my Soveraign to visit other Countries whereby I might be rendered more able afterward to do her Majesty agreeable service Which she granted and presenting me to the King her Husband I had a kiss of his hand and so took my leave The Constable my good Master recommended me to the Elector Palatine advising me to remain at his Court to learn the Dutch Tongue I was courteously received by the said Prince Elector and obtained such favour at his hands that he obliged me to attend at his Court as one of his Servants So soon as he heard of the death of King Francis the Second King of France who dyed at Orleance I was sent to condole for the said King's death as the custom of Princes is and rejoice with the new young King Charles the Ninth also to comfort our Queen and the Queen Mother The King's death made a great change the Queen Mother was glad at the death of King Francis her Son because she had no guiding of him he being wholly councelled by the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother the Queen our Mistress being their Sister Daughter So that the Queen Mother was much satisfied to be freed of the Government of the House of Guise and for this cause she entertained a great grudge at our Queen In the mean time the King of Navarr and Prince of Conde who were imprisoned and should have been executed three days after the Scaffold being already prepared were by the Queen Mother set at liberty The Constable also having been charged to come to Court expected no better measure he therefore gave if out that he was sick being carried in a Horse-Litter and making little Journeys he drew out the time so long by the way that in the mean time the King dyed Whereof being informed he leapt on a Horse and came frankly to Court and like a Constable commanded the Men of War who were upon the Guards The Duke of Guise and his Brother were commanded out of the Town The Queen Mother was glad at the Constable's coming seeing she found her self by his authority and friendship with the King of Navarr the more in a capacity to drive the House of Guise from Court The Estates were convened at Orleance and for the time the King of Navarr fell to be Tutor and Governour to the young King and the Countrey But the Queen Mother knowing his faculty handled the matter so finely by the Constables help that the King of Navarr procured from the Three Estates that the Queen Mother should be Regent of the Realm To whom he rendered up his place being satisfied to be but her Lieutenant She having attained this great point caused the Estates to require that an accompt should be made to them by the Duke of Guise the Marshal de St. Andres and the Cardinal of their intermission with the King's Rents and affairs of the King and Countrey Whereupon they left the Court binding themselves together to defend themselves against the Queen Mother's malice For in effect she was a deadly Enemy to all of them who had either guided her Husband or her eldest Son I was all this time at Orleance where I might see this change and had great favour of the King of Navarr for the Elector Palatine's sake who was his great friend The Queen Mother also highly esteemed the said Prince Elector dispatching me with great thanks and a gift worth a Thousand Crowns Our Queen in the mean timâ— seeing her friends in disgrace and knowing her self not to be much liked she left the Court and was a sorrowful Widow when I took leave of her at a Gentleman's House four miles from Orleance So I returned to Dutchland with many instructions from the Queen Mother and King of Navarr For she appeared to be inclined to profess publickly the reformed Religion thinking it the meetest way to retain the Government and guiding of the King of Navarr that being the only Faction which appeared able to gain-stand the House of Guise who were banded with the Pope and King of Spain The said Queen Mother likewise entertained some resolutions of joining with the Protestant Princes in Dutchland and with the Queen of England Count Egmont Prince of Orange Count Horn and such as had in the Low Countries embraced the Reformed Religion or stood up for the liberty of their Countrey I being returned to Dutchland received news out of England from Mr. Killegrew my old friend that the Peace was concluded in Scotland at the Siege of Lieth that the French men were to be carried to France in the Queen of England's Ships That the Queen of Scotland was to lay aside the Arms of England and the Congregation to have the free Exercise of their Religion I leave all the proceedings in the Wars in Scotland to be declared by such as were present who will probably write that whole History I shall only touch such things as I my self was imployed in which I did see with my Eyes and hear with my
only guided by his Mother whom she had no good cause to like well of But Rixio was thought also not to think fit to offend so many Catholick Princes confederated and especially the Pope with whom he had secret intelligence Hereby the Queen was again induced to hold the Parliament to forfault the banished Lords against her own intention and her former deliberation Now there were a number of Lords at home friends to the Lords who were banished As the Earl of Mortoun the Lord Ruthven the Lord Lindsay and divers other Gentlemen who favoured them only for their Religion some of them were discontent that their friends should be forfaulted others had special reasons inducing them to fear the Sitting of that Parliament Especially the Earl of Mortoun and his dependers feared a revocation that was alledged to be made at the said Parliament to bring back again to the Crown divers great dispositions given out during the Queens minority and some benefices which had been taken by Noblemen at their own hands during the Civil-Wars under pretext of Religion These and such considerations moved them to consult together how to get the Parliament stayed and to make a change at Court The Earl of Mortoun had a crafty head and had a Cousin called George Deuglass the natural Son to the Earl of Angus who was Father to Dame Margaret Douglass Countess of Lennox the King's Mother The said George was continually about the King and by his Mother and Brothers means put in his head such suspicions against Rixio that the King was prevailed with to give his consent to his slaughter This the Lords of Mortoun Lindsay Ruthven and others had devised to become that way Masters of the Court and so to stop the Parliament The King was yet very young and not well acquainted with the nature of this Nation It was supposed also that the Earl of Lennox knew of the said design For he had his Chamber within the Palace and so had the Earl of Athol Bothwel and Huntly who escaped by leaping over a Window toward the little Garden where the Lyons were lodged This vile act was done upon a Saturday at six a-Clock at night when the Queen was at Supper in her Closet A number of Armed Men entered within the Court before the closing of the Gates and took the Keys from the Porter One part of them went up through the Kings Chamber conducted by the Lord Ruthven and George Douglass the rest remained without with drawn Swords in their hands crying A Douglass A Douglass The King was before gone up to the Queen and was leaning upon her Chair when the Lord Ruthven entered with his Helmet upon his Head and George Douglass and divers others with them so rudely and irreverently that the Table Candles Meat and Dishes were overthrown Rixio took the Queen about the waste crying for mercy but George Douglass plucked out the Kings Dagger and stroke Rixio first with it leaving it sticking in him He making great shrieks and cryes was rudely snatcht from the Queen who could not prevail either with threats or intreaties to save him But he was forcibly drawn forth of the Closet and slain in the outer Hall and her Majesty kept as a Captive That same night the Earl of Athol the Laird of Tullibardine and Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour were permitted to retire themselves out of the Palace and were in great fear of their lives The next morning being Sunday I was let forth at the Gate and passing through the outer Close the Queen being looking forth at a Window cryed unto me to help her I drew near and assured her of all the help that lay in my power She desired me with all haste to go to the Provost of Edinbrugh and desire him to convene the Town to relieve her out of these Traytors hands But run fast says she for they will stay you As this word was spoken one Mr. Wisbet Master of the Houshold to the Earl of Lennox was sent with a Company to stay me To whom I gave good words saying that I was only going to Sermon at St. Giles's Church But I went in haste to the Provost and told him my Commission from the Queen He answered That he had another commandment from the King but that he should draw the people to the Tolbooth and see what they would do though he expected no help from their hands because the most part of them were so discontent with the present Government that all desired a change Yet he convened them though in vain Which backwardness of theirs I did intimate to her Majesty by one of her Ladys whom she sent again unto me to tell me that she supposed my Lord of Murray and his associates who were yet banished remaining at Newcastle would be sent for by those who were about her Willing me at his coming to perswade him not to join with those who had so highly affronted her but to hold himself free and be her friend in this strait which doing should be his great advantage and purchase her love and favour for ever Which Commission I did not fail to execute at his coming upon Monday but he was more moved at his meeting with her Majesty who imbraced and kissed him alledging that if he had been at home he would not have suffered her to have been so uncourteously handled Which so much moved him that the Tears run from his eves He knew sufficiently well that it was not for his cause but for their own particular ends that the greatest part who had made that enterprise had therein ingaged which made him the less concerned in them Yet he and his Company resolved to keep the day against which they were summoned to the Parliament In the mean time the King repented himself of his accession to that affair whereupon her Majesty took occasion to perswade him to abandon those Lords who had committed so odious a crime as to hazard her life together with his Child which was in her Belly That nevertheless she was resolved to forgive them and give them what security thereupon they would demand The Lords seeing the King drawn from them and my Lord of Murray not so frank for them as they expected were necessitated to do the next best and consented that a pacification should be penned which was divers times written over to put in and out certain heads and clauses to drive time until the writing might appear plausible Her Majesty caused the King to advise them to discharge the Guard that kept her that so the security might be subscribed she being at liberty Seeing otherwise it would not avail them in Law if there were the least appearance of restraint upon her during the time thereof So upon Tuesday they went all to their rest but the Queen King Traquair and Arthur Areskin Master of the Horse for the time went out of Halirood-House at midnight toward the Castle of Dumbar and left word with one of her
incontinently did write to France to her Uncle the Cardinal of Lorrain desiring him to send to her one of his most secret Servants to whom she was to Communicate matters of that weight and importance that she could not hazard to send them in Writing or Cyphers And accordingly the said Cardinal sent hither one of his most familiar Secretaries to whom the Queen caused my Brother and me to declare the state of England and the great party she had there to espouse her interest as is above specified desiring her said Uncle to send his advice what time would be most fit for her to stir and to send what help he and all his friends could procure This Secretary being returned to his Master informed him of the whole matter The Cardinal again to insinuate upon the Queen Mother and to appear to be a true French-man acquainted the Queen Mother how prejudicial to the Crown of France the Union of this Isle of great Britain would be that therefore it was her interest all she could to oppose it He therefore advised her to advertise the Queen of England of the said intended Plot as the only and most effectual means for preventing it which the Queen Mother failed not to do But whatever the Queen of England's thoughts of the truth thereof was she appeared to give no credit thereto as if she looked upon it as an Italian fetch to put her in suspicion of her Nobility This accompt I had from the Queens Majesty her self complaining to me one day of the Cardinal 's unkind dealing towards her Therefore I thought I had good ground to say There was no help to be looked for out of France And the Duke of Alva who was in Flanders had plainly refused to give her any help till the King his Master would command him Seeing as he alledged he had work enough to do to settle his Master 's own Subjects in Flanders These were the arguments which I used to move my friends to agree with the Regent and my indeavours wanted not success they having come very near a point by the dealing of the two Lords above-mentioned Hume and Ruthven assisted by Secretary Lidingtoun For the Lord Hume would then do nothing without his advice But after that the Earl of Mortoun was returned to the Court and had by Randolph's means obtained the Bishoprick of St. Andrews these two suspecting the probability of the apparent agreement which had been kept secret from them they fell a plotting some way to hinder the same and concluded to hold a Parliament wherein to forfault all the Queens Lords whereby the Regent should utterly ruine his ancient Enemies the Hamiltouns and there would be a bait to every one of the King's Lords seeing they should be made sharers of the spoil and so each of them get wealth enough Mr. Randolph for their encouragement gave them assurance of assistance from England so that they needed fear no resistance from their adversaries The Earl of Mortoun had made a great Faction in the Council partly by representing the Queens Lords as intending to re-establish Popery upon which allegiance he knew he would make them odious to the generality of the people but especially by promising each of his party a share of the forfaulters of the Queens Lords so that they were easily brought to consent to a Parliament to be held at Sterling for the foresaid effect The Queens Lords to be equal with them held another Parliament at Edinbrugh both at one time upon that very same design of forfaulting the King's Lords The Laird of Grange in the mean time took great displeasure to see Scotsmen so furiously bent against each other set on by the practises of England and the extream avarice of some particular men for their selfish designs who intended to augment their Estates and raise their own Fortunes upon the ruines of their Neighbours Therefore he sent for the Laird of Fernihast his Son-in-law the Laird of Buccleugh Father to this present Lord who loved the Laird of Grange better than any of his own kindred which Laird of Buccleugh was a man of rare qualities wise true stout and modest These two Gentlemen were desired to come well accompanied and arrived at Edinbrugh in an Evening late The Laird of Grange had already devised an enterprise to wit That same night after they had Supt themselves and baited their horses to ride all night forward with them to Sterling to be there early in the morning before any of the Lords who held the Parliament were out of their Beds hoping by the intelligence he had received assuredly to surprise them before they could be advertised All the Lords and Council found the advice exceeding good but they would in no ways grant that he should ride with them alledging That their only comfort under God consisted in his preservation He on the other hand alledged His presence would be necessary for he was acquainted with difficult enterprises and feared that they would not follow rightly nor carefully his directions But they ingaged to follow it most strictly and would not suffer him to ride with them but the Earl of Huntly my Lord Arbroth and divers others went forward with the Forces These two Gentlemen had brought them and were at Stirling before Four of the Clock in the Morning and entred the Town of Stirling at a little passage led by a Towns-man called George Bell which entry of theirs was immediately after the Nght-watches had retired to their rest They divided their Men and appointed such as they thought meetest to await at every Lord's Lodging and a Company with Captain Hackerstoun to wait at the Market-Cross to cause good order to be kept and to preserve the Town-houses from being spoiled only they appointed the Stables to be cleansed by Buccleugh and Fernehast's men giving them commands not to leave one Horse in Town uncarried away with them which Commission the South-land Lads forgot not punctually to execute But because Captain Hackerstoun came not in due time with his Company to stand where he was appointed a number of unruly Servants broke up the Merchants Booths and run here and there in disorder after the spoil leaving their Masters all alone After they had taken out all the Lords from their Lodgings and were leading them Captives down the steep Cassway of Sterling on foot intending to take their Horses at the nether Port and ride to Edinbrugh with their Prisoners But those within the Castle being allarumed with the noise of the Towns-men crying out because of the spoil taken from them imagining what shame they would indure if they did not shew themselves Men and perceiving the disorder of their Enemies they came down fearlesly upon them and rescued all the Prisoners save the Regent whom one came and shot behind his back commanded as was alledged by my Lord of Pacly The Laird of Wormistoun was the taker of the Regent and had been ordained by the Laird of Grange to wait
hold the Justice Air of West Lauthian at Edinbrugh with my Lord Neubottle Mr. David Macgill and Mr. John Sharp There came to my Bed timely in a morning a Gentleman alledging that I had formerly done him courtesies which till now he was never able to recompence that he would make me the instrument of saving the Kings Majesty my Master out of the hands of those who were upon an enterprize to take and keep him I said I could hardly trust that but I feared that the Duke of Lennox might be in hazard who was gone to Glascow to hold Justice Airs because of the hatred which I knew was born him especially for the maintaining the two Bishops of St. Andrews and Glascow He answered They will lay hands first on the Kings Majesty and then the Duke and the Earl of Arran dare no more be seen their insolency and misbehaviour being the cause of all the present disorders for there is an enterprize to present a supplication against him to his Majesty After he had told me this news he desired me to conceal his name though to tell the matter to his Majesty He said this turn would be done in ten dayes and as I started up to put on my Cloaths he slipt to the door with a short farewel Because the Duke was at Dalkieth I did ride thither and shewed him the whole matter advising him to ride himself to His Majesty with this Advertisement for his own security but he chose rather to direct a Gentleman with all possible diligence to His Majesty willing me also to write unto the Earl of Gaurie for the Gentleman had not named him to me with the rest of the enterprizers either out of forgetfulness or else because he was but lately won to that purpose by the Laird of Drumwhasel who had assured him that the Duke of Lennox had determined to slay him at the first meeting persuading the Earl upon this ground to joyn with the rest of the Noblemen who were determined to reform the Estate Unto the which invented Advertisement he too easily gave Credit and so joyned with the rest of the Nobility who were minded to present the forenamed supplication to the King at his coming to Dumfarmling It is certain that the Duke of Lennox was led by evil Councel and wrong Informations whereby he was moved to meddle in such hurtful and dangerous courses that the rest of the Nobility became zealous of his intentions and feared their Estates As for the Earl of Arran they detested his Proceedings and esteemed him the worst and most insolent instrument that could be found out to wrack King Kirk and Country The Duke had been tolerable had he hapned upon as honest Councellors as he was well inclined of himself but he wanted experience and was no ways versed in the State of the Country nor brought up in our Religion which by time he might have been brought to have imbraced But the Earl of Arran was a scorner of Religion presumptuous ambitious covetous careless of the Commonwealth a dispiser of the Nobility and of all honest men so that every man was expecting a suddain Change which should have been made in Dumfarling in presenting the above specified supplication But what moved the Lords to surprise His Majesty within the House of Huntingtoun I know not If it was not to imbark the Earl of Gaury whose House it was more deeply in their bond or that they fearing their enterprise to be discovered made the greater hast and stayed His Majesty in that place which was afterward called the Road of Ruthven After that the Duke of Lennox was advertised of this enterprise he sent for the Earl of Arran who was peaceably passing his time in Kinweel He took in hand to ride and save the King boasting that he would chase all the Lords into Mouse-holes but he was chased and saved himself in the House of Ruthven where they had shortly made an end of him had not the Earl of Gaurie interceeded for his life whose destiny it was to keep him alive to be his own wrack afterwards The Duke of Lennox being advertised that His Majesty was in their hands retired himself to Dumbartoun and His Majesty was conveyed to Stirling and there retained The King of France and the Queen of England being informed that the King was taken and kept in Custody sent each of them an Ambassador to this Country to comfort his Majesty to see what the matter meant and to offer him their assistance in case he required the same and declared that he had been taken and kept against his will But after great thanks given unto the said Ambassadors the King willed them to declare unto their Princes that he was very well satisfied with the Lords who were about him and that they were all his own Subjects willing to obey him but that they had conceived some hard apprehensions of the Duke of Lennox and some others who had been about him before Albeit his heart was full of sorrow and displeasure as he told himself afterward and even then likewise to Mr. Cairy Cousin to the Queen of England who whispered in His Majesties Ear requesting him to tell the plain verity which he should keep secret from Mr. Bows his Companion and also from the Lords and shall only shew his inward mind privily to his Mistress the Queen yet it neither appeared by the success to have been kept secret nor did that Queen make any further instance for his liberty The Lords in the mean time thought meet to hold a Councel to resolve what course to take wherein it was determined that their enterprise was good service to his Majesty the Kirk and Common-wealth which His Majesty granted also to be true whereupon an Act of Councel was formed At that same time the general Assembly of the Kirk was held at Edinbrugh to the which his Majesty was moved to send two Commissioners to testify that he had allowed for good service the said Lords enterprise desiring likewise the Kirk to find it good for their parts and to ordain the Ministers and Commissioners of every Shire to publish the same to their Parishioners and to get the principal Gentlemens Subscriptions to maintain the same Notwithstanding of all this His Majesty took the matter further to heart then any man would have believed He lamented his mishandling to sundry Noblemen and others and at length acquainted some of them that he intended to relieve himself through time out of their hands who held him as Captive He desired such as he trusted in to assist him with their counsel and help The Lords again who were joined together for the Reformation of the State being rid of the Duke of Lennox who had past through England to France where he shortly after dyed of a sickness contracted through displeasure And being also rid of the Earl of Arran whom they kept Captive in the custody of the Earl of Gaury they retired themselves from the Court to
the King what answer were fittest to make At length he said he would declare the matter unto the Constable under promise of great secrecy causing the Constable by this niceness to suspect some practice When he gave him Audience he caused me to be present beside him At their meeting in the Constable's Cabinet his Irish Interpreter was put forth against his will as appeared But he was so instructed by the Ambassadour his Uncle to use such forreign and rude fashions Yet again e're he began to propose his Errand he desired secrecy The Constable being an old wise experimented Councellor put him a little aside and rounded in my Ear to know if ever I had seen this young Man before I answered That I had observed him the preceding day at long conference with one Mr. Sommer Secretary to the English Ambassadour Then the Constable thought that he should handle the matter well enough for he instantly conjectured that all this niceness proceeded from the Ambassadour to intrap him So calling the young Man again he desired him to shew what he had to say Mr. Wotton began to declare the great miscontentment that was in England not only for bringing in the proud Spaniard to Rule over them but also for the alteration of Religion made by Queen Mary moving many to Rebel and others to remove off the Country who nevertheless were all well received and treated by the King's Majesty of France Whereby he had gained the hearts of the third part of England so devoutly towards him that they would gladly put the Crown of England on his head getting liberty in Religion to be quit of the Spanish Tyranny and terrible Inquisition which was feared would also be established in England And for the first proof of their good will and gratitude a number of Lords and Knights who durst not write had sent him secretly with an Overture to put the strong Town of Calis into his hands with the whole Earldom of Oye At this the Constable made a start and said Know you not my friend that there is a sworn Peace betwixt your Queen and my Master The other replied again how that the Queen of England aided secretly whith Mony and Men the King of Spain her Husband in his Wars of Flanders against France Which the Constable alledged that she denied by her Ambassadour willing him however to tell out the rest of his Commission Then said he My Lord the means how you may get Calis is this First The most part of the Town is of the Reformed Religion and are Malecontents having refused to receive a Garison of Spaniards And they are friends to those who have sent me and keep correspondence with them only the Towns Ship keeps the Town keeping Watch and Ward being unskilful in handling their Arms. Therefore the King shall cause Monsieur Senarpon his Lieutenant in Normandy to lye in ambuscade at such a Wood within a mile and an half of the Town at an appointed day then a Ship well furnished with Armed Men shall lye at Anchor half a mile from the Town And some of them clothed like Marriners shall come on Land and have Swords and Pistols under their Cloaths and shall wait about two of the Afternoon at which time the Ports of the Town are opened to let Men in and out Part of those who attend the Ports will be at their Dinner when one or two will come before the rest to open the Gates Thus the Gates being easily seised upon let one of the Company shoot off a Culverin that the Ship may hear and shoot a Cannon to cause Monsieur de Senarpon with his Company advance In the mean time there shall be a mutiny raised in the Town by our friends and partners so that the Town shall be obtained without stroke After that the Constable had heard all this long discourse he said That it was a very probable design and he doubted not but it might be easily effectuated but in respect of the sworn Peace the King his Master would not nor should never have his consent to break it But that he was much ingaged to the Noblemen who did bear him so much good will and as for him who had taken so great pains the King should reward him willing me to remember to cause give mony to the young Gentleman So he gained nothing at the Constable's hand and never came again to seek his reward but was afterward manifestly known to be Brother's Son to Doctor Wotton Ambassadour as said is This is he now who was sent hither to bear His Majesty company as one who will not meddle with Practises but with Pastimes But when I forewarned His Majesty to beware of him and told how that he being little above Twenty years old was imployed to beguile the wise old Constable Now he was Fifty years and His Majesty but Twenty it was to be feared he would endeavour to beguile him Yet His Majesty would not believe me but believed the said Mr. Wotton to have a great kindness for him and so he became one of his most familiar Minions waiting upon him at all Field-pastimes and in appearance he despised all busie Councellors and medlers in matters of State as he was instructed by such as said he would please His Majesty best to appear such But he had more hurtful fetches in his head against His Majesty then any English-man that ever came in hither had at any time before You have heard before of a meeting that was drawn on at the Borders betwixt the Earl of Hunsdean and Arran where at their secret conference Arran was required by the craft of the Lord Burleigh and his faction in the English Council to stop the King from any marriage for three years upon many fair counterfeited promises One whereof was That he should be declared Second Person upon his marriage of the forenamed English Lady of the Blood At which Arran granted all that was desired he was so glad to procure the Queen of England's friendship About that time the Queen of England by her intelligence from Denmark was advertised of a great and magnifick Ambassage to be sent from Denmark to Scotland viz. Three Ambassadours with Sixscore Persons in Two gallant Ships Whether she suspected or had heard that it was to draw on a marriage I cannot tell But this far I learned that her Council judged it was to confirm at least a greater friendship betwixt the two Kings and their Countries which was one of the Causes that moved them to send this Mr. Wotton to Scotland to use all his wiles to disturb and hinder any greater Amity that might proceed from the said Commission and Negotiation between their two Kings and their Countries For England trusted nothing to the Earl of Arran's promise for they esteemed him as an inconstant Man as is already declared So soon as the Danish Ambassadours arrived by Ship in this Country His Majesty ordered me to entertain them and bear them company And
