IACOB MAG BRIT REG. MATER SERENISSIMA MARIA REGINA The most excellent Princesse Mary queene of Scotland and Dowager of France Mother to our Soueraigne lord James of greate Brittaine France Ireland king THE HISTORIE OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Mary Stuart QVEENE OF SCOTLAND LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Richard Whitaker and are to be sold at the signe of the Kings Head in Pauls Church-yard 1624. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Most Dread Soueraigne ZENO the Philosopher being asked how a man might attaine wisdome answered By drawing neere vnto the dead O the Sepulchers of our Ancestors how much more doe they teach than all the studie bookes and precepts of the learned And herein due praise must needs be ascribed vnto Historie the life of memorie and the mirrour of mans life making those Heroick acts to liue againe which otherwise would be buried in eternall forgetfulnesse whereby the minde a greedy hunter after knowledge is enflamed by affecting the seuerall perfections of others to seeke after excellent things and by feruent imitation to attaine to that glory which is gotten by vertuâ— For these causes most renowned Soueraigne when I considered Plutarke laying aside the studie of Philosophic to thinke the time well imploied in writing the liues of Theseus of Aristides and of other inferiour persons and knowing how farre the lustre and splendor of Princes shineth beyond the brightnesse of others euery one standing for a million of the common people And being sensible that it is infused euen by nature euery man to desire and to be delighted with the relation and story of his owne Ancestors and predecessors For these reasons I presumed to present vnto your Highnesse this Treatise of the life and death of your Royall Mother the Lady MARY STVART Queene of Scotland A History most fit for this your Meridian of Great Britaine and yet neuer published in the English tongue before Wherein although I confesse the slendernesse of my skill in the exornation and beautifying of the stile and thereby may worthily incurre the reproofe of the learned yet if your Maiesty vouchsafe your gracious and Princely acceptation all faults therein shall easily bee couered and blotted out Therefore I become your humble Orator praying no other thing than the Sunne Diall of the Sunne Aspice me vt aspiciar most humbly beseeching the Almighty to blesse your most Excellent Maiestie with a long happie and prosperous reigne Your Sacred Maiesties most humble subiect WIL. STRANGVAGE THE PREFACE TO THE ENSVING HISTORIE IT is a thing most true and some finde it by experience that here below in this world there is nothing eternall And how can it be otherwise when the great Kings and Princes of the earth who seeme to be created of the most pure substance of the Elements of a matter as may bee said for their excellency incorruptible of the fine gold of Euilath and of the best mould to the patterne of the fairest Ideas and beare and carry the Image and Seale of all puissance as the chiefe impression of natures worke in the plaine greatnesse of Maiestie which engraueth their forehead with a gracious statelinesse Yet doe we see them euery day who seeme vnto men to be lasting and durable as eternity it selfe to quit the arches oâ— triumph and to yeeld themselues vnto the triumph oâ— death And more than that the most part of them finish their daies not in the sweet and calme waters like Pourcontrells but by a death disseasoned sometimes in their greene youth and flourishing age by the stormes and tempests as doe the Dolphins within the torrents billowes or waues of the sea tossed by diuers factions And it seemeth that this fatality pursueth ordinarily the most worthy and vertuous persons so that they finish their liues many times with violence or precipitation and not to goe vnto their death in a smooth path but to bee interrupted with some strange accident which cclipseth the bright shining lustre of their greatnesse which dasell the mindes of men that from below beheld them sitting aloft on the throne of Maiestie All which appeared most plainly and euidently to be true in the most worthy and royall Princesse MARY STVART Queene of Scotland who in all her life being tossed and turmoiled with infinite misfortunes concluded it with an vntimely death as followeth in the sequell of this Historie of her life and death MARY STVART Queene of Scotland was daughter vnto Iames the fist King of Scotland a wise and valiant Prince and of the Lady MARY of the Illustrious family of the Dukes of Lorraine whose fame for valour is renowned thorow all Christendome was borne on the eighth day of December in the yeere of our Lord 1541. She was not aboue eight daies old when her father died being left thus young the Noblemen of Scotland being diuided whereof the family of the Hamiltons and the Earle of Lynnox being the heads the one side supported by King Henry the eighth of England and the other by the French King Henry the second she was by the care of her mother who inclined vnto the French King at the age of six yeeres or thereabouts sent into France in the Gallies of Villagagnon a Knight of the Rhodes appointed by the French King vnto this seruice in the which voyage by the West Seas for in the other passage neere the Straits of Calice the Englishmen had laid a strong Nauy to intercept her she hardly escaped drowning by meanes of a storme or tempest that happened neere vnto the coast of little Brittaine in France where she afterward tooke land from whence she was conueyed vnto the Court of France where she was brought vp vnder her Curators the French King and the Dukes of Guise and by their exquisite care she drew in with the aire the sweetnesse of the humours of the countrey and in the end by the singular grace of nature and carefulnesse of her friends and Kinsfolks became with her age the fairest and goodliest Princesse of our time And beside this her rare beauty she had her vnderstanding and intendment so pure and perfect her iudgement so certaine surmounting and aboue the condition of her age and sex that it bred and caused in her a greatnesse of courage which was yet mixt and qualified with such sweetnesse and modesty that you could not see any thing more Royall any thing more gracious Her manners and priuate actions were such and were so well liked of generally that it caused King Henry the second of France and his Queene who was admired for her prudence to marry their eldest sonne Daulphin of France and heire of their Crowne vnto this Lady as vnto one well deseruing to be ioyned in mariage vnto their sonne heire apparant of the greatest kingdome in Europe And so vpon the foure and twentieth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1558. Francis the Daulphin of France and MARY STVART Queene of Scotland were maried in the Church of Nostra Dama
her whom she had in her secret purpose appointed husband for the Queene of Scotland that he might be more worthy of that match Baron of Denbigh giuing vnto him Denbigh with the demeasnes and the next day Earle of Leycester to him and his heires males lawfully begotten For whose sake also shee had before created his elder brother Ambrose Baron Lisle and Earle of Warwicke and to his heires males lawfully begotten and to Robert his brother and to his heires males of his body lawfully begotten Dudly aduanced to these honours to purchase fauour and grace with the Queene of Scotland vnto whom hee made suit in mariage studied with all kinde of offices to deserue well of her and forthwith accused Bacon keeper of the great Seale vnto the Queene that hee had dealt in the matter of succession against the Queene of Scotland and that hee was priuie and accessary vnto a Pamphlet made by one Hales who endeuoured to proue the right of the Crowne of England to belong vnto the familie of Suffolke if the Queene died without Heire for the which he had beene put in Prison but Bacon though hee denied the same was with much adoe and after a long time restored vnto the Queenes fauour by Cecill who kept his owne iudgement in this point secret to himselfe and alwaies determined so to doe vnlesse the Queene as he would say commanded him to speake his mind for she could not endure of all things to haue the right of succession called into question and dispute but the wiser and the richer men were troubled with nothing more whilest in the controuersie of Religion the hot Protestants thought the Q. of Scotland was to be put by and reiected because she was of another Religion though her right was vndoubted out of some querks and words of their Law bookes Some of the Romanists and most that regarded equitie and iustice thought she was to be receiued as the true and certaine Heire by the Law And many preferred Margaret Aunt to the Queene of Scotland the wife of Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox and her children as those of whom they hoped the best as borne in England These things were not vnknowne vnto the Q. of Scotland who to preuent it as much as she could by the aduice of the Countesse of Lennox her Aunt sent for Matthew Earle of Lennox to come into Scotland vnder pretence to restore him into his ancient Patrimonie but indeed to aske him counsell in these affaires who by his wiues meanes obtained leaue and also letters of commendations from Queene Elizabeth after hee had beene banished from his natiue Countrie now full twentie yeeres Hee for I will for more perspicuitie and light to the matter rehearse the same somewhat higher was borne of the same stocke of the Stewarts as the royall familie of the Scots was For Marie daughter vnto Iames the second King of Scotland bore vnto Iames Hamilton Iames the first of this stocke Earle of Arran and Marie his daughter wife vnto Matthew Stewart Earle of Lennox the first of this Christian name Iames Earle of Arran his first wife being diuorced and yet liuing married Ienet Beton Aunt to Cardinall Beton by whom he had Iames D. of Chasteauleroy whom his aduersaries hereupon accounted a Bastard Marie sister to the Earle of Arran bore vnto Matthew Iohn Earle of Lennox who being slaine by the Hamiltons at such time as he would haue restored Iames the fourth to his libertie left this second Matthew Stewart of whom we speake Earle of Lennox most deare to Iames the fift in regard of his father But Matthew the King being dead and the Hamiltons hauing all the gouernment in their power departed secretly into France from whence hee was sent by Henry the second the French King to see that the common wealth of Scotland tooke no harme by Hamilton the Regent and herein he behaued himselfe worthily but being a plaine and honest minded man and entangled by the craft and policie of Cardinall Beton and Hamilton he fell out of the fauour of the French King in a short time And when hee could neither tarrie at home nor returne into France he came into England and submitted himselfe to King Henry the eighth who accepted him as a man well beloued in the West borders and acknowledged him as next heire to the Crowne of Scotland after MARIE then an infant though the Hamiltons confiscated all his possessions as of a Traitor condemned and married him vnto the Ladie Margaret Douglas his Niece by his eldest sister giuing him lands in England worth yeerely of the old rent 1700. Markes he promising for his part to deliuer into the hands of the King of England the Castles of Dunbritton the I le of Butha and the Castle of Rothsay which peeces being couragiously and valiantly attempted could not yet be gotten This man the Queene of Scotland a woman prudent and circumspect and who applied all her studies vpon the hopes of England sent for to come into Scotland as I haue said pardoned his banishment restored him vnto his ancient possessions as well that shee might oppose him against the attempts of Iames the Bastard as also to put other folkes out of hope of the succession of England by his sonne Henry Darly For if that young man borne of the royall bloud in England and well beloued of the English Nation should marrie with some of the great families of England shee secretly to her selfe feared that he bolstered vp with the power of England might bee a blocke in her way in the right of her succession in England since hee was accounted in most mens opinion the second heire of the Crowne of England after her and there was nothing shee more wished than that the Realmes of England and Scotland might deuolue by her meanes vnto some of the Scottish race and by him might bee propagated vnto posteritie in the ancient surname of the Stewarts This came to the knowledge of Queene Elizabeth and to preuent her purpose shee declared vnto her by Randolph that that mariage was so vniuersally disallowed by the English men that she adiourned the Parliament against the will of her Councell vntill another time lest the Estates moued vnto wrath for this cause should make some act against her right in succession which lest it should afterward come to passe she willed her not to doe so but to giue satisfaction vnto the English men by thinking vpon some other match And now againe she commended Leicester whom she had aduanced vnto the degree of an Earle and especicially for that cause with more earnestnesse to bee her husband Vpon this occasion at Barwicke in the moneth of Nouember there talked together about the mariage with Leicester the Earle of Bedford and Randolph and for her were Murrey and Lidington Commissioners The English men promised firme amitie perpetuall peace and certaine hope of the succession if shee would marrie with Leicester for vpon this condition Queene Elizabeth had promised to
vpon thy Peeres who haue found thee guiltie therefore this Bench doth adiudge that thou shalt bee lead backe from hence vnto the Tower from whence thou camest and from thence laid on a Hurdle shalt be drawne vnto the place of execution and there to bee hanged cut downe aliue to bee bowelled thy head cut off thy body to bee diuided into foure quarters thy head and thy quarters to bee disposed of at the Queenes pleasure And so our Lord haue mercie on thy soule The Duke hearing this iudgement said with a good courage Iudgement is giuen against mee as against a Traitor I trust in God that excluded from your fellowship I shall enioy the celestiall fellowship I will prepare my selfe to die I request this one thing that the Queene would bee good to my children and seruants and see my debts paid A few daies after Barney and Mather were executed who conspired with Herle a Ruffian to kill some oâ— the priuie Councellors and to deliuer the Duke But Herle presently discouered the matter vnto whom Barney said smiling when hee saw him brought forth to giue euidence against him Herle thou wentest but one houre before me otherwise I had stood there in thy place to giue euidence and thou hadst stood here in my place to be hanged These plots and the like which were many were taken hold of to hasten the Dukes death which yet was staied and deferred for foure moneths But on the second day of Iune at eight of the clocke in the morning the Duke was lead vnto a Scaffold new builded on the Tower-hill and when hee was gone vp and Alexander To these things she first protesting that shee was a free Queene and subiect to none answered with a stout courage and countenance 1 That shee had not vsurped the title and armes of England but that the King of France and her husband imposed them vpon her being very young and vnder the direction of her husband and therefore not to bee laid vpon her for a fault neither that she did weare or vse them after her husbands dâ—ath neither that shee will claime them as long as Queene ELIZABETH and her children liued 2 That she neuer imagined any detriment or hurt to the Queene by her mariage with the Duke of Norfolke being perswaded it would bee for the good of the Common-wealth and that shee did not renounce it because shee had giuen her faith and troth vnto him 3 That she willed the Duke by some meanes to get away out of danger and prison which shee did out of the dutie she ought to him as her husband 4 That shee had not raised rebellion nor was priuie to the same who was alwaies most ready to reueale any attempts against the Queene if shee would vouchsafe to heare her speake 5 That she neuer releeued the English Rebells onely that in her letters shee commended the Countesse of Northumberland vnto the Duke of Alba. 6 That she vsed Ridolph whom she knew to be highly in the Popes fauour in many matters yet receiued no letters from him 7 That she neuer moued any to attempt her deliuerance yet that she willingly gaue eare vnto them that offered their labour therein and for that purpose that shee communicated vnto Rolston and Hall a priuate Character 8 That she had receiued sometimes letters from the Pope very pious and consolatorie in which were no such phrases of speech 9 That shee procured not the Bull That shee onely saw the coppie thereof printed and when she had read it ouer that she burned it 10 That if any in forraine Regions write or name her otherwise than they ought to doe let them answer for it 11 That shee neuer by letters required aid of the Pope and the King of Spaine to inuade England but onely to be restored into her Kingdome by their meanes and that with the Queenes priuitie 12 But if any question or doubt bee made of those letters of effecting the mariage by force of armes she requested since shee was borne of the royall bloud of England that shee might answer personally in the next Parlament that was to be holden And at this time the French King fauouring the Queene of Scotland and her partie and the Queene of England the King and his partie earnestly moued Queene ELIZABETH to deliuer the Queene of Scotland which the Queene of England denied to doe saying In very truth I keepe the Queene of Scotland in custodie after a faire manner as a pledge of mine owne securitie and of the safetie of England But when it was come to light that the Queene of Scotland intended a secret confederacie with the King of Spaine by the Lord Seton who landing in Essex disguised like a Mariner had promised aid of men to the Scots of the Queenes partie from Alba both shee was kept straiter in prison and the kindnesse of the French men toward her waxed key-cold Shortly after the league betweene England and France being concluded at Blois and the Duke of Momorancie being sent into England to confirme the same he in few words in his Masters name requested that as much fauour might bee shewed vnto the Queene of Scotland as might be without danger That there might bee a cessation of armes in Scotland and that concord might be established there by Parlament Hee was answered That more fauour was shewed to the Queene of Scotland than shee deserued and should bee shewed for the French Kings sake although the Estates of the Kingdome who were now assembled thought the Queene could be in no securitie without some seueritie shewed vnto her As for the cessation of armes the Queene had dealt diligently therein and for that purpose had sent very lately Drurie the Marshall of Barwicke with Crocus the French Embassadour and that they by no perswasions could bring Grange and the Garrisons in the Castle of Edenburgh to peace being induced by hope of aid from France and the Low-Countries though Huntley and Hamilton Arbroth for the Duke his father had bound themselues vnder their hands to obserue peace and the others of the Queenes side had giuen their word also Anno 1573. IN Scotland Iames Dowglas Earle of Mourton by the meanes of Queene ELIZABETH was made Regent in the place of the Earle of Marre who hauing his authoritie established in the Parlament did enact in the Kings name certaine Lawes against the Papists and against Heretikes but the custodie of the King hee confirmed to Alexander Areskin for that the Earle of Marre vnto whom the custodie of the King of Scotland in his minoritie doth belong by a peculiar right was vnder age vpon these conditions that is to wit That the Papists and they of the other faction should bee vtterly excluded an Earle might come in with two men a Baron with one man other men alone and euery one of these vnarmed And whereas Queene ELIZABETH by Henry Killigrew had drawne Iames Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy George Gordon Earle of Huntley who stood for