because they were three joined in Commission he willed me to choose any other two whom I thought meetest to bear them company with me I named unto His Majesty the Laird of Segie and William Shaw Master of Wark First At Dumfarmling they Congratulated His Majesty in the King their Master's Name with a long Discourse of the old Amity Bond and mutual Friendship between the two Kings and their Kingdoms And last of all they required the Isles of Orkny to be restored again to the Crown of Denmark alledging they were mortgaged to be redeemed again for the Sum of Fifty Thousand Florins Their coming and demand was diversly scanned some supposing Wars would ensue unless the said Isles were rendred others thought that their intention was to bring on a marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter Now albeit His Majesty was determined to treat them well and honourably they were nevertheless mishandled rufled and delayed here the space of Months to their great charge and discontent for they lived upon their own expences and were not defrayed by His Majesty as all other Ambassadours of that Nation have been since When they were appointed to part out of Dumfarmling toward St. Andrews there to get their dispatch His Majesty ordered to tell them That he would send them Horses out of his own Stable to ride upon The day of their parting being come they sent away their Baggage and Officers before them and were booted themselves waiting upon His Majesty's Horses and because they came not in due time they went forward on foot The King was much dissatisfied when he understood how they were handled and caused his Horses to follow fast after them and overtake them When they came to St. Andrews divers appointed days of Council and Covention were broken unto them which were promised to be kept for their dispatch for obtaining whereof they were very earnest Then Men were appointed to deride them at their Lodgings and before their Windows when they lookt out to the street So that nothing was left undone which could enrage them or stir them up to choller Only Mr. Wotton the English Ambassadour visited them frequently and did well and favourably entertain them comforting them at all occasions appearing to be sorry that they were so abused He offered to lend them Gold and Silver largely for the great friendship that he knew to be between the Queen his Mistress and the King of Denmark For he was assured of good payment and thought to purchase credit at their hands by his apparent friendly dealing At length under great secrecy he said he would not conceal from them that he had heard the King speak disdainful language of their Country and Customs and also That some of his Gentlemen had heard the King speak evil of their King undervaluing him as being descended of a Race of Merchants And he further assured them That he and his Council were resolved to keep them long here without any dispatch to affront and weary them Then again the said Ambassadour and two of his Gentlemen informed his Majesty of these hard Speeches of the reproachful dealing they had met with from King and Council reflecting upon their Master He informed him also of the rude manners and drunkenness of those that were about His Majesty who had the like scornful language of the King of Denmark his Country and Ambassadours moving His Majesty to make the less of them Whereby they were stirred up to such a rage that I had much to do to keep them two or three several times from going to their Ships to have returned to their King without any answer and to have given him an accompt of the disdainful usage they had met with and the injury thereby done to him The Earl of Arran was also their great Enemy because they made no court to him but rather slighted some of their Company having known him in Sweden a Common Soldier So that he was as ready as the rest to mock and deride them albeit at that same time the Ring-leaders about the Court were Combined together with the English Ambassadour against him The principal of the three Ambassadours was a wise grave and ancient Councellor The second was furious in his Speeches The third cried out The King our Master is affronted we must be revenged I took the first apart requesting him to hear me patiently for he spoke good Dutch but mine was not so good Therefore I desired that he would more notice my meaning then my words and be more careful to cause his friendly Commission to take effect that he might return home with happy success then to withdraw abruptly to be called unhappy Instruments of discord at the pleasure of a few scornful Factioners who had laid their heads together to cause them part dissatisfied and to be as instrumental in doing evil as they were minded at their coming to do good I told him how that the Queens Majesty of England was a wise well inclined and politick Princess and that there were as many honest and good Men in England as in so much bounds in the whole World abeit there was in it divers Opinions and Factions shooting at sundry marks as is done in all other parts And because that their Queen would never marry to have Succession of her own Body they were all very desirous to know who after her should Reign over them The most part of the Country expects that it shall be our King and wisheth his welfare and prosperity as being righteous Heir to the Crown of England both by the Father and Mother's side But those who at present have the chief management of the Court shoot at other particular marks of their own minding to set forward some of themselves or of their friends to brook the Kingdom And for that cause they make all the opposition they can to our King because of their unmerciful dealing to his Mother for the which they fear some day to be punished when he comes to be King of England For all these respects they endeavour to keep him from marriage and from all forreign Friendship and Alliance This Ambassadour of England is a very ill Instrument both himself and his Gentlemen and hunting daily with His Majesty makes the worst reports they can The Ambassadour of Denmark answered to that marvelling that Mr. Wotton should make such report of them he offering them so great friendship and giving them daily intelligence how they were scorned and mocked both by the King and his Council to his great regret offering to lend them mony and to do all other pleasures to them that lay in his power I replied He knew well enough that he would get good payment and great thanks For the King of Denmark was esteemed a worthy Prince and his Ambassadours worthy to be honoured but the guiders of the Court of England desire not that our King should think or esteem so of them wishing him to have but few Friends and many Enemies Then
the Laird of Barnbarrow and the said Mr. Peter to be again employed in that matter with uncertain and irresolute Instructions to propose marriage and with divers fair allegiances concerning His Majesty's sufficient Right to the. Isles of Orkny which the King of Denmark was minded to sue for more sharply but for the hope he was put in of the apparent marriage of the King's Majesty with his Eldest Daughter These Ambassadours were not well imbarked when Monsieur Dubartus arrived here to visit the King's Majesty who he heard had him in great esteem for his rare Poesie set out in the French Tongue He would not say that he had a secret Commission to propose the Princess of Navarre as a fit marriage for His Majesty but that the King of Navarre's Secretary willed him seeing he was to come this way as on his own head to propose the said marriage Monsieur Dubartus's Qualities were so good and his Credit so great with his Majesty that it appeared if the Ambassadours had not already made Sail that their Voyage should have been stayed for that Season The Chancellour assured Monsieur Dubartus as he shewed me that the marriage of Denmark should not take effect For our Ambassadours had indeed such strait Instructions and so slender a Commission that it was enough to have caused the King of Denmark to start and to quarrel with our King were it not that they dealt above their Commission Which kept that King in some Temper albeit they returned without fruit full of displeasure thinking themselves scorned as they were indeed In the mean time that they were in Denmark Monsieur Dubartus being in Falkland with His Majesty came to my house to perswade me to take a Commission in hand which he said His Majesty would lay to my charge which was to be sent unto the King of Navarre and to be acquainted with Madam the Princess his Sister And because His Majesty knew that I would be loath to go he named also my Lord Tungland my Brother who undertook the journey and became well acquainted with the said Princess and was well treated and rewarded by the King her Brother now King of France and brought with him the Picture of the Princess with a good report of her rare qualities The Laird of Barnbarrow and Mr. Peter Young being returned back from Denmark declared that the King of Denmark thought nothing of their Commission judging it but fruitless dealing and delaying of time and fair language without any power to conclude I am uncertain whether he got intelligence of His Majesties sending my Brother to the King of Navarre But the marrying of his Eldest Daughter with the Duke of Brunswick gave some appearance that he had got some notice thereof from the Court of England who were abundantly well informed of all our proceedings After this Colonel Stuart desirous to see the marriage with the King of Denmark's Daughter take effect went thither upon his own expences divers times And seeing the Eldest Daughter already married he excused the King's Majesty and laid the blame upon those who had the handling of his affairs So that the King of Denmark promised yet to give his second Daughter unto the King upon conditions that Ambassadours should be sent there the next year before the first day of May. In the mean time the King of Denmark took sickness and departed this life leaving the same Commission with his Council and such as were appointed for Regents of the Realm Now the King being suited in marriage by many great Princes and his Ambassadours being come back both out of Denmark and Navarre with the Pictures of the young Princesses His Majesty determined first to ask counsel of God by earnest Prayer to direct him where it would be meetest for the weal of himself and his Country So that after fifteen days advisement and devout Prayer as said is he called his Council together in his Cabinet and told them how he had been advising about that matter of so great concernment to himself and his Country the space of fifteen days and that he was now resolute to marry in Denmark The Council appeared all to relish his resolution requiring meet Instruments to be imployed to compleat the marriage and to make the Contract Then His Majesty said That he had already chosen me in his mind for one desiring the Council to choose another which they did to wit The Lord of Atry Uncle to the Earl of Marshal We two being written for and come to Court found not such earnestness with the Council as with the King Which my Lord of Atry perceiving he drew home again excusing himself upon his Age and sickliness His Majesty used many perswasions and reasons to induce me to undertake the Voyage declaring how he had many times sent for me to be employed in Ambassages and could never tell why I went not I answered That His Majesty would have done me that honour many times above my deserving which he would not have done if he had known my insufficiency for such matters of so great import as I did my self His Majesty said That this business concerning his marriage was the greatest matter that ever he had to do and that he would take no refusal I said That my Lord Tuangland my Brother was far meeter then my self being a good Scholar who could perfectly speak the High Dutch the Latine and the Flemming Languages with the French Tongue But His Majesty would still repose upon me in that Errand but at my desire was satisfie that my Brother should be put in Commission with me Then His Majesty said Albeit the Council will form your Instructions yet you shall receive mine out of my own mouth First If the King of Denmark had been alive he would not have stood to have given a great Portion with his Daughter wherein it is probable the Regent and his Council will be as sparing as they can I doubt not therefore but you will endeavour to draw from them as much as can be had but at length stand not upon mony to conclude the marriage Secondly Know what friendship and assistance they will make me when it may please God to place me by Right in the Kingdom of England by decease of this Queen in case any Country man or other would wrongously pretend to usurp and debarr me from the same Thirdly Concerning the Isles of Orkny you may chuse any Man of Law that you please for that head must be answered and debated by Form of Law Alwise if the marriage take effect that purpose would not be over precisely handled It may be that my Council will give you straiter Conditions but this Instruction of mine you shall follow let them say what they please I told His Majesty That I would chuse to take with me for a Lawyer Mr. John Skeen His Majesty said he judged there were many better Lawyers I said he was best acquainted with the German Customs and could make them long
flie for 't ibid. Bothwel Adam Bishop of Orkny p. 84. Bothwel Earl is sent by the Queen to clear the Borders of Thieves upon the departure of those that attended the Prince's Baptism p. 77. He and Earl Huntly attempt the slaughter of the Earl of Murray but were prevented ibid. Is suspected of some enterprise against the King p. 78. The Earl of Orkny tells him it would cost him his life if he stayed at Edinburgh ibid. Lays a Train of Powder and blows up the King's Lodgings ibid. Upon a rumour of his murthering the King he calls an Assize of Lords and is acquitted ibid. He with a great company seizeth the Queen p. 80. A number of Noblemen meet at Edinburgh and declare it is the Queen's interest to marry him which he did having at that time the Lord Huntly's Sister to Wife ibid. Intends to kill Secretary Lidington in the Queen's Chamber which had been effected had not the Queen interposed being married he was very earnest to get the young Prince into his hands ibid. Flies from Edinburgh and takes the Queen with him wherever he goes p. 82. Convenes a great number of his Friends against the Lords resolving to fight them ibid. Challengeth to fight any one that would maintain he murthered the King but refuseth the Lord Grange and Tallibardine because but Barons p. 83. Then the Lord Lindsay offered the Combat but he coldly declin'd it ibid. Flies to the Castle of Dunbar and from thence to Sheatland p. 84. Is pursued by two Ships of the Lord Grange's and he saved himself in a little Boat p. 85. Flies to Denmark is kept there close Prisoner and dies mad and miserable ibid. Bothwel and others endeavour to take the King and keep him p. 175. but fail in their Enterprise ibid. Labour with the-King to send Sir John Seatoun to Spain ibid. Bothwel Francis accused of a design against his Majesty Wards himself in the Castle of Edinburgh p. 194. Desiring to be Tried for the same ibid. Escapes over the Castle-wall and retires to Caithnesse p. 195. Is sent for by some Male-contents who design'd to take the King and kill the Chancellour p. 196. With whom he joyn'd and headed them ibid. He with others enters into the King's Palace by night ibid. Their proceedings therein p. 197. Steals away quietly but kills John Shaw Master Stabler to his Majesty and his Brother ibid. He and his Party makes a second attempt on his Majesty in Falkland p. 202. but finding resistance he and his Company fled ibid. Bowes Mr. Ambassadour Resident at Edinburgh from Queen Elizabeth p. 142. Attends upon Walsingham when he first received Audience p. 147. A long time Resident in Scotland p. 150. Informs the English of the Bishop of St. Andrews Qualities when he was sent Ambassadour to Queen Elizabeth ibid. Broderade Monsieur and Monsieur Fulke sent Ambassadours to Scotland from the States of Holland and arrives there upon the birth of the Prince p. 203. Buchanan Master to King James p. 125. His Character ibid. Buccleugh Laird Wise True Stout and Modest p. 113. Burleigh Lord see Cecil C CAiro Mr. Queen Elizabeths Cousin P. 141. Calis promised to be restored to England after the loss of St. Quintins p. 22 and 23. Caraffe Cardinal sent Legat to France from the Pope p. 19. The ground of his Embassy ibid. Is strangled by Pope Pius the 4th p. 20. And why ibid. Cardanus an Italian Magician Cures the Bishop of St. Andrews of his Distemper p. 14. Caprintoun Laird the Earl of Arran's Uncle is sent by his Majesty to reprove the Earl p. 155. Carmichael James Minist of Hadingtoun writes the History of those Tricks the Devil play'd in Scotland p. 195. And the whole deposition of the Witnesses upon the account of the Earl of Bothwel ibid. Carmichael Laird laments to the Author the ingratitude of the Regent of Scotland Mortoun p. 124. Follows the Authors Counsel and becomes a great Courtier p. 125. But proves afterwards ingrateful to the Author who promoted him ibid. Is made Captain of the Guards to King James p. 199. Boasts that he would kill Sir Robert Melvil ibid. Casimire Duke Second Son to the Elector Palatine is about the Contracting a Marriage with the Duke of Lorrain's Eldest Sister p. 31. But prov'd ineffectual ibid. The reason thereof p. 32. Finding no probability of a Match with Queen Elizabeth he Marries the Elector of Saxonies Eldest Daughter p. 40. Cavatius the Learned Mathematical Tutor of the Bishop of Valence is imprisoned by the French King p. 13. The reason why ibid. Cecil Secretary promiseth rewards to Ruxby by Letter but it was discovered to the Queen p. 69. Pretends to be her friend is the first person that whispered to her the News of the Birth of the Prince ibid. Informes the Queen that the Duke of Norfolk was come to Court and that she should seize him which was done accordingly p. 99 and 100. Created afterward Lord Burleigh and causeth Dallison to be sent Agent into Scotland p. 157. Is discontented that Walsingham was too precise and would not confer with the Earl of Arran ibid. Charles the 9th of France succeeds Francis the Second p. 29. Chattellerault imprisoned in Edinbrugh Castle p. 101. Set at liberty through the mediation of the Lord Grange Clergy of Scotland use their utmost endeavours to prevent the interview of Henry the 8 and his Nephew King James the 5th of Scotland p. 2. Clark Alexander Povost of Edingbrugh p. 129. Cockburne Sir Richard Secretary to King James p. 198 Colvil John and Colonel Steward are sent to the Convention at St. Andrews and return p. 133. Disagree in their Commission ibid. Colvil and others imprisoned p. 137. Constable of France entertains the Author with design to promote him p. 15. Is sent with 16000 Men to keep the Spaniard from entring upon the Frontiers of France p. 20. His Discourse and Passion with an Enthusiast who Fore-told his Mis-fortune ibid. His Noble and Resolute Answer to the Master of his Horse who advised him to fly p. 21. He being overthrown by a Party of Spaniards and his Men all slain desired to be kill'd but was shot in the Thigh and taken Prisoner p. 22. Is Commanded by Francis the Second King of France to retire p. 28. Yet still offers to retain the Author in his Service which he accepts ibid. Is sent for to Court but delays coming and in the mean time the French King dies and then he Posts to Court like the Constable of France Commanding all the Guards p. 29. The Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother are Commanded out of Town and the Constable is kindly received by the Queen-Mother p. 29 and 30. A Convention is appointed for ordering his Majesties Affairs after his return from Denmark p. 184. But few of the Nobility appear there being slighted at the Queens Coronation as they supposed ibid. Reformation is designed by this Convention but nothing performed ibid. Condingknows Laird is made Captain of
Secretary Anbapin For the King of Spain were the Duke of Alva Prince of Orange and Cardinal Granvel for Queen Mary of England were Commissioners William Bishop of Ely and Doctor Wotton The Commissioners made peace betwixt France Spain England and Scotland The Constable was much for the Peace the Cardinal of Lorrain desired the continuance of the Wars For by the Peace the Constable would get leave to come home to guide the King and Court again as he had formerly done By the continuance of the Wars he would remain still Prisoner leaving the Government of the King and Court of France to the Cardinal and the Duke of Guise his Brother Spain that was victorious took advantage of their strife and emulation France and England lost by the said Peace The King inclined most to the Constables Counsel England appeared desirous that Calis should be restored believing that the King of Spain would not agree till they had satisfaction of their demands Yet they were frustrate of their expectations At length perceiving the two great Kings careless of their satisfaction they appeared content with a scornful mean albeit it was not cast in by the Cardinal of Lorrain to wit that Calis should be restored to them at the end of eight years or else five hundred thousand Crowns And for payment of the said sum in case the said Town was not rendred unto them at the end of the time specified that in the mean time they should have three great men of France to be kept as Pledges for the restitution of the said Town Now the English Commissioners knew that nothing of this would be kept nevertheless they appeared content finding themselves abandoned by Spain So the Peace being concluded Spain obtained all their desires the Constable obtained liberty the Cardinal of Lorrain could not mend himself no more than the English Commissioners However the said Cardinal took this advantage of the said Peace that the first Article of the Peace obliged all of them to leave their partialities and join together to suppress the great number of Hereticks who were so increased through all their Dominions that it was thought hard enough to the Pope the Emperour the Kings of Spain and France together with the Queen of Scotland to reduce them again to the Catholick Faith The said Cardinal proposed to himself another advantage wherewith to recompense his losses for he thought at the end of eight years when England would look either to get Calice restored again to them or else the sum above specified he would cause his Sisters daughter the Queen of Scotland to be proclaimed righteous Queen of England and alledge that Queen Elizabeth was but a Bastard And that way he thought not onely Calice but all England should appertain to the Queen of Scotland As for the Pledges he resolved such men should be chosen that France would make little account of After the concluding of this Peace Ambassadors were sent to Flanders and England The Cardinal of Lorrain out of France to take the King of Spains Oath and to swear for the King of France his observation thereof The Secretary Dardois also was sent out of France to do the like in the name of the Dauphin of France and the Queen of Scotland his Spouse giving them this new stile In the name of Francis and Mary King and Queen of Scotland England and Ireland Dauphin and Dauphinois of Viennois Whereat the Duke D' Alva and Cardinal Granvel smiled saying this will breed some business ere it be long The Cardinal of Lorrain shortly after caused to be renewed all the Queen of Scotlands silver Vessels and engraved thereon the Arms of England The Marshal Montmorancy my Masters eldest Son was sent to England to swear the Peace and to take the Queen of Englands Oath So soon as Sir Nicholas Throgmorton understood of this new Stile and Arms usurped by the Queen of Scotland to which he said she had no right he being Ambassador from the Queen of England to France complained thereof to the King and Council of France though he got but Dutch excuses alledging that in Dutchland all the Princes Brothers Cousins or Children are stiled Princes or Dukes of that same House The Constable advised the King to Commission me to swear the Peace in Scotland But the Cardinal of Lorrain alledged Mounsieur Bettancourt Master of the Houshold to the Queen Regent was meeter because the Instructions tended to declare unto the Queen Regent how that the first and principal Article of the Peace was that the Pope the Emperour the Kings of Spain and France should join together to reduce again the most part of Europe to the Roman Catholick Religion and to pursue and punish with Fire and Sword all Hereticks who would not condescend to the same desiring the Queen Regent to do the same in Scotland and to begin in time before the Heresie should spread any further which was already too far spread by her gentle forbearance as had been reported to the King of France Praying her diligently to take course therein without fear or respect of persons seeing that no Country of it self was able to withstand the whole Forces of so many confederate Catholick great Princes It is above declared that all those Prelats who had great Rule and Authority for the time had assisted the Queen Regent in breaking the Contract of marriage with England and transporting the young Queen to France But the Archbishop of St. Andrews began to think that in case the young Queen died without succession to her body that the Earl of Arran his Nephew might the easilier be Crowned the Governour his Father being already in possession was against the transporting the Crown matrimonial to France And he having for the time the guiding bâ—â—h of the Governour his Brother and of the Country drew easily the most part of the Clergy upon his side Whereupon the Queen Dowager was compelled to address her self to a contrary faction to be the more in a capacity of compassing her design to wit to the Nobility and Barons who were become Professors of the Reformed Re ligion conniving at their secret Preaching for further ingratiating her self with them whereby the Protestants so increased that the most part of the Country became Professors of the Reformed Religion And such as had upon that accompt been formerly banished as upon account of the slaughter of the Cardinal were called home to fortifie the Faction that most furthered her designs In the mean time the Bishop of St. Andrews fell sick so that he lost his Speech and was given over for dead The Queen Dowager looks upon this as a fit opportunity of wresting the Government out of the Lord Hamiltons hands having the concurrence of the Lords that were Protestants and their dependents who were not a little incensed at the said Governour because he had been so influenced by his Brother as by his Council to endeavour the ruine of their Religion And the ways they took
any promise be made to them and not kept the King nor I are not to be blamed If they desire any other Lieutenant in place of Dosel the King will send one who I hope shall please them After that the Constable had ended his instructions the King laid his hand upon my shoulder and said do as may Cousin hath directed you and I shall reward you So I kissed his Majesty's hand and taking my leave I went through England and found the Queen Regent within the old Tower of Falkland Because that same day her Army under Duke Hamilton and Monsieur Dosel was ranged in battel upon Couper Moor against the Lords of the Congregation at what time her Majesty made a hard complaint unto me of her disobedient Subjects And even as I was speaking with her the Duke and Monsieur Dosel returned from the said Moor without Battel Whereat the Queen was much offended thinking they had lost a very fair occasion I laid my self wholly out to be informed if my Lord James intended as was reported of him to make himself King Mr. Henry Balneavs was then in great credit with him and loved me as I had been his own Son by reason of some acquaintance I had with him in France and small services I had done him there during his banishment He first acquainted me fully so far as he knew of my Lord James his intention and encouraged me to be plain with the said Lord James assuring me of secresie and honest and plain dealing He was a godly learned wise and long experimented Councellor He went with me to the said Lord Prior having shew'n him my Commission which was very acceptable to him he delayed not to advise with any other of his Councel what answer he should give me but instantly and plainly told me his mind in presence of the said Mr. Henry First he declared what acceptable service he and his associates had done to the Queen Regent chiefly of late when the Bishop of St. Andrews had drawn the most part of the Clergy against the transporting the Crown Matrimonial to France Albeit he had been mainly instrumental of sending the Queen thither and in perswading the Governour his Brother to break the Contract of Marriage with Edward of England He told what liberty of Conscience her Majesty had granted unto them until the time that the Master of her Houshold Monsieur Bettancourt returned from France with the news of the Peace and that though since that time she had changed her behaviour and countenance toward him and those who had done her best service he knew well enough that it proceeded not from her own nature but was occasioned by the perswasions and threat'nings of her Brother and friends in France And further he rehearsed unto me all her and their former proceedings whereof mention is made already affirming still his good will to her Majesty's service And he further declared That the more effectually to remove all suspicions from his Sovereign and her Husband of his design'd Usurpation he was content to banish himself perpetually out of Scotland if it would please the Queen and the King of France to grant him and his associates such liberty as the Queen Regent had permitted them till the home-coming of Bottancourt Providing that his rents might come to him to France or any other Countrey where he should reside And for security hereof he offered that sufficient pledges of the Noble-mens Sons in Scotland should be sent to France So that no King nor Queen of Scotland did ever receive more chearful obedience then her Majesty should do notwithstanding of her absence With this answer I took my Journey through England to France and at Newcastle fell in company with an English man who was one of the Gentlemen of the Queens Chamber a Man well skill'd in the Mathematicks Negromancy Astrology and was also a good Geographer Who had been sent by the Council of England to the borders to draw a Map of such Lands as lye between England and Scotland which part was alledged to be a fruitful Soil though at that time it served for no other purpose but to be a retreat to thieves For Queen Elizabeth of England was lately come to the Crown and had been advised by her Council to this course as tending not only to the enlarging of her bounds but rendering these parts civil I know not the reason why they followed it not though I conjecture that the variance which fell out between the Two Kingdoms hindered it The English man and I by the way entered into great familiarity so that he shewed me sundry secrets of the Country and of the Court. Among other things he told me that King Henry the Eighth had in his life-time been so curious as to enquire at Men called Diviners or Negromancers what should become of his Son King Edward the Sixth and of his two Daughters Mary and Elizabeth That answer was made unto him again that Edward should dye having few days and no Succession and that his Two Daughters should the one succeed the other That Mary his eldest Daughter should marry a Spaniard and that way bring in many strangers to England which would occasion great strife and alteration That Elizabeth should Reign after her who should marry either a Scottish man or a French man Whereupon the King caused to give poison to both his Daughters but because this had not the effect he desired for they finding themselves altered by vehement vomitings and purgings having suspected poison had taken remedies he caused to proclaim them both bastards But the Women that attended about Queen Mary alledged that her matrix was consumed For she was several times supposed to be with Child to King Philip of Spain yet brought forth nothing but dead lumps of flesh Therefore to be revenged upon her Father the English man told me that she had caused secretly in the night to take up her Father's bones and burn them This the honest Gentleman affirmed to be truth though not known to many He was a Man of great gravity about fifty years of age When he came to London he shewed me great kindness and made me a present of some Books Upon my return to France I found a great change King Henry the Second being hurt in the head with a shiver of a Spear by the Count of Montgomery at the Triumphal Justings of his Daughter's marriage with the King of Spain dyed Eight days after at Paris And the Constable my Master was commanded to retire him from Court to his House by the new King Francis the Second Husband to our Soveraign who was wholly guided by the Duke of Guise and the Carâ—â—â—al Lorain competitors to the said Constable in Court Emulation Which occasioned that my Voyage and the answer I had got was all in vain for the House of Guise were the chief instruments of all the troubles in Scotland When I did shew the Constable at his House the answer of my