the Queene to these conditions namely To acknowledge the Religion established in Scotland To submit themselues to the King and also to Mourton as his Regent and to his successors in the gouernment To renounce the authoritie of all others To account them Traitors by authoritie of Parlament that attempted any thing against the Religion the King or Regent That the sentence against the Hamiltons and the Gordons should be repealed c. But these conditions William Kircaldy Lord of Grange the Lord Hume Lidington and the Bishop of Dunkelden and others who thought the Queene of Scotland to be iniuriously vsed would vpon no termes admit but fortified the Castle of Edenburgh of which Grange was Captaine placed therein by Murrey looking for aid from France and the Duke of Alba but Sir William Drury being sent into Scotland with forces out of England to ioine with the Scots the same Castle was yeelded in the three and thirtieth day of the siege and so the Castle and all the prisoners were deliuered vnto the Regent who hanged Kircaldy without mercie spared Hume and others at the request of Queene ELIZABETH Lidington was sent to Lieth where he died not without suspicion of poison And to the end that England might also bee more secure from clandestine attempts at home on the behalfe of the Queene of Scotland Iohn Lesly Bishop of Rosse who very faithfully had serued his Queene yet with the destruction of many men and danger of more was deliuered out of prison and commanded to depart out of England and went into France fearing Southampton whom by his appeaching he had brought in danger and also Henry Howard the Duke of Norfolkes brother to mollifie whose anger hee wrote an Apologie He was scarce departed but his secret Letter-carrier Henry Cokin was taken and by him was Morgan detected who prompt to doe some exploit for the Queene of Scotland and desirous to haue done somewhat forthwith fled away Atsloe the Physitian for the Papists and Goad Doctors of Physicke and Francis Berty because they had secret commerce of letters with her were put certaine moneths in prison And for the same cause Henry Goodyer and Richard Louder were called into question In the meane while Rosse did not pretermit any part or dutie of a most faithfull subiect to the Queene of Scotland towards the Emperour the Pope the French King and the Catholike Princes of Germanie who euery one gaue good words and hopes but yet performed nothing And also the Duke of Alba in whom he put his greatest trust did at this time depart out of the Low-Countries to his great griefe Anno 1574. HEnry the third of that name King of France and his mother did all that they could by secret deuices to get the young King of Scotland into France and to get Mourton out of his office of Regent sending secretly Scots out of the French Guard for this purpose into Scotland which thing the Queene of Scotland desired much being perswaded that if her sonne were in France out of danger that shee and the Papists in England should be dealt withall more mildly For hereupon she thought it would come to passe that the faction in Scotland hitherto countenanced by the authoritie of the Kings name would decay and come to nothing and that the English men would feare him more and more as hee grew vp in yeeres as well from France as out of Scotland And as much did the French men wish the same secretly fearing lest the Regent of Scotland depending wholly on the English should dissolue the ancient league betweene the Scots and the French Yet when the Regent earnestly requested that a league of mutuall defence betweene England and Scotland might bee made hee was not heard perhaps for that he requested withall that an annuall pension might bee assigned vnto him and vnto certaine other Scots But they were heard who with a small suspicion touched the Queene of Scotland the Countesse and Earle also of Shrewsburie as though they had wrought a mariage betweene Charles Vncle vnto the King of Scotland vnto whom the King had lately in the Parlament confirmed the Earledome of Lennox and Elizabeth Candish daughter to the Countesse of Shrewsburie by her former husband without the Queenes knowledge For which cause the mothers of both them and others were kept in prison and all the fault was laid vpon the Queene of Scotland And when sundry suspicions grew of the intent and purpose of this mariage Henry Earle of Huntingdon was made Lord President of the Councell in the North with new and secret instructions concerning this matter Anno 1575. THis yeere died in Scotland the most Noble Lord Iames Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy and Earle of Arran who was the Grand-childes sonne of Iames the second King of Scotland by his daughter the Tutor of Queene MARIE of Scotland and Gouernour of the Kingdome and heire designed while she was in her minoritie At such time as he had deliuered her vnto the French men hee was made Duke of Chasteauleroy in France then chiefe of the three Gouernours of Scotland appointed by MARIE in her captiuitie Whose cause while he defended most constantly he being a plaine and well-meaning man was vexed with all manner of politike and craftie deuices by turbulent and vnquiet minded people Anno 1577. DOn Iohn d'Austria had made a perpetuall edict at Gaunt to giue satisfaction to the Estates of the Netherlands for their aggrieuances which the Prince of Orange vtterly condemning opportunely heard that Don Iohn intended to marrie the Queene of Scotland on which he willingly laid hold and forthwith certified Queene ELIZABETH thereof by Famier thereby to withdraw her minde from peace yet she as one ignorant thereof by Daniel Rogers shewed her gladnesse of the perpetuall edict of peace though now she had certaine knowledge that Don Iohn by the perswasion of the Earle of Westmerland and the English fugitiues and forward fauour of the Pope and the Guises had in hope swallowed that mariage and withall the Kingdomes of England and Scotland and had already appointed to surprize the I le of Man in the Irish Sea as a fit place to inuade England out of Ireland and the West borders of Scotland wherein the Queene of Scotland had many assured friends as also in the opposite side of England North-wales Cumberland Lancashire and Cheshire where most of the inhabitants were earnest Papists But indeed Don Iohn as wee haue learned of Perez Secretarie to the King of Spaine before now ambitiously minded when hee had lost the hope of the Kingdome of Tunise had dealt couertly with the Pope about the expulsion of Queene ELIZABETH the marrying of the Queene of Scotland and the conquest of England and vnknowne to Philip had preuailed so farre that the Pope as out of the care of the common good moued Philip to make warre against England and Don Iohn himselfe being to depart into the Low-Countries had prosecuted it earnestly in Spaine and afterwards by
Escouedo sent out of the Netherlands he had desired to haue some Hauens in Biscay granted vnto him from whence hee might inuade England with a Nauie But Philip disliked their intentions and began to neglect him as one ouer ambitious Yet Queene ELIZABETH vnderstood not these things fully vntill Orange informed her In the meane time Don Iohn couertly prosecuted the mariage and at the same time to cloake the matter sent vnto Queene ELIZABETH the Viscount of Gaunt to shew her the conditions of the peace and to request longer daies of paiment for the money lent vnto the Estates which she willingly granted and dealt with him againe by Wilson to recompence the Merchants of England for the hurt sustained in the sacking of Antwerpe He eludeth the matter whiles he seemed to attend about the Perpetuall edict for peace he brake out suddenly into open warre and by policie gat into his hands many Cities and Castles and wrote vnto the King of Spaine that he thought it best to subdue and conquer the Ilands of Zeland before the Inland Prouinces and beleeuing that which he hoped endeuoured to perswade him by his Secretarie that England was easier to be conquered than Zeland Anno 1578. ABout this time Margaret Dowglas Countesse of Lennox Neece to Henry the eighth by his eldest sister widow of Matthew Earle of Lennox Grandmother vnto IAMES King of Great Britaine ouerliuing her eight children departed to the ioies of heauen in the threescore and third yeere of her age and was buried at Westminster with a solemne funerall at the Queenes charge a Matron of worthy pietie patience and chastitie who was thrice cast into prison as I haue heard her speake it not for matter of treason but for loue matters First when Thomas Howard sonne to Thomas Howard first Duke of Norfolke being in loue with her died in the Tower then for the loue of Henry Darly her sonne to the Queene MARIE of Scotland lastly for the loue of Charles her younger sonne â—o Elizabeth Candish mother to Arbella of which mariage the Queene of Scotland was accused to bee a procurer as I haue said before About the same time the credit and authoritie of Mourton began to decay insomuch that hee was remoued from his office of Regent and the administration of all things deliuered vnto the King by the common consent of the Estates and because hee was not past twelue yeeres old vnto twelue of the chiefe Noblemen which were named of whom three euery three moneths by turnes should bee present with the King to giue him aduice and Mourton was one of them that they might seeme to bring him lower not to cast him downe Shortly after Mourton trusting on his sharpe wit long experience and many dependants and retainers thinking nothing well done except he himselfe did it and also not brooking not to be the same man he had beene drew backe all the administration vnto himselfe not regarding his associates and not obseruing the consent of administration set downe hee kept in his hand the King within the Castle of Sterling and shut out excluded whom he pleased and admitted others at his owne choice Wherewith the Noblemen being moued made the Earle of Atholl their Captaine and made Proclamation in the Kings name that all men aboue sixteene and vnder threescore yeeres should meet in Armour with victuals for fifteene daies There met very many and with Banners displaied they marched vnto Fawkirke where Mourton with his friends met them in Armour ready to fight But Robert Bowes the English Embassadour by intreatie and mouing honest conditions kept them from fighting and Mourton forthwith as wearie of businesse went home secretly and the Earle of Atholl died incontinently not without suspicion of poison which the mindes incensed against Mourton tooke to his slander and for this and other things they neuer ceased to persecute him vntill they had brought him to his destruction as we will declare hereafter Anno 1579. THe Scots were in feare of hauing their Religion altered by a French man called Amatus or Esmaus Stewart who came at this time into Scotland to see the King his Cousin for he was the sonne of Iohn Stewart brother vnto Matthew Earle of Lennox who was the Kings Grand-father and called Aubigney of a Towne in Berry which long since Charles the seuenth King of France had giuen to Iohn Stewart of the familie of Lennox who being Constable of the Scottish Armie in France put the English men to flight at Baugy and was afterwards slaine by them in the battell of Herrings and euer since that time it hath belonged vnto the younger sonne of that house This man the King vsed with singular kindnesse gaue him good liuings made him of his priuie Councell and Lord Chamberlaine of Scotland and Captaine of the Castle of Dunbritton and then Earle of Lennox and after Duke This extraordinarie fauour of the King towards him caused many to enuie him who murmured that he was a fauourer of the Guises and of the Roman Religion and sent purposely into Scotland by secret meanes to ouerthrow the true Religion The suspicion was much increased in that hee was familiar with the aduersaries of Mourton and intreated to haue Thomas Carre of Fernihurst recalled home who was the most assured friend to the Queene of Scotland of all others Mourton resisting the same with all his power but in vaine for his authoritie was lesse and lesse with all men although it might seeme that hee deserued well in profligating the Hamiltons and taking the Castle of Hamilton and Daffraine Anno 1580. IN Scotland when many Ministers of the Word and Noblemen perceiued that Lennox was in the Kings high fauour first they raised one Iames Stewart of the familie of Ochiltree Captaine of the Guard and Earle of Arran for hee had vsurped that title from I know not what cession of Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran whose Tutor hee had beene when hee was not well in his wit to affront him But the King in a short time reconciled them When this way serued not their turne they procured him as much hatred as they could at home and accused him hainously vnto the Queene of England as one sent in couertly by the Guises to shake the state of Religion to procure the libertie of the imprisoned Queene and to dissolue the amitie betweene England and Scotland These men were soone beleeued and vpon this matter was kept a serious consultation in England though hee in his letters cleered himselfe to the Queene and openly professed the Protestants Religion For the Councellors of England feared lest he should suppresse the Scots who were friends to England nourish excursions in the borders and entice the King to marrie in France or in some other place vnknowne to the English men whereupon the young King trusting might trouble England and being growne to mature yeeres assume to himselfe the title of the Realme of England as his mother had done before which if hee should
doe there would bee more danger in him than was in his mother since hee was borne to the certaine hope of both the Kingdomes he might get many moe fautors and now the Scots being bred vp in their warres at home and in the Low-Countries were more exercised and skilfull in marshall affaires Hereupon they thought good to wring Lennox out of the Kings fauour by one meanes or other or else to driue him out of Scotland and that without delay since it was bruted abroad that hee had sent for one Balfure out of France who had gotten I know not what hand-writing of Mourtons wherein it was hoped that Mourton might bee conuinced of the murder of the Kings father and also that he had obtained the Captainship of the Castle of Dunbritton for no other purpose but either to let in forraine forces into Britaine or else to carry ouer from thence the King of Scotland into France It was reported also that he perswaded the King to resigne his Crowne vp to his mother as if shee had beene depriued vniustly and by a most impious example or president by her subiects accepting assurance to take it from her by a lawfull resignation whereby hee should most strongly confirme his Kingdome to him and extinguishing the factions thereby bee acknowledged of all men for a lawfull King Hereupon Robert Bowes Treasurer for the Garrison at Barwicke was sent into Scotland who should challenge and charge Lennox with those things before the King and his Councellors and admonish them to beware of their imminent euils As soone as hee was admitted to speake he required to haue Lennox remoued from the Councell which the Councellors vtterly denied as a thing strange and neuer heard of that a Kings Councellor should bee put out of his place and his cause not heard or not knowne They doubted also whether the Queene did expresly command him so to doe and required him to shew his instructions to maintaine his credit He denied to shew them but onely to the King and vnto one or two more whereupon hee was vnheard forth with called home and tooke leaue of the King who thought of no such matter complaining that the wholsome admonishments of his Lady the Queene who deserued well at their hands were reiected Immediatly vpon this was sent from Scotland Alexander Hume to excuse these things and to learne what these imminent euils were but hee was not admitted vnto the Queene but was sent to Burleigh who with a briefe and discreet speech shewed him That the Queene thought not good to admit him to her speech not that shee did neglect him whom she had tried to be sound in Religion and a man carefull for the good of his Prince Countrie and the tranquillitie of both the Realmes but out of a iust griefe that her Maiestie and the credit of her Embassadour was so contemptuously vsed who had kept himselfe within the compasse and bounds of his Embassade and had beene commanded to shew his commission which was a thing neuer heard of Hee cast all the fault vpon the new Councellors and excused the King who wanted experience through his young yeeres and wished that hee would giue eare vnto the wholsome and profitable aduices of the Queene who bare a true motherly minde vnto him and not to make lesse account of her than he did of his French Cousin and a subiect to the French King matched with a French woman and a Papist in Religion and who perhaps doth seeke the Hamiltons being at this time banished to be designed second person to the King And said Let the King remember that there is no affection more vehement than Ambition and let the Scots remember what broiles the French men had made in Scotland if the Queene by her prudence and power had not preuented them So Hume was sent backe into Scotland and all these things were done of purpose to put the King in feare and to make him beleeue that Lennox had vndertaken dangerous plots and deuices against the King and the Realme Yet for all this shortly after Mourton who was wholly for England was accused of treason by the Earle of Arran and cast into prison Anno 1581. HEreupon in the beginning of Ianuarie Sir Thomas Randolph generall Post-master was sent into Scotland with instructions to conserue the Religion and amitie with the English men and to labour all hee could that no violence should bee offered vnto Mourton to remoue Lennox away out of Scotland and to comfort the Noblemen of the English faction Hee made diligent and earnest intreatie for Mourton alleaging his merits towards the King the honour of Queene ELIZABETH if shee so well deseruing should haue a repulse and the enuie of his accusers The King answered That hee could not out of his Princely dutie but bring to triall a man appeached of treason and that he acknowledged by experience the Queenes good will and that hee would not commit any thing that might iustly displease her by any meanes After Randolph was admitted to speake in the assembly of the Estates recounting the benefits of Queene ELIZABETH towards Scotland and the King himselfe to wit How she had deliuered the Realme from the French men with the bloud of English men defended their Religion and King and yet neuer thought to conuay him away as it was falsly reported or to obtaine an Acre of Scottish ground when yet shee had opportunitie and meanes to conquer Scotland the King being in his Cradle his mother prisoner in England and the Noblemen at dissention But on the other side shee hath bestowed all her care to preserue in safetie the King and his Realme who was tied vnto her with the most strait bonds of bloud vicinitie and Religion whose loue she found most sincere towards her as she had done all the Regents successiuely before that Aubigney Earle of Lennox came into Scotland Since that time hee hath ruled the King as a Ward hath auerted his minde from the friendship of the English men vnto the French men who haue not hitherto so much as acknowledged him for King hath put out of their offices the most faithfull subiects of the King and hath put in others not so faithfull and hath by his letters which he shewed dealt with forraine Princes about the inuading of England He hath moued the King to hate and abhorre the Ministers of Gods word as if they were railers and turbulent people and hath had no care of the administration of iustice betweene the borderers All which things Queene ELIZABETH could not but take in very euill part when she saw a Prince of such vertue and her neerest Cousin alienated and drawne forcibly away by these bad deuices Yet nothing was then effected either to helpe Mourâ—on or against Lennox who most men thought was falsly charged with the crimes and also that the letters which were shewed were counterfeit Therefore Randolph attempted another politike way He vnto the aduersaries of Lennox and vnto the friends of
the originall cause For from hence Queene Elizabeth was an open and professed enemie to the Guises and bare a secret hate against her which the craftie malice of men did so nourish the emulation increasing betweene them and new occasions arising daily that they could not be extinguished but with her death Anno 1560. THen followed the Treatie of Edenburgh wherein amongst many other things it was agreed that the King of France and Queene MARIE should leaue off the bearing of the title and armes of England and Ireland but when the time of confirming the same came and Queene Elizabeth sent into France to haue it ratified as shee had done Throgmorton the Leiger Embassador could not bring them to doe it by any meanes and whilest the matters hung in suspence and rested vndetermined Francis the second King of France not being eighteene yeere old and in the second yeere of his reigne deceased and left the Queene of Scots a widow whether to the greater griefe of the Romanists or ioy of the Protestants in Britaine I cannot say Anno 1561. FRANCIS Earle of Bedford was sent into France to deplore the death of King Francis and to gratulate Charles the ninth his successor and by himselfe and together with Throgmorton the ordinarie Embassador he importuned the Queene of Scots to confirme the treatie of Edenburgh but in vaine for she answered no other thing but that shee could not nor would not determine on so great a matter without the consent of the Nobilitie of Scotland The Queene of Scots entending to returne into Scotland sent Monsieur d'Oysell to request a safe conduct of Queene Elizabeth for to passe by Sea and for d'Oysell to passe thorow England Queene Elizabeth before a great multitude of people denied both the one and the other for this cause she said that she had not ratified the treatie of Edenburgh which if she did shee promised to shew all kindnesse that might bee expected from a Queene from a Cousin and from a neighbour The Queene of Scots being vexed at this repulse sent for Throgmorton with whom shee had long speeches about this matter which I will briefly set downe out of the letters of Throgmorton though I shal make rehearsal of some things already said that the originall and progresse of the priuie malice which was betweene the greatest and wisest Princesses of our time or age may more euidently appeare Shee sending all the standers by away said thus to Throgmorton What is my womanly weaknesse and how farre the passion of my minde may carrie me I know not yet it liketh me not to haue so many witnesses of my weaknesse as your Ladie lately had when shee talked with Monsieur d'Oysell my Embassador nothing grieueth me so much as that I did aske those things which were not needfull by Gods fauour I can returne into my Countrie without asking her leaue as I came hither in despight of her brother Edward Neither want I friends which can and will bring me home as they brought me hither but I had rather haue vsed her friendship than of any other I haue often heard you say that the amitie betweene her and mee was necessary to both our Kingdomes yet it seemeth that shee thinketh otherwise or else she had not giuen mee the repulse in so small a matter but perhaps shee beareth more fauour vnto the Scots which rebell against me than to me the Queene of Scots equall to her in princely royaltie her nearest kinswoman and most certaine heire vnto her Doest thou thinke that that good will and loue can be betweene my rebellious subiects and her that may bee betweene her and me What Doth shee thinke that I shall bee destitute of friends Assuredly she hath driuen mee to aske helpe of them of whom I would not willingly And they cannot wonder enough for what purpose shee gaue aid lately vnto my subiects and now to hinder the returne of mee a widow vnto my subiects I aske nothing of her but amitie I procure no trouble vnto her nor meddle not with the affaires of England But yet I am not ignorant that there bee many in England who are not content with the estate as it is now Shee twitteth me and saith that I haue small experience I confesse it Age bringeth experience with it yet I am so old that I can behaue my selfe friendly kindly and iustly toward my kinsfolks and friends and keepe my tongue from speaking any thing not beseeming a Queene and a kinswoman But by her leaue I may say that as well as shee I am a Queene neither destitute of friends and to beare no lesse high minde than shee and it may beseeme vs to measure our selues with a certaine equalitie but I forbeare comparison which is little better than contention and wanteth not euill will As for the treatie of Edenburgh it was made in the life of the King my husband whom it was my dutie to obey in all things and since that hee delaied the confirmation of the same let the blame remaine in him and not in me After his death the Counsellors of France left me to mine owne Counsellors neither would mine Vncles meddle with the affaires of Scotland because they would not offend Queene Elizabeth nor the Scots The Scots that be with me be priuate men nor such fit men that I should aske counsell of them in such great matters As soone as I shall haue the aduice of the Estates of my Realme I will make a reasonable answer and I will make all the haste I can home to giue it the sooner But shee determineth to stop my way lest I should giue it so shee is the cause that I cannot satisfie her or else shee would not bee satisfied perhaps for the intent that there may bee no end of discord betweene vs. Shee casteth often in my teeth that I am a young girle as a reproach and truly she may iustly thinke mee an vnwise girle if I dealt in these weightie affaires without the aduice of the Estates A wife is not bound as I haue heard with the deeds of her husband neither in her honour nor in conscience but I doe not dispute this thing yet I may say this thing truly I haue done nothing to my dearest sister which I would not haue done to my selfe I haue vsed all offices of courtesie and kindred but shee either beleeueth not or contemneth them I would to God I were so deare to her as I am neare of bloud for this were a pretious kinde of kindred God forgiue them that sow the seeds of dissention betweene vs if there bee any such But thou who art an Embassador tell mee in good sooth for what cause she is so displeased with me who neuer hurt her hitherto either in word or deed To these speeches Throgmorton made answer I haue no commission to answer you but to heare what your answer is about the confirmation of the treatie of Edenburgh But if it please you to heare the cause
declare her daughter adoptiue or sister by authoritie of Parliament The Scots stood hard to it that it was not for the dignitie of a Queene desired for wife by Charles the sonne of the Emperor Ferdinand the King of France the Prince of Condy and the Duke of Ferrara to abase her selfe vnto the mariage of a new-made Earle and a subiect of England vpon a hope onely and no dowrie being offered saying also it was neither honorable vnto the Queene of England to commend so meane a husband to so great a Princesse her next kinswoman but that this should bee a most certaine argument of loue if she would permit her at her owne choice to elect her selfe a husband who shall keepe peace with England and withall assigne a good annuitie vnto her and confirme the right of succession by the authoritie of Parliament In all this businesse Queene Elizabeth earnestly desired that the succession of both the Kingdomes might be established in the English Nation though she was slow in the same The Queene of Scotland when the matter had hung thus in talke for the space of two yeeres now determined to take Darly vnto her husband did suspect that Queene Elizabeth did not deale sincerely with her but that she did propound this mariage for no other end and purpose but that shee might make the first choice of the best suiter or wooer for her selfe or else might marrie with better excuse vnto Leicester But the Scottish Delegates looking also for their owne purposes determined by one way or other to thrust some obstacle or other in any mariage that â—hey might retaine still their authoritie with the Queene Queene Elizabeth had willed the Commissioners to hinder the mariage with Darly and Leicester himselfe accounting himselfe most sure of Queene Elizabeth willed Bedford secretly by his letters not to vrge the matter much And vpon this hope it is thought he fauored Darly in secret Anno 1565. IN the meane time Darly got leaue with much adoe to goe into Scotland and to stay there three moneths by the earnest and humble suit his mother made vnto Queene Elizabeth vnder the colour that he might bee present at the restoring of his father and so he came vnto Edenburgh in the moneth of Februarie He was a young man of personage most worthy of an Empire of a comely stature of a most milde nature and sweet behauiour As soone as the Queene of Scotland saw him she fell in loue with him and to couer her loue she talked now and then with Randolfe the English Embassadour in Scotland about the mariage with Leicester and at the same time sent to Rome for a dispensation because Darly and shee were so neere of kinne that a dispensation was necessary by the Canon Lawes But when these things came to light shee sent Lidington vnto Queene Elizabeth that shee might marrie with Darly by her consent and not bee kept any longer vnmaried vpon vaine expectations Queene Elizabeth propounded the matter to her priuie Councell who out of the secret suggestions of Murrey easily beleeued that the purpose of the Queene of Scotland tended by this mariage to strengthen and againe to claime the title and her right vnto the Realme of England and withall to deduce it vnto the Romane Religion againe and that many would incline vnto them vpon the certaintie of their succession comming of this mariage and others out of the loue vnto the Romane Religion and forasmuch as they vnderstood that most of the Iustices of Peace were addicted vnto it To preuent these things they thought it most necessarie first to winne the Queenes good will to marrie speedily some husband that out of the certaintie of succession by her and her issue and from none other the affaires and hopes of English men might depend for they feared that if the Queene of Scotland maried first and had issue the most of the people would incline and bend toward her side because of the certaintie of the succession and securitie Secondly that the profession of the Romane Religion should bee infringed or weakened as much as might be and that of the reformed diligently aduanced and established this by dealing more moderately with some hot spirited Protestants about things indifferent and the other by calling in the depriued Bishops vnto their prisons for they had beene dispersed into the Countries in the time of the great plague by giuing vnto the Bishops more ample authoritie to exercise the Ecclesiastical lawes against that terrifying bugge of the Premunire which the Lawyers obiected against them by suppressing bookes comming from the Low-countries into England set out by Harding and the Diuines that were fled ouer the Seas by remouing away certaine Scottish Priests that lurked in England by depriuing the English fugitiues of their Ecclesiasticall liuings which they enioyed vntill this time by compelling the Iudges of the land who for the most part were Papists to take the oath of Supremacie But to disturbe the mariage with Darly it was thought best to put them in feare by mustering Souldiers vpon the borders toward Scotland and by putting a greater Garrison into Barwicke that the Countesse of Lennox mother to Darly and Charles her sonne should be committed vnto Prison the Earle of Lennox and Darly his sonne should be recalled out of Scotland vpon paine to forfeit all their goods before that any league could bee made by them with the Kings of France or Spaine that the Scots enemies to the mariage should be maintained and Catharine Gray with the Earle of Hertfort should be receiued into some fauour of whom as of her competitor in the succession of the Kingdome shee seemed somewhat to bee afraid And this was all that they could deuise to hinder the mariage Hereupon Nicholas Throgmorton is sent vnto the Queene of Scotland who should aduise her to deliberate long on that which was to be done but once that repentance alwaies followed hastie mariage and to commend instantly the mariage with Leicester and that the mariage with her Aunts sonne was contrary vnto the Canon Law for Queene Elizabeth very much desired that by her some of the English Nation might succeed in both the Realmes although some men there were that thought it would be the best for Religion and both the Realmes if she died without issue She answered the matter could not bee recalled and that Queene Elizabeth had no cause to bee angry when according to her counsell shee had chosen not a stranger but an English man and one borne of the royall bloud of both the Kingdomes and the noblest man of birth of all Brittaine Lidington lying in England did often propose the mariage of the Queene of Scotland vnto Leicester colourably and also to the D. of Norfolke as to one more worthy of a Princesses marriage who at that time put off the same with a modest refusall The Queene of England to interpose some impediment vnto this hastened mariage called backe Lennox Darly as her