Commission to the Queen of England to wit an answer to her demanded Alliance offensive and defensive with the Protestant Princes of Germany which formerly had been but obscurely answered unto her Ambassadour Sir Henry Knolls at the Dyet Imperial holden at Francfort in the year 1562. Excusing himself and the rest of the Princes his confederates who had but lately chosen Maximilian to be King of the Romans and Co-adjutor to the Emperour his Father seeing he had promised unto them to declare himself openly a Protestant so soon as he durst after the decease of his old Father Ferdinand and in the mean time had their promise to keep correspondence with him and to make no League with any forreign Prince without his consent and knowledge And that if they had done otherwise he might perchance have taken occasion thereupon to lay the blame upon them in case he did not as he had promised For they began to fear and doubt of his upright meaning in reference to Religion and yet thought not fit upon their part to give him any ground to lay the blame upon them but in case he kept not his promise after the decease of Ferdinand they should then presently make such Alliance with her as she had required which they durst not for the time discover unto her Ambassadour requesting her Majesty to keep this secret to her self She appeared satisfied with this excuse promising to discover it to none of her Council but she lamented that the Princes of Germany were so slow and tedious in all their deliberations Whereupon I began to praise them for their Truth Constancy Religion Ardour and quick execution after they had concluded any weighty matter But I set out most specially the Elector Palatine's humanity his treating of strangers upholding of Universities and how he was the mouth of his confederates to deal with all other neighbour Princes She answered that I had reason to speak so concerning him for he had written very much in my favour regretting that the inclinations I had to serve my native Queen had obliged me to leave him though he would gladly have retained me with him a longer space I told her Majesty what a great trouble it was to me to resolve to leave the service of so worthy a Prince that no consideration could have engaged me thereunto other then that duty I owed to my Soveraign who had commanded me to attend her affairs That for the better remembrance of him I desired to carry home with me his picture and the pictures of all his Son and Daughters So soon as she heard me mention the pictures she inquired if I had the picture of the Duke Casimir desiring to see it And when I alledged I had left the pictures in London she being then at Hampton Court and that I was ready to go forward on my Journey she said I should not part till she had seen all the pictures So the next day I delivered them all to her Majesty and she desired to keep them all night and she called upon my Lord Robert Dudly to be judge of Duke Casimir's picture and appointed me to meet her the next morning in her Garden where she caused to deliver them all unto me giving me thanks for the sight of them I again offered unto her Majesty 〈◊〉 the pictures so she would permit me to retain the Electors and his Ladys but she would have none of them I had also sure information that first and last she despised the said Duke Casimir Therefore I did write back from London to his Father and him in Cypher disswading them to meddle any more in that marriage And received great thanks afterward from the said young Duke who immediately married the Elector of Saxony's Eldest Daughter Albeit this may appear something from the purpose of the Queen our Sovereign yet it brings me home to her Majesty with some proposals of marriage to her self For the Queen of England entertained me very familiarly shewing me the Sisterly love that was betwixt her and the Queen our Soveraign how careful she was of her well-fare how desirous to see her well setled in her own Country with her Subjects and also well married That she was resolved to propose two persons for fit Husbands unto her whereby their amity might best stand and increase hoping that she would not marry without her advice promising upon her faith to write to me so soon as I was arrived at Scotland with her own hand that I might be a good instrument to move the Queen my Mistress to accept either the one or the other Now though she forgot to write unto me about it yet she sent instructions to Mr. Randolph to propose my Lord Robert Dudley as a very meet Husband for our Queen I supposed that my Lord Robert afterward Earl of Leicester had disswaded her from imploying me in that matter seeing Mr. Randolph was there already her Majesties Agent Now the Queen my Mistress to keep promise and correspondence with the Queen of England had sent and advertised her of the proposal made to her of a marriage with the Arch-duke Charles requiring her friendly advice and consent therein The Queen of England answered her by her Agent Mr. Thomas Randolph as followeth for after a little Preface he declares and gives in by writing this to be the Queen his Mistress's mind The Queen my Soveraign said he hath not only deeply advised about that proposal of marriage with your Majesty but hath also thought it necessary by me to shew you what she thinketh both meet and unmeet to be considered and seemingly to her by way of friendship to declare as a dear Sister who intends your Majesties honour and as a loving Friend who is careful of your well-fare Three special things her Majesty thinks fit to be considered in marriage First The mutual contentment betwixt both parties in respect of their private personages so that their love each towards one another may continue as well before God as Man Secondly That the person may be such as your Majesty being a Queen of a great Realm and multitude of People may be sure of an advantageous Alliance such as cannot be prejudicial to your Countries interest Thirdly She thinks fit that the choise be such that the amity which is now so strict betwixt the Queens Majesty and your Highness not only for your own persons but with both your Realms may be continued and not dissolved nor diminished Then he declares at length how that he doubts not but that her Majesty who was once already married will know how considerately to ponder the match that it may be meet for her self and her Subjects but as to what belonged unto the Queen his Soveraign it merited to be well considered It is true that the seeking out of a Husband to your Majesty is honourable and expedient a thing that her Majesty rellisheth much in your Highness albeit hitherto she hath not found such disposition in her self remitting
in Scotland seeing small probability of advantage and greater appearance of troubles and disorders then I could ever imagine to find at my home-coming And I was somewhat loath to lose the occasion and offers of great preserment that had been made to me in France and other parts But I found the Queen my Sovereign so urgent and of her self well inclined and indued with so many Princely vertues that I could not find in my heart to leave her requiring so earnestly my help and assistance to draw the hearts of her Subjects to her which were alienated upon account of difference in Religion I knew she stood in need to gain friends and that it was much her interest to keep correspondence with the Queen of England so that I resolved rather to serve her my native Queen for little profit then any other Prince in Europe for great advantage I found her naturally more liberal then her Revenues allowed her For she not only setled upon me in pensions one thousand Marks yearly out of her Revenues in France but she also offered me the heritage of her Lands in Aghtermughtie which I refused to accept alledging I could better want it then she Though another hearing of so liberal an offer a little after sought and obtained it Thus I was ingaged to resolve to wait upon her commands and to lay aside all hope of any other preserment in France and other Countries albeit for the time I had no heritage but my service So within a few weeks I was dispatched to England with these following Instructions out of the Queens own mouth to deal with the Queen of England with the Spanish Ambassadour and with my Lady Margaret Douglass and with sundry friends she had in England of different opinions The general Instructions were written with the Secretary Lidingtoun's own hand subscribed by her Majesty as follows Instructions to our familiar Servitor James Melvil presently directed to our dearest Sister the Queen of England Given at Edinbrugh the 28 th of September 1564. IN the first after that you have presented our Letters and our commendations in most hearty manner you shall declare unto our good Sister That having been upon my progress towards the Northmost parts of our Realm this two months during which time we have had neither Letter nor other Advertisement from our good Sister Therefore for continuation of the mutual Intelligence betwixt us by all good Offices of amity we resolved to direct you towards her to visit her on our behalf to inform her of our health and good estate that at your return you may be able to report the like of her unto us she being the person in the World to whom next our self we wish most good luck and prosperity Item That by Letters of my Lord Robert to Lidingtoun as also of her Secretary to Our Brother Murray and to Lidingtoun We have perceived that Our said good Sister finds some fault with Our Letters written to her in answer of hers in the Earl of Lennox's matter as if We had taken her motion therein in evil part We are most sorry that Our Letters have been so interpreted for of a truth We had no other meaning of her in that matter then that her Advertisement came from a friendly mind and was both worthy of thanks and to be answered with the like good will as We believe We did in Our Letter albeit We remember not presently the very words or substance thereof For We use not to reserve any Copy of Our familiar Letters written with Our own hand whereof We now repent because of that Letter For if We had any Copy thereof We might now clear Our selves of that doubt viz. What words therein could give her ground of offence Therefore you shall pray her in Our Name to let you see in that Letter what words they are which have offended her that you thereupon declaring my meaning may put her out of any such suspicion It is true at the receipt of the Letter We were somewhat offended and judged We had good cause seeing it appeared that Our Nobility were grieved with Our License granted to the Earl of Lennox that his coming was like to disturb the peace and quiet of Our Realm Our Brother and Lidingtoun shew unto Us that they perceived by their Secretaries Letters that they were also thought partakers in this matter and that they mistaking also his coming desired the stay thereof to be procured by these undecent means Though they protested the contrary unto Us and indeed We have better proof of their fidelity toward Us then that We can suspect any such double dealing from their hands they being so far obliged to Us and so much intrusted by us We thought Our selves little indebted to that person whosoever he was that made such report of Our Subjects that they would make known their grievances to any other then Our selves These and the like considerations moved Us to great choller which probably might have occasioned Us to write the more freely and that We were not curious to cover Our passions writing to her with whom We esteemed Our Selves so familiar that We had ground to believe she would take all in good part that proceeded from Us especially what was no ways designed for her offence Therefore you shall pray her to put away all such opinions if she hath conceived any and if there be any word in Our Letter having two senses so that any one may be misconstrued and so give to her occasion of offence intreat that she will rather interpret the same to the gentlest signification and not take it in the worst sense And then I doubt not but the whole Letter shall appear to her as it was by Us conceived and directed that is from one dear friend to another We have further hereupon imparted Our mind to you by mouth which you may enlarge as occasion requires You may desire her to give you an answer conform to the substance of Lidingtoun's Letters written to my Lord Robert and Mr. Cicil. Especially concerning the drawing on another meeting of Men of credit fully instructed with both Our minds and to deal so plainly and frankly as all suspicion may have an end You must also inform your self diligently concerning the proceedings and intentions of this present Parliament of all such as can give you any knowledg therein for what cause it is called what is to be treated in it how longit will fit Endeavour to inform your self if any thing touching Us will be therein handled You may say to that Queen as out of your own head that your Mistress expects that she will suffer nothing to be treated therein that may directly or indirectly tend to Our prejudice We not being by her forewarned thereof She knows that as well Our self as our Ministers whom We have at any time directed to these parts have ever depended upon her only advice and followed the same in all points And seeing the special matter
to dine with her Dame of Honour my Lady Strafford an honourable and godly Lady who had been at Geneva banished during the Reign of Queen Mary that I might be always near her that she might confer with me I had formerly been acquainted with my Lady Strafford as she passed through France I had good intelligence from her and my Lady Throgmorton At divers meetings we had divers purposes The Queen my Mistress had instructed me to leave matters of gravity sometimes and cast in merry purposes lest otherwise I should be wearied she being well informed of that Queens natural temper Therefore in declaring my observations of the customs of Dutchland Poland and Italy the Buskins of the Women was not forgot and what Countrey Weed I thought best becoming Gentlewomen The Queen said she had Cloths of every sort which every day thereafter so long as I was there she changed One day she had the English Weed another the French and another the Italian and so forth She asked me which of them became her best I answered in my judgment the Italian dress which answer I found pleased her well for she delighted to shew her golden coloured hair wearing a Caul and Bonnet as they do in Italy Her hair was more reddish then yellow curled in appearance naturally She desired to know of me what colour of hair was reputed best and whether my Queens hair or hers was best and which of them two was fairest I answered the fairness of them both was not their worst faults But she was earnest with me to declare which of them I judged fairest I said she was the fairest Queen in England and mine the fairest Queen in Scotland Yet she appeared earnest I answered they were both the fairest Ladies in their Countries that her Majesty was whiter but my Queen was very lovely She inquired which of them was of highest stature I said my Queen Then saith she she is too high for I my self am neither too high nor too low Then she asked what kind of exercises she used I answered that when I received my dispatch the Queen was lately come from the High-land hunting That when her more serious affairs permitted she was taken up with reading of Histories That sometimes she recreated her self in playing upon the Lute and Virginals She asked if she played well I said reasonably for a Queen That same day after Dinner my Lord of Hunsdean drew me up to a quiet Gallery that I might hear some Musick but he said that he durst not avow it where I might hear the Queen play upon the Virginals After I had hearkned a while I took by the Tapistry that hung before the door of the Chamber and seeing her back was toward the door I entered within the Chamber and stood a pretty space hearing her play excellently well but she left off immediately so soon as she turned her about and saw me She appeared to be surprized to see me and came forward seeming to strike me with her hand alledging she used not to play before Men but when she was solitary to shun melancholly She asked how I came there I answered as I was walking with my Lord of Hunsdean as we past by the Chamber door I heard such melody as ravished me whereby I was drawn in e're I knew how excusing my fault of homeliness as being brought up in the Court of France where such freedom was allowed declaring my self willing to endure what kind of punishment her Majesty should be pleased to inflict upon me for so great an offence Then she sate down low upon a Cushion and I upon my knees by her but with her own hand she gave me a Cushion to lay under my knee which at first I refused but she compelled me to take it She then called for my Lady Strafford out of the next Chamber for the Queen was alone She inquired whether my Queen or she played best In that I found my self obliged to give her the praise She said my French was good and asked if I could speak Italian which she spoke reasonably well I told her Majesty I had no time to learn the Language perfectly not having been above two Months in Italy Then she spake to me in Dutch which was not good and would know what kind of Books I most delighted in whether Theology History or Love matters I said I liked well of all the sorts Here I took occasion to press earnestly my dispatch she said I was weary sooner of her company then she was of mine I told her Majesty that though I had no reason of being weary I knew my Mistress her affairs called me home yet I was stayed two days longer till I might see her Dance as I was afterward informed Which being over she inquired of me whether she or my Queen Danced best I answered the Queen Danced not so high and disposedly as she did Then again she wished that she might see the Queen at some convenient place of meeting I offered to convey her secretly to Scotland by Post clothed like a Page that under this disguise she might see the Queen as James the Fifth had gone in disguise to France with his own Ambassadour to see the Duke of Vendom's Sister who should have been his Wife Telling her that her Chamber might be kept in her absence as though she were sick that none needed to be privy thereto except my Lady Strafford and one of the Grooms of her Chamber She appeared to like that kind of Language only answered it with a sigh saying alas if I might do it thus She used all the means she could to oblige me to perswade the Queen of the great love she did bear unto her and that she was fully minded to put away all jealousies and suspicions and in times-coming to entertain a stricter friendship then formerly She promised that my dispatch should be delivered to me very shortly at London by Secretary Cicil For now she was at Hampton Court where she gave me my answer by mouth her self and her Secretary by writing The next day my Lord of Leicester desired me to go down the River in his Barge with him to London He had in his company Sir Henry Sidney Deputy of Ireland By the way my Lord entered familiarly into discourse with me alledging that he was well acquainted with my Lord of Murry Lidingtoun and my Brother Sir Robert and that he was by report so well acquainted with me that he durst upon the Character he had heard of me desire to know what the Queen my Mistress thought of him and the marriage that Mr. Randolph had proposed Whereunto I answered very coldly as I had been by my Queen commanded Then he began to purge himself of so proud a pretence as to marry so great a Queen declaring he did not esteem himself worthy to wipe her Shoes declaring that the invention of that proposition of marriage proceeded from Mr. Cicil his secret Enemy For if I says he should
have appeared desirous of that marriage I should have offended both the Queens and lost their favour He intreated me to excuse him at her Majesties hands and to beg in his Name that she would not impute that matter to him but to the malice of his Enemies Being landed at London our Dinner was prepared by the Earl of Pembroke who being great Master yet humbled himself so far as to serve the said Table as Master of the Houshold himself He was a devout friend to my Queens Title of succeeding to the Crown of England After Dinner I took leave of the French Ambassadour and the Spanish having received divers advertisements from them My Lord of Leicester beside what he had spoke to me did write to my Lord of Murray to excuse him at the Queens hands The day appointed I received my dispatch from Secretary Cicil together with a Letter of Credit and a more ample Declaration of the Queens mind touching the same answers she had made me her self He gave me also a Letter to Secretary Lidingtoun For as is abovesaid Secretary Cicil and Leicester my Lord of Murray and Secretary Lidingtoun ruled both Queens and as yet kept good correspondence together When I took my leave Secretary Cicil conveyed me through the Close to the outer Gate of the Palace where he himself put a fair Chain about my Neck My Lady Lennox and Sir Nicholas Throgmorten sent many good advices to the Queen to be followed according as occasion offered My Lady Lennox sent also Tokens to the Queen a Ring with a fair Diamond she sent an Emerauld to my Lord her Husband who was yet in Scotland a Diamond to my Lord of Murray a Watch set with Diamonds and Rubies to the Secretary Lidingtoun a Ring with a Ruby to my Brother Sir Robert For she was still in good hope that her Son my Lord Darnly would come better speed concerning the marriage of our Queen then the Earl of Leicester She was a very wise and discreet Matron and had many favourers in England for the time At my return I found the Queens Majesty still at Edinbrugh To whom I declared at large my manner of proceeding with the Queen of England and gave her Majesty her answers to the special heads of my instructions in writing Her Majesty answered to the first that whereas the Queen thought the time very long since she received either word or writ from her whereby she might understand of her good estate and had sent me thither to visit her in her behalf that she thought the time as long albeit she had conceived some displeasure concerning the angry Letter Which was the greater in respect it appeared that she disdained the offer of the best good she had to give to wit the Man whom she esteemed as her Brother And whereas she had sent me to visit her she was more satisfied with my coming then she would have been with any other being formerly of her acquaintance with whom she could the more familiarly declare her inward mind to the Queen my Mistress seeing she could not meet with her self so soon as she desired As I might declare how familiarly she had conferred with me acquainting me with all her inward griefs and desires and how well she was satisfied and how willing to continue all good offices of amity and that she would for that effect send shortly down to the Border Commissioners who were named by her self to meet with my Lord of Murray and Lidingtoun As for the Parliament it was yet in doubt whether it held or not If it held the Queen should get no hurt in her Right neither directly nor indirectly but she should be forewarned in due time Then I shewed her Majesty at length of all other purposes that fell out occasionally betwixt that Queen and me together with the opinions and advertisements of divers of her friends in England as well Catholicks as Protestants I gave her at the desire of the Spanish Ambassadour the intimation of his Kings good will toward her Her Majesty was very glad that matters were brought again to this pass between her and the Queen of England having thereby occasion of getting intelligence from a great number of Noblemen and others her friends in England For she was also afraid that the blame of the discord would have been laid upon her if it had continued After that her Majesty had at great length understood all my management and proceedings in England she inquired whether I thought that Queen meant truly toward her inwardly in her heart as she appeared to do outwardly in her speech I answered freely that in my judgment there was neither plain dealing nor upright meaning but great dissimulation emulation and fear lest her Princely qualities should over soon chace her from the Kingdom as having already hindered her marriage with the Arch-duke Charles of Austria It appeared likewise to me by her offering unto her with great appearing earnestness my Lord of Leicester whom I knew at that time she could not want Shortly after my Lord of Murray and Bedford met near Berwick to treat concerning the marriage with Leicester with slenderer offers and less effectual dealing then was expected But the said Earl of Leicester had written such discreet and wise Letters unto my Lord of Murray for his excuses that the Queen appeared to have so good liking to him as the Queen of England began to suspect that the said marriage might take effect Her apprehensions of this occasioned the Lord Darnly his getting more readily license to come to Scotland in hope that he being a handsome lusty youth should rather prevail being present then Leicester who was absent Which license was procured by the means of the Secretary Cicil not that he was minded that any of the marriages should take effect but with such shifts to hold the Queen unmarried so long as he could For he perswaded himself that my Lord Darnly durst not proceed in the marriage without consent of the Queen of England first obtained to the said marriage his Land lying in England and his Mother remaining there So that he thought it lay in the Queen his Mistress her own hand to let that marriage go forward or to stay the same at her pleasure And in case my Lord Darnly should disobey the Queen of Englands command to return upon her call he intended to cause for fault him whereby he should lose all his Lands Rights and Titles that he had in England The Queens Majesty as I have said before after her returning out of France to Scotland behaved her self so Princely honourably and discreetly that her reputation spread it self in all Countries She was determined and of her self inclined to continue so unto the end of her life desiring to entertain none in her company but such as were of the best conversation abhorring all vice and vicious persons In this her resolution she desired me to assist her by affording her my good counsel what way was
kind of Writings were for that time devised to overthrow and cast down some intelligences which were discovered by Ruxbie and some reports raised by Enemies that my Brother by his practises and perswasions had kindled a great fire and had raised a great faction in England he did not deny but he had dealt with many to win what favour he could to his Mistress but that he had done nothing that could offend the Queen of England and that he had no Commandment to enterprise any thing which could be displeasing to her by this means Ruxbie's intelligence was suppressed and my Brother suffered to stay still in England whereby the Queens friends so increased that many whole Shires were ready to Rebell and their Captains already named by the Election of the Nobility About this time her Majesty was advertised by my Brothers Letters that the Earl of Bedford was upon his journey toward Scotland with an honourable Company As also the Ambassadour of France and Savoy for the Baptism of the Prince which moved her Majesty to pass to Sterling with the Prince for the solemnizing thereof but she was still sad and pensive for the late foul act committed in her presence so irreverently she being their born Queen and thereby in hazard of losing the fruit of her Womb so many great sighs she would give that it was pity to hear her and few there were to endeavour to comfort her Sometime she would declare part of her grief to me which I essayed the best I could to asswage by telling her that I thought the greater multitude of friends that she had got in England should cause her to forget in Scotland the lesser number of Enemies and unruly offenders unworthy of her wrath and that her excellent qualities in Clemency Temperance and Fortitude should not suffer her mind to be possest or supprest with the remembrance of offences but that rather she should bend up her spirit by a Princely and Womanly behaviour whereby she might best gain the hearts of the whole people both here and in England humbly requesting her Majesty first to consult with her God next with her honour and thirdly with her interest in the establishing of her state and in joining the two Kingdoms in a happy Monarchy which she knew to be so near effectuate in her person seeing also the banished estate of the offenders so miserable they not having a hole to hide their head in nor a peny wherewith to buy their Dinner that the most noble natures would think them sufficiently punished that it was a comely thing for a woman to be pitiful and to want vengeance I leave it said I Madam to your own judgment whether presently it be more for your honour and advancement of your interest to cease from any desire or persuit of any further revenge whereupon may ensue more desperate enterprises or to give place unto necessity and reason to rule over the beastly passions of the mind For as Princes are called divine persons so no Prince can pretend to this Title but he who draws near the nature of God by godliness and good Government being slow to vengeance and ready to forgive It is manifestly known that wise Princes entertain no longer feud at their Enemies then they see it may be needful for the weal of their Affairs and State and they change their favour and hatred according to time and occasions Your Majesty may remember that many things might have been better managed I speak this with love and reverence Your Majesty might have been as well obeyed as ever was any King in Scotland if you had taken such Princely care as was requisite You know how that by your Majesties own express Commandment I did shew you long before what inconveniencies were like to fall out upon the grudges I perceived before the slaughter of Rixio and God is my witness I did what lay in my power to have them eschewed and prevented And since that time your Majesty hath repented that my advice was not followed I pray God that the like repentance fall not out again too late At my being in England your adversaries were beginning to vaunt upon vain reports that our Westerly winds had blown East among them so that my Brother and I had enough to do to beat it out of the heads of divers who were devotedly addicted to the advancement of your Title This communing began at the entry of her Supper in her Ear in French when she was casting up great sighs refusing to eat upon any perswasion that my Lord of Murray and Mar could make to her The Supper being ended her Majesty took me by the hand and went down through the Park of Sterling and came up through the Town ever reasoning with me upon their purposes And albeit she took hardly with them at the first she began to alter her mind thinking fit that my Lord of Bedford should intercede for her Rebels they to be banished out of England and Scotland during her pleasure and so to be by time reconciled to them according to their future deportments and for her part she purposed to proceed with such a gracious Government as should win the victory over her self and all her Competitours and Enemies in time-coming which she could have done as well as any Prince in Europe But alas she had bad Company about her for the Earl of Bothwel who had a mark of his own that he shot at as soon as he understood of her wife and merciful deliberations he took occasion to bring in the Earl of Mortoun and his associates thereby to make them his friends and by them to fortifie his faction For apparently he had already in his head the resolution of performing the foul murther of the King which he afterwards put in execution that he might marry the Queen Both which he brought to pass to his own utter wrack and confusion and thereby great trouble and mischief upon the Country and was also at last the Queens wrack and the hinderance of all our hopes in the hasty obtaining of all her desires concerning the Crown of England The Queens Majesty being advertised that the Earl of Bedford was come to Berwick on his Journey to the Baptism sent me well accompanied with diligence to meet him at Coldingham to be his first Convoy and to inform him rightly of all her proceedings and to overthrow all evil brutes invented by the malice of her adversaries For as I have said it was a perverse time and the more that the number of her friends increased in England the more practises her Enemies made and the more lyes were invented against her But the good Earl gave me more credit then he did to any wrong report that was made For he was at this time become one of the surest and most affectionate friends she had in England There came with him Mr. Cary eldest Son to my Lord of Husdean Mr. Hattoun greatest in favour with the Queen of England for