subiects according to the times expressed in their licence The father excused himselfe most modestly in his letters the sonne desired that she would not be against his preferment insinuated that it may be that he may be profitable to his deare Countrie of England and openly professed himselfe a louer and honourer of the Queene of Scotland aboue all others who to giue correspondencie to his loue first made him Knight and afterward Lord Aâ—â—â—â—och Earle of Rosse and Duke of Rothsay and the fift moneth after his comming into Scotland tooke him to her husband with the consent of the most of the Noble men and proclaimed him King Murrey who applied all his wit to his owne priuate ambition and vnder the goodly pretence of Religion had drawne in the Duke of Chasteauleroy an honest minded man vnto his side fretting and others raising tumults and arguing these questions Whether a Papist was to be receiued to be their King Whether the Queene of Scotland might choose her selfe a husband at her owne election Whether the Noblemen of the Land might not by their authoritie appoint her a husband The Queene of England who knew the milde nature of Darly and the plaine and honest minde of the father taking compassion of the young man her Cousin and of the Queene a young woman also who had to deale with most turbulent persons who being aboue this twentie yeeres loosed from the gouernment of Kings could not now endure any Kings tooke it more quietly Neither had she any feare of them when she saw the power of the Queene her aduersarie not increased by that meane match and had the mother of Darly in her hand and foresaw that troubles would arise hereupon in Scotland which began incontinently for many Noblemen of Scotland as Hamilton and Murrey chafing fretting at the mariage this man for that the mariage was made without the consent of the Queene of England the other vpon a spight or priuie malice against the familie of Lennox but both of them vnder the pretext of the conseruation of Religion displaied their banners in manner of warre to disturbe the mariage so that the Queene was of necessitie enforced to leuie forces that the mariâ—â—â— might be celebrated with securitie and then she did so fiercely pursue the rebels by the helpe of the King her husband that she made them flie into England before the bands of English men promised to them could come but the Queene of England did couertly grant a lurking place vnto Murrey who was wholly addicted vnto the English and secretly maintained him with money by Bedford vntill hee returned into Scotland which was the day after the murder of Dauid Rizius The causes which Queene Elizabeth alleadged why shee admitted Murrey and the Scottish rebels into England were for that the Queene of Scotland had receiued Yaxley Standen and Welsh English fugitiues into Scotland and receiued O-Neale a great man of Ireland into her protection had intelligence with the Pope against England and had not done iustice on the theeues on the borders and on Pirates Queene Elizabeth not forgetfull of the Scottish affaires a moneth or two after the mariage sent Tamworth a Gentleman of her priuie Chamber vnto the Queene of Scotland to warne her not to violate the peace and to expostulate with her for her hastie marriage with the natiue subiect of England without her consent and withall to request that Lennox and Darly might be sent backe into England according to the league and that Murrey might be receiued againe into fauour Shee smelling his arrand admitted him not to her presence but in articles deliuered in writing promised in the word of a Prince that neither shee nor her husband would attempt any thing to wrong the Queene of England or her children lawfully begotten or the quiet of the Realme either by receiuing fugitiues or by making league with strangers or by any other meanes yea most willingly that they would make such league with the Queene and Realme of England which might be profitable and honourable for both the Realmes neither that they would innouate any thing in the Religion Lawes and liberties of England if at any time they should possesse the Kingdome of England yet vpon this condition that Queene Elizabeth would fully performe this thing on her part toward her and her husband viz. by Parlament establish the succession of the Crowne of England in her person and her lawfull issue and if that failed in Margaret Countesse of Lennox her husbands mother and her children lawfully begotten As for the other things shee answered That shee had acquainted the Queene with her mariage with Darly as soone as she was fully determined to marie him and had receiued no answer from her That she had satisfied the Queenes demands forasmuch as she had not married a stranger but an English man borne who was the noblest in birth and most worthiest of her in all Britaine that she knew But it seemed strange that she might not keepe with her Darly whom shee had maried or not keepe Lennox in Scotland who was a natiue Earle of Scotland As for Murrey whom she had tried to bee her mortall enemie shee in faire words besought her to leaue her subiects vnto her owne discretion since that she did not intermeddle in the causes of the subiects of England With this answer Tamworth returned not respected as he thought according to his estate and place for to say the truth the malapert fellow had touched the reputation and credit of the Queene of Scotland with I know not what slander and had not vouchsafed to giue her husband the title of King Anno 1566. IN Iune the Queene of Scotland in a happie houre and to the perpetuall felicitie of Britaine was deliuered of her sonne Iames who is now the Monarch of Britaine which shee signified forthwith vnto Queene Elizabeth by Iames Meluin Who although she was grieued at the heart that the honour to bee a mother was borne away before her by her aduersarie yet she sent Henry Killigrew incontinently to congratulate with her for her safe deliuerance and the birth of a sonne And to will her not to fauour any more Shane O-Neale then rebelling in Ireland nor to entertaine Christopher Rokesby fled out of England and to punish certaine theeues vpon the borders Shortly after the estates of the Realme in the Parlament holden at London moued the Queene earnestly to marry and to set downe and nominate her successor but she by no meanes could be drawne to it Yet that it might appeare to the world whom shee thought most rightfull successor shee cast into prison Thornton the Reader â—f the Law at Lincolnes Inne in London at that time of whom the Queene of Scotland had complained that he in his reading had called into question and made a doubt of the right of her succession The time being come for the baptizing of the Prince of Scotland the Queene of England being requested to be Godmother
sent the Earle of Bedford with a Font of massie gold for a gift and commanded expresly that neither hee nor any English men that accompanied him should vouchsafe to call Darly by the name of King That Ceremonie being finished the Earle of Bedford dealt with the Queene of Scotland about other things contained in his commission that is to wit That the domesticall contentions betweene her and her husband might bee compounded for some malicious sworne enemies to them both had craftily broken asunder that most pleasant societie of life and loue betweene them and the treatie of Edenburgh ratified This last thing she vtterly denied alleadging that in the treatie was much matter that might impeach and derogate from her owne and her childrens right vnto the Crowne of England Yet shee promised to send Commissioners into England who should talke about the confirmation thereof changing some words namely that shee should forbeare to vse the title and armes of England whilest Queene Elizabeth liued and her children As though it were meant in the treatie that shee should forbeare to vse them for euer And also should declare vnto her how iniuriously shee was vsed by their villanous deuices that abused the simplicitie and credulitie of her husband more than was to bee suffered And now she being sickly and weake in her letters commended her young sonne vnto the fidelitie and protection of Queene Elizabeth in which letters though she knew I vse the words of the letters that she is the vndoubted rightfull heire of England after Queene Elizabeth and that many imagine and deuise sundry things against that right shee promised that shee would not vrge any more any declaration of her right but that shee will helpe assist and cleaue vnto her alwaies with all her power against all persons Anno 1567. BVt before those Commissioners came from the Queene of Scotland and a moneth or two after the Prince was Christened the King her husband in the one and twentieth yeere of his age in the dead time of the night by a hatefull and abominable villanie which all good men doe detest was strangled in his bed and cast into a garden and the house blowne vp with Gun-powder A rumour forthwith was diuulged in all Brittaine and the fault laid vpon Mourton Murrey and their confederates And they insulting vpon the weaknesse of her sex laid it from themselues vpon the Queene What George Buchanan hath written hereof as well in his Historie as in a Pamphlet called the Detection is knowne to all men by those printed bookes But since hee carried away with partiall affection and with the gifts of Murrey wrote in that manner those bookes were condemned of falshood by the Estates of the Realme of Scotland vnto whom more credit is to bee giuen And he himselfe lamented and bewailed vnto the King whose Schoolemaster hee was reprouing himselfe oftentimes as I haue heard that he had written so spightfully against the well-deseruing Queene And at his death wished that he might haue liued so long vntill hee might wipe out with a recantation or with his bloud the spots and staines hee had falsly laid on her But that as hee said would be to no purpose since he should seeme to doat for old age Let it bee lawfull for me that the other part may also bee heard in few words to lay open all the matter as much as I can vnderstand without any hate or loue as well out of the writings of other men which were set forth at that time but suppressed in fauour of Murrey and vpon hatred vnto the Queene Captiue in England as also out of the letters of Embassadors and of men of good credit In the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred fiftie and eight at the mariage of Francis the Dolphin and of MARIE Queene of Scotland Iames the Queenes Bastard-brother commonly called the Prior of Saint Andrewes disdaining that Religious appellation sued for a more honourable title which when she by the aduice of the Guises her Vncles would not grant he returned into Scotland much offended and began to make broiles vnder a goodly pretence of the reformation of Religion and assuring the libertie of Scotland and effected it so farre that Religion was changed in an assembly of the Confederates without the Queenes priuitie And the French men were remoued out of Scotland by the helpe of the English men they had brought in Francis the King of France being deceased he poasted into France vnto his sister and laying from himselfe whatsoeuer had beene done in Scotland against her profit or credit calling God to witnesse solemnly promised to doe all the kind offices which a sister could expect at the hands of a brother And conceiuing also a hope that she being bred vp from her tender yeeres in the delights of France would not returne into Scotland dealt with the Guises that some one of the Scottish Nobilitie might be named Regent of Scotland and as with his finger shewed himselfe as the fittest man But when he was sent backe into Scotland with no other authoritie but onely with Letters Patents wherein the Queene gaue authoritie to assemble the Nobilitie and to aduise and conferre about the good of the common wealth hee being deiected and â—ustrate of his hope returning thorow England in a rage and furie put into their heads that if they desired or had a care of the preseruation of Religion in Scotland the tranquillitie of England and securitie of Queene Elizabeth they should hinder the returne of the Queene of Scotland into Scotland by one meanes or other Yet shee arriued safe in Scotland passing by the English Fleet in a thicke mist and vsing her brother with all courtesie commended the gouernment of all the affaires into his hands Yet these things did not cut off the branches of his ambition which daily sprang out both in words and deeds For neither could he containe himselfe but that oftentimes amongst his friends he would lament that the warlike Scottish Nation no lesse than that of the English men was subiected to the gouernment of a woman and out of the doctrine of Knox whom hee accounted as a Patriarke hee would often discourse that Kingdomes were due vnto vertue not vnto kindred That women were to bee excluded from the succession of Kingdomes and that their rule was monstrous Hee dealt also with the Queene by his friends that she would substitute some out of the familie of the Stewarts who if she died without issue should succeed one after another in the Kingdome and not to haue any regard whether they were legitimate or illegitimate hoping that he should be one of them being a Kings sonne although illegitimate But the Queene when she out of her wisdome weighed that such a substitution was a thing contrary to the Lawes of the Land and would be a wrong vnto the right heires a most pernicious example and perillous also for the substitutes themselues yea and a barre vnto her to keepe
Warwicke called together with an oath of secresie lest they should preiudice either partie And when Murrey was called home and Boyde as it was commonly reported plotted to steale away the Queene of Scotland out of prison the matter was put off vnto another time Queene ELIZABETH from her heart hating the insolencie of the Scots in depriuing of their Queene Murrey a little before his departure had craftily proposed vnto Norfolke the mariage with the Queene of Scotland and also secretly by Meluin to the Queene a hope to be restored into her Kingdome as wee shall declare anon and at the same time to draw the loue of Queene ELIZABETH from the Queene of Scotland he had spread rumors that she had transposed her right vnto England vnto the Duke of Anjeou and that the transcription was confirmed at Rome and shewed also letters whether true or forged I will not say which the Queene of Scotland had written vnto her friends in which shee both charged Queene ELIZABETH as though shee had not vsed her according to her promise and bragged of hope of aid from some other persons This put Queene ELIZABETH in great feare yet could not shee coniecture from whence this new hope should arise the ciuil warre increasing so in France that the Bishop of Rhedon was sent vnto her by the King to request her not to intermeddle with the affaires in France and the Duke of Alba who was come the last yeere into the Netherlands to profligate the Protestants Religion had very troublesome businesse come vpon him But as it came to light afterward Robert Ridolphus a Florentine who had liued long at London as a Merchant Factor was suborned by Pope Pius Quintus who durst not send a Nuntio openly to stirre secretly the Papists in England against Queene ELIZABETH which hee did both diligently and secretly A small suspition was also growne out of the secret conferences at Yorke betweene Lidington the Bishop of Rosse and Norfolke whom they besought to ioine his aduice and care to helpe the most distressed Queene offering vnto him also her in mariage which hee as a thing full of danger reiected with a modest answer yet he promised not to abandon the distressed Queene in as much as was lawfull for an honourable man to doe sauing his allegeance to his Queene and Countrie Ligon the seruant of Norfolke a great Papist much increased the suspition by his often going to Bolton the Lord Scroopes Castle where the Queene of Scotland was kept by Francis Knolls vnder the pretence of visiting Scroopes wife who was sister vnto Norfolke Although no certaintie was of this yet for more surety the Queene of Scotland was conueied from Bolton where all the bordering neighbours were Papists farther into the Realme vnto Tutburie and deliuered vnto the custodie of George Earle of Shrewsburie Anno 1569. NOw Murrey who had made himselfe a secure way to returne into Scotland by the hope made to the Queene of Scotland of her restitution and to Norfolke and to others in England for shee had repressed the Scots that lay in wait to kill him and charged them not to impeach his returne As soone as hee came vnto Edenburgh he called the Noblemen friends to the Queene vnder the colour to consult with them about her restitution And when Hamilton Duke of Chasteauleroy appointed Lieutenant by the Queene and Herris perswaded by the letters of the Queene too much credulous came thither first Murrey fearing some traps circumuented them and staying for no moe put them in prison and forthwith annoied and vexed the