the Queens Chamber had not her Majesty come betwixt and saved him but he fled the next day and tarried with the Earl of Athol As for me I was not oft at Court but now and then yet I chanced to be there at the marriage When I came that time to the Court I found my Lord Duke of Orkny sitting at his Supper who welcomed me saying I had been a great stranger desiring me to sit down and Sup with him the Earl of Huntly the Justice Clerk and divers others being sitting at Table with him I said I had already Supped then he called for a Cup of Wine and drank to me saying you had need grow fatter for says he the zeal of the Common-wealth hath eaten you up and made you lean I answered That every little member should serve for some use but that the care of the Common-wealth appertained most to him and the rest of the Nobility who should be as Fathers of the same I knew well says he he would find a pin for every bore Then he fell in discoursing with the Gentlewomen speaking such filthy language that they and I left him and went up to the Queen who expressed much satisfaction at my coming The marriage was made at the Palace in Halyrood-house after Sermon by Adam Bothwel Bishop of Orkny in the great Hall where the Council useth to sit according to the order of the Reformed Religion and not in the Chappel at the Mass as was the King's marriage After the marriage he who was Earl of Bothwel now Duke of Orkny was very earnest to get the Prince in his hands but my Lord of Mar who was a true Nobleman would not deliver him out of his custody alledging that he could not without consent of the three States Yet he was so frequently crost by such as had the Authority in their hands that he was thereby put to a great strait And after that he had made divers refusals among others he made his moan to me praying me to help to save the Prince out of his hands who had slain his Father and had already made his vaunt among his familiars that if he could get him once in his hands he should warrant him from revenging his Father's death I assured his Lordship he should want no assistance I was capable to give He desired to know if I could propose any outgate I answered That I was intimately acquainted with Sir James Balfour and that I knew how matters stood betwixt Bothwel and him namely there were some jealousies arisen betwixt them which I thought if rightly managed might be improved for the Prince's safety I also told him that the Earl intended to have the Castle out of his hands for the Earl and he had been great Companions and he was also very great with the Queen so that the custody of the Castle of Edinbrugh was committed to him But afterward he would not consent to be present nor take part with the murtherers of the King whereby he came in suspicion with the Earl of Bothwel who would no more credit him so that he would have had the Castle out of his hands to have committed the charge thereof to the Laird of Beenstoun I told his Lordship he might make this one of his excuses That he could not deliver the Prince till he should see a secure place to keep him in And upon the other hand when I returned to Edinbrugh I dealt with Sir James Balfour not to part with the Castle whereby he might be an instrument to save the Prince and the Queen who was so disdainfully handled and with such reproachful language that in presence of Arthur Aroskine I heard her ask for a knife to stab her self or else said she I shall drown my self Now says I to Sir James Balfour there is no security for you to be out of suspicion but to keep the Castle in your own hands and so to be the good instrument both of saving Queen and Prince and in assisting the Nobility who are about to Crown the Prince and to pursue the Earl of Bothwel for the King's murther I told him that unless he took part with them he would be holden as guilty of the said murther by reason of his long familiarity with the Earl of Bothwel That it was a happy thing for him that the said Earl was in suspicion of him assuring him that I had intelligence by one who was of the Earl of Bothwel's Councel to wit the Laird of Whitlaw Captain of the Castle of Dumbar that the Earl of Bothwel was determined to take the Castle of Edinbrugh from him and make the Laird of Beenstoun one Hepburn Captain thereof and then to put the Prince there in his keeping Sir James Balfour gave ear to my proposition and consented to help to pursue the murtherers upon condition that the Laird of Grange would ingage upon his honour to be his Protector in case afterward the Nobility should alter upon him for he and most of them had formerly run contrary courses so that he durst not credit them The Earl of Mar being hereof from me advertised by his Brother Alexander Areskine who was true and careful of the Prince's safety coming secretly to me at midnight for the days were dangerous for all honest Men. Now my Lord of Mar being continually required and threat'ned to deliver the Prince out of his hands at length granted only to drive off time upon condition that an honest responsible Nobleman should be made Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh the only secure place of keeping the Prince in This answer was thought fit to asswage the present fury until the Nobility might convene to pursue the murtherers and to Crown the Prince as they had already concluded at a secret meeting among themselves which was not kept so private but that one of the said Lords gave advertisement thereof to the Earl of Bothwel how that they were minded to inviron the Palace of Halirood-house and therein to apprehend him Whereupon he forgot inquiring after the Prince being only now concerned how to save himself therefore he fled out of Edinbrugh to the Castle of Borthwick from that to the Castle of Dumbar taking always the Queen with him wherever he went All Scotland cryed out upon the foul murther of the King but few of them were careful how to revenge it till they were driven thereto by the crying out of all other Nations against all Scotishmen wherever they travelled either by Sea or Land Among other Princes the King of France sent hither to his Ambassadour Monsieur de Crook a grave aged discreet Gentleman advanced by the House of Guise a Letter therein expressing his wonder that such a foul murther being committed upon the person of a King so few honest Subjects were found to find fault with the same for less to seek after any tryal or see the same punished Whereupon the Lords who had the enterprise in hand were hasted forward to take Arms and in
the mean time they obliged themselves by a writing under their hands which they delivered to the said Monsieur de Crook to send to the King his Master that they should do their outmost diligence to try out the Authors of that foul murther of their King and in the mean time convened to the number of 3000 men and came to Edinbrugh and there set out a Proclamation of their just quarrel Also sundry Libels were set out both in Rhime and Prose to move the hearts of the whole Subjects to assist and take part in so good a Cause The Earl of Bothwel having the Queen in his Company convened a greater number out of the Merse and Lauthian and out of all parts where he had interest or friendship Her Majesties Proclamation was not well obeyed and so many as came had no hearts to fight in that quarrel Yet the Earl of Bothwel marched forward out of Dumbar toward Edinbrugh taking the Queen with him The Lords again with their Company went out of Edinbrugh on foot with an earnest desire to fight Both Armies lay not far from Carberry the Earl Bothwel's men Camped upon the Hill in a strength very advantageous the Lords incamped at the foot of the Hill And albeit her Majesty was there I cannot call it her Army for many of those who were with her were of opinion that she had intelligence with the Lords especially such as were informed of the many indignities put upon her by the Earl of Bothwel since their marriage He was so beastly and suspicious that he suffered her not to pass one day in patience without making her shed abundance of Tears Thus part of his own Company detested him other part of them believed that her Majesty would fain have been quit of him but thought shame to be the doer thereof directly her self In the mean time the Laird of Grange did ride about the Hill with two hundred Horse-men who came there with Drumlanrig Cesfoord and Couldinknows thinking to be betwixt the Earl of Bothwel and Dumbar and was minded to make an onset that way which was plain and that in the mean time that the Lords should come up the Hill to the part where their adversaries were Camped When the Queen understood that the Laird of Grange was chief of that Company of Horse-men she sent the Laird of Ormistoun to desire him to come and speak with her under surety which he did after he had acquainted the Lords with her desire and had obtained their permission As he was speaking with her Majesty the Earl of Bothwel had appointed a Soldier to shoot him until the Queen gave a cry and said that he would not do her that shame seeing she had promised that he should come and return safely He was declaring unto the Queen that all of them were ready to honour and serve her upon condition that she would abandon the Earl of Bothwel who had murthered her Husband and could not be a Husband unto her who had but lately married the Earl of Huntly's Sister The Earl of Bothwel hearkened and heard part of this language and offered the Combat to any who would maintain that he had murthered the King The Laird of Grange promised to send him an answer shortly thereunto So he took his leave of the Queen and went down the Hill to the Lords who were content that the Laird of Grange should fight with him in that quarrel For he first offered himself and acquainted Bothwel that he would fight with him upon that quarrel The Earl of Bothwel answered That he was neither Earl nor Lord but a Baron and so was not his equal The like answer made he to Tullibardine Then my Lord Lindsay offered to fight him which he could not well refuse but his heart failed him and he grew cold in the business Then the Queen sent again for the Laird of Grange and said to him that if the Lords would do as he had spoken to her she should put away the Earl of Bothwel and come unto them Whereupon he asked the Lords if he might in their name make her Majesty that promise which they Commissioned him to do Then he rode up again and saw the Earl of Bothwel part and came down again and assured the Lords thereof They desired him to go up the Hill again and receive the Queen who met him and said Laird of Grange I render my self unto you upon the conditions you rehearsed unto me in the name of the Lords Whereupon she gave him her hand which he kissed leading her Majesties Horse by the bridle down the Hill unto the Lords who came forward and met her The Noblemen used all dutiful reverence but some of the Rascals cryed out against her despightfully till the Laird of Grange and others who knew their duty better drew their Swords and struck at such as did speak irreverent language which the Nobility well allowed of Her Majesty was that night convoyed to Edinbrugh and lodged in the midst of the Town in the Provosts Lodging As she came through the Town the common people cryed out against her Majesty at the Windows and Stairs which was a pity to hear Her Majesty again cryed out to all Gentlemen and Others who passed up and down the streets declaring how that she was their native Princess and that she doubted not but all honest Subjects would respect her as they ought to do and not suffer her to be abused Others again evidenced their malice in setting up a Banner or Ensign whereupon the King was painted lying dead under a Tree and the young Prince upon his knees praying Judge and Revenge my Cause O Lord. That same night it was alledged that her Majesty did write a Letter unto the Earl of Bothwel and promised a reward to one of her keepers to convoy it securely to Dumbar unto the said Earl calling him her dear heart whom she should never forget nor abandon though she was necessitated to be absent from him for a time saying that she had sent him away only for his safety willing him to be comforted and be upon his guard Which Letter the Knave delivered to the Lords though he had promised the contrary Upon which Letter the Lords took occasion to send her to Lockleven to be kept which she alledged was contrary to promise They on the other hand affirmed that by her own hand writing she had declared that she had not nor would not abandon the Earl of Bothwel Grange again excused her alledging she had in effect abandoned the said Earl that it was no wonder that she gave him yet a few fair words not doubting but if she were discreetly handled and humbly admonished what inconveniencies that Man had brought upon her she would by degrees be brought not only to leave him but e're long to detest him And therefore he advised to deal gently with her But they said that it stood them upon their Lives and Lands and that therefore in the mean time
to win thanks at his hands But he would credit nothing but such things as came out of the mouths of those who had crept into his favour by flattery In the mean time the Queen was convoyed out of Lockleven by George Duglas the Lairds Brother and the Regents half Brother who was for the time in some evil tearms with them The old Lady his Mother was also thought to be upon the Councel My Lord Seatoun and some of the House of Hamiltoun and divers of their dependers received her Majesty at her landing out of the Logh and convoyed her to Hamiltoun The Regent being for the time at Glascow holding Justice Eyrs Proclamations and Missives were incontinently sent abroad by both sides to convene so many as would act for them in the Country One French Ambassadour was come to Edinbrugh ten days before called Monsieur de Beumont Knight of the Order of the Cockle whom I had convoyed to Glascow and had procured to him a sight of the Queen while Captive He said to me that he never did see so many men so suddenly convened for he rode to Hamiltoun to the Queen and dealt between the parties for Peace but was not heard Her Majesty was not minded to fight nor hazard battel but to go unto the Castle of Dumbartoun and endeavour by little and little to draw home again unto her obedience the whole Subjects But the Bishop of St. Andrews and the House of Hamiltoun and the rest of the Lords there convened finding themselves in number far beyond the other Party would needs hazard Battle thinking thereby to overcome the Regent their great Enemy and be also masters of the Queen to Command and Rule all at their pleasure Some alledged that the Bishop was minded to cause the Queen to marry my Lord Hamiltoun in case they had obtained the victory And I was since informed by some who were present that the Queen her self feared the same therefore she pressed them still to convoy her to Dumbartoun and had sent me word with the French Ambassadour the same morning before the battel to draw on a meeting for concord by the means of the Secretary Lidingtoun and the Laird of Grange And for her part she would send the Lord Herris and some other She had also caused my Brother Sir Robert to write a Letter to me that same morning for that same effect but the Queen's Army came on so fiercely that there was no stay The Regent went out on foot and all his Company except the Laird of Grange Alexander Hume of Manderstoun and some Borderers to the number of 200. The Laird of Grange had already viewed the ground and with all imaginable diligence caused every Horse-man to take behind him a Foot-man of the Regent's to guard behind them and rode with speed to the head of the Long'sid'-hill and set down the said Foot-men with their Culverings at the head of a straight Lane where there were some Cottage-houses and Yards of great advantage Which Soldiers with their continual shot killed divers of the Vaunt-guard led by the Hamiltouns who couragiously and fiercely ascending up the Hill were already out of breath when the Regents Vaunt-guard joined with them Where the worthy Lord Hume fought on foot with his Pike in his hand very manfully well assisted by the Laird of Cesfoord his Brother-in-law who helped him up again when he was strucken to the ground by many stroaks upon his face by the throwing Pistols at him after they had been discharged He was also wounded with Staves and had many stroaks of Spears through his Legs for he and Grange at the joining cried to let their adversaries first lay down their Spears to bear up theirs which Spears were so thick fixed in others Jacks that some of the Pistols and great Staves that were thrown by them which were behind might be seen lying upon the Spears Upon the Queens side the Earl of Arguile commanded the Battel and the Lord of Arbroth the Vaunt-guard On the other part the Regent led the Battle and the Earl of Mortoun the Vaunt-guard But the Regent committed to the Laird of Grange the special care as being an experimented Captain to oversee every danger and to ride to every Wing to incourage and make help where greatest need was He perceived at the first joining the right Wing of the Regent's Vaunt-guard put back and like to fly whereof the greatest part were Commons of the Barony of Ranthrow whereupon he rode to them and told them that their Enemy was already turning their backs requesting them to stay and debate till he should bring them fresh Men forth of the Battel Whither at full speed he did ride alone and told the Regent that the Enemy were shaken and flying away behind the little Village and desired a few number of fresh Men to go with him Where he found enough willing as the Lord Lindsay the Laird of Lockleven Sir James Balfour and all the Regents Servants who followed him with diligence and reinforced that Wing which was beginning to fly which fresh Men with their loose Weapons struck the Enemies in their flanks and faces which forced them incontinent to give place and turn back after long fighting and pushing others to and fro with their Spears There were not many Horse-men to pursue after them and the Regent cried to save and not to kill and Grange was never cruel so that there were but few slain and taken And the only slaughter was at the first rancounter by the shot of the Soldiers which Grange had planted at the Lane-head behind some Dikes After the loss of the Battel her Majesty lost all courage which she had never done before and took so great fear that she never rested till she was in England thinking her self sure of refuge there in respect of the fair promises formerly made to her by the Queen of England by word to her Ambassadours and by her own hand-writ both before and after she was Captive in Lockleven But God and the World knows how she was kept and used for not only she refused to see her of whom she appeared so oft so desirous of a sight and a meeting but also caused to keep her Prisoner and at length suffered her life to be taken away or else it was subtilly taken against her intention This puts me in remembrance of a tale that my Brother Sir Robert told me The time that he was busiest dealing betwixt the two Queens to entertain their friendship and draw on their meeting at a place near York One Bassintoun a Scots-man who had been a Traveller and was learned in high Sciences came to him and said Good Gentleman I hear so good a report of you that I love you heartily and therefore cannot forbear to shew you how that all your upright dealing and honest travel will be in vain For whereas you believe to obtain advantage for your Queen at the Queen of England's hands you do but lose your time and
time and indigent of mony thought he would be very fortunate if again he could obtain the Dukes friendship and pardon so he was brought easily and secretly unto the Duke by Sir Nicholas At which time he granted his offence excusing himself the best he could by the craft and importunity of some of his Company The Duke helped him to frame his excuse alledging That he knew how his gentle nature was abused by the craft and concurrence of some of the Council of England who had joined with some about him That if he would for the future keep touch and be secret they should take a course with all those who had drawn on that draught The Regent promised as far as could be devised so that a greater friendship was packed up between them then ever The Duke had before told him That he was resolved to marry the Queen our Mistress and that he should never permit her to come to Scotland nor yet that he should ever Rebell against the Queen of England during her time Also that he had a Daughter who would be meeter for the King then any other for many Reasons Now the Duke took in hand to cause the Queen his Mistress to give unto my Lord Regent Two thousand pound sterling for the which Sum he became Cautioner and was afterward compelled to pay it After that the Regent had got this mony and had taken his leave of the Queen he was advised by such as had great credit about him to tell the Queen all things that had past again betwixt the Duke and him And to do it the more covertly it was devised That the Queen of England should send for him pretending to give him some admonition about some order to be observed upon the Border This being done and all things discovered to the Queen with a promise so soon as he came to Scotland and had received any Letters from the Duke by Cyphers or otherwise he should send them to England by an Express In the mean time the Duke wrote unto our Queen advertising her again of the new friendship between him and the Regent who was become very penitent and had been formerly deceived by craftier men then himself desiring her to let him pass by without any harm done to him or any in his company by the way At that time the Duke commanded over all the North parts of England where the Queen our Mistress was kept and so might have taken her out when he pleased And when he was angry at the Regent he had appointed the Earl of Westmerland to lye in his way and cut off himself and so many of his company as were most bent upon the Queens Accusation But after the last agreement the Duke sent and discharged the said Earl from doing us any harm yet upon our return the Earl came in our way with a great Company of Horse to signifie to us that we were at his mercy After the Regents safe return to Scotland Mr. John Wood his Secretary peocured upon the first occasion to be sent to England with all the Letters that had been sent from the Duke of Norfolk which could tend to undo him He desired Mr. Henry Balneavs to cause the Regent to give him the Bishoprick of Murray void for the time though he pretended it was neither for ambition nor covetousness of the Rents but that he might have an honourable Style to set out the better his Ambassage The said Mr. Henry being indeed such a man as Mr. John would appeared to have been was very angry and never liked him ester that my Lord Lindsay vented himself That he was one of the number who gave the Regent counsel so to do alledging that such promises as were made to the Duke of Norfolk for fear of life ought not to be kept A little after that Mr. John was come back to Scotland well rewarded for his pains the Duke was sent for by the Queen to come to Court Whereupon first he posted in haste to Secretary Cicil to demand his counsel for he reposed much upon him they being joined in one course The other made answer That there was no danger he might come and go at his pleasure no man would or durst offend him Which made the Duke ride up quietly only with his own train whereas otherwise he would have been well accompanied In the mean time Secretary Cicil informed the Queen That the necessity of the time obliged her not to omit this occasion but to take the matter stoutly upon her self and incontinent command her Guard to lay hands upon the Duke or else no other durst do it which if she did not at this time her Crown would be in peril The Queen following this counsel the Duke was taken and secured when he thought all England was at his Devotion who after long Captivity was Executed ending his Life devoutly in the Reformed Religion Shortly after Mr. John Wood's returning out of England there was a great Convention held at Pearth where the Regent was resolved to accuse Secretary Lidingtoun as being of Councel with the Duke of Norfolk but he had so many friends for the time that they durst not lay hands on him albeit from that hour forth he retired from the Court and remained with the Earl of Athol where the Regent entertained him with friendly Letters And upon a time being at Sterling he wrote for him to come and make a dispatch for England whither being come Captain Crauford was directed to accuse him before the Privy Council of the late King's murther and being accused of so odious a Crime he was committed to Ward Sir James Balfour was also taken out of his own House when he expected no such thing Then my Lord of Doun wrote to the Laird of Grange to be upon his guard for the Regent was resolved to take the Castle of Edenbrugh from him and make the Laird of Drumwhasel Captain thereof Which advertisement he had formerly given to Grange as also of the design to take the Secretary and Sir James Balfour But at the first he would not give credit thereto but now when he did see the Advertisement take effect he began to think that the Regent was strangely missed he would have been satisfied to have wanted the Castle and to have left the Court were it not for the desire he had to save the Lives of Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour having upon his Honour engaged to protect the said Sir James upon his rendring up the Castle to him He knew they were wrongfully pursued only by the Malice and Envy of their Enemies for their Offices Sir James Balfour being taken sent unto the Laird of Grange minding him how he had joyned with the Lords and Regent upon the Trust he reposed on his Fidelity more than on all their Seals and Hand-writings which he had to produce Whereupon the Laird of Grange sent a Gentleman to the Regent but the Regent purged himself and alledged the Councel were
so banded together against the Secretary and Sir James Balfour That it consisted not in his power to preserve them from Prison seeing they were accused for the King's Murther against his will but Grange should know his honest part thereof at meeting praying him in the mean time to suspend his judgment Nevertheless the Regent and his Councel were determined to proceed to Process the two Prisoners upon their Lives till Grange sent again and desired the like Justice to be done upon the Earl of Mortoun and Mr. Archibald Douglas For he offered to fight with Mr. Archibald and the Lord Herries with the Earl of Mortoun upon that head That they were upon the Councel and consequently airt and pairt of the King's Murther This stayed their Process at that time And the Regent still alledged That the Lords had taken them against his will and that he should send Sir James Balfour to the Castle of St. Andrews and should bring Secretary Lidingtoun to Edinbrugh and deliver him unto the Laird of Grange to be kept So the Regent came to Edinbrugh and brought the Secretary with him intending as Grange was informed to make the Secretary an Instrument to draw Grange out of the Castle to the Town the next morning to receive the Secretary to be carried up to the Castle and then to retain Grange also till the Castle should be delivered unto the Laird of Drumwhasel to be Keeper thereof and to send Grange home to his house and reward him with the Priory of Pittenweem But the Earl of Mortoun had appointed four men to slay Grange at the entry of the Regent's Lodging without the Regent's knowledg But Grange was loath yet to believe the worst of the Regent and being of opinion that the Regent's gentle Nature was forced by the Lords as he had sent him word understanding that they intended to carry the Secretary to Tantalloun he came down out of the Castle with a Company and took the Secretary out of the hands of his Keepers and convoyed him up to the Castle For he thought if it were true that the Regent said That he was forced by the Lords against his will to let the Secretary be retained after that he was accused the Regent would be glad that he had revenged his quarrel upon the Lords by taking the Secretary out of their hands whereof he might justly pretend ignorance And if the Regent would be dissatisfied with his carriage therein it would be a certain token of his dissimulation In that case Grange thought he did a good deed to save his Friends Life and so he would have good ground to believe divers Intelligences which formerly he would not credit and therefore he would be upon his guard in Time coming The Regent and his Councellors when they understood that Grange had taken the Secretary to the Castle were in great perplexity supposing all their Counsels to be disclosed They knew not how to help the matter but they advised the Regent to cover his anger until a fit opportunity causing him to go up to the Castle the next morning For he durst trust Grange tho Grange would no more trust him At meeting the Regent gave him more fair words than he was wont to do which Grange took in evil part After this there were many devices how to intrap Grange sometime in his down-coming to the Regent but he was ever advertised and upon his guard so as the Regent lost dayly of his best Friends and the number of his Enemies increased For the Duke of Chattellerault who was agreed with him by the intercession of the Lord Herreis when the said Duke and the Lord Herreis came to Edinbrugh as was appointed at the agreement to concur with the Regent in Councel and otherwise for the quieting of the Country they were both warded in the Castle against promise Which when the Laird of Grange found fault with Mr. John Wood said I marvel at you that you will be offended at this for how shall we who are my Lords dependers get Rewards but by the wrack of such men Yea said Grange is thas your holiness I see nothing among you but Envy Greediness and Ambition whereby you will wrack a good Regent and ruine the Country This was long before the taking of the Secretary and increased the hatred of a wicked Society against Grange who upon all occasions evidenced his detesting their selfish Designs who were dependers upon the Regent which was one of the faults also they had against the Secretary as also because his Wit so far excelled theirs The Captivity of the Duke and my Lord Herreis made many Enemies to the Regent who took the greater boldness to conspire against him when they perceived him to lose and cast off his best Friends It was a grievous thing to see that good Regent of himself so well inclined to do good offices in Religion and Commonwealth so led after other mens vain pretences and affections to his own wrack to the wrack of many worthy Persons and to their ruine at length who led him in these wayes He grew to give great ear to Flatterers and would not suffer his true Friends to tell him the verity The observation hereof made many conjecture that his Ruin was at hand and I among others devised a present remedy for his preservation which was this I knew that the taking Lidingtoun to the Castle sunk deepest in the Regent's heart and that the false practises and wrackful fetches of such as had taught him to dissemble moved Grange who had been his greatest Friend to be jealous of him the noticing whereof gave ground to his Enemies to conspire against him First I requested the Regent to remember the false Practises that some about him had sundry times used formerly to his great displeasure and to consider that they occasioned all the jealousies and suspitions that were fallen out between him and his Friends which might encourage his Enemies to take some wicked enterprise in hand against his Person To remedy this I proposed it as fit That Lidingtoun should go unto France finding Caution not to return to Scotland under the penalty of Twenty thousand pounds and withal giving his Son in pledg for further Security and that he should practise nothing against the Quiet of the Country And that Sir James Balfour should be set at liberty or banished after that same manner For he had already won the Regent's Familiars with great Sums of Gold which had stanched their wrath against him which Lidingtoun would not do albeit Sir James had sent him his advice to do as he had done These two being freed and out of the way The Laird of Grange should deliver to him the Castle of Edinbrugh to make Captain thereof whom he pleased That so the whole Country might see that all was in his power and at his command This I thought the best way to reduce again the opinion of the People and to scare all his Enemies from their desperate
enterprises His answer was That he did bear no ill will to Lidingtoun that he would not press him to go out of the Country as for Sir James Balfour he would set him at liberty and for Grange he had too many Obligations to him and too great proofs of his Fidelity to mistrust him That he was never minded to take the Castle from him and if it were out of his hands he would give him the Keeping thereof before any other He denyed that he had any suspition either of Grange or the Secretary and thereupon went up to the Castle and conferred Friendly with them of all his affairs with a merry Countenance and casting in many merry purposes minding them of many straits and dangers they had formerly been together engaged in So far was he instructed to dissemble yet the violence he did himself herein was easily perceived by such who had been long acquainted with him and had been his chief advisers under God The Secretary by his Wisdom and Grange by his Valour and Fidelity who had both such notable Qualities as procured them the Envy of wicked men who by their continual Flattery and false Reports put them out of his Favour and then like a weak House wanting his sustaining Pillars he fell Himself was at the first of a gentle Nature well inclined good wise stout In his first uprising his hap was to light upon the best sort of Company his beginning was full of adversity true honest men stuck by him because he was Religiously educated and devoutly inclined But when he became Regent Flatterers for their profit drew near him and puft him up into too good an opinion of himself His old true Friends who would reprove and admonish him thereby lost his Favour I would sometimes say to him That he was like an unskilful Player in a Tennis Court running ever after the Ball whereas an expert Player will discern where the Ball will light or where it will rebound and with small travel will let it fall on his hand or racket This I said because he took very great pains in his own Person to small effect After that he had gotten divers advertisements of his Enemies Conspiracies yet he would credit nothing but what came from his own Familiars who told him nothing but of fair weather and of the best Government that could be and so rendred him careless and secure which encouraged the Good man of Bodwelhaugh called Hamiltoun to lye in his way as he was passing thorow Lithgow who shot him whereof he dyed that same Night all his Councellors and Familiars were also well advertised as he was both of the man the place and the time and yet were so careless of him that they would not be at the pains to search the house where the man lay to shoot him but suffered him to escape upon a speedy Horse I have written thus far of him because every one knows not the verity how he was led away and because St. Augustine sayes That all kind of Ignorance is neither worthy of pardon nor excuse but only such as have not the means to be instructed nor to get knowledg I was sometime compelled to recite divers Sentences of Solomon to this Good Regent for so he was and will ever deservedly be called How that an heavy Yoke was ordained for the Sons of Adam from the day they go out of their Mothers Womb till the day that they return to the Mother of all things from him who is clothed in Blew Silk and weareth a Crown even to him who weareth simple Linnen wrath envy trouble and unquietness rigor strife and fear of death in the time of rest Again Be diligent to know the state of thy Flock for there are some who see but with other mens eyes who hear but with other mense ars these must needs be ignorant such a man is commonly made a wicked Instrument to fulfil the appetites of envious vengeable and gready Councellors And Solomon sayes That for the transgression of such wicked Councellors the Land changeth many Princes And again The Prudent man seeth the Plague and eschews it but Fools go on still and are punished Wisdome Knowledg and Understanding of the Law is of the Lord Error Ignorance and Darkness are appointed unto Sinners for Punishments and Plagues The foolish will believe every thing and the mouths of fools are fed with foolishness So the Prudent will consider his paths and can perceive that some are Councellors for themselves Therefore sayes Solomon I Wisdome dwell with Prudence and can find forth the right knowledg of Councellors as if he would say Who have Wisdome purified with Prudence will not be so easily carried away with Flatterers as a number of facil Princes who promote them above faithful Friends and true Servants who reprove them for their unseemly proceedings Against the Rule of Isocrates who admonisheth the King to love and retain as his truest Friends such as lovingly and modestly will correct his Faults And as Plutarch saith unto Trajan Follow the Counsel of these who loves thee rather than of those whom thou lovest And as Thepompus being demanded how a Prince should best Rule answered In permitting his best Servants to tell him the verity of his Estate As the King of the People is so are his Officers If the Officers be wicked so is the Ruler thought to be How are Flatterers said I to the Regent flown away with your wonted humility and who hath puft you up so that you will not suffer a Friendly Reproof Says not Solomon If thou seest a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope to be had of a fool than of him Exalt not thy self in the day of honour for pride goeth before destruction and an high mind before a fall Yet hear Counsel and receive Instruction let Reason go before every enterprise and counsel before every action When you followed the Counsel of your old experimented Friends your Affairs prospered Since you left them to follow the flattering fetches of your wonted Foes who are now become your chiefest Councellors since you have been made Regent your Credit decayes and all your Buâ—â—ness goes back I did shew you lately coming from Dumfries in what Danger your Estate and Person were to which you have taken little notice which Danger appears to me to be ever the longer the greater without speedy repentance and the hasty imbracing of such Remedies as I mentioned for the time Therefore take this better to heart and in good part of his hand of whose Fidelity to you you have had so good proof in all your adversities Solomon sayes more Receive Instruction that thou mayst be wise in thy latter end And above all this pray to the Most High that he may direct thy way in truth which I pray God grant you the grace to do The most part of these Sentences drawn out of the Bible I used to rehearse to him at several occasions and he took better
commonly suspitious Mr. Randolph who lay at Lieth having his own Jealousies of an intention of accommodation knew the only way to stop it was to bring again the Earl of Mortoun who he knew would violently oppose it and use the utmost of his endeavours to render that Design ineffectual He therefore dealt earnestly with the Regent to give the said Bishoprick of St. Andrews to the Earl of Mortoun alledging to her That the Queen his Mistress had written to him for that effect and that she would recompence it to him with greater advantage That he would cause her hand-writing to come to him thereabout and that she would be much dissatisfied if he refused that her desire When the Regent had upon Mr. Randolph's desire granted this he incontinently advertised the Earl of Mortoun thereof who immediately came to Court and smelling the foresaid design of agreement he used all the contrary practices he could to hinder it For as he had fished that Benefice in troubled Waters he hoped by such means to fish much more And finding that I was much inclined to draw forward the accommodation one of his Devices was to cause the Councel to Vote and direct the Earl of Buchan to take me Prisoner out of my own house But I was at a Marriage in Fordel where the said Earl came with whom I went willingly tho I had as many Friends there as offered to chace him back again without his Errand but I would not prejudge my just Cause For the Earl of Buchan was of a gentle and discreet Nature and assured me they had nothing to lay to my charge but to see if I could be a good Instrument of Concord He desired me when I was in Lieth to send up to the Castle of Edinbrugh and alledg that my Life was in hazard in case they would not render up the Castle to the Regent I answered It was a Childish thing in them to propose such a thing to me seeing they could not but know that my Friends in the Castle were angrier at me than they were because I did not take part with them However the Laird of Grange was dissatisfied when he heard that I was taken For he knew how far I was injur'd seeing I had several times perswaded him to take part with the Regent and how far I had reasoned against the Secretary and Sir James Balfour in their proceedings with the Queens Faction For seeing she was Captive so that neither could she help them nor they her it would but occasion her to be the stronglier guarded and kept more straitly in England For hearing that there was a Faction risen up in her Name it would cause them to suppose that she was in hope of sudden liberty by some Practices with the Subjects of England Sir William Balfour alledged That her Majesty had Friends in France and other Parts who would be more encouraged to do for her if they understood that a number of the Nobility did own her Authority I said That her only Friends were in England and France that those who were in England durst not as yet appear seeing there would be a special Eye held over them and her French friends would do her no good the Queen Mother who had the chief Rule of that Country being her great Enemy and the House of Guise neither able to help her nor yet were they her sure friends as I shall shew more at length anon I was declaring that the Laird of Grange was angry at my taking I being so frank for the Regent and he so willing to join with him That same night he sent down a Woman from the Castle to Lieth with a Ticket to me That he was resolved to come that same night at mid-night and relieve me out of their hands that he had sent that Woman to know how I was kept and where I was lodged The Regent's Camp lay between Lieth and Edinbrugh and many of the Noblemen and Barons lodged in Lieth for every one had not Pavilions to lodge in the Camp The Laird of Grange had appointed a Boat to lye at Grantoun and had resolved to come sailing up to Lieth Harbour as if it had been a Boat come from Fiffe and thought without stroke to come to my Lodging and take me out of my Keepers hands and go up the water again to a part where he had Horsemen in readiness to carry me up to the Castle with him But I would upon no accompt condescend thereto assuring him That I was in no danger and that my Lord Bughan had promised when I pleased to let me slip away which I would not do but desired daily to come to a Tryal Many of the Lords marvelled wherefore I was taken seeing they knew That since the Regent's entry to Scotland I had ever assisted him The Regent himself was much therewith dissatisfied so that after inquiry it was found that few of the Councellors knew of my taking The Earl of Mar a true Nobleman said That the Earl of Buchan for embracing such a Commission was madder than the former Earl his Father who was known not to be very wise But the Earl of Mortoun sent me word That nothing should ail me more then his own heart For the fashion they desired me to find Caution that I should serve the King's Majesty and his Regent and so I was dismissed and never brought before the Council Of a truth I could see no reason to set up two Factions to destroy the Country seeing I knew That though the one party professed to be for the Queen it was so far from conducing to her advantage that I knew it had a quite contrary effect so long as she was Captive nor yet could I see any out-gate for those who professed her Authority and who were compelled thereto for their own defence For whereas they would gladly have assisted the King's Lords if they would have accepted of them finding themselves refused necessity drew them to defend themselves under the name of some Authority not true love to the Queen And therefore I thought them the less to be relyed upon The rest of my reasons why the Queen could expect no help out of France from her own friends nor yet from the Queen Mother were these The Queen Mother had not been well used so long as our Queen's Husband Francis the Second lived The Council and States of France desired not the Union of this Isle For a proof hereof after that my Brother Sir Robert when he returned the first time of his Ambassage out of England brought the hand-writings of twenty five principal Earls and Lords in England to set the Crown of England upon the Queen of Scotland's head For the Captains in the particular Shires were already named and by those Lords set down in that Paper who were to be in readiness to march forward whenever they should be charged only they waited the Queens opportunity and advertisement when to stir Upon this intelligence the Queen
to be brought again to be Master of the Court which was accomplished upon a night at midnight When he came to the Gates of the Castle of Sterling they were opened unto him by the two Abbots and a Faction that they had drawn in there with them Albeit the Master of Mar and Earl of Aguile made what resistance they could where the Master 's eldest Son dyed in the throng yet the enterprisers prevailed and brought in again the Earl of Mortoun and put out the Earl of Arguile the Master of Mar Drumwhasel and such others as they misliked and so made a new change at Court Where the Earl of Mortoun handled the matter so discreetly and moderately as he could that the alteration should not appear to be over sharp or violent The new chosen Council scattered incontinently some of them retiring home and some joined with the Earl of Mortoun hoping never to see a turn again About this time came out of France my Lord of Aubonie who was afterward made Duke of Lennox who was Brother's Son to the Earl of Lennox and obtained afterward great credit and favour James Stuart of Oghiltrie of whom I formerly made mention assisted him through process of time to perswade the King's Majesty to desire to ride out of Sterling and make a progress among the rest of his Subjects which the Earl of Mortoun could not resist supposing that it lay in his power to frame the Court at his pleasure For by his great wealth he was resolved to gain so many as he judged necessary and so by the multitude of his friends to bear out the business however the Court was ruled after he had obtained a discharge and alliance of his intromission For though during the time that he was Regent he was always strongest about the King but my Lord Aubony and James Stewart were most in favour who by their continual rounding in the King's Ear against the Earl of Mortoun ingendered at last a greater dislike in the King of him then he had before And as James Stuart was the stirrer up of the other so afterward when he found the time convenient he took occasion to accuse the said Earl before the Council of the late King's murther Whereupon the Earl of Mortoun was made Prisoner and sent first to the Castle of Edinbrugh and afterward to the Castle of Dumbartoun which was thought strange in respect of his many friends that were in Court for the time who were then found to be but friends to his fortune For he was loved by none and envied and hated by many so that they all looked through their fingers to see his fall England was also angry at him for the time because of his slowness to answer their turns which they had hoped for at his hands having put the King and Country in his power Yet they made some offer to assist him which occasioned to hasten his ruin For they sent down Seventeen Companies to the Borders boasting to send a greater number and to declare open War in case the Earl of Mortoun was not set at liberty and the Lord Aubony put out of Scotland Mr. Randolph was sent in with this Ambassage His Majesty again having these two young Counsellors about him who knew of no perils raised a Taxation to pay Soldiers and caused to make a Proclamation for every Man to be in readiness upon a call which moved the English to retire and leave off endeavouring any more his assistance encouraging thereby such as were deadly Enemies to the Earl of Mortoun to ride to Dumbartoun with a thousand raised and hired Men together with their own friends to bring the Earl of Mortoun back again to Edinbrugh to undergo an Assize Some of the Earl's friends convened to take him out of their hands but found not themselves strong enough They might have done it had it not been the Forces which had been newly levied occasioned by the threat'nings which England had made Being brought to Edinbrugh he found few friends to appear or act for him His Gold and Silver was transported long before by his Natural Son James Douglas and one of his Servants called John Mac-Morran It was first carried in Barrels and afterward hid in some secret parts part whereof was given to be kept by some who were lookt upon as his friends who made ill accompt of it again so that the most part thereof lighted in bad hands and himself was so destitute of mony that when he went through the Street to the Tolbooth to undergo his Assize he was compelled to borrow Twenty shillings to distribute to the Poor who asked Alms of him for God's sake The Assize condemned him to death as being Airt and Pairt in the King's murther and as being of Councel with the Earl of Bothwel who brought him out of banishment when he was absent for the slaughter of David Rixio He granted that he was made privy thereto but had no hand in devising thereof And as concerning the young King he owned that he purposed to send him to England for his weal that he might the rather obtain his Right to the Crown of England being within the Country and brought up among them He dyed resolutely and had ended more perfectly if he had declared and confessed his Worldly practises and fetches to nourish the Civil Troubles partly at the devotion of England and partly for his own particular profit during the Government of the first three Regents which occasioned great blood-sheding that commonly cries to Heaven for vengeance During the King's young years the partialities were so great and the whole Country so disturbed by the two several parties who alledged to fight and strive for the King and the Queen being then Captive in England and the King yet very young that many perceived them to be but factious ambitious avaritious greedy worldly wretched persons Both parties were craftily stirred up and kept in trouble by one only Faction in England who had that Queens Ear intending the wrack as well of our King as Queen to advance some of their friends to inherit the Crown of England which occasioned a great out-cry against our foolish contentions After that the Earl of Mortoun the last of the four Regents was deposed the King's Majesty being young took the Government into his own hands my Lord of Aubony being made Lord Dalkieth and afterward Duke of Lennox was chief about his Majesty and James Stuart formerly mentioned who afterward took unto himself the style and then the Earldom of Arran thinking that he had done great Service and deserved well for accusing and wracking the Earl of Mortoun he married the Earl of March his Relict The Duke was of nature upright just and gentle but wanted experience in the state of the Country At the first he was wholly guided by the said James Stuart and his Wife who both began to envy him and therefore they endeavoured how they might cast him off that they might attain to the
their houses that his Majesty sâ—ould not think himself any way deprived of his liberty by them for hey had got some intelligence of his inward grief for his taking and retaining Whereupon his Majesty takes occasion to appoint a Convention to be holden in St. Andrews for some English Affairs after the returning of Mr. John Colvil and Colonel Steward who both had been sent thither and had not agreed well concerning their Commission having brought back again different answers To the which Convention his Majesty by Missives invited some of the Nobility but he called none of the Lords thereto who had lately left him supposing that perceiving themselves so far slighted they would not come unwritten for and that way he thought he might slip himself out of their hands and retain about him such Lords as he had written for to wit The Earls of Arguile Huntly Montrose Crauford Rothess and the Earl of March who was an indweller in St. Andrews for the time and the Earl of Gaury of whom he judged himself assured though for some respects he would not imploy him till afterwards lest the rest of his associates should alledge that he had left them unhandsomly For the said Earl had repented him that he had suffered himself to be drawn in by Drumwhasel to join with the rest after that he had received sure information that the Duke of Lennox had not laid for his slaughter as was alledged Therefore he repented his folly and offered at all occasions to help to set him at liberty So his Majesty thinking himself assured of all these Noblemen the day appointed for the Convention drawing near it pleased him to send Colonel Stuart to my house shewing me that his Majesty having somewhat to do of great concernment he had directed him unto me as to one of his most faithful Servants of whose fidelity and foresight he had formerly had sufficient proof by the true warning I had made him before the alteration As a sworn Gentleman of his Chamber he desired that I would help him to his liberty which he was determined to attain at his being at St. Andrews whither he was resolved to go shortly to a Convention to which he desired my assistance and advice his Majesty being minded as he said to follow my counsel so long as he lived willing me not to refuse any service that his Majesty would demand of me at meeting This Commission was to me very unpleasant for I had taken my leave of the Court as being wearied with the many alterations I had seen both at home and in forreign Courts having got great trouble and damage to my self for other mens causes Therefore I had determined to be no more concerned in publick affairs but to lead a quiet contemplative life the rest of my days This desire of my Prince and Master was like to put me from this resolution In this perplexity I had recourse by humble prayer to God so to direct my actings as they might tend to his glory and to the weal of my Prince and Country And thereafter according to my dutiful obedience I went unto his Majesty When I came to him at Falkland he told me of his resolution lamenting his hard state and mishandling by his own Subjects and what displeasure he had taken and that he was thought but a Beast by all neighbour Princes for suffering so many indignities I again discoursed unto his Majesty about the common estate of all Countries during their Prince's minority the Nobility striving for state and for the chief handling whereby to advance themselves and their friends As did the House of Guise during the young age of King Francis the Second The Prince of Conde during the Reign of King Charles the Second of France and also the King of Navarr Likewise the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland during the youth of King Edward the sixth of England And as well in the Queen his Mothers time as in his own time some aiming to advance their own affairs some to defend and maintain their own Estate engaged in divers enterprises and strifes none of the parties bearing any evil will to his Majesty but every one being in love with him and desiring to be nearest to his person And albeit some of them be oft-times transported either by ambition greediness or vengeance to out-shoot themselves and forget their duty yet Princes who are wise and come to perfect age have ever found it their interest to pardon and oversee all such faults as have been committed at such times by too great a number of Subjects Now when Charles the Ninth agreed with the Prince of Conde all his former offences were reckoned for good Service And as your Majesty hath done in agreeing with so many of your Nobility as were in fear that the Duke of Lennox and Earl of ArraÅ„ would wrong both them and the Country as they did alledge Now Sir if your Majesty shall slip from them they will think their Estate in greater danger then ever not from your self but from some of their unfriends who may fall in again about you And albeit they be presently absent they have both a guard and some of their friends presently about your Majesty and so they will not fail to keep the Convention and be as soon at St. Andrews as the other Lords whom your Majesty hath invited by Letters For it stands them upon their lives and fortunes to be still chief about your Majesty Therefore saving your Majesties own pleasure I judge you presently in a far better and safer condition then you will be by abandoning them in case you get it not well effected wherein there will be found greater difficulty then your Majesty hath yet deeply considered as the importance of the case requires All their dissuasions had no force to stay his Majesty from his former deliberation as having taken up a great displeasure and a Princely courage either to liberate himself fully or dye in the attempt But for to follow the example of other wise Princes as he had begun himself to allow for good service the enterpise called the Read of Ruthven so he resolved that being at liberty he would make a general act of Oblivion for all by-gone faults and errours committed by his Nobility and Subjects during his minority and from that time forth to be as a Father to the Country and a just and equal Prince to all his Subjects that no Man's Life no Man's Land Goods nor Office should be taken from them That as the fittest and most effectual way for setling Peace in the Country he would give satisfaction to the Church in their desires That he would keep about his Person the most vertuous and discreet of his Nobility and Gentry who could be found His Majesty ingaged also to me to be secret constant and counselable For the better management then of his Majstey's design it was thought expedient that he should be in St. Andrews some few days before the Convention