friends of the Queene with fire and sword Hereupon were rumours spread in all places of England against Murrey namely that hee had made a pact with Queene ELIZABETH that the young King of Scotland should bee deliuered vnto Queene ELIZABETH to be brought vp in England That the Castles of Edenburgh and Sterling should bee furnished with Garrisons of English men That Dunbritton should be wonne for the benefit of the English That Murrey should bee proclaimed successor vnto the Realme of Scotland if the King died without issue and should hold the Kingdome of Queene ELIZABETH by fealtie and homage These reports increased and with a certaine probabilitie did so possesse mens mindes thorow all Britanie that Queene ELIZABETH thought good for the conseruation of her owne credit and for the good of Murrey to wipe away these blots Therefore in a writing printed she declared in the word of a Prince that these reports were most vntrue and deuised by them who enuied the tranquillitie of both the Kingdomes and that there had beene no pact either by word or writing betweene her or her Agents and Murrey since hee came last into England that she knew of but that the Earle of Lennox Grandfather of the young King had requested that the King if hee could not bee safe in Scotland from the plots of wicked men might be sent into England Moreouer she affirmed that whatsoeuer is said of the paction betweene Murrey and the Earle of Hertford namely that they would giue mutuall helpe the one to the other to get the Crownes of both the Kingdomes to be vtterly false and vntrue Lastly that she was not the cause why the transaction betweene the Queene of Scotland and her little sonne was not concluded and that shee will labour all that shee may that it may bee effected And indeed she did her best endeuour though shee was tossed on the one side with feare out of the inueterate emulation which doth neuer die betweene women Princesses and on the other side with compassion remembring oftentimes the frailâ—ie of mankinde The Queene of Scotland kindled more this compassion and minished the feare with her often and louing letters in which she solemnely promised both for the courtesie which shee had found at her hands and also for the neere bloud of kindred which was betweene them that shee would attempt nothing against her and that shee would not bee beholding to any other Prince for her restitution but onely vnto her Insomuch that Queene ELIZABETH dealt earnestly with Murrey by Wood his Secretarie and with other Scots about the restoring of her vnto her former dignitie and estate and if that could not bee granted then that shee might bee ioined with her sonne and if that could not be granted neither yet that shee might liue a priuate life at home among her friends freely securely and honourably But shee could not stirre or moue Murrey who had all the gouernment in his hand to yeeld a iot About the same time a still rumor went vp and downe amongst men of the better sort that the Duke of Norfolke would marrie the Queene of Scotland which was a thing well taken of many but in sundry manners according as men wished For the Papists hereby hoped to haue some good for their religion and others hoped some profit would arise thereby vnto the Common-wealth But many men who saw the Queene was not minded to marrie
the Queene of England lest some hurt did come vnto her and the Duke for want thereof which shee had experimented in the mariage with DARLY without her consent Yet they thought best to trie first the mindes of more Noblemen of whom most gaue their consent with this clause So that the Queene was not against it Neither did the Kings of France and Spaine dislike it onely they feared Murrey lest hee that had first broached the matter and promised to further it all that hee could should first hinder it Yet they agreed on this that Lidington who was then expected should bee the first to trie the minde of Queene ELIZABETH In the meane time the Duke imparted to the Lord Lumley whatsoeuer had beene done in this businesse and with much adoe obtained of Leicester to aske the aduice of some other friends Yet a while after he opened the matter by the consent of Pembrooke vnto Cecill also About which time Leonard Dacres deuised and compassed to steale secretly away the Queene of Scotland out of prison at Whinfield where shee was kept by the Earle of Shrewsburie Northumberland being priuie vnto this deuice signified it vnto the Duke who forbade them to doe it for hee feared they would haue deliuered her to be maried vnto the King of Spaine and hoped to obtaine the consent of Queene ELIZABETH â—re it was long But the rumor of this mariage came more plainly to the Queenes eare by the Ladies and women of the Court who smell out cunningly and quickly these loue matters Which when the Duke vnderstood to be true he dealt very earnestly with Leicester both by Throgmorton and by Pembrooke to open the matter speedily vnto the Queene he made delaies and lingred as it were to stay for a fit time to speake But Cecill willed the Duke who was now full of care to open all the matter to the Queene himselfe whereby all scruple might bee speedily taken away from the Queene and from himselfe also Leicester was against it and promised to open the matter to the Queene in the progresse But in the time that hee put it off with smooth words from one day vnto another the Queene being at Farneham set the Duke at her table and bitingly willed him to take â—eed on what Pillow hee laid his head Then at Titchfield Leicester was somewhat sicke or else fained so to bee and vnto the Queene that came to see him and cheered him comfortably and perceiuing his spirit and bloud to bee drawne inward for feare with sighs and asking pardon of his fault hee opened the whole matter from the beginning At which time the Queene called the Duke vnto her in a gallery and chid him very much that without her priuitie he had sued vnto â—he Queene of Scotland in the way of mariage and commanded him vpon his allegeance to cease from further medling therein He promised so to doe willingly and gladly and doubted not to say as though hee cared not a whit for her that his reuenues in England were little lesse than those of the Kingdome of Scotland at this time lamentably impouerished by the warres and also when hee was in his Tennis-court at Norwich he seemed to himselfe to bee equall after a sort vnto many Kings But from that time he began to bee more deiected in minde and when hee saw the Queene to looke and speake to him more sternely and Leicester in a manner estranged and most of the Noblemen to steale away out of his companie scarce saluting or speaking to him hasted vnto London without taking any leaue and went in to Pembrooke who bade him be of good cheere and comforted him very much And on that same very day Queene ELIZABETH reiected with shew of displeasure the Scottish Embassador intreating her very much to deliuer the Queene captiue and bade that she should behaue her selfe quietly lest shortly shee saw them on whom she chiefly relied to hop headlesse And now when the rumor of the mariage was hotter euery day than other and the French Embassador exceedingly vrged her deliuerie more by the perswasion of some English men than by the commandement of the French King as it was after knowne new suspicions from euery place were laid hold on and Cecill who applied all his care for the good of the Republike and Religion was very diligent to finde the depth of the matter and therefore wrote vnto Sussex Lord President of the North who was a familiar friend and neere allied in bloud vnto the Duke to certifie the Queene what he knew of the Dukes mariage But his answer is vnknowne vnto mee And where it had beene obserued that the Duke had many secret conferences with Murrey Regent of Scotland at Hampton Court George Cary sonne to the Lord Hunsdon was sent secretly vnto Murrey to learne of him if the Duke had imparted vnto him any thing about this mariage The Duke in the meane while terrified with a false rumor spread that there was a commotion raised in the North and being certified by Leicester that he should bee put in prison went out of the way into Norfolke whiles his friends in the Court who had promised so much might auert turne aside the storme that hung ouer his head he himselfe might mitigate the Queenes displeasure by his humble letters But there were men set about him to marke and note all his actions When he found no comfort among his friends and Heydon Cornwallis and other worshipfull Gentlemen of those parts perswaded him if he were guiltie of any offence toward the Queene to flie vnto her mercie he wauered and was tormented with diuersitie of cares In this while was the Court in quandarie suspitious and fearefull that he would breake out into rebellion and they say it was determined to kill the Queene of Scotland presently if he did so But hee out of his inbred good nature and out of his conscience that hee had not offended against any Law made treason for that act of marying the Kings sisters or brothers or aunts children without the Kings knowledge made treason by Henry the eighth was repealed by King Edward the sixt and also for feare lest the Queene of Scotland out of suspicion should be vsed more hardly and extremely hee sent letters vnto his friends in the Court and told them that hee stept aside vnto his house that in time and by his absence he might procure a remedy against malicious rumours which are at all times entertained with open eares in the Court and asked pardon most humbly for his offence and forthwith tooke his iourney toward the Court. As he returned at Saint Albans Owen a gentleman belonging to the Earle of Arundell sent secretly by Throgmorton and Lumley who were committed willed him to take all the fault vpon himselfe and not to lay it vpon Leicester and others lest he should make his friends his enemies There Edward Fitz-Gerard brother vnto the Earle of Kildare Lieutenant of the Pensioners met and
vngratefull vnto his sister the Queene that deserued well at his hands and insulted ouer her womanly weaknesse And these men out of their suspitions and the lewd disposition of many bastards did ghesse and coniecture as though he would not haue spared the sonne hauing already depriued the mother of her Crowne The Queene of Scotland her selfe was very sory that he was taken away by that sudden and violent death before as she said he had purged his sinnes against God his Countrie and Princesse by hearty penitencie But all the English men that fauoured the Duke of Norfolke accused him as farre as they durst for a craftie and false deceiuer The Noblemen of Scotland who stood for the King not admitting the Hamiltons and the rest who had stood for the depriued Queene being to meet for the â—lection of a new Regent required the aduice of Queene ELIZABETH Shee answered shee would not meddle in the creation of a Regent lest shee should seeme to preiudice the Queene of Scotland whose cause was not yet decided and iudged But they chose Matthew Earle of Lenox the Kings Grandfather Regent Queene ELIZABETH being not discontent with it for she knew that hee would bee very louing vnto his young Nephew out of naturall affection and kinde vnto the English men in regard of the benefits he had receiued at their hands And she did not doubt but hee would bee at her becke since shee had his wife in her hands Whiles Queene ELIZABETH shewed fauour thus vnto the Kings side in Scotland the King of Spaine did not abandon the Queene captiue but by the meanes of Hamilton Rector of the Church of Dunbar he sent secretly out of the Low-countries great store of Armour and Gun-powder and seuen great peeces of Ordnance and some money vnto Huntley the Gouernour of the North part of Scotland for the Queene In this while he the Duke of Chasteauleroy and the Earle of Argile Lieutenants of the Queene by a common consent and with the consent also of the Queene sent George Lord Seton Embassador vnto the Duke of Alba who declared his message vnto him in these words That hee was sent out of a Kingdome depriued of publike peace and of a worthy Princesse through the trecherie of disloyall subiects and that the substance of his Embassage consisted on these points That aid may bee giuen vnto them whereby the Queene may bee redeemed out of miserable captiuitie in a forraine land and the Realme deliuered from the oppression of strangers That the Scottish rebels might bee forbidden to trafficke in the dominions of the King of Spaine And that the 10000. Crownes assigned by him to the Queene of Scotland might bee paid The Duke of Alba answered That hee would bee ready and willing to further this her cause vpon all occasions vnto the King of Spaine but that he could not prohibit the trafficke of the Scottish rebels because it was contrarie to the libertie of the Low-Countries and promised that he would disburse the money very shortly for her vse In the meane time the Lord Seton the more to purchase the fauour of the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alba went in disguised apparell vnto the States and drew many of the Scots that serued them vnto a reuolt by faire words good cheere and such like enticements And when he was at the point to bee put to the torture he hardly and with great danger of his life escaped vnto the Duke of Alba who promised to pay ten thousand Souldiers for halfe a yeere but in vaine because hee could not send ouer the Souldiers into Scotland the warres were so hot in the Low-Countries In the meane time the Bishop of Rosse who had followed the businesse of the Queene with good discretion and was committed vnto the custodie of the Bishop of London because he had secretly kindled the rebellion in the North being now deliuered brought to passe that the French King by his Embassadour to wit Montluc dealt very earnestly with Queene Elizabeth about the deliuerance of the Queene of Scotland who complained very much that shee was kept straiter in prison and that also vnder the Earle of Huntingdon her professed enemie and competitor since hee as openly made claime vnto the right of the Kingdome of England as she did The same also was vrged exceedingly by the King of Spaines Embassadour in his Kings name The Queene made answer after shee had rehearsed the craftie purposes and deuices of sundry men for the deliuerie of the Queene of Scotland who as she closely insinuated was priuie to the late rebellion that it would be great inconsideration and dangerous folly to let her goe at libertie who doth aspire so openly by such euill courses vnto the Kingdome of England That of necessitie shee was enforced to keepe her straighter in prison to send away many of her seruants from her whom shee had drawne thither in great number and to ioine the Earle of Huntingdon in whom she did acknowledge no right vnto the Kingdome but some kindred with her vnto the Earle of Shrewsburie whom she had appointed to be her keeper who long since began to suspect and distrust the fidelitie of some of his seruants and had perceiued many of them daily wonne to fauour the Queene of Scotland yet that the Earle of Huntingdon had beene remoued from her a good while since Moreouer she promised that she would omit nothing shee can doe to make an end and a composition betweene the Queene and the Scots and protested that shee will not reuenge the wrongs she hath receiued at her hands But yet shee hoped that the Kings of Spaine and France and the Queene of Scotland also will giue her leaue to make prouision for the tranquillitie both of her selfe and her subiects which nature reason and her honour doe claime at her hands If any of them shall deuise any better and more euident meanes to auoid perill and danger that shee would with a good will heare and embrace the same After these things the priuie Councell of England sate oftentimes and consulted whether it was best that she were sent backe vnto her owne subiects or kept still in England and what courses were best to be taken for the best preseruation of the Kingdome the Queene and Religion About which time Pope Pius Quintus had caused his Bull or Sentence Declaratorie against Queene ELIZABETH the pretensed Queene of England and the Heretikes aduering vnto her I vse the very words thereof wherein also all her subiects were declared to bee absolued from their oath of fidelitie and all other dutie c. And they that afterward obeyed her were ex communicated which was dated the fiue and twentieth day of Februarie in the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred threescore and nine to be fixed on the gates of the Palace of the Bishop of London in the night Hereupon suspitions increased that some dangerous matter was in working And forthwith another rebellion was about
Scotland and his brother the Earle of Northumberland might bee deliuered out of Scotland But when his credit was suspected because of his priuate familiaritie with Burghley and also he delaied the matter very long that plot came to nothing For the which vpon his submission hee was notwithstanding fined in the Star-chamber at fiue thousand Markes which neuerthelesse the Queene pardoned As also the plot of Powell of Sandford one of the Pensioners and of Owen a Gentleman belonging to the Earle of Arundell who intended to aduenture vpon the same action but that Rosse did inhibit and hinder them as not able to performe so great an attempt since they were not men of that abilitie and meanes Yet did many English men hasten the mariage betweene the Queene of Scotland and the Duke of Norfolke as much as they could for they had by their perswasions brought him to thinke of the mariage with her againe contrarie to the promise he had made which was first found out by these meanes Ridolph the Florentine whom wee haue spoken of being sent ouer Sea into forraine Countries to deale in the Queene of Scotlands businesse had acquainted Charles Bailiffe a Flemming seruant to the Queene of Scotland with all his speeches with the Duke of Alua and had deliuered vnto him letters in Ciphers vnto her the Spanish Embassadour Norfolke Rosse and the Lord Lumley all put in one Packet which Bailiffe brought ouer with him though Rosse had bidden him to leaue them with the Captaine of Calice to bee sent ouer But as soone as hee arriued in Douer Hauen hee was apprehended and put in prison but his Packet of letters was sent to the Lord Cobham Warden of the Cinque-ports which things Rosse knew with the first and dealt so diligently and craftily with Cobham who was not ignorant of the Dukes counsell that that Packet was deliuered vnto him and another with other old letters wrapped vp was deliuered vnto the priuie Councellors And this was also signified vnto Bailiffe Yet hee being vpon the Racke confessed some things and amongst other that a Packet of letters came to the hands of Rosse This came to the knowledge of Rosse also who forthwith very wisely sent away Çuthbert his Secretarie and laid aside his Ciphers and priuie Characters with other things which might bring trouble at his friends houses so that when Sussex Burghâ—ey Mildmay and Sadleir searched his house most narrowly they found nothing nor could wring nothing out of him with interrogations who stood vpon it still that an Embassadour was not to be compelled to yeeld reasons and make answers to any but his owne Prince Yet on the next day Rosse was deliuered to the Bishop of Ely to keepe and shortly after hee was sent into the I le of Ely Also Sir Thomas Stanley Sir Thomas Gerard Knights and Rolston of whom I haue spoken were sent to the Tower of London And Henry Howard who had sued to the Archbishop of Yorke vpon suspicion was committed to the keeping of the Archbishop of Canterburie About the same time the Queene of Scotland had sent a certaine summe of mony vnto the French Embassadour for her friends in Scotland hee deliuered it vnto Barker and Higford who acquainting the Duke with the matter deliuered it to one Browne a Citizen of Shrewsburie a retainer of the Dukes to bee carried by Banister and Lander into Scotland vnto the Lord Herris Browne being suspicious when he perceiued by the weight that they had deliuered the money in gold and not in siluer he deliuered it and the letters to the priuie Councellors Herein the wiser sort did obserue that this was the first time that the Duke did commit treason in that he had giuen aid vnto Herris and the Scots proclaimed enemies who had depopulated the English borders Hereupon Higford was cast into pâ—ison who forthwith did voluntarily confesse all the matter concerning the money and withall he told them in what places he had hidden the letters Ciphers and the Commentarie of the Queene of Scotland I mentioned vnder the Matt and in the tiles The Queene of Scotland discoursed in this Commentarie these things at large The French King allowed the conference appointed with the Scots and that they proposed the mariage of Anjeou with Queene ELIZABETH for no other purpose but that they might with the better colour denie their aid promised to restore her That they secretly sought to hinder her mariage with Don Iohn d'Austria and that they fauoured exceedingly the mariage with Norfolke vpon malice to the Spaniard That the Duke of Alba did disallow the purpose of sending backe the Queene of Scotland into Scotland so much that he thought thereby would bee wrought not onely the vtter destruction of the Queene but also of the Romish Religion in all Britaine because that the Queene returned into Scotland should be in danger of siege or else of necessitie put to the aduenture of a battell with the Rebels who may easily get her into their hands by the helpe of the English men before forraine aid could come to helpe her Therefore since she cannot be in safetie in Scotland and no hope of helpe was likely to be out of France turmoiled with ciuill warres the most conuenient course seemed for her to resort for succour vnto the King of Spaine who had offered to marry her vnto Don Iohn d'Austria which yet she would refuse vpon condition that the Romish Religion might be restored in Britaine by Norfolke And also that her sonne might speedily be conueyed out of Scotland and sent into Spaine for so hee might bee kept in safetie instructed in his tender yeeres in the Romish Religion and withall all pretext taken from the Scots who vse his authoritie and name to countenance their rebellion For the working of these things and the procuring of forraine aid Ridolph was with speed to bee sent away and admonished secretly to keepe these things from the French King by all meanes When the priuie Councellors had receiued this Commentarie the letters I spake of and others sent from the Pope and Barker being taken had confessed all these things Sir Ralph Sadleir was commanded to watch the Dukes house at the Charter-house in London with a band of Souldiers The next day the Duke himselfe being examined not knowing what his seruants had confessed and thinking that the Commentarie had beene burned and the letters also denied all things stoutly a day or two after namely on the seuenth day of September he was conueyed to the Tower of London againe by Sir Ralph Sadleir Sir Thomas Smith Sir Henry Neuill and Doctor Wilson And then Banister who was the Dukes Lawyer and the Earles of Arundell and Southampton the Lords Lumley and Cobham and Thomas his brother Henry Percie Lowder Powell Good-yeere and others were put in prison who euery one in hope of pardon told all they knew As soone as the Commissioners shewed to him the confessions of these men the letters of the Queene of
Scotland and of Rosse with the Commentarie hee was astonied but beholding the Commentarie with the letters which he thought had beene burned hee brake out into these words I am betraied and vndone by my seruants because I knew not how to distrust which is the sinew of wisdome But hee besought the Commissioners very humbly to speake vnto the Queene in his behalfe promising that hee would hide nothing that hee knew and solemnly protesting that hee approued nothing which might haue beene wrong vnto the Queene or detriment vnto the Realme yea that hee vtterly condemned the purposes and plots to surprize the Queene and the Tower of London and to set free the Queene of Scotland and that hee neuer had a thought to bring in any forraine forces but onely to suppresse the Scots that rebelled against the Queene The same day being examined of fiftie Articles more or lesse he concealed nothing Then all the course of the businesse was laid downe and declared in the Star-chamber a great assembly of Noblemen the Maior and Aldermen of London being present and afterwards to all the Citizens in the Guild-hall by William Fleetwood the Recorder But when the Bishop of Rosse was accused by the confession of euery one of them and by the Duke himselfe also as the contriuer of the businesse a serious consultation was had what was to be done with him that was an Embassadour For he whiles he thought it lawful for him as such kinde of men vse to doe to aduance the affaires of his Prince by any manner of meanes and not to be brought in question of law vpon the inuiolable priuilege of Embassadours in a strange Court had done many things long since turbulently in kindling a commotion and hauing nightly conferences with the Earle of Southampton and others and now againe with the English fâ—gitiues in the Low-Countries the Duke of Alba the King of Spaine and the Pope about the inuasion of England Therefore the cause was put to Dauid Lewis Valentine Dale William Aubrey and Henry Iones Doctors of the Ciuill Law 1 First whether an Embassadour that raiseth or procureth rebellion against a Prince vnto whom he is Embassadour may enioy the priuileges of an Embassadour and not be subiect to punishment as an enemie They answered Such an Embassadour by the law of Nations and ciuill Law of the Romans hath lost all the priuileges of an Embassadour and was subiect to punishment 2 Secondly whether an Agent of a Prince who is depriued by publike authoritie and in whose place another is crowned may enioy the priuilege of an Embassadour They answered If such a Prince be lawfully depriued his Agent cannot challenge the priuilege of an Embassadour since none but they which haue the rights of an absolute Prince can appoint Embassadours 3 Thirdly whether a Prince who shall come into the Kingdome of another Prince and bee kept in prison may haue his Agent and whether he be to be accounted an Embassadour They answered If such a Prince who shall come into the Kingdome of another Prince and bee kept in prison hath not lost his principalitie hee may haue an Agent but whether that Procurator may be reputed an Embassadour that dependeth on the authoritie of his Commission or delegation 4 Fourthly whether if any such Prince doe denounce tell to such an Agent and Prince being in prison That this Procurator shall bee accounted no longer for an Embassadour whether this Procurator by the Law may challenge the priuileges of an Embassadour They answered The Prince may forbid the Embassadour that he doe not come into the Realme and command him to depart out of the Realme if hee doe not containe himselfe within the bounds prescribed vnto an Embassadour yet in the meane time hee may vse and enioy the priuileges of an Embassadour according to the authoritie giuen him by his Commission After these answers of the learned Lawyers Rosse being brought backe out of the Isle of Ely was sharply rebuked and told by the Councellors that hee was no more to be acknowledged for an Embassadour but as a plotter of treasons to be seuerely punished He answered That he is the Embassadour of an absolute Queene vniustly depriued That hee had dealt diligently according to his place and dutie for the libertie of his Prince and the good of both the Kingdomes That he came into England with a sufficient authoritie which hee shewed with the most ample authoritie of an Embassadour and that the sacred rights and priuileges of Embassadours are not to bee violated by any meanes Burghley told him in discreet words that neither the priuileges of Embassage nor letters of publike credit did protect Embassadours who offend against the publike Maiestie of the Prince but that they are subiect to punishment otherwise it might bee lawfull for wicked minded Embassadours to attempt any thing against the liues of Princes Hee on the other side stood still in it that the rights and priuileges of Embassadours were neuer violated by the course of Law but that I may vse his owne words by the way of fact and bitingly willed them not to vse him with more rigour than was vsed to the English Embassadour Throgmorton in France and to Tamworth and Randolph in Scotland who had raised sedition and openly maintained it and had not any other punishment but onely were commanded to depart within a time appointed When they vrged him with the testimonies of English men he with faire words requested them not to doe so since it was a long receiued custome which was growne to a Law as hee said That the testimonie of a Scot against an English man and of an English man against a Scot was not to bee receiued After much altercation whether this was to bee allowed but onely betweene the Borderers of both the Kingdomes and that also in matters of the borders and then whether the English Embassadors had raised and fostered rebellions Rosse was committed to the Tower of London where he was kept very close and answered in briefe to all the interrogatories with that caution and warinesse that his answers could hurt no body Hee excused the Queene of Scotland that she being a prisoner and in her best time and age could not but seeke all the meanes she could of libertie since Queene ELIZABETH excluded her from all accesse vnto her put her out of all hope of her libertie and openly maintained her aduersaries He excused the Duke that he had dealt nothing in the mariage with the Queene of Scotland but with the consent of most of the Queenes Councell neither that he could leaue her though hee had promised so to doe vnder his hand for that there had passed a mutuall repromission of future mariage betweene them before that time Lastly he excused himselfe that he being an Embassador could not without a great offence depart from his dutie and abandon his foueraigne Princesse in her affliction and aduersitie and that hee propounded the taking of Queene ELIZABETH for
no other cause but to trie the Dukes minde whether hee stood constant and resolute But the crimes of the other he wittily extenuated and by no meanes he could be induced to tell the names of the Noblemen that promised to helpe the Duke to surprize the Queene But he confessed that he by the commandement of the Queene of Scotland did aske aduice of the Duke Arundell Lumley and Throgmorton by their seruants that came to and fro and the Vicount Mountague by Lumley about the deliuerie of the Castles in Scotland the hostages the deliuerie of the King of Scotland vnto the English men and the restoring of the English Rebels Thus much of these matters this yeere out of the Dukes confessions and the Commentarie of Rosse himselfe written with his owne hand sent to the Queene of Scotland Matthew Earle of Lennox Regent of Scotland Grandfather to the King had summoned an assembly of the Estates at Sterling in the Kings name where liuing securely he was taken on the sudden by the Noblemen of the contrarie faction who held a Parlament at Edenburgh at the same time in the Queenes name He had yeelded himselfe to Dauid Spense of Wormeston who labouring diligently to saue his life was slaine together with the Regent who had gouerned the Realme for the King his Grandchild but foureteene moneths by Bell and Caulder In his place was substituted by the voices of the Kings faction Iohn Areskin Earle of Marre who died after hee had beene Regent but thirteene moneths These dangerous times produced in the Parlament holden in England this Law It was made treason if any attempted any harme or hurt made warre or moued any other to raise warre against the Queene If any affirmed that she possessed not the Crowne rightfully but that others had more right to the Crowne or did say that shee was an Heretike Schismatike or Infidell did vsurpe the right of the Kingdome during her life or shall say that any other hath right to the Crowne or that the Lawes and Statutes cannot define and binde the right of the Crowne and the succession of the same If any in the Queenes life by written or printed booke expresly affirme that any is or ought to be heire or successor of the Queene besides the naturall issue of her owne body or shall print or sell any bookes or schedules to that effect hee and his fautors for the first time shall be imprisoned a whole yeere and lose halfe his goods and for the second offence incurre Premunire that is to lose all his goods and lie in prison for euer This seemed somewhat seuere vnto many who were of opinion that the tranquillitie of the Realme would bee established by the designation of a certaine heire But it is wonderfull what iests somelewd construers of words made of that clause Besides the naturall issue of her body since the Lawyers call them Naturall that are borne out of matrimonie but the legitimate they call out of the forme of words vsed in the Law of England Children of his body lawfully begotten insomuch that being a young man I heard it often said that that word was thrust into the Act by Leicester to the intent that hee might at one time or other thrust vpon them against their wills some Bastard sonne of his as the naturall issue of the Queene An Act was made also at this Parlament that it should bee treason in them who reconciled any to the Church of Rome by any Bulls or Rescripts of the Popes or any that were reconciled they that releeued the reconcilers or brought in any Agnus Dei Grana Crucifixes or other things consecrated by the Pope into England should incurre the penaltie of Premunire And that it should bee misprision of treason in them that did not discouer their reconcilers It was moued in the same Parlament that if the Queene of Scotland did offend againe against the Lawes of England that they might proceed against her according to the Law as against the wife of a Peere of the Kingdome of England but the Queene would not suffer it to passe Anno 1572. ON the sixteenth day of Ianuarie Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke was arraigned at Westminster Hall before George Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie appointed for that day Lord high Steward of England and on both sides of him sate the Peeres namely Reynold Grey Earle of Kent Thomas Ratclif Earle of Sussex Henry Hastings Earle of Huntingdon Francis Russell Earle of Bedford Henry Herbert Earle of Pembrooke Edward Seymer Earle of Hertford Ambrose Dudley Earle of Warwicke Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester Walter Deuereux Viscount Hereford Edward Clintōn Admirall William Lord Howard of Effingham Chamberlaine William Cecill Lord Burghley Secretarie Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton Iames Blount Lord Mountioy William Lord Sands Thomas Lord Wentworth William Lord Burrough Lewis Lord Mordant Iohn Powlet Lord Saint-Iohn of Basing Robert Lord Rich Roger Lord North Edmund Bruges Lord Chandois Oliuer Lord Saint-Iohn of Bletneshoo Thomas Sackuill Lord Buckhurst and William West Lord De La-ware Silence being made the Letters Patents of the Commission was read then a white wand was deliuered vnto the Lord Steward by Garter King at Armes which hee shortly after deliuered vnto the Serieant at Armes who stood by and held it vp all the while Then the Earles and Barons were called by their names and euery one made answer to his name Then silence was made againe and the Lieutenant of the Tower was commanded to returne his precept and to bring the Duke to the Barre Forthwith he was brought in and Sir Owen Hopton stood on the one side of him and Sir Peter Carew on the other side and next by him stood a man holding an Axe with the edge from the Duke Silence being made againe the Clerke of the Crowne said thus to the Duke Thomas Duke of Norfolke late of Keningale in the Countie of Norfolke hold vp thy hand which when hee had done the Clerke read the Inditement with a loud voice that is to say That in the eleuenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH and after the Duke did traiterously deuise to put her from her Crowne and to kill her and to raise warre against her and to bring in forraine forces to inuade the Realme That whereas he knew MARIE late Queene of Scotland to haue claimed the Diadem of England with the title and armes thereof yet hee without the Queenes knowledge intended to marrie with her and lent her a great summe of money contrarie to the promise he had made vnder his owne hand That whereas he knew the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland Markenfield and others had raised rebellion against the Queene and were fled into Scotland he releeued them with money That in the thirteenth yeere of the Queene hee by letters requested aid of men from Pope Pius Quintus the professed enemie of the Queene the King of Spaine and the Duke of Alba to deliuer the Queene of Scotland and to restore Papistrie into England