that being once there Proclamation might be issued out to forbid any Nobleman or other to come to the Convention without being expresly called by Letter from his Majesty For this end it was advised that the Earl of March should invite his Majesty to be at St. Andrews two or three days before the Convention by reason of his preparation of wild meat and other fleshes that would spoil in case his Majesty came not to make good chear with him some days before Whereupon his Majesty went forward contrary to my opinion and the judgment of some others about him who though we were sensible of the inconveniencies which might follow durst not be so bold as to stay him though we told his Majesty our opinion that we judged it was hazardous for him to ride till the Lords who had been advertised to attend him might come forward Nevertheless he went on and advertised the Earl of March the Provost of St. Andrews and other Barons to attend him at Darsie Where meeting them his Majesty thought himself at liberty expressing great joy like a Bird flown out of a Cage passing his time in Hawking by the way after his meeting them thinking himself sure enough albeit I thought his estate far surer when he was in Falkland For when he came to St. Andrews he lodged in an old Inn a very open part the yard dikes being his greatest strength few of the Lords he had written for being yet come except only the Earl of Crauford who was near In the mean time I perceived the folly and went to the Provost of the Town desiring to know what forces he had within the Town at his devotion He answered Very few and those not to be trusted to I asked who was in the Castle He told me the Bishop with whom I dealt incontinently to have the Castle in readiness to receive his Majesty which he promised to do But when I returned to his Majesty believing that the Proclamation had been made That no Man should come to the Convention but such as had been written for I found that the Abbot of Dumfarmling was arrived out of Lockleven and the Earl of Marshal out of Dundee The Earl of Mar was still with his Majesty but all the Lords were advertised with diligence from Falkland that his Majesty was suddenly gone for St. Andrews desiring them to make haste to go thither else they would be late The said Abbot for his part was soon enough there and behaved himself with great dissimulation extolling his Majesties enterprise so that he gain'd so much credit as to cast down all their devices who were upon the King's side though he was a special doer for the contrary party He said it was not fit by Proclamation to stay the Nobility but rather to write Missives to them not to come accompanied with any more then two persons with every Nobleman When his Majesty told me this I was very angry and shewed him that this was the ready way to put him again in their hands without thanks from whom he had lately fled assuring his Majesty that they were coming forward very strong and in Arms and would be sooner there then those Lords he had written for adding that they might come in quietly themselves and cause their Companies to come in by two's and three's to the Town whereas it had been better to let them come in all together that their whole Forces might have been seen Yet his Majesty was loath to enter within the Castle that night for his greater security until it was very late after Supper giving those that were there already time to advise and to enterprise that same night to take him again in case he had gone to the Abby yards to walk as they had perswaded him till the Castle was prepared And some were already entred the said yard for that effect in Armour whereof I had some suspicion and therefore instantly advertised his Majesty who thereupon changed his resolution and past by the yard Gate to the Castle The next day the whole Lords as well written for as unwritten for arrived at St. Andrews the King's Lords quite without Armour the other Lords strongly Armed The Earl of Marshal and Mar and the Abbot of Dumfarmling lodged within the Castle with his Majesty where the crafty Abbot counselled the King to let none of the Lords come within the Castle accompanied with more then twelve persons He ever appeared to favour the King's intention and therefore this crafty counsel was followed The next morning the Castle was full of men and those of the contrary party being well Armed had already taken the Stair-heads and Galleries resolving again to be Masters of the King and all the rest which being too late preceived diligence was incontinently used to bring within the Castle all the Earl of March his Gentlemen with the Lairds of Dairsy Balcomy Segie Forret Barns and others with so many of the Town as were at the Provosts devotion which for that night prevented the foresaid design The Earl of Gaury was also a great stay in that matter for albeit he came thither as strong and as angry as any of the Lords yet he was advertised of the King 's good will towards him and so was drawn from the rest That dangerous day being thus past without any harm done the next day such order was taken as his Majesty was Master of the Castle following no more the said Abbot's counsel but declared his moderate intentions to all the Lords to the Fiffe Barons and Towns upon the Coast side who had been sent for and likewise to the Ministers and Masters of the Colledge Namely That albeit he had been detained against his Will for some time yet he intended not to impute it as a Crime nor to remember any thing done in his minority but that he would pass an Act of Oblivion as to all that was past satisfie the demands of the Church agree parties among whom there were differences and to carry himself to all his Subjects equally knowing none of them to bear him any evil will and that they had been driven to enterprise the thing they had done by the force of their Factious partialities using many other such words of clemency and discretion to all their contentments Thereafter he ordained four Lords two of every faction to retire them for a while to wit The Earls of Angus Bothwel Huntly and Crauford retaining all the rest about him as indifferent for his ordinary Council by whose advice he was resolved to settle his estate and thereafter to bring again to Court the whole Lords above-named Then his Majesty called for me before a number of the said Lords and gave me greater commendation and thanks then I had merited as being the only instrument under God of his liberty His Majesty caused also to make a Proclamation conform to his former promises and moderate intentions But I took no pleasure to be praised in presence of so many answering
to his Majesty That I had already displeased all those who were upon the purpose of his detention Now matters being settled in appearance and this design successfully ended some of the King's Lords who had been slow in coming and when they were come finding the Lords of the contrary Faction strong and in Armour denyed that they knew any thing of his Majesties enterprise laying the whole burthen upon Colonel Stuart and me But when they saw appearance of a prosperous success they took the matter stoutly upon them and began in plain Council to tell how long they had been upon the counsel of that enterprise with his Majesty and how long waiting for his advertisement Of a truth his Majesty was of a merciful mind and gently inclined toward all the Nobility intending to win all their hearts by his own discreet behaviour and to that effect he went first to the House of Ruthven to let the Country see that he was entirely reconciled with the Earl of Gaury Where after he had Royally entertained his Majesty he fell down upon his knees lamenting that his Majesty should have been retained in that unhappy house at his last being there which he said fell out rather by accident then deliberation only for the safety of the Earl of Arran's life Alledging that he knew no other thing then that at his Majesty's being at Dumfarmling they were minded to present him an humble Supplication asking pardon for that accidental fault which his Majesty graciously promised never to impute to him knowing how blindly he was brought upon it by the practises of others In the mean time James Stuart Earl of Arran had obtained the favour to be warded in Kinneal his own house and sent and Congratulated his Majesties liberty begging that he might have access to come and kiss his hand which was plainly resused Then he sent daily his opinion and advices to his Majesty how to proceed against divers of the Nobility and others advising to bring back to Court the Earls of Huntly and Crauford which was too easily condescended to by the Earls of Arguile and Montross only the Earl of Gaury resisted alledging that the Earls of Bothwel and Angus were put in hopes to be brought in with them or as soon as they But the equality expected was soon forgot which moved the Earl of Marshal and others to retire to their houses The Abbot of Dumfarmling remained still at Court and to curry favour of Colonel Stuart then Captain of the Guard he gave him a Purse and thirty pieces of Gold at four pound the piece which pieces the Colonel distributed to so many of the Guard who bored them and set them like Targets upon their Knapsacks and the Purse was born upon a Spear point like an Ensign The Abbot shortly after was warded in Lockleven Mr. John Colvil the Laird of Clesh and Drumwhasel were also warded by the advice of the Earl of Arran and his Wife who continually solicited his Majesty that they might come to Court And at length I was requested by his Agent James Stuart to deal with his Majesty to permit the said Earl to come again to the Court For he said that his Majesty was favourable enough and that the Earls of Arguile Huntly Crauford and Montrose had not only given their consent but that the Earls of Arguile and Montrose had said unto his Majesty that they would ride themselves and fetch him only the Earl of Gaury resisted and that the King had shewn him that he would do nothing therein without my consent and advice I answered That his Majesty needed not my consent if himself and so many Noblemen were content He replied again That his Majesty reposed more upon me at that time then upon all his Council as his Majesty had shewn him and that he would not bring him without my consent Whereupon I went unto his Majesty and shew'd him what language the Earl of Arran's Servant had to me concerning his Master's coming to Court and that his Majesty laid too great a burthen upon me to say that he would do nothing therein without my consent Thereupon his Majesty took me to the Gallary of Falkland lamenting as he had been informed the loss of many of his best friends as the Earls of Lennox Athol and Duke of Lennox And now says he They will not permit the Earl of Arran who hazarded his life to relieve me to come and see me he desired me to acquaint him what might be the occasion they hated him so much My answer was That to tell the verity perilled my self to conceal the truth indangered his Majesty He would needs know my meaning therein I said The Earl of Arran is one of the worst instruments can come about you whereof your Majesty hath had too sure a proof his mis-behaviour being the only occasion of the late interprise and if he ever be again admitted about your Majesty the like or worse will follow Thereupon its dangerous to my self to acquaint your Majesty herewith seeing it will occasion him to be my deadly Enemy if he ever get notice thereof Then his Majesty desired only to let him come and kiss his hand promising he should not tarry intreating me to deal with my Lord of Gaury that he would also grant that he might but once come to Court and he should incontinently return to his house without any stay I said I should cause him to yield to his Majesties pleasure In the mean time I took occasion to declare unto his Majesty how that many great Princes are wracked by their Ambitious Counsellors who will rule all alone taking upon them a greater burthen then they can bear for remedy whereof his Majesty should spend every day but one hour to hear a chosen number of honest Councellors reason upon his affairs then himself to give his opinion what he thinks fittest to be done as the King of France used to do Which his Majesty granted very willingly and so long as he kept that order by the ordinary Council days his turns went rightly forward The whole Lords who assisted his Majesty were of his Council Sir Robert my Brother Colonel Stuart the Laird of Seigie and my self But as soon as the Earl of Arran got access to his Majesty he not only stayed at Court against promise but also within a short time altered all this way of procedour with a design to draw the management of all publick affairs to himself At his first entry he carried himself very humbly for after he had kissed his Majesties hand he embraced me and kissed my cheek giving me many thanks in his Majesties presence alledging That the whole name of Stuarts was obliged to me for the notable service he alledged I had done his Majesty As for him he said he should never take any thing in hand but be therein directed by my Brother and me But Colonel Stuart and he spoke not together until his Majesty desired me to agree them which after much
travel I did at length At first the Colonel swore a great Oath That if his Majesty suffered that villain to remain at Court he would yet again undo all For a little time he kept himself quiet but there was no appearance of his home-going Sometimes he would reprove my gentle kind of procedure in his Majesties affairs and could not endure to see them handled by a number He insinuated to his Majesty That he would find it a troublsome business to be incumbred with many contrary opinions He desired him to recreate himself at hunting and he would attend the Council and report again at his Majesties return all our Opinions and Conclusions This he observed two or three times and so in a very short space changed the former order laid down to have been followed So that he gave accompt of no Man's advice but his own yet he made his Majesty believe that it was all our Opinions that it was his interest to follow a violent course And though the same was directly against his Majesties first Deliberation Intention and proclamation of Clemency yet he caused to make contrary Proclamations against those of the Road of Ruthven ordaining them all to take remissions for that which before was allowed for good Service moving divers Noblemen and others to withdraw from the Court for fear to some place of Security When he caused to be read before the Council his new invented Proclamation I down-right opposed my self to it saying That I knew it was directly against his Majesties mind and promise Whereupon he leapt out of the Council-house in a rage and said I would wrack the King by my manner of doings I answered either you or I my Lord with other sharp pricking language so that for that time it was stayed Afterward he waited a meet occasion to get it past having procured a flattering Faction to assist him in expectation to be made sharers of the spoil he hoped to make a part whereof he had promised them to gain their Votes to his desire And so all things were turned up-side down a great number of Noblemen and others being put thereby in fear of their Lives and Estates And when any of us who were desirous of his Majesties quiet and prosperous estate would acquaint his Majesty with the danger of these proceedings of the Earl he would be very sorry saying The Earl made him believe that he did nothing but by common consent of the Council And when his Majesty understood the contrary he was very earnest and willing to amend the disorder but was still Circumvented by the said Earl and such as for fear flattery or expectation of profit advanced all his designs About this time there came a sharp Letter from the Queen of England unto his Majesty who thought the Noblemen who were aimed at and were absent from Court fittest instruments to be about his Majesty And for entertaining of Amity and Concord betwixt their Majesties and Kingdoms she was not content to see them so hardly handled The Copy of which Letter I have here inserted AMong your many studies my dear Brother and Cousin I wish Isocrates's noble Lesson were not forgotten that wills the Emperour his Sovereign to make his Words of more accompt then other men do their Oaths as meetest Ensigns to shew the truest Badge of a Prince's Arms. It moveth me much to moan you when I behold how diversly sundry wicked Spirits abstract your mind and bend your course to crooked Paths and evil illusions wrapt under the Cloak of your best good How can it be that you can suppose an honourable and satisfactory answer can be made unto me when all your actings gainsay your former Vows You deal with one whose experience will not take dross for good payment and with one who will not be easily beguiled No no! I mind to send to School your craftiest Councellors I am sorry to find you bent to wrong your self in thinking to enjure others Yea those who if they had taken the opportunity in their hands they might have done you more prejudice then a thousand such mens lives be worth who perswade you to avow such deeds as to oblige the best deserving of your Subjects to demand a faultless Pardon Why do you forget what you wrote to my self with your own hand shewing how dangerous a course the Duke was entred in though you seemed to excuse him as if he had intended no evil therein and yet you would not make them guilty who delivered you therefrom I hope you more esteem your honour then to give it such a stain since you have so oft protested that you was resolved to notice these Lords as your most affectionate Subjects in the full perswasion that all they had done was by them intended for your advantage To conclude I beseech you proceed no further in this course till you receive an express Messenger a trusty Servant of mine by whom I intend to deal as an affectionate Sister with you as one from whom you may see you shall receive honour and contentment with more surety to your Self and State then by following the pernicious Councels of these crafty dissembling Councellours as knows the Lord to whose safe keeping I do commit you Your most Assured and Faithfullest Sister and Cousin ELIZABETH Unto this Letter his Majesty commanded me in his name to write an answer that he might write it over again with his own hand For the Secretary for the time was in suspicion to have been upon the contrary course The answer was as followeth MADAM I Have received a Letter of yours containing in the entry that sentence of Isocrates which willeth Princes Words to be more intirely observed then other Mens Oaths as though some sinister report were made unto you of some forgetfulness in me or that you fear that in time coming I fail in keeping such promises unto my friends as may be made upon just and convenient occasions For answer unto that head I remember another saying of Isocrates where he would not have them repute friends who allow or praise whatsoever we say or do but rather such who modestly reprove our faults So that I take your sharp admonition at this time as proceeding from a Sisterly love albeit upon wrong information hoping that so soon as you shall truly understand of my hard handling and patient behaviour you shall be so well satisfied as to deem me to have done nothing but that which you would have done your self in the like condition First When I was detained Captive under a fair pretext it pleased you to send your Ambassadours like as did the King of France friendly to visit me offering me great kindness and help in case I needed any for the time for which I do yet render your Majesty hearty thanks Which offer I did not think fit to embrace alledging that I was well content and had good friends about me which was very true For one part of these same Lords who were
Gentlemen of each Shire to subscribe a Signature or the Copy wherein the Road of Ruthven was allowed for good Service and to be ready to defend the same I declared also unto His Majesty that there was a common Clause contained in all Remissions to wit Except the laying hands upon the King's person so that how little secured they were by their present Remissions His Majesty might easily judge He answered That seldom or never was any Remission seen broken and wondered what made me think or speak contrary to the rest of the Council I said If I had always spoken as the rest I had not been put off the Council by the Earl of Arran whose qualities I had before described unto His Majesty and what inseparable inconveniencies would attend his being again brought into Court I requested His Majesty for his own weal to send him home to his own House For by his underhand dealing I understood that this Convention would shortly bring on new desperate enterprises His Majesty said That I was in the wrong to the Earl of Arran and that there would never be more desperate enterprises I affirmed that there would be continually ay and while the Lords who were in despair might mend themselves or find themselves in a better security I said moreover to His Majesty that the Earl of Arran would yet again put his Person and Crown in hazard so that His Majesty left me in anger And yet he turned about again and asked who shall then remain about me if I put away the Earl of Arran I answered Who but your ancient Nobility the Earls of March Arguile Eglintoun Montrose Marshal Rothess Huntly and Crauford with some Ministers and Barons known not to be factious But so many of the Noblemen and of their Friends as were yet remaining within the Country after they had heard of their Remissions they Combin'd together and gained divers Lords who were about His Majesty to make a new enterprise and were minded to slay the Earl of Arran Colonel Stuart and some others that were about His Majesty whom they knew to have been most instrumental in carrying on this design though it should be in His Majesty's presence and that way to become Masters again of the Court. Whereof I not only was advertised by some to whom I had formerly done kindnesses but I was advised to absent my self from Court four or five days till the first fury of the alteration was over For the Earl of Arran's hatred to me procured me many friends I again to save his Majesty from peril and dishonour thought it my duty to advertise him intreating him to send home the said Earl I cannot tell what moved the Earl but that same night he invited me to Supper which I refused The next day again he took me by the hand before His Majesty saying That I should Dine with him in his Majesty's presence He shewed me a very favourable countenance for the King had forbidden him to offend me in any sort as he would retain his favour If he had got any word of my contrary Opinion to his I cannot tell or that I had desired him to be sent home but there was some appearance of this by his behaviour and passionate Speeches unto me soon after that I had told my judgment unto his Majesty as men may judge for leading me by the hand to dine with him in His Majesty's presence which I could not evite Before we did sit down to Dinner he askt me how all would be I told him very freely all I had spoken unto His Majesty Then said he you would place about His Majesty the Earl of March who is a Fool guided by the Laird of Compte and Robert Sives I said he behoved to be one with the rest of the Noblemen already named He said it should pass my power or any Man's to cause him leave His Majesty so long as he was in such danger I answered That the King was in danger for no other cause but because he was with him I perceived he entertained a great discontent at me in his heart which burst out afterward Threatning to put me out of the Gates if I fished any more in his Waters I answered if I pleased to tarry it would pass his power seeing I would get more honest Men to take my part then he would get Throat-cutters to assist him So soon as His Majesty heard of this language he sent the Earl's Uncle the Laird of Caprintoun to reprove him very sharply Whereupon he retired in great discontent to the Castle of Edinbrugh whereof he was Captain declaring he would not come near his Majesty till I was sent home to give him place which I perceived His Majesty was satisfied I should do to please him For his Wife came daily to His Majesty and said That her Husband was highly discontent finding His Majesty to take my part against him Whereupon I resolved to retire At my leave-taking His Majesty said he doubted not but I would return when called for By which I understood that I should not come back till sent for Which suited very well with my former intentions being resolved to attend no longer then the foresaid Convention was ended Now the Earl of Arran triumphed being Chancellour and Captain of the Castles of Edinbrugh and Sterling He made the whole Subjects to tremble under him and every Man to depend upon him daily inventing and seeking out new faults against divers to get the gift of their Escheats Lands Benefices And to procure Bribes he vexed the whole Writers to make sure his gifts Those of the Nobility who were now unsure of their Estates fled others were banished he shot directly at the Life and Lands of the Earl of Gaury For the Highland Oracles had shewn unto his Wife that Gaury would be ruined as she told to some of her familiars But she helped that Prophesie forward as well as she could For Gaury had been his first Master and despighted his insolent Pride Oppression and Misbehaviour plainly in Council which few others durst do therefore he hated his Person and loved his Lands which at length he obtained For Gaury being unable to be a Witness of the Oppression of his Country obtained His Majesties consent to go out of the Country But as he was making his preparations too longsomly and slowly in Dundie as he was of Nature over slow where his Ship was to receive him he was advertised by some Factioners that the Earls of Angus Mar and Master of Glams had an enterprise in hand viz. To come out of Ireland and take the Town and Castle of Sterling Having correspondence with divers Nobles and others their Friends who were in the Country Malecontents so that they were in hope to make a party sufficient against the Earl of Arran The despight the Earl of Gaury had against the Earl of Arran moved him to stay to take part with them There was at this time an universal miscontent in the Country
and great bruits of an alteration Whereupon a Letter was written to me by Colonel Stuart at His Majesty's Command ordaining me with all diligence to repair to Court or in case I was not recovered of my Ague whereof I had been long sick that I might write my Mind and Opinion to His Majesty in a Letter what was like to fall out concerning the great Rumour and Bruits of an apparent alteration And being by reason of my foresaid Distemper unable for Travel I sent my return in Writing shewing His Majesty that there was an universal miscontent with great bruits not without appearance of probability of a sudden change occasioned by the misbehaviour of such as were managers at Court and by the great straits and desperate Estate of those who were pursued being men of Quality Active and Experienced And a greater number then could be born down or mastered as I had frequently shewn His Majesty before without respect of feud or favour but simply for His Majesty's Service Intreating His Majesty again to set forward his former acceptable intentions which he had resolved to do when he went to St. Andrews Seeing there was no other course advisable for setling his troubled Estate This kind of language was the better liked because of so many Advertisments that came daily to His Majesty's Ears These bruits made His Majesty be upon his Guard and to use means to get intelligence The lingring of the Earl of Gaury in Dundie gave ground of suspicion His Majesty had also been advertised That he had laid aside his intentions of going abroad according to his former resolutions and that he was designing to wait upon the in-coming of the banished Lords His Majesty also dreamed a Dream that he saw the Earl of Gaury taken and brought in Prisoner before him by Colonel Stuart And he thought his Estate was thereby settled which indeed for that time came true because the Lords who had taken Sterling so soon as they understood of the taking of the Earl of Gaury fled incontinently out of Sterling and at last out of the Country Believing that the said Earl had been taken willingly supposing his affection to have been so great to His Majesty as being his near kinsman come of the House of Angus his Mother being a Natural Daughter of the said House that he would be thereby induced to discover the whole design He not having been upon the first design of any enterprise but drawn in afterwards by the craftiness of others Upon these considerations His Majesty had compassion upon him and had no intentions of taking his Life But the Earl of Arran was fully resolved to have his Lands and therefore to make a Party to assist him in that design he ingaged to divide them with several others upon condition that they would assist him in the design of ruining him Which afterwards he did having by this means procured their Consent and Votes At his death upon the Scaffold he shewed himself a devout Christian and a resolute Roman much regrated by all who heard his grave Harangue and did see his constant End After his death there was quietness for a while though without appearance of long continuance to such as took up matters right During this little while of fair Weather there was a Parliament held to forfault the banished Lords wherein these were chiefly instrumental who hoped to raise their particular Fortunes upon the ruine of their Neighbours Among others it pleased His Majesty to write for me I was by him graciously received and remembring some of my Speeches he took me into his Cabinet and inquired how I now relished his proceedings I answered That he had reason to thank God and no good management and that I was assured there would be yet more enterprises That they who took Sterling and had retired again would never cease to make enterprise upon enterprise till they might see themselves in a better security His Majesty replied That they had gained so little by their last in-coming that he believed they would never commit such a folly again I answered That had not the accidental taking of the Earl of Gaury fallen out their enterprise would have been more successful For they suspected he was taken by his own desire to bewray their enterprise That otherwise they had gained their intent seeing some who were then about His Majesty would have concurred with them to lay aside the Earl of Arran whom they assisted for aw and not for love they hating his insolency and seeing no Outgate how to stand by him And that there had for that effect been secret promises made to them by instruments who went betwixt them But seeing the Earl of Gaury in hands and the said Lords thereby so discouraged as to fly away such as had made the said secret promises took up a new deliberation shewing themselves their greatest Enemies While in the mean time they but waited an opportunity of advancing their intentions About this time the Lord Burleigh chief Ruler in England caused send in one Mr. Davison to be an Agent here to see what business he could brew who was afterward made Secretary For after the decease of Walsingham Secretary Cicil being advanced to be Lord Burleigh and great Treasurer of England two Secretaries were chosen one called Mr. Smith and this Davison whose Predecessor was a Scotsman Upon which consideration he was thought more able to conquer credit here He had been in Scotland before and was at my house in company with Sir Henry Killegrew my old friend when he was Resident in Scotland At which time he acknowledged to me that he was come of Scotsmen and was a Scotsman in his heart and a favourer of the King 's Right and Title to the Crown of England He desired me to keep all secret from Mr. Killegrew promising if he could find the means to be employed here that he would do good Offices His Majesty was for the time at Falkland and wrote for me to be directed to ride and meet the said Davison Whom I was commanded to Convoy to Coupar there to remain till his Majesty had time to give him Audience Afterward I Convoyed him to my own house and from that to Falkland where His Majesty found his Commission to small avail But because Walsingham had refused at his being here to speak with the Earl of Arran albeit the said Earl had offered by me to give satisfaction to him in all his desires so that he would confer with him Which Walsingham still refused but Mr. Davison was directed at this time to deal with the Earl of Arran to see what advantage might be had at his hand For my Lord Burleigh was not content that Walsingham was so precise therefore Davison entred into familiarity with him and was made his Gossip and heard his frank offers and liked well of them For after that the Lords were fled to England and forfaulted the Council of England thought they had some ground to build