Lastly that hee gaue aid vnto Herris a Scot and other enemies of the Queene in Scotland This being read the Clerke asked the Duke whether hee were guiltie of these crimes or no He besought that if it were lawfull by the Law he might haue a Lawyer appointed him to defend or pleade his cause Catlin Chiefe Iustice answered that it was not lawfull The Duke said It is meet that I submit my selfe to the opinion of the Iudges but there bee many darke and obscure points in this businesse neither vnderstood I of my arraignment till within this foureteene houres I was kept from bookes now I see I am to fight for my life without weapons Yet I haue heard that a Lawyer was assigned vnto Humfrey Stafford in a case of treason in the reigne of Henry the seuenth Dier chiefe Iustice of the Common pleas answered that a Lawyer was assigned vnto Stafford about the priuilege of the Sanctuarie from whence he was taken away by force and that he answered for himselfe without a Lawyer for the treason The Duke said I must speake this day for my life my goods for my children and that which is most to bee respected for my loyaltie and honestie let honour goe by yet let me aske one question Whether that the enumeration of the crimes must be holden for true in euery part and to which part I must answer Catlin said When the causes be true the enumeration is also to be accounted true I doe desire to be told said the Duke whether euery singular thing bee treason For I haue heard in the cause of the Lord Scroope in the reigne of Henry the fourth As hee would haue said more the Clerke of the Crowne interrupted him speaking aloud Thomas Duke of Norfolke art thou guiltie or not guiltie He said Not guiltie The Clerke asked him againe How wiltthou betried I commend said he my cause to God and to my Peeres The hainousnesse of my crimes woundeth my heart but the benignitie of her Maiestie from whom I could expect no more doth recomfort me and I beseech you my Lord Steward that I may bee dealt withall according to Law and that my memorie which is slipperie may not be opprest with the confused varietie of things That I haue you my Peeres and Iudges I acknowledge my selfe happy for vnto many of your integrities I would willingly commit my life I trusting vnto mine innocencie did not flie but yet I cannot but ingenuosly confesse that I haue transgressed against the Queene but in no treason I beseech you let not those things of smaller moment be put amongst the other of treason Then said Barham the Queenes Serieant at law The crimes of treason whereof thou art indicted are these Thou didst deuise to depriue the Queene of her Realme and of her life Thou didst intend to marrie with the Queene of Scotland Thou didst send for forraine power to inuade the Realme Thou gauest maintenance vnto the Rebels and didst helpe the Scots enemies to the Queene The Duke interrupted him saying Barham I pray you doe not aggrauate the matter with words in obiecting the mariage and other things which be not treason Barham turning to the Noblemen vrged the matter saying He that would marrie her that claimeth the Kingdome the same man desireth and seeketh after the Kingdome but this the Duke began when he was one of the Commissioners at Yorke to heare the cause of the Queene of Scotland at which time hee was sworne to weigh indifferently and vprightly the accusations and defences on both sides The Duke said That cause hath sundry parts which bee without the compasse of treason The Steward of England bade the Duke not to vse such digressions from the purpose who when Barham still vrged it with a loud voice hee acknowledged that the Queene of Scotland had claimed the Realme of England as due to her but that shee had giuen ouer the claime long since Barham to the contrarie shewed how she had not left off the claime because she had not yet made a release or renunciation thereof and hee accused the Duke hainously that he taught the Delegates of Scotland what to say and this out of the confession of the Bishop of Rosse The Duke confessed that Lidington moued the mariage vnto him and that hee refused it and that hee told them nothing and requested that the Bishop of Rosse might be produced before him Then did Barham prosecute at large many things which I haue mentioned before to proue that the Duke did vnmeasurably desire the Kingdome and stood much vpon this point What other thing could the Duke propose vnto himselfe in his minde without the priuitie of the Queene to marrie the Queene of Scotland a woman without goods without Kingdome her sonne being now established in the Realme of Scotland but that hee might get by her meanes or right the Kingdome of England and consequently depriue the Queene of her life and Kingdome The Duke said These things are farre fetcht to conuince me to haue imagined the depriuation and destruction of the Queene I will come neerer said Barham It is not vnknowne that you deuised with others to surprize the Tower of London which is the chiefest hold of England so that it is of necessitie that you then compassed the destruction of the Queene since Kingdomes cannot endure to haue a partner The Duke denied not that one Hopton put into his head the surprizing of the Tower yet that he reiected the same Why then said Barham didst thou aske the Earle of Pembrookes aduice who disswaded thee Barham went on and vrged him that when the Queene requested of the Infant King of Scotland certaine Castles and the English Rebels out of Scotland to bee deliuered the Duke secretly willed the Scots not to consent thereunto He accused him also that he attempted priuily to steale away the Queene of Scotland out of prison And this was after hee had solemnly promised to meddle or deale with her no more Then Candish was brought in witnesse against him that the Duke had a resolute purpose to marrie her and that hee asked him if hee could draw his Vncle to his side if Queene Elizabeth died The Duke vtterly denied these things and reiected his testimonie as of a needy man and a childish witnesse Moreouer it was shewed that the Duke sent secretly his man to the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland to aduise them not to rise in rebellion as a thing that would proue very dangerous Also the letters of the Queene of Scotland were shewed wherein shee lamented that Northumberland was intercepted before hee was ready to rise For this flying newes was brought to her perchance of set purpose To these things the Duke answered These reasons doe not probably proue that he compassed the destruction of the Queene and that nothing yet brought against him was of any moment but onely the testimonie of the Bishop of Rosse neither was this to be receiued since he was a forrainer
Mourton deploreth the vnfortunate estate of Scotland and laieth before them the dangers hanging ouer the heads of the King the Common-wealth and themselues hee complaineth that the intercession of the Queene of England is not regarded of the vnthankfull people and couertly aduiseth them to trie whether they can effect that by armes which they cannot obtaine by other meanes and promised them helpe of men and money out of England And so hee drew to his side the Earles of Argile Montros Angus Mourtons brothers sonne Marre Glencarne Ruthen Lyndsey and others But they by and by after â—heir ends and purposes being seuerall when they saw the King wholly to bend his fauour towards Lennox and not to bee terrified with the English forces which were on the borders against which he had opposed his the most of them disagreeing and reuerencing royall Maiestie euen in a young man durst attempt nothing against Lennox and thought it enough if they tooke compassion on Mourton Yet Angus and Marre secretly deuised plots for Mourton and against Lennox of which when the King had knowledge by Wittingham Angus was commanded to depart and liue beyond the Riuer of Spea and Marre was commanded to deliuer the Castle of Sterling vnto the King Randolph doubting some danger to himselfe slipped secretly away to Barwicke and willed Angus and Marre things going against them to looke to themselues either by recouering the Kings fauour or else by resorting vnto the protection of the Queene of England But the English forces were now called backe from the borders and not long after Mourton as priuie vnto the murder of the Kings father was beheaded being first found guiltie of the same For hee had confessed as they say That Bothwell and Archibald Dowglas did communicate vnto him their intent and purpose to kill the King and that hee durst not reueale the same in such a doubtfull world as that was neither could he denie after the murder was committed but that Archibald Dowglas one of the murderers was one of his most inward friends and that hee gaue his faith and word vnder his hand to defend Bothwell if any man accused him for murdering of the King Angus and the other who stood in defence of Mourton fled into England Anno 1582. QVeene ELIZABETH that shee might bee more secure at home purposed to make a composition with the Queene of Scotland by Walter Mildmay but finding out that the Guise was deuising some secret practises with some English sugitiues and to gather forces together vnder pretence to send them into the Low-Countries to serue vnder the Duke of Anjeou but indeed to bee transported into England from Ewe an obscure part in Normandy belonging vnto him the matter was put off vntill another time and she was not regarded But about the same time William Ruthen whom the King had lately created Earle of Gowry not degenerating from his father who bare a deadly hatred against the Kings mother and other conspirators deuised to remoue Lennox and the Earle of Arran from the King vnder the pretence to assure Religion the Kings safetie and amitie of England whereunto they were incensed and whetted on by their Ministers So when Lennox was departed from Perth where the King lay vnto Edenburgh about some affaires of the Realme and Arran also was absent Gowry Marre Lyndsey and others taking the opportunitie inuited the King vnto the Castle of Ruthen where they detained him against his will and would not permit him to ride or walke into the fields threatning him with death They put from him all his faithfull seruants cast the Earle of Arran into prison and compelled the King to call home the Earle of Angus who was banished the Queene of England who was of their counsell making intercession for him and to send backe Lennox into France who being a man of a milde nature gaue ouer the Castle of Dunbritton which he might easily haue defended by the perswasion of the King set on by them and refused not to returne into France But they not content herewith enforced the King against his will to approue this his surprize in letters to the Queene of England and to pronounce the assembly of the Estates summoned and called by them to be lawfull When the French King heard this for a certaintie he dispatched Motfenelan by England and Manninguill by Sea with one and the same instructions into Scotland to wit That they should take some order by one meanes or other to set the King free and confirme the faction of France to allure and winne the Kings minde vnto the friendship of the French and as ioifull newes signifie vnto him that the Queene his mother out of her motherly pietie did grant and bestow vpon him the title of King and admit him very willingly now into the fellowship of the Kingdome to the end that hee might bee taken and acknowledged as a true and lawfull King by all Christian Princes and all the Scots and thereby the diuision and partaking of factions wholly taken away She in the meane time being vexed and troubled in minde oppressed with miseries and pining away with the calamitie of her long lasting imprisonment without any hope of libertie in her long letters written in French which her motherly loue and anxietie of minde extorted from her deplored vnto Queene ELIZABETH her grieuous and hard fortunes and the most distressed estate of her sonne to this effect for I will out of the originall written with her owne hand abbreuiate them When I heard for certaintie that my sonne was taken and surprized by Rebels as I my selfe was certaine yeeres agoe out of a iust feare lest hee should fall into the same and like vnfortunate estate that I am in I cannot but powre out my mournfull complaints and engraue the same if it may be in thy conscience that my innocencie may euidently appeare vnto posteritie and also their ignominie and shame by whose iniquitie I am cast into these miseries But since the policies and cunning reaches of these persons though wicked and lewd haue hitherto preuailed more with thee than my iust complaints let the right and iustice now yeeld and giue place vnto thy power and let force oppresse the truth with men I will appeale vnto the immortall God whom alone I acknowledge to bee superiour of vs Princes of equall right and honour And I will call vpon the same God with whom gloses and deceits are not regarded and will not preuaile that at the last day hee will reward vs two as wee deserue each to other howsoeuer my aduersaries haue skill to cloake their craftie and deceitfull policies with men and peraduenture also with thee In his name therefore and as it were before his Iudgement-seat I present vnto thy minde by what policies some spies vsing thy name drew the Scots my subiects to rebell against me at such time as I liued in Scotland and set on foot all the euils which haue happened there from that day to
Queene of Scotland deliuered vnder the conduct of Guise as Generall who wanted nothing but money and some bands of men in England to ioyne with him to his helpe To procure these things that Charles Paget vnder the counterfet name of Mope was sent secretly into Sussex where the Duke of Guise determined to land his Armie That he acquainted Mendoza who had notice and knowledge of these things already by the Conspirators with the matter and told him the names of the Hauens and Noblemen Neither did he denie that he promised his furtherance and withall to haue admonished Mendoza with what Noblemen he being a publike person should treat of this matter which he being a priuate man could not doe without great danger and that he shewed a way to him how some principall Catholikes as soone as the forraine Forces were landed might leuie souldiers in the Queenes name and then to ioyne them to the forraine Forces These things he voluntarily confessed Yet at the Barre in the Guildhall of London being accused of these things he precisely denied euery one of these things and auerred that they were meere deuices of his owne head to auoid the torment of the racke againe and openly accused the Queene of crueltie and the examiners of falshood deuising an escapatorie or starting-hole by the space of time which was betweene the fault committed and the iudgement Forasmuch as in the thirteenth yeere of Queene ELIZABETH certaine things were made treasons for the which none should be arraigned except the delinquent were indited within six moneths after the fault committed and the crime was proued by the testimonie and oath of two men or by the voluntary confession of the offender without violence and that this time was expired long since and that therefore he was not to be arraigned for the same But the Iudges told him that the crimes obiected vnto him were not of that kinde but that he was liable to the Law by an ancient law of treason made in the time of King Edward the third which admitteth no circumscription of time or proofe and that by that law the sentence of death was pronounced against him Being afterward perswaded he fled vnto the mercy of the Queene and againe confessed in a writing more fully all things which he had said before which things not perseuering in his words he began to denie againe at the gallowes but in vaine M. Waad being returned out of Spaine was sent to the Q. of Scotland about a treatie to be had between her and Sir Walter Mildmay which was propounded two yeeres since and interrupted as is said before vnto whom she affirmed with great protestations with what sinceritie she hath dealt about this treatie and withall deuoteth herselfe and