slaughter to be made that the Borders might break loose In this complaint the said Ambassadour was well assisted by the Master of Gray and his Companions So that the Earl of Arran was Commanded to Ward within the Castle of St. Andrews and was kept strictly there three or four days So that being in fear of his life he sent for Colonel Stuart the Laird of Segie and me and lamented to us his hard handling purging himself as he might justly do of that accident that fell out upon the Borders requesting us to intercede for his liberty He declared unto us a secret to be shewn unto His Majesty in case his life was taken from him which was a promise made unto the Queen of England That the King should not marry with any for the space of three years whereof I have formerly made some mention Nevertheless he forgot not to travel for himself for he sent his Brother Sir William to the Master of Gray at midnight promising to get unto him the Abbey of Dumfarmling so that he would obtain his liberty at His Majesty's hand Which was incontinently granted and also the said Benefice disposed unto the said Master Whereupon the English Ambassadour was in a great rage at the Master but their discord was afterward agreed Only Mr. John Maitland Secretary and the Justice Clerk and the Earl of Arran were ordered to retire home to their houses But before Arran's journey His Majesty was informed to desire him with all possible diligence to lend him a great Gold Chain which he had got from Sir James Balfour which weighed Fifty-seven Crowns to be given unto the Danish Ambassadours Which if he had refused to do he would have lost His Majesty and in delivering it he lost the Chain In the mean time the Ambassadours understanding that their dispatch was in a readiness took their leave of His Majesty who was also ready to part from St. Andrews I informed His Majesty not to deliver them the Dispatch because the Chain was not yet come For they were minded incontinently to make Sail having stayed so long and that the Winter Season was at hand Albeit that I had shewn to one of their familiar Servants that certain rewards were to come within two days praying them to stay so long Which they would not grant to do but went to their Ships Whither I promised to bring their dispatch which I requested His Majesty to cause deliver into my hand to be kept till the Chain should come which was divided in three parts for it was large When I came to their Ships they were going to Supper Which being done I delivered to them their answer in writing with the Chains and some excuses for their long stay and small reward So they parted well satisfied assuring me that they would be good instruments of Amity Albeit by the harsh usage they had first met with they had once resolved otherwise They were not commanded to speak of marriage whereof there was some groundless bruit The King their Master had fair Daughters with any whereof it was supposed the claim of Orkny would go They thanked me for the good Offices they had received from me seeing my staying them from parting discontent had preserved the two Countries from being ingaged in War Which they said they would not fail to declare unto the King their Master with whom they would not fail to make me acquainted not doubting but that the King my Master would one day say That I had done him good Service So I did take leave having rewarded the Gunners Trumpeters and Musicians At my return to Court I acquainted His Majesty that the Danish Ambassadours had set Sail for their own Country very well contented I gave him a particular accompt of all Speeches that past betwixt them and me at their parting Whereupon His Majesty took occasion shortly after to send one to Denmark offering that Commission to me which I shifted perceiving those who had His Majesty's Ear and had most Credit with him to be altogether averse from his marriage that way holding still one course with England I named Mr. Peter Young Almoner as very fit for that Errand who was sent to Denmark to thank that King and to see his Daughters that he might make report again of his liking of them with a promise That e're long His Majesty would send a more honourable Ambassage The Earl of Arran being sent home as said is the English Ambassador and his Scotch friends as the Master of Gray Secretary Maitland and the Justice Clark had chief credit and handling of His Majesty's Affairs The said Ambassadour had procured such favour and familiar access about His Majesty at all times that he was upon an enterprise to have brought in secretly the banished Lords to have fallen down upon their knees in the Park of Sterling before His Majesty at such a time as they should have so many friends in Court as that His Majesty should have remained in their hands as Masters of the Court for the time But this enterprise failed him for they durst not yet take such hazardous course till they might lay their Plots more substantially Then the said English Ambassadour interprised to transport His Majesty out of the Park of Sterling unto England And failing thereof His Majesty was to be detained by force within the Castle of Sterling Whither Companies of Men were sent to be there at an appointed day of which design my Brother Sir Robert got intelligence and told it incontinently to the King's Majesty giving him the Names of the chief enterprisers And because it came to one of their Ears who stoutly affirmed the contrary my Brother offered to maintain the truth thereof by Combat Which His Majesty would not permit because at last the person granted it to His Majesty Whereupon my Brother perswaded His Majesty with great difficulty to depart out of Sterling for ten or fifteen days and hunt at Kincairdin before the enterprise were ripe Which so soon as the Ambassadour understood he fled in great fear and haste without Good night or leave-taking of His Majesty Well instructed and furnished with the promises of such as had assisted him in our Court to perswade the Noblemen who were banished in England to come home where they should find friends enough before them at Court to put His Majesty in their hands The Master of Gray also absented himself and went to Dunkel and there remained with the Earl of Athol And upon some bruits of enterprises there was a Proclamation set out in His Majesty's Name by such as had his Ear to purchase to themselves the more Credit to be true and careful Councellors to His Majesty Which Proclamation was afterward delayed by craft that the banished might prevent the day and come in and get the King in their hands whereby they might discharge the Proclamation at their pleasure In the mean time I received a Letter to be at His Majesty with all possible
diligence and another from the Earl of Arran intreating me to accompany him from Kinneal to the Court But I went to His Majesty strait whither also the said Earl came that same night For he had procured liberty to return again to Court and remain about His Majesty At my coming to Sterling I had intelligence from a very sure hand That the said Lords were already at the entry of the Borders assisted by my Lord Hamiltoun my Lord Maxwel my Lord Bothwel my Lord Hume and sundry others who had not formerly joined with them Also the Earl of Athol the Laird of Tillibardine Buccleugh Cesfoord Coudingknows Drumlanrick and others who were in greatest credit about His Majesty were to join with them at their in-coming Whereof I advertised His Majesty and Colonel Stuart who undertook to ride unto the Borders and overthrow them before they were wholly Convened together which might very probably have been effectuated if the design had not been craftily disappointed by such as were about His Majesty who appeared to set forward the Colonel's enterprise to please His Majesty and to conquer credit saying They would write to Coudinknows Buccleugh Cesfoord and such others to assist him Whom they knew to be upon the contrary Faction already so that the design of scattering them was rendered by that Craft ineffectual And because I perceived the crasty intention and that they feared I would therewith acquaint His Majesty they caused His Majesty to send me a forged Errand to Dunkel that they might the better bring their purpose to pass without any contradiction The pretext of my Commission was to cause the Earl of Athol to stay at home and not to join with the Lords who were to come shortly to Sterling And by the way I was to deliver a Letter to the Baylies of St. Johnstoun to be upon their Guards and not to suffer any of the King's Enemies to come within their Town The Bayliffs inquired of me what if the Earl of Athol and Master of Gray would desire to come within their Town I said They might let themselves enter with Ten in Company but no more They alledged That their Letter specified not that I told them That was committed to me by mouth the Conclusion of my Letter willing them to credit me When I came to Dunkel I knew that the Earl of Athol would not stay for me who had a Thousand Men in readiness to take the Town of St. Johnstoun and to come thence to Sterling with the Master of Gray who was yet with him But however I told him that the Collonel Stuart was gone with Forces to defeat the Lords at their entry into the Country before they might be joined together And that therefore he would do well to lye at home till he might understand the issue of the said enterprise If that took effect it would be folly to him to march forward and if it did not succeed he might do as his heart served him He thought this Counsel good desiring me to write unto His Majesty for a License to him and his to remain at home which I did In the mean time the Master of Gray was sent for to Court the Ports of the Town of Pearth being refused to his Men who were come out of Angus to assist him At his returning to Court he was as great with His Majesty as ever he was remaining with him within the Castle of Sterling Where there were two Factions who discovered themselves so soon as they saw the Malecontents and banished Lords draw near unto the Town of Sterling Whither they came to the number of Three Thousand and entred unto the Town without stop His Majesty inclined most to the Faction who brought in the said Lords who advised His Majesty to send some down to the Town to Commune and Compound matters Which was at length Agreed upon and Concluded That His Majesty should remain in their hands that no rigour should be used to those who were about him So that those who were mediators appeared to be good Instruments and stayers of Blood-shed For Arran was escaped and fled at their first entry But Colonel Stuart only with Ten or Twelve gave them such a charge in the midst of the narrow part of the Town that a little more help might have put them in great disorder For the most part of their South-land Men were busie spoiling Horse and Goods The Lords when they came into His Majesty's presence fell down upon their knees humbly begging pardon Adding That the hard handling by Arran and other partial Persons about His Majesty had compelled them upon plain necessity and for their last refuge to take the boldness to come in Arms for the surety of their Lives and Lands being ever humbly minded to serve His Majesty and obey him The King again like a Prince full of Courage and Magnanimity spoke unto them pertly and boastingly as though he had been Victorious over them calling them Traitours and their enterprise plain Treason Yet said he in respect of your necessity and in hope of your good behaviour in time-coming he should remit their faults And the rather because they had used no vengeance nor cruelty at their in-coming In the mean time His Majesty committed and recommended the keeping of the Earls of Montrose and Crauford unto my Lord Hamiltoun And the keeping of Colonel Stuart unto my Lord Maxwel These three were for a time in some danger because they had too violently espoused Arran's interest The rest of His Majesty's Servants were over-lookt Sir Robert my Brother and his Son were both courteously used This moderate behaviour of the Lords conquered daily more and more favour from His Majesty They pressing him in nothing but by humble Intercession of such as formerly had his Ear. A Parliament was proclaimed at Lithgow for their restitution whither His Majesty was convoyed to pass his time at Hunting thereby to Recreat his Spirits Many Noblemen and others were written for to come unto the said Parliament Among the rest the Earl of Athol to whom I had been sent and with whom I was at the Lords coming to Sterling Where I was waiting upon an answer from His Majesty of the Letter which the Earl of Athol had desired me to write as said is When I came to kiss His Majesty's hand I was gladly made welcome His Majesty alledging That I was Corbie's Messenger I answered That my absence with the Earl of Athol had saved all my own Horse and the Town of St. Iohnstoun untaken and had kept the said Earl from assisting with the rest So that if those who had remained at Sterling with him had kept the South as well as I had done the North their Horse had been safe as well as mine was His Majesty said That God had turned all to the best For he had been before made believe that he would be in danger of his life in case these Noblemen had ever any more power about him And yet though
He therefore desired us to sit down and advise how he might best put remedy to things by-past and prevent such inconveniencies in time coming seeing he had determined hereafter to repose most upon our Council Our answer to His Majesty was That we had great reason to render His Majesty most humble thanks for the favourable opinion he entertained of us which we should endeavour to deserve and were very sorry for the displeasure His Majesty had taken praying His Majesty to take patience seeing that as he had always reposed upon God and not Man that the same God would mend his Estate as he had oft-times done before That our care should be presently how to receive the Queen honourably who was upon the Sea we daily looking for her landing and next how to treat and reward the Noblemen of Denmark Her Majesties Convey That being done and they returned back to their Country it would be best time to take order with the Affairs of the Kingdom conform to His Majesty's desire with the concurrence of so many of the Council as His Majesty had found most faithful and least factious But we did not think fit to take upon us the whole burthen in respect that hath been always the chief cause of the wrack of Scots Kings especially of all His Majesty's own troubles in laying the whole burthen of his Affairs upon any one or two who most commonly for greediness and ambition abuse good Princes and few or none dare controul them for fear of their great Authority and Credit The Chancellour being advertised of His Majesty's discontent and displeasure as said is made preparation to go off the Country and caused it come to His Majesty's Ears that he would Sail himself and bring home the Queen with him And that they were all but Triflers who were with her He forgot not to Anoint the hands of some who were most familiar with His Majesty to interpret this his design so favourably that it made the King forget all by-gones and by little and little he informed him so well of the said Voyage and the great charges he had bestowed upon a fair and swift sailing Ship that His Majesty was moved to take the Voyage himself and to sail in the same Ship with the Chancellour with great secrecy and short preparation making no Man privy thereto but such as the Chancellour pleased and such as formerly had all been upon his Faction He had also heard an incling of a word That His Majesty in the time of his high displeasure had said That he would lay the burthen of his Affairs upon my Brother and me whereat he had a great envy and despight and was the cause why His Majesty made me not privy to his Voyage He was very discontent when His Majesty had appointed my said Brother Robert to be left Vice-Chancellour and Convene the Council in His Majesty's absence to hold hand with the Duke of Lennox my Lord Hamiltoun Bothwel and other Noblemen with the Officers of the Crown and to Rule the Country in His Majesty's absence Three other Ships sailed with His Majesty wherein was the Justice Clerk Carmichal the Provost of Lincludin Sir William Kieth George Hume Iames Sandiland with all His Majesty's Ordinary Servants The weather was rough enough for it was in the beginning of Winter But the last day was so extream stormy that they were all in great hazard but His Majesty landed that same night at in Norway where the Queen was abiding the turning of the Wind and where he accomplished his marriage in person But he could not be perswaded to return to Scotland that Wiuter by reason of the raging Seas and storm he had sustained a little before The Queen and Council of Denmark being advertised that His Majesty was resolved to abide all that Winter sent and requested him to come to Denmark Whither he went by Land with the Queen his new bride and behaved himself honourably and liberally by the way and at the Court of Denmark where he tarried during his abode there But the Company who were with His Majesty put him to great trouble to agree their continual janglings strife pride and partialities The Earl of Marshal by reason that he was an ancient Earl and had been employed in this honourable Commission thought to have the first place next unto His Majesty so long as he was there The Chancellour by reason of his Office would needs have the preheminence There were also contentions betwixt him and the Justice Clark The Constable of Dundie and my Lord Dingwal could not agree about place George Hume did quietly shoot out William Kieth from his Office of Master of the Wardrobe At length they were all divided into two Factions The one for the Earl of Marshal the other for the Chancellour who was the stronger because the King took his part So that the Chancellour triumphed and being yet in Denmark devised many Reformations to be made and new Forms and Customs to be set forward at His Majesty's return As to have no Privy Council but the Exchequer and the Nobility to be debarred from it Sundry of the Lords of the Session to be put out who he judged had no dependence upon him and others his Creatures put in their room He caused a Proclamation to be pen'd which was sent home to be proclaim'd before His Majesty's return That none of the Nobility should come to Court not being sent for and then to bring with them six persons and no more Likewise every Baron to bring but four Likewise he resolved to cause Ward such as had been unruly and disobedient during His Majesty's absence as the Earl Bothwel the Lord Hume and divers Borderers and Highland Men. The next Spring His Majesty came home and Landed at Lieth well accompanied with the Admiral of Denmark and divers of the Council and many other Gentlemen All whom His Majesty treated honourably and after the Queens Coronation they were magnificently rewarded with more then twelve Golden Chains and many Medals of Gold with His Majesties Picture His Majesty at his landing was pleased to send to me to bear them company which I did until their parting to His Majesty's great contentment In the mean time the Earl of Worcester was sent Ambassadour from England to Welcome and Congratulate both their Majesties with some Presents unto the Queens Majesty Upon whom I was commanded by His Majesty to attend diligently all the time of his being here and at his parting he was presented with a Ring of seven great Diamonds He parted well satisfied and so did all his Company His Majesty was pleased at leasure to declare unto me his whole Voyage and proceedings during his absence He said that he wished that I had been sent alone Ambassadour to Denmark in place of the Earl of Marshal and the two who were joined with him he was so ill informed of the said Earl I answered That I understood that the Earl for his part had behaved himself
themselves Yet they began to do better than any had done before them but they continued not but divided among themselves after they had divided the Offices of the Crown to every man one Whereas at the first they had given forth that they should plant mean responsible men in the said Offices and they all too but Controulers of the said Officers So that many began to grudge against them seeing them become in a sudden rich And perceiving their great backs the whole Subjects and His Majesty 's own Domesticks to follow and depend upon them and His Majesty to pass through the Streets with three or four as forsaken because none hoped any more for reward at his hands but so much as might be had for serving and depending upon the said Eight Lords They became also hated and envied partly for the Causes specified as also there was great ground of jealousie that they were intending the establishment of Popery So that there was a Rebellion raised in Edinburgh against them in His Majesty's presence upon which they fled out of the Town and since durst never take upon them the whole Government but were content to be joined with a number of Noblemen and others of the Council to the number of twenty four But the greatest part of the Noblemen did not attend but came when they were written for to the Conventions as formerly they used So all this new device turned to the old sicut antea You have heard how that His Majesty was advised at his returning from Denmark to imprison such as were given up to have been most unruly during his absence But being returned even some of those who had advised the said Warding were the first who gave advertisement to those who were to be Warded not without some profit for their reward to the great discontentment of some of their Associates Which loosed the bond which was made at Denmark by the Chancellour and his Faction and caused every one of that number to go sundry and to do for themselves So that all their Plots and devices turned to change some of the Session but there was no concurrence and so it stopped of it self The Officers of the Exchequer continued a while to be the only Council And the Nobility when they came were kept at the door I having at that time the honour to be one of the Exchequer took the freedom to acquaint His Majesty that the Nobility would be offended at such usage which was so manifest a slight I said it would do no prejudice to cause them come in they being great men as my L. Hamiltoun my L. Maxwel and others of principal note But His Majesty of his own nature was not changeable from the order laid down by them he liked and reposed upon Yet of my own accord I went forth of the Chamber and told the Noblemen That His Majesty was upon the ordering of his Accompts and Rents and the daily Expences of his House that he was asham'd they should see the Estate thereof which was the cause they were suffered to stand without This little excuse was somewhat satisfactory to them But that Order was also soon altered Concerning the reducing of the Highlands and Isles three of the Principals as Maclean Macdonel and Donald Gorin were subtilly drawn to the Court by the Chancellour who understood of the differences among them Every one of them being by him put in hope to get his hand above his Enemy But at their coming they were all three Warded in the Castle of Edinburgh to their great astonishment For they had each of them committed such foul murthers under trust that it was horrible to rehearse Being therefore apprehensive of their Lives they dealt largely of their ill won Gold to those who had most Credit nevertheless to terrifie them the more to draw more from them they were put to an Assize and Convict of Treason Which caused them to redouble their gifts to the Guiders but not to the King In such sort that there was an agreement betwixt His Majesty and them that they should give pledges that they should pay yearly unto His Majesty twenty thousand marks for the Lands of the property whereof they had no security Of the which they had of yearly Rent as was given in to the Exchequer two hundred and fifty thousand Marks This was all given them for twenty thousand Marks And whereas before they had no right nor security but a forcible possession they obtained sure infeosments by Charter Seisin and the Great Seal and a remission of their foul Crimes But shortly after their Pledges who were kept in the Blackness for giving a small Sum were released and so the twenty thousand Marks was lost and never payed Here was a good Prince ill used and abused and the half of his Rents robbed from him his God offended by sparing to do justice upon such bloody Tyrants who acknowledged neither God nor the King I had advised His Majesty to go himself to the Isles to build a Fort there and to remain two years till all things were order'd shewing His Majesty that the Kings of Scotland were never rich since they left the High-lands to dwell in the Low-lands but have ever since diminished their Rents and increased their superfluous expences in Dyet and Clothing following the Customs of other Nations Which His Majesty after inquiry found to be most true and His Majesty was resolved to follow the said advice and I had promised to go with him but all was altered by the former misrule Matters thus carried on many began to lose hope of amendment or to see the Reformation promised and expected lamenting to see a good King so ill Councelled Yet this time His Majesty sent for me and at my coming to Falkland where the Court remained for the Summer Season it pleased His Majesty to tell me how that at his coming out of Denmark he had promised to the Queen and Council there to place about the Queens Majesty his Bed-fellow good and discreet Company which he had left too long undone That at length having advised with himself he thought me the fittest man to commit that charge to desiring me not to refuse the just calling of my Prince wherein I might serve as in a lawful Vocation hecause such as ordinarily suit for Service at Court or for any Office do it for their own profit but they are more profitable for Pinces that are sought after and are chosen for their qualities I know says he That you would gladly live at home in your own house with contentment of mind which you think is not to be had in the troublesome alterations in Court But you know that a man is not born for himself only but also for the weal of his Prince and Country And whereas your continual on-waiting will be chargeable and expensive to you and hindersome to your own Affairs at home I shall ordain sufficient entertainment for your present relief and recompence for
rounded in my Ear to declare her answer to the Ambassadour of the States of Holland Then every one of them by order gave their Presents The Jewels of Perecious Stones the Queen received in her own hand and then delivered them unto me to put them again in their Cases and lay them upon a Table which was prepared in the mids of the Chamber to set them upon The Queen of England's had a great show being a fair Cupboard of Silver overguilt cunningly wrought and some Cups of massy Gold The Ambassadour of the States presented a Golden Box wherein was written in Parchment in Letters of Gold A gift of a yearly Pension to the Prince of five thousand _____ by year with great Cups of massy Gold two especially which were so weighty that it was all that I could lift them and set them down upon the said Table I leave it to others to set down the weight and value But I say these which were of Gold which should have been kept in store to posterity were soon melted and disposed But if they had been preserved as they ought to have been those who advised to break them would have wanted their part All these Ambassadours being dispatched and well rewarded those of Denmark were advised by John Lindsay of Monmuire to cause with all diligence send new Ambassadours to require the Contract of marriage made in Denmark to be fulfilled Alledging that the Chancellour who had made it had left out the Rents of the Abby of Dumfarmling fraudfully and had taken in fee to himself all the Lordship of Mussilburgh For this end two Ambassadours were sent from Denmark upon whom I was appointed to attend to see them well entertained As they were well instructed so they happened upon a meet time for the Chancellour was for the time decourted and my Brother was Ambassadour for his Majesty in England So the Chancellour was caused to renounce his part And because my Brother Sir Robert was absent young Sir Robert his Son and I obliged us that his part which was 13 Chalders of Victual should be also renounced at his return which was accordingly done His Majesty promised to him as much heritage in an other part in respect that his gift was obtained long before the Contract of marriage Divers others who had portions of these Lands were likewise compelled to renounce either voluntarily or by a new Law made for that effect FINIS AN Alphabetical Table OF THE Principal MATTER contained in this BOOK A ABot of Dumfarmling is sent by the King's Lords to meet the Earl of Lennox in his passage to England p. 106. His Message to the Queen and her Answer thereunto ibid. Hastens to the King at St. Andrews where he behaves himself with great dissimulation 135. Endeavours by Gold to curry favour with Colonel Stuart 137. Is after Imprisoned in Lockleven ibid. Admiral of France his death conspired by Captain Charry p. 38. but being discovered is killed by Monsieur Chattelier ibid. Ambassadors sent from Denmark three joined together in Commission to King James arrive in Scotland p. 162. Their Commission and Demands ill usage and delays visited by Mr. Wotton who was very kind to them ibid. Upon his instigation they inform his Majesty of Reflections upon their Master by his Subjects and of their rudeness p. 163. The Ambassadours slight the Earl of Arran having known him in Denmark but a private Soldier ibid. Are Banquetted in his Majesties name 165. Take leave of his Majesty 166. Part well satisfied after they had received their Presents on Ship-board from the hands of the Author James Melvil p. 167. Promising to be good instruments of Amity ibid. Ambassadours arrive in Scotland from several parts upon the birth of Prince Henry p. 202. Their several rich Presents to the Queen at that time p. 204. Are all dispatcht and well rewarded ibid. Areskine Alexander the Governour of King James during his Minority p. 125. Is made Master of Mar. p. 126. Arran Earl see James Stuart Athol Earl made Chancellour p. 126. Hath 1000 men ready to take St. Johnstoun but being dissuaded from it by the Author desires him to write to his Majesty for a License for him and his to remain at home p. 169. Which he did and procur'd for him ibid. Is written unto to come to the Parliament at Lithgow p. 170. Atry Lord Uncle to the Earl of Marshal nominated by the King's Council to go Ambassadour to Denmark with the Author to Treat about the King's Marriage p. 177. Comes to Court but finds the Council not so earnest as his Majesty p. 177 and 178. Returns home excusing himself as sickly and Aged p. 178. Aubonie Lord returns from France p. 127. Being the King's Favourite ibid. is made Lord Dalkieth and after Duke of Lennox 128. A short Character of him ibid. led by evil Counsel to dangerous courses p. 131. Understanding that his Majesty was in the hands of the other Lords he retires to Dumbartoun p. 132. Passeth through England to France p. 133. And dies shortly after ibid. B BAlfour Sir James Captain of Edinburgh Castle p. 81. delivers the Castle of Edinburgh to the Laird of Grange p. 90. Is taken out of his own House and committed by the Regent's order p. 100. Wins the Regent's familiars with Gold p. 102. Balnears Henry turns from the Protestant to the Popish Religion p. 7. And by the perswasion of Abbot Pally breaks the intended Match between Prince Edward and Mary Queen of Scots ibid. Barnbarrow Laird sent Ambassadour to Denmark upon the Author's refusal p. 176. Returns with his Fellow-Commissioner their Power being insufficient having no Commission to conclude ibid. Bassingtoun a Learned Scots-man and Travellour his Story concerning the Affairs of England and Scotland p. 92. Bastien a French-man at the Banquet after the Baptism of King James devised a Machine that gave great distate and disturbance p. 76 and 77. Beaton David Cardinal makes King James the Fifth's Will when dying which he dictated which was therefore annulled p. 6. is slain in his Castle at St. Andrews p. 7. by the complotting of Sir George Douglas c. ibid. Bedford Earl one of Queen Mary's surest Friends in England p. 76. Arrives in Scotland with several other Persons of Quality ibid. departs and they are all rewarded 77. desires the Author to beseech the Queen to entertain the King as formerly and not to slight him ibid. Bettancourt Master of the Houshold to the Queen Regent of Scotland brings instructions to destroy Hereticks p. 24. which she observes being menaced ibid. Bishop of St. Andrews designed Ambassadour for England p. 194. Disdained and dishonoured in England p. 150. The reason ibid. Is nominated to be sent Ambassadour to Denmark p. 176. Bishop Thomas a Scotsman sends a Letter from England to the Authour about the report of the Queen's marriage with her Husband's Murtherer together with his Character disswading her from it p. 79. Which he shew'd the Queen and was forced to
the Castle of Edinburgh p. 174. Desires a Commission to go Ambassador for England but is denied ibid. The Council of England conclude to take away the life of Mary Queen of Scotland Prisoner in England p. 171. Falsly alledging that She practiced against the State p. 172. Think fit to secure his Majesty in Scotland in the hands of the Banished Lords that so they might seek his life or keep him a perpetual Prisoner but herein prove defeated ibid. Fall down upon their knees with many of the Nobility Alledging that her life as well as their lives and fortunes was in hazard by reason of the practises of Queen Mary ibid. Received the Summons from Secretary Davison and give her warning to prepare for Death the Night before ibid. A Council Conven'd about the dissention of several Lords p. 200. De Crook Monsieur is sent Ambassador to the French King from Scotland with a Letter about the foulness of the Murther of their King p. 82. Receives an Answer from the Lords with a resolution to use all diligence to detect the Murtherers ibid. Crauford Captain Accuseth Secretary Lidington of the Murther of the late King of Scots p. 100. He being at that time Servant to the Earl of Lennox Alledging his Commission for so doing from the said Earl his Master p. 110. Crauford Lord is Committed to the Custody of the Lord Hamiltoun p. 170. Cunningham James Captain a discreet Man Servant to the Lord of Marr then Regent in Scotland p. 115. D DArnly Son to the Earl of Lennox a Handsom Beardless Lady-fac'd Man p. 48. Procures a License from the Queen of England to go to Scotland p. 53. His intention therein ibid. Proposeth a Marriage to Queen Mary who refuseth a Ring he presented to her p. 56. Which the Queen seems to disrelish ibid. Becomes acquainted with Rixio who was his great Friend to the Queen of Scots ibid. Finds the Queen cold in her favours after her confinement upon the murther of Rixio p. 66. Follows the Queen though slighted whithersoever she went p. 77. Goes to Glascow falls sick being suspected to have poison given him by a Servant of his own ibid. Is brought from thence to Edinburgh to recover his health p. 78. Dies and how ibid. Davison is sent Agent into Scotland and afterward made Secretary to Queen Elizabeth p. 157. Professeth himself a Scot ibid. Remains at Coupar till he had Audience which he had at Falkland ibid. But proves deceitful p. 158. Returns to England ibid. Receives the written Summons for the Execution of Queen Mary with a strict charge not to deliver it without her express Command p. 172. But being deceived by the Council of England delivers it ibid. For which he is Committed to the Tower by Queen Elizabeth for disobeying her orders upon that account p. 175. Dingual Lord is sent to King James for a License to return or a Commission to conclude the Match with Denmark p. 179. Finds his Majesty at Aberdeen the Chancellour and most part of the Council being absent p. 180. So that he obtained a full power to conclude the said Match ibid. Dosel Monsieur Lieutenant in Scotland for the French King p. 24. a passionate Man p. 25. Douglas Archibald is cleansed of the late King's murther in Scotland p. 174. Frequents the Court familiarly ibid. returns to England to remain Ambassadour there ibid. Hath great reputation with Mary Queen of Scotland yet injureth her Cause in England and is discharged of his Embassy upon the Arrival of Sir Robert Melvil in England ibid. Douglas George the Natural Son of the Lord Angus enters the King's Closet with the Lord Ruthven the Queen being present and with the King's Dagger struck him p. 64. And afterwards drew him into the outer Hall and kill'd him p. 65. Conveys the Queen to Lockleven as a Captive to the King's Lords p. 90. Hath the House of the Castle delivered to him p. 121. Douglas Sir George desires to have the Commission for Ambassadour to Spain p. 175. But is denied ibid. Douglas James the Natural Son of the Earl of Mortoun p. 127. Kills the Earl of Arran in Revenge of his Uncle's death the Earl of Mortoun 200. Drake Sir Francis by a stratagem of a Ship full of Powder with a burning Link fires the Spanish Navy and discomfits them p. 176. Drumhafel Laird Master of King James his Houshold when young p. 125. Draws the Earl of Arguile and Athol to Sterling p. 126. Is discharged out of Court ibid. Assures the Earl of Grange that the Duke of Lennox designed to kill him p. 131. though it prov'd false p. 133. Is imprison'd by the procurement of the Earl of Arran and his Lady p. 137. Du Bartas Monsieur famous for his French Poesie arrives in Scotland p. 176. Proposeth a marriage with the King of Scots and the Princess of Navarre ibid. Resides at Falkland with the King p. 177. Dundee Earl is sent one of the Ambassadours to Denmark about the King's marriage p. 179. Dudly Lord Robert afterward made Earl of Leicester is proposed by Mr. Randolph as a fit Match for Mary Queen of Scotland p. 40. E EAster Weems Laird goes with a Commission to England and France p. 203. Is a Pensioner to the French King ibid. Elizabeth Queen of England sends Instructions to Mr. Randolph her Ambassadour in Scotland to propose the Lord Robert Dudly as a fit Match for Mary Queen of Scotland p. 40. Disrelisheth the proposal of a Match between Queen Mary and Charles the Arch-Duke of Austria p. 41. Which appears by her sending the Earl of Sussex to the Emperor's Court to draw on the marriage of the Arch-Duke with her self ibid. This occasion'd grudges between the Two Queens of England and Scotland p. 42. She designs Darnly for Queen Mary's Husband ibid. Creates the Lord Robert Dudly Earl of Leicester and Baron of Denbigh p. 47. Is distemper'd with a Fever insomuch that her life is question'd p. 67. Disturbed at the Birth of the Prince Queen Mary's Son p. 69. Yet promiseth to be Gossip to him by proxy of Lords and Ladies p. 70. Upon her fair promises Queen Mary flies to England but she would not see her though she often desired it p. 92. Causeth her to be kept Prisoner till she lost her life after a tedious confinement ibid. Is Reproached by the Ambassadours of Foreign Princes for her unprincely dealing with Queen Mary p. 93. Having obtained her desires upon the Accusation of Queen Mary received great content having now matter sufficient to shew Foreign Ambassadours why she detained the Queen p. 97. Is glad of the Queen's dishonour yet sends privately to comfort her upon her false Accusation ibid. Her Answer to the Abbot of Dumfarmling upon his Propositions p. 106. Sends an Ambassadour to the King of Scots when confin'd offering him her Assistance p. 132. Sends a sharp Letter to King James p. 139. The Contents thereof p. 140. Receives intelligence of a Magnificent Embassy from Denmark to
by the shiver of a Spear engaging with the Earl of Montegomery at the Iustings of his Daughter's Marriage with the King of Spain p. 28. And dies Eight days after ibid. Henry Prince King James his first Son born at Sterling 202. Herreis Lord is Imprisoned in the Castle of Edinburgh p. 101. Hume George turns William Kieth out of his place of Master of the Wardrobe when King James was in Denmark p. 182. Being Knighted is made Master of the Wardrobe p. 198. Hume Lord takes part with the Hamiltouns and Queens Faction p. 106. With whom the Regent Mortoun durst not meddle standing in awe of his Party p. 122. Dies shortly after being a Prisoner in Edinburgh Castle ibid. Hunsdon Earl hath a Conference on the Borders with the Earl of Arran p. 158. Contrives a secret Plot ibid. Huntley Earl is Chief of the new Faction about his Majesty p. 175. Endeavours to turn out the Master of Gray and Martland the Chancellor ibid. Procures the Gift of the Benefice of Dumfarmling ibid. Great disorders occasioned by the Dissention between him and other Earls p. 200. Is sent home hereupon p. 201. Triumphs and takes advantage of the Earl of Murray's Lands giving him just cause of Complaint ibid. Kills the Earl of Murray ibid. I JAmes the Fifth of Scotland his resolute Speech to the Prelates p. 4. Gives the Ward and Marriage of Kelly in Angus to the Second Son of the Lord Grange ibid. Gives ear to the Clergy to put off the Convention with King Henry the 8th at York ibid. Is forced to raise an Army to defend his Country upon that account p. 6. Is much troubled at the Defeat of his Army and useth severe Language against the Prelates who fearing his displeasure poison him with an Italian Posset ibid. His Character p. 7. James Lord Prior of St. Andrews the Natural Son of James the Fifth p. 25. Hears of Queen Mary's Resolution to return to Scotland and goes to France to request it p. 31. Returns to Scotland to prepare them for her Reception ibid. James the Sixth King born p. 69. When of Age he causeth the Heirs of the Lord Grange to be restored p. 123. Orders his bones to be taken up and honourably buried at Killingborn ibid. Is brought up at Sterling by Alexander Areskine and the Layd Mar p. 125. Hath Four Masters their Character ibid. The Earl of Mortoun being deposed he takes the Government into his own hands p. 128. Is surprised by the Lords in the House of Huntingtoun p. 132. Is conveyed afterward to Sterling and there retained ibid. Laments his mishandling during that Captivity ibid. Invites by Letters some of the Nobility to a Convention p. 133. Goes from Falkland to St. Andrews some few days before the Convention to the Earl of March p. 135. Thinks himself there at liberty ibid. Lodgeth in an old Inn there ibid. Becomes Master of the Castle p. 136. And declares his moderate intentions toward all the Lords ibid. Orders 4 Lords to retire and retains the rest as his Council ibid. Causeth a Proclamation to be made according to his moderate intentions p. 137. Returns the Author thanks as the only instrument of procuring his liberty ibid. Is gently inclined to all the Nobility and Treated particularly by the Earl of Gaury ibid. Solicits the Author to prevail with the Lord Gaury that the Earl of Arran might come to Court and kifs his hand p. 138. Promising he should not stay there ibid. Sends a Letter in Answer to Queen Elizabeth's p. 140. The Contents thereof p. 140 141 and 142. His Majesty is taken again p. 142. Gives Secretary Walsingham Audience p. 147. Sends a Letter to Queen Elizabeth promising not to bring again the Earl of Arran into Court p. 148. Is taken at the Road of Ruthven p. 149. And retain'd Captive ibid. Takes little care to prevent inconveniences yet obtains his liberty ibid. Assures the Author that he would Convene a Council of Lords at Edinburgh p. 150. His Dream concerning the Earl of Gaury p. 156. Writes for Melvil the Author to come and advise him p. 157. As also to come and entertain Wotton being sent to him by the Queen of England p. 159. Whom he loved before he saw by reason of the advantageous Character which the Master of Gray gave him ibid. Orders the Author to entertain the Danish Ambassadours 162. And because they were three in Commission wisheth him to choose two more to accompany him which he did ibid. Gives them Audience at Dumfarmling and is much dissatisfied at their ill handling ibid. Grows impatient to hear the Author speak against Wotton p. 164. Acquaints the Author that he was informed the King of Denmark's Descent was from Merchants ibid. But after he was informed of the truth he sends for the said Ambassadors p. 165. Promiseth them a speedy dispatch to their satisfaction ibid. Orders a Banquet for them is hindred from being present at it but being informed how matters stood goes thither and drinks to the King Queen and Ambassadors of Denmark to their great content p. 166. causeth their dispatch to be ready according to promise ibid. Sends to the Earl of Arran for a great Gold Chain which he got from Sir James Balfour to present it to the Three Ambassadors which was done accordingly ibid. Sends to agree with the Banished Lords at their coming to Sterling p. 169. Where it was agreed his Majesty should be in their hands and no rigour used to those about him ibid. Calls them Traytors at first but after grants them a Pardon ibid. Acknowledgeth the Earl of Arran to have been a bad Minister of State and that he should never be readmitted to Court p. 170. Hears the news of his Mothers Execution which highly displeas'd him p. 173. Convenes a Parliament desiring the Assistance of his Subjects ibid. When he at first hears they were about the Conviction of his Mother he sent Two Ambassadors on her behalf ibid. Sends for the Author to prepare him to go Ambassador to England ibid. Goes to the Western Borders to reform some disorders between the Maxwels and Johnstouns p. 175. Resolves to wait an opportunity to revenge his Mothers Death rather then trouble the Peace of the Kingdom of England ibid. Is Courted in Marriage by many great Princes p. 177. Asks Council of God by Prayer Fifteen days and then resolves to Marry the King of Denmark's Daughter ibid. Makes choice of the Author to go Ambassador to Denmark ibid. Perswades him to undertake that Embassy p. 178. Consents that his Brother the Lord Yungland should be joyned in Commission with him and gives him Commission by word of mouth ibid. Is angry-with the Author p. 179. Is advised to send to Queen Elizabeth to desire her Consent to his Marriage with Denmark ibid. Her Answer thereunto ibid. Is incensed with his Council for Voting against that Marriage ibid. Deals privately with those at Edinburgh to threaten the Council and Chancellor menacing him with Death if
p. 198. Is threatned with death by the Captain of the Guards p. 199. But the Queen stood his Friend ibid. Sends his Servant to acquaint the King with Bothwel's Conspiracy against him in Falkland for which he is derided p. 202. Sir Robert is sent Ambassadour to England from King James p. 204. Mortoun Earl is challenged to fight by Lord Herreis upon the account of the King's death p. 100. Appoints 4 men to kill Grange at the entrance of the Regent's Lodgings without the Regent's privity p. 101. Has a great Faction in the Country though disappointed of the Regency p. 116. But is made Regent after the decease of the Earl of Mar by the assistance of England p. 118. Promiseth to the Agreement with the Lords of the Castle of Edinburgh but steers another course p. 120. Anticipates the Marshal of Berwick and gets an Answer from the Queen of England to have the Prisoners taken at Edinburgh Castle and a Commission for their Execution before he could send p. 121. Triumphs a while being with great Assistance from England p. 123. His whole study is to gain riches from England and Scotland p. 123. Of which England too late repented ibid. Holds the Country in a more setled Estate then it had been in for many years p. 124. Grows proud despiseth the Nobility commits several wrongs and prosecutes several Lords ibid. exposeth the Earl of Orkny to great hardship p. 126. Yields easily to his deposition from the Regency retiring to Lockleven ibid. But by his designs gets in again to be Master of the Court ibid. Is Accused by James Stuart of the late King's Murther p. 127. Is condemned at the Assize for it 128. And dies resolutely ibid. Murray Earl takes part with Bothwel p. 201. And is kill'd at his own House Murray Lord and Bedford meet at Berwick about the marriage of Queen Mary with Leicester p. 53. With slenderer offers then expected from him ibid. Murray being one of the banished Lords is sent for from Newcastle and re-entertain'd by the Queen p. 65. Retires from Court p. 78. Obtains leave to go to France before the Queen married Bothwel p. 80. Is appointed by the Queen first Regent of the young Prince p. 85. Whereupon he is sent for from France by the Lords ibid. Accepts the Regency of the Prince after a Refusal p. 87. Enters at first sight upon such injurious Reproaches of her Majesty as were like to break her heart ibid. Takes the Forts and Castles into his hands p. 90. Clears the Borders of Thieves and holds Iustice in Evre ibid. Goes to England accompanied with many Lords to accuse Queen Mary p. 93. Is privately dissuaded from it by the Duke of Norfolk p. 94 and 95. 'T is agreed that he shall by no means proceed in that Accusation p. 95. Breaks his word with the Duke and comes from the Council-House with Tears in his Eyes p. 97. Is despised by the Queen of England for his intention to Accuse her detested by the Duke reproached by his Friends living at Kingston penyless and unregarded p. 97. Is reconciled to the Duke p. 98. Has 2000 l. of the Queen for which the Duke becomes surety and afterward paid it 99. Takes leave of the Queen but discovers again all that ever past between the Duke and himself p. 99. Promising to send the Queen those Letters he should receive in Scotland from him ibid. Sends for Secretary Lidingtoun as being of Council with the Duke of Norfolk resolving to accuse him and writes for him to come to make a dispatch for England p. 100. Being come is Accused before the Privy Council of the late King's Murder and Imprisoned ib. Is misled though well inclined by vain pretences to his own and the ruine of others p. 102. Gives ear to flatterers ibid. Dissembles with Grange and Lidingtoun ibid. His Character p. 103. Is shot by Hamiltoun and dies the same night ibid. N NOrfolk Duke sent with an Army out of England to help the Congregationists p. 29. He and several other Councellors sent down to York to hear the Regent's Accusation of his Queen and be Iudges thereof p. 94. Privately dissuades the Regent from Accusing the Queen for the King her Son's sake p. 95. Is the greatest Subject in Europe not being a free-born Prince p. 96. Ruling the Queen and all ibid. His purposes discovered to the Queen whereby the Regent lost the Duke's favour yet speaks boldly to her Majesty p. 98. Is prevailed with to enter into friendship again with the Regent upon promise of his future secresie ibid. Acquaints the Regent with his resolution to marry the Queen of Scots and that he had a Daughter fitter for the King then any other p. 98 and 99. Becomes Security for 2000 l. which Murray the Regent of Scotland received from the Queen of England which he after paid p. 99. Is sent for by the Queen to come to Court being again deceived by the Regent then in Scotland applies himself to Secretary Cecil who told him there was no danger so that he rode with his Train only ibid. Is seized by the Treachery of Cecil and after a tedious Captivity dies of the Reformed Religion p. 100. Normand Lesly gains great honour in the Wars between Henry the Second of France and the Emperour p. 17. O OChiltrie Lord and divers others in revenge of the death of the Earl of Murray takes part with Earl Bothwel p. 201. Adviseth him to Seize on his Majesty in his Palace at Falkland ibid. Octavians in Scotland who and why so called p. 191. Octavio Duke Son-in-law to the Emperour Charles the Fifth is left to the Pope's discretion and why p. 11. P PArliament Proclaimed at Lithgow for the restitution of the banished Lords p. 170. Parma Duke Governour of Flanders wins the hearts of his Soldiers and Enemies by his prudent behaviour p. 166. Is suspected by the Spanish King to have a design on Flanders which caused him to deny the Spaniard Victuals Ships and landing in his Territories ibid. Paul the Fourth Pope breaks off the five years Truce between the French King and the Emperour p. 19. Peace concluded between Scotland and England and upon what Terms p. 30. Pool Cardinal appointed to be Mediator between the Two Princes p. 16. Prelates of Scotland endeavour to win King James by large proffers and perswasions to their Opinion p. 4. They exasperate his Majesty against the Treasurer by their insinuations p. 5. But he gets well off ibid. Prior of St. Andrews the Lord James Natural Son to James the Fifth King of Scotland p. 25. Afterwards Earl of Murray p. 32. Prior of Pittenweem a great debaucher of Women and Maidens p. 5. Protestants grown very numerous in Scotland p. 24. Q QUeen Mother of France is glad at the death of Francis the Second her Son he being wholly ruled by the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother p. 29. Whereupon she dischargeth the King of Navarre and Prince of Conde who had
with these of my hands who he knew had no by-end then if they had proceeded from the most Learned Philosopher Therefore at his desire I promised to put them in writing to give him them to keep in his Pocket but he was Slain before I could meet with him After the Decease of the Regent England sent the Earl of Sussex to Berwick whither the Earl of Lennox came also at that same time as being sent for by the Lords of the King's Faction to be made Regent in place of the Earl of Murray The Earl of Sussex had with him the Forces of the North as if he had some enterprise to do and to take some advantage at this time when the Country wanted a Regent About that same time so many of the Lords as were banded and professed the Queens Authority caused to proclaim the same at Lithgow As yet they of the Castle at Edinbrugh professed the King's Authority albeit there were secret jealousies betwixt them and so many of the rest as had counselled the late Regent to apprehend the Secretary Lidingtoun and Sir James Balfour and who would also have ruined Grange because he appeared concerned in them two and also because his Vertues were envied and his Charge coveted by others They who were within the said Castle for the time were my Lord Duke of Chattellerault and my Lord Herris warded wrongfully as I have said therefore the Laird of Grange obtained a Warrant from the rest of the King's Lords to set them at liberty The Lord Hume was there to assist with those of the Castle with the Laird of Grange the Secretary Lidingtoun his Brother the Prior of Condingham three of my Brothers Sir Robert Captain David and Sir Andrew Melvil the Lairds of Drylow and Pittadrow Sir James Balfour the Lairds of Fernihast Buccleugh Wormistoun Parbroth and divers other Noblemen and Barons who came there at all occasions and were ready at a call when they had to do This Company directed me to Berwick toward the Earl of Sussex to know what he intended to do with his forces whether to assist any of the two Factions or to agree them I was friendly received by him well lodged and my expences by him defrayed wanting nothing He sent me his own night-Gown furred with rich furrings to make use of so long as I abode there Albeit I knew him to be a great Enemy to all Scots-men he appeared desirous to enter in great familiarity with me and as if he was desirous I should believe he had communicated to me his most secret thoughts alledging his plainness to me was upon the report he had heard by sundry of his Country-men to my advantage He said That his coming with his Forces was not to assist any faction nor to decide Questions and Titles that were among us but to serve the Queen his Mistress in obeying her Commands That if he did any enterprise at that time against any Scots-man it would be against his heart That of all Scots-men he liked best of of those who were within the Castle of Edinbrugh and their dependers especially because he knew them to have been friends to the Duke of Norfolk his near Cousin whose part he said he would plainly have taken if the said Duke had out of his own mouth communicated his enterprise to him as he had foolishly done by a Gentleman of his to whose credit he durst not commit the secrecy of that matter being of it self of so great concernment as stood him upon his life and heritage And that albeit he with his Forces came not to set out nor to fortifie any Faction in Scotland yet he durst be plain with me privately as with a true friend to declare that he did esteem the Queen of Scotland and the Prince her Son righteous Heirs to the Crown of England which his judgment he had shown to few of his own Country-men So I returned with no direct answer but with a firm opinion that he was sent to appear to set forward the Earl of Lennox to be Regent and to send word to the Lords of the King's side that he would assist them and send in Mr. Randolph thither with the Earl of Lennox and yet to deal with the Lords of the Queens Faction to encourage them to hold forward their factions course because the said Mr. Randolph had a great dealing with the House of Hamiltoun as he who convoyed the Earl of Arran now visited with the hand of God out of France through England home to Scotland to assist the Congregation He knew also what old and long hatred had been betwixt the Houses of Lennox and Hamiltoun and was deliberately directed secretly to kindle a fire of discord betwixt two strong Factions in Scotland which could not be easily quenched and to conform the Lord Hume who was not yet resolved to take part with the Queens Faction which England thought had not money enough yet to sustain long strife against the King's Faction The Earl of Sussex entred the Merse with his Forces and took the Castle of Hume and Falhastle full of riches and precious moveables that way moving the Lord Hume to take plain part with the Hamiltouns and the Queens Faction Whereby it may be seen that the conclusion was to hold Countries in discord by the craft of the Council of England for the time as I have before mentioned and which was now put in practice incontinent after the decease of the Earl of Murray For albeit the Earl of Lennox had his Lady Children and Estate in England they would not credit him supposing he would be a true Scots-man as he proved indeed afterwards I being in Berwick when the Earl of Lennox was so far toward Scotland to be Regent I thought it my duty to visit him For at his first in-coming before the marriage of his Son the Lord Darnly with the Queen he sent this present Colonel Stuart for my Brother Sir Robert and me and because my Brother was absent I went to him alone At which time he told me That his long absence out of the Country had made him as a stranger to the condition of the Country and that his Lady at his parting from her had desired him to take my Brother's counsel and mine in all his affairs as her Friends and Kinsmen So that being familiar enough with him formerly I visited him at this time and told him the state of the Country I disswaded him from taking upon him the Regiment fearing that it might cost him his life as matters were like to be handled as I should inform him more at length being once at home As for my self I promised to serve and assist him albeit I could not find that same resolution in those of the Castle of Endinbrugh He thanked me promising me to be my friend so far as lay in his power upon which he gave me his hand Then he inquired What was the Cause that those who were in the Castle would oppose him
I answered For no particular prejudice they had against himself but because the Lords who had sent for him without acquainting them therewith were not their friends and they suspected that in process of time they would move him to be their Enemy He said That the Laird of Grange had been always his great friend and had done him formerly great kindness I said I hoped he should yet be his friend after that he had setled himself in the Regiment and might have time to be rightly informed of every mans part Returning back from Berwick I met the Abbot of Dumfarmling sent by the King's Lords to England to meet with the Earl of Linnox in his passing by His chief Commission was so far as I could afterward inform my self to desire the Queen of England to deliver the Queen of Scotland to be kept by the King's Lords here at home seeing that she would not proceed otherwise according to the Accusation given in against her the time my Lord Murray was there Whereto the Queen of England made answer If they would find her sufficient Pledges for the security of the Queens life she would deliver her to be kept by them The Abbot alledged That would be hard to do for what in case the Queen dye in the mean time She answered My Lord I believed you had been a wise man you would press me to speak what is no ways necessary You may know Taat I cannot but for my honour require Pledges for that end I think you may judge also of your self what might be best for me Her meaning in this might be easily judged and understood The Earl of Lennox came to Edinbrugh shortly after me and after he had accepted the Government his first enterprise was to take Breechin which was kept by some Companies of Foot-men lifted by the Earl of Huntly to assist the Queens faction These Soldiers being advertised that the new Regent was coming to pursue them fled except a few who kept the Kirk and Steeple who were all hanged I had made my self ready to ride with the Regent but Mr. Randolph the English Ambassadour who came with the Earl of Lennox appearing to set him forward with his power hindred me from prosecuting that intention fearing that I would be an instrument of perswading the Laird of Grange and those in the Castle to come to an amicable agreement with the Regent For if those of the Castle and their dependers had assisted the Regent the Queens faction were so few and weak that they would not have been able to make a party answerable to the King's faction who were greatest in number and had the hearts of the Subjects on their side I was very loath to stay behind the Regent both because I had promised to assist him and also because I had obtained a promise of the Bishop of St. Andrews of the Lands of Lethem given by the Earl of Murray to Mr. Henry Balneavs whereof I had no Lease but Possession by reason that the Bishop was for the time in Dumbartoun forsaulted so the said Lands were in the Regent's power to dispose to any other yet he had promised that I should enjoy it I told Mr. Randolph that the said Land might be in danger to be disposed in case I were absent from the Regent Tush says he I am Tutour at this time to the Regent I shall not only warrant you that but shall cause you get a better gift In the mean time he promised to write a Letter unto the Regent who had already taken journey to secure the same to me and to let him know that he had stayed me to draw on an agreement between my friends in the Castle and him therefore desiring him not to dispose the said Lands to any other But though I knew him to be a double dealer and a sower of discord yet I could not believe that he would abuse me in any thing having received so great obligations from me during his banishment in France for Religion during the Reign of Queen Mary Neither would I blot Paper with this much concerning my particular were it not to declare the strange practises of Princes in matters of State Now at Mr. Randolph's desire I stayed His first proposition to me was to desire the Captain of the Castle to agree with and assist the Regent I told him That I supposed he might be brought to that through time but not so hastily And that same answer I brought to him from him with a request from the Laird of Grange That he would be plain with him for there had been also great friendship betwixt them in France After some Ceremonies and Protestations of Secrecy he said Tell your friend this from Mr. Randolph but not from the English Ambassadour That there is no lawful Authority in Scotland but the Queens she will prevail at length and therefore it is his interest as the safest course to join himself to her Faction This was the help he made to the Regent who believed that his only Ambassage was to advance his Authority I appeared to be very well satisfied with this wholesom advice and went up to the Castle and told the Captain and his associates no more then I assured them of at my return from Berwick The Laird of Grange was still resolved to own the King's Authority seeing to be factious under pretext of owning the Queen during her absence and captivity might do her more ill then good and occasion great bloodshed among the Subjects by the malice of the Ring-leaders of the Court of England and partialities of a few in Scotland and was therefore expecting a fit opportunity of making agreement betwixt the parties In the mean time I went up and down betwixt those of the Castle and Mr. Randolph who gave me another Commission to wit In case the two Queens of England and Scotland agree betwixt themselves to appoint an English-man Captain of the Castle of Edinbrugh and send unto him a Letter subscribed by both their hands to him to render up the same to him whom they Commissionate him to deliver it whether he would for great advantage to himself give it to the person who should be appointed This in great anger he refused to hear and this was all the good agreement that Mr. Randolph and I made during the Regent's absence And instead of minding the Regent not to dispose the foresaid Lands he dealt with the Tutor of Pitcur that he might seek a gift of the said Lands from the Regent informing him that I wanted a right thereto When the Regent was returned to Edinbrugh I remembred Mr. Randolph of his promise and informed him a way how I might get them He answered That he found the Regent so stubborn and of so ill a nature that he could not deal with him Then I told him That I was abundantly sensible of his practises and that whereas it appeared that he would cause me not only to abandon the Regent but to be