all her labour vnto the Queene and promiseth to depend wholly on her if onely shee would vouchsafe her so much loue and honour Moreouer she firmely promised so that the treatie might goe forward that she would intercede yea and bring to passe that her sonne should receiue Angus and the other Noblemen of Scotland into fauour and also that the Bishops of Rosse and Glasco her Agents and Ministers in France should not plot any thing against the Queene and Kingdome of England and that shee would haue nothing to doe with the Rebels or Fugitiues of England Queene ELIZABETH was glad to heare these things and whereas that Angus Marre I Hamilton and Glammys were fled into England and making vse of the opportunitie offered sent Beale vnto the Queene of Scotland who together with the Earle of Shrewsburie should shew her that if shee continued in the same minde with which shee had acquainted Master Waad that Mildmay should come forthwith vnto her and treat with her about her libertie and then should talke with her in the meane while to entreat her sonne the King to restore the Scottish Fugitiues and to tell her that they had committed no fault against the King but against some violent Counsellors who gaue him euill counsell and lastly that as much as they could they should get out of her the practâ—ses of the Guises She being a wise woman answered That she much desired that the treatie might goe forward and that shee requested earnestly of Queene ELIZABETH as of her eldest sister vnto whom shee gaue all honour That shee had propounded nothing vnto Master Waad but vpon condition and that hee whom shee thought to bee an honest man would not say otherwise For the restoring of the Scots that her labour therein would be very necessary and should not be wanting if she certainly knew any good would redound to her selfe and her sonne so that they would humbly submit themselues vnto the King and be obedient vnto him but if that were not done that then the Queene should giue aid vnto her sonne that they might bee reduced vnto their obedience Moreouer she doth not cloake nor hide it that she when she was sickly committed her selfe and her sonne vnto the care and trust of the Guise her most deare Cousin of whose purposes or intents shee knew nothing neither would she discouer them if she knew them vnlesse a firme assurance were giuen her of her libertie for that it was the part of an vnaduised person to forsake her assured friends for an vncertaine hope She requested that she being an absolute Prince might bee no more dishonourably vsed than Queene MARIE did sometime deale with her selfe being at that time her subiect and imprisoned or than the French King did vse the King of Nauarre being also his subiect and bore armes against him Shee also requested that the treatie might bee brought to an end before any in Scotland were sent Embassadour about that matter And for that the French King had acknowledged her ordinarie Embassadour and Seton sent by her sonne into France as Embassadours from Princes of the same authoritie and conioyned she gaue that honour to the Queene to publish this Association of her and her sonne in Scotland and besought her not to preiudicate the same These things were heard but by terrors obiected shifted off and deluded by the meanes of them who know how to nourish the hatred betweene the women that bore no in ward good will one to the other especially by the discouerie of the papers which Chreycton a Scottish Iesuite sailing into Scotland and intercepted by some Sea-rouers of Holland tore in peeces but the torne papers cast out of the ship were cast againe into the ship by a contrary wind not without a miracle as Chreycton himselfe said and glewed together by the great labour and singular skill of Waad laid open and discouered new plots of the Pope of the King of Spaine and the Guises about the inuading of England Therefore to occurre vnto and preuent the wicked counsels and secret policies of seditious persons and to prouide for the Queenes safetie vpon the which both the Kingdome and Religion depended Many men Leicester being the beginner of all estates in England
vnto which he was forced to yeeld forasmuch as they triumphed ouer his innocencie he repeateth the vnfortunate deaths of his Ancestors that is to say of his great grandfather who was condemned and neuer called to triall of his grandfather who was beheaded for trifling matters and of his Father who as he affirmed was circumuented by his enemies and who neuer carried any euill minde toward his Prince or Countrey But that he lest he should runne into the same hard fortune his father had forsooke his country that he might spend his time in the seruice of God and in the works tending to the saluation of his soule but not his loyalty and fidelity toward his Prince Before these letters were deliuered he went into Sussex and being ready to take ship in an obscure creeke was taken and apprehended by the treachery of his seruants and discouery of the master of the ship and committed vnto the Tower of London At that time there was prisoner in the same place Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland a man of a liuely spirit and couâ—age brother of Thomas beheaded at Yorke suspected to be priuy vnto the plot of Throgmorton the Lord Paget and the Guises for the inuading of England and deliuering of the Queene of Scotland vnto whom alwaies he had borne a great loue and affection In the moneth of Iune he was found dead in his bed shot thorow with three bullets about the left pappe the doores being bolted on the inside The Crowners quests according to the custome taken out of the next neighbours and sworne by the Crowner viewing the body considering the place hauing found the pistoll with the gunpowder in the chamber his man who bought the Pistall and the seller thereof being examined gaue their verdict that the Earle did murther himselfe The third day after the Noblemen of the Realme came in great number and met in the Starre chamber where Thomas Bromly Lord Chauncellor of England succinctly declared that the Earle had plotted and deuised treason against his Queene and Countrey which being now to come vnto light and to be discouered vpon the guiltinesse of his conscience had murdered himselfe But that the multitude and common people who alwaies conster things to the worst might be satisfied he commanded the Kings Atturney and the Kings Counsell at law to deliuer and explaine at large the causes why the Earle was kept and detained in prison and the manner of his death Hereupon Popham the Queenes Atturney Generall beginning at the rebellion in the North sheweth out of the Records That he was arraigaed for this Rebellion and for purposing to deliuer the Queene of Scotland did then acknowledge his fault and submitted himselfe vnto the mercy of the Queene and that he was fined at fiue thousand marks as I haue said before and that the Queene such was her clemency tooke not a penny but remitted the same and that after the execution of his brother for the same fault she confirmed him in the honour of Earle of Northumberland That he neuerthelesse entred into new practises to deliuer the Queene of Scotland to conquer England and to kill the Queene and to destroy Religion That Mendoza the Spanish Embassador had signified vnto Throgmorton that Charles Paget vnder the name of Mope had talked with him of these things secretly in Suffex That the Lord Paget had insinuated the same things almost vnto Throgmorton and that the same things were euident and apparant by the papers of Câ—â—eycton the Scottish Iesuite and that Charles Paget had told these things vnto William Shelley when he returned out of France Then Egerton the Queenes Solliciter argued wittâ—ly out of the circumstances and the great care taken of concealing it that the Earle was guilty of and priuy to these things that is to say For that the Earle since that none in England could charge him with these things but the Lord Paget who was very familiar with Throgmorton a few daies after the taking and apprehension of Throgmorton made a ship ready for Paget by Shelley in which he passed ouer into France When Throgmorton began to confesse some things hee departed from London and went out of the way vnto Petworth and signified vnto Shelley whom he had sent for vnto him that he was fallen into great danger of his life and of his estate and requested him to conceale the businesse and to send away them who were acquainted with the departure of the Lord Paget and with the comming of Charles Paget which was done forthwith And he himselfe sent a good way off the man whom hee had vsed about Charles Paget Moreouer the Sollicitor said that he being now in prison dealt oftentimes with Shelley by the Keepers whom he corrupted to know what things and of what nature hee had confessed After that Shelley by a poore woman a secret messenger betweene them had certified him that he could not conceale matters any longer that their condition and estate were not like that he should be put on the racke but that the Earle could not in respect of his place and degree and had written those things which he had confessed the Earle fighed grieuously and sometimes said as Panton who waited on him in his chamber confessed that by the confession of Shelley he was vtterly vndone Then the manner and reason of his death is declared out of the testimony of the Enquest of the Lieutenant of the Tower of some of the Warders and of Panton and thereupon it was gathered that he for feare left his house and family should be vtterly destroied and a blemish and blot imposed thereon had laid his owne violent hands vpon himselfe Truly many honest men as well for that they fauour Nobility as also for that he was holden and reputed a man of very great valour were heartily sorry that such a man came to such a lamentable and wretched death What things the suspecting fugitiues talked in corners of one Balliue one of Hattons men who a little before was made Keeper vnto the Earle I omit as a thing of small credit neither meane I to set downe any thing out of idle reports Anno 1586. IN this yeare Philip Earle of Arundell who had laine now a whole yeare in prison was accused in the Starre Chamber That he had releeued Priests against the lawes that he had had commerce of letters with Allan and Persons the Iesuite enemies of the Queene and that he had derogated in writing from the Iustice of the Land and imagined to depart out of the land without licence Hee proâ—essing his dutie and seruice vnto the Queene and his loue and good will vnto his countrey excused himselfe with great modesty by the loue he had to the Catholike Religion and by his ignorance of the lawes and submitted himselfe vnto the censure and iudgement of the Lords who fined him at tenne thousand pounds and to be imprisoned during the Queenes pleasure In the moneth of Iuly a most pernicious Conspiracie against
was in his iourney with these Letters Dauison was brought into the Star-Chamber before the Commissioners appointed viz. Christopher Wray Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench made for that time Lord Keeper of the Priuie Seale the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke the Earles of Worcester Cumberland and Lincolne the Lords Gray and Lumley Iames Croft Knight Controller of the Queenes House Sir Walter Mildmay Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Gilbert Gerrard Master of the Rolles Edmund Anderson Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas and Roger Manwood Lord Chiefe Baron of the Exchequer Before these Commissioners Popham the Queenes Atturney charged Dauison with contempt against her Maiestie violation of his faith and neglect of his dutie that whereas the Queene out of her inbred clemencie would not haue the Queene of Scotland though condemned to be put vnto death for causes knowne to her selfe and not to be searched and pried into by others could not be brought thereunto neither by the Estates of the Kingdom nor by her Counsellors earnestly vrging her thereunto neuerthelesse had commanded a Mandate to be made for her execution to preuent dangers that might ensue and had committed it vnto the fidelitie and secrecie of Dauison He being her sworne Secretarie forgetting his trust and dutie and in contempt of her Maiestie contrary vnto which the Queene had commanded had imparted it vnto the Counsellors and put it in execution she being vtterly ignorant thereof Dauison with great modestie and quietly yet with a good courage answered That he was sorie that in a most iust cause of the Queene of Scotland and most weightie iudgement against her if euer there was any that he should trouble againe the Commissioners if not with the losse yet at the least with the impairing of his reputation which hee esteemed aboue all other things but he was most aggreeued that he was charged to haue offended most contemptuously against her Maiestie who the more shee had beene bountifull to him and he more bound for her bountie his offence might seeme more hainous If he should acknowledge himselfe guiltie of the crimes obiected he should wrong his credit which was dearer vnto him than his life If he should contest in his owne defence with the Queene he should doe a thing vnworthy of the obedience of a subiect the dutie of a seruant and the fidelitie of a Secretary He protested before God and the Commissioners That wittingly or willingly hee had done nothing in this thing but that which hee was perswaded in his conscience the Queene willed In the which if he had carried himselfe to doe any hurt either by vnskilfulnesse or by negligence he could not choose but be grieuously sorie and vndergoe willingly the censure of the Commissioners As concerning particulars when the Queene reproued him that he had sealed the Mandatum with the great Seale in such great haste he affirmed That shee insinuated but did not expresly bid him to keepe it to himselfe Neither did he thinke that he committed any fault against the trust of silence put on him since he neuer spake word of this matter but vnto the Priuie Counsellors Vnto that he did not call backe the Mandatum after that the Queene had signified vnto him that shee had changed her minde he affirmed That it was agreed that it should be sent forthwith and execution done lest the Common-wealth or the Queene might take some harme Hereupon Egerton the Solicitor began to presse Dauison out of his owne confession reading a peece thereof but he requested him to reade it all and not this peece and that peece but yet hee had rather it should not be read at all for that therein some seccrets not to be vttered were contained and now and then interrupting him he said That as he would not contest with the Queene so he could not endure that his modestie should be any detriment vnto the truth and his integritie Gaudy and Puckering Sergeants at Law reproued him sharply with many words that craftily hee abused the wisdome of the Counsellors and that out of the confession of Burghley the Treasurer vnto whom doubting whether the Queene had assuredly determined of the execution to be done he affirmed it very earnestly as he did also vnto the rest who set their hands vnto the letters of the manner of the execution Dauison with teares in his eyes required the Lawyers not to presse him so vehemently And wished them to remember that he would not contest with the Queene vnto whose conscience and vnto the censure of the Commissioners hee committed himselfe wholly To conclude by the generall censure of them hee was fined at ten thousand pound and imprisonment at the Queenes pleasure Dauison besought the Commissioners to make intercession vnto the Queene for him not for the honourable place of Secretary which he had or his libertie or for the diminishing of the fine imposed but that he might be restored vnto her fauour which yet hee neuer recouered though she oftentimes releeued his wants So Dauison an honest man without policie and not skilfull in affaires of State was brought as most men thought vpon the Stage amongst the Statesmen to play his part a while in this Tragedie and straight had his disguise pulled off and as if he had failed in the last Act thrust from off the stage and kept long in prison but not without the commiseration of mâ—ny Now I haue told what was publikely done against Dauison but how he excused himselfe priuately take briefly out of his credit and his Apologeticall Narration vnto Walsingham He saith after the departure of the French and Scottish Ambassadors the Queene of her owne minde commanded me to shew vnto her the Mandate of the execution of the sentence against the Queene of Scotland And it being shewen shee willingly signed with her hand and commanded it being thus signed to be sealed with the Great Seale of England and iesting said Signifie this thing vnto Walsingham who was sicke yet I feare much that he will die for sorrow thereof Moreouer she said that the causes of the delaying thereof were lest she should seeme to be thought to be drawn thereunto vpon violence or malice when yet she knew that it was very necessarie Moreouer she blamed Powlet and Drury thâ—t they had not freed her of this care and wished that Walsingham would trie their mindes in this matter On the next day when it was sealed with the Great Seale shee commanded by Killegrew that it should not be done and when I had told her it was alreadie done shee reprehended so much haste insinuating that some wise men thought another way might be taken I answered that the course which was most iust was alwaies the best and most safe But fearing shee would lay the fault vpon me as she laid the death of the Duke of Norfolke vpon Burghley I communicated all the matter vnto Hatton protesting that I would not thrust my selfe into so great a businesse he presently imparted