1

I intend, also, this day, to speak unto the L. Gray, in our L. Gray's name, for that he promised in my hearing to subscribe, and then presently would have done it, if the contract could have been had. For the more assurance against all inconvenients, I would, besides that, that I trust it shall be ratified in parliament, that every nobleman in Scotland had put his hand and set his seal, which may always remain as a notable monument, tho' the act of parliament be hereafter disannulled. If it might, therefore, stand with your advice, that the Lords might be written unto, now that they are here present, to that effect, or that I might receive from Your Honr. some earnest charge to travel herein, I doubt not but it would serve to good purpose. If it might be also known with what substantial and effectious words or charge you desire to have it confirmed, I think no great difficulty would be made. The Earl Marshal has often been moved to subscribe, he useth mo delays than men judged he would. His son told me yesterday, that he would speak with me at leisure, so did also Drumlanrick; I know not to what purpose: I have caused L. James to be the ear nester with the L. Marshal, for his authority's sake, when of late it was in consultation by what means it might be wrought, that the amity between these two realms might be perpetual; and among diverse men's opinion, one said that he knew of no other, but by making them both one, and that in hope of that mo things were done than would otherwise have ever been granted: the Earl of Argyll advised him earnestly to stick unto that, that he had promised that it should pass his power and all the crafty knaves of his counsel (I am bold to use unto Your H. his own words) to break so godly a purpose. `This talk liked well the assisters, howsomever it pleased him to whom it was spoken unto. The barons, who in time past have been of the parliament, had yesterday a convention among themselves in the church, in very honest and quiet sort; they thought it good to require to be restored unto their ancient liberty, to have voice in parliament. They presented that day a bill unto the lords to that effect, a copy whereof shall be sent as soon as it can be had. It was answered unto gently, and taken in good part. It was referred unto the Lords of the Articles, when they are chosen, to resolve thereupon.- Here follows a long paragraph concerning the fortifications of Dunbar, &c.—This present morning, viz. the 9th, I understood that the lords intended to be at the Parliament, which caused me somewhat to stay my letter, to see what I could hear or learn worth the reporting unto Your Hon'. The lords, at ten of the clock, assembled themselves at the palace, where the Duke lieth; from whence they departed towards the Tolbooth, as they were in dignity. Each one being set in his seat, in such order as Your H. shall receive them in this scroll. The crown, the mace, the sword, were laid in the queen's seat. Silence being commanded, the L. of Lidington began his oration. He excused his insufficiency to occupy that place. He made a brief discourse of things past, and of what necessity men were forced unto for the defence of their country, what remedy and support it pleased God to send them in the time of their necessity, how much they were bound heartily to acknowledge it, and to require it. He took away the persuasion that was in many men's minds that lay back, that misdeemed other things to be meant than was attempted. He advised all estates to lay all particulars apart, and to bend themselves wholly to the true service of God and of their country. He willed them to remember in what state it had been of long time for lack of government and exercise of justice. In the end, he exhorted them to mutual amity and hearty friendship, and to live with one another as members all of one body.He prayed God long to maintain this peace and amity with all princes, especially betwixt the realms of England and Scotland, in the fear of God, and so ended. The clerk of register immediately stood up, and asked them to what matter they would proceed; it was thought necessary that the articles of the peace should be confirmed with the common consent, for that it was thought necessary to send them away with speed into France, and to receive the ratification of them as soon as might be. The articles being read, were immediately agreed unto: a day was appointed to have certain of the nobles subscribe unto them, and to but to their seals, to be sent away by a herald, who shall also bring the ratification again with him. The barons, of whom I have above written, required an answer to their request; somewhat was said unto the contrary. The baron

alleged for them custom and authority. It was in the end resolved, that there should be chosen six to join with the Lords of the Articles, and that if they, after good advisement, should find it right and necessary for the commonwealth, it should be ratified at this parliament for a perpetual law. The lords proceeded immediately hereupon to the chusing of the Lords of the Articles. The order is, that the lords spiritual chuse the temporal, and the temporal the spiritual, and the burgesses their own. There were chosen as in this other paper I have written. This being done, the lords departed and accompanied the Duke, all as far as the Bow (which is the gate going out of the high street), and many down into the palace where he lieth. The town all in armour, the trumpets sounding, and other music such as they have. Thus much I report unto Your Honour of that I did both hear and see. Other solemnities have not been used, saving in times long past the lords have had parliament robes, which are now with them wholly out of use.

The names of as many Earls and Lords spiritual and temporal as are assembled at this parliament:

So that, with the Subprior of St. Andrew's, the whole is 36.

It were too long for me to rehearse particularly the disposition, and chiefly the affections of these men, that are at this time chosen Lords of the Articles. May it satisfy Your Honr. for this time to know that, by the common opinion of men, there was not a substantialler or more sufficient number of all sorts of men chosen in Scotland these many years, nor of whom men had greater hope of good to ensue. This present morning, viz. the 10th, the L. of Lidington made me privy unto your letter; he intendeth, as much as may be, to follow your advice. Some hard points there are. He himself is determined not to go into France. He allegeth many reasons, but speaketh least of that that moveth him most, which is the example of the last, that went on a more grateful mes

sage than he shall carry, and stood on other terms with their Prince than he doth, and yet Your Honour knoweth what the whole world judgeth.

Petition of the Lesser Barons to the Parliament held August, 1560.

[Inclosed in Randolpli's letter to Cecil, 15th August, 1560.]

My Lords, unto Your Lordships, humbly means and shows, we the Barons and Freeholders of this realm, your brethren in Christ, That whereas the causes of true religion and common well of this realm, are, in this present parliament to be treated, ordered, and established to the glory of God, and maintenance of the commonwealth; and we being the greatest number in proportion where the said causes concern, and has been, and yet are ready to bear the greatest part of the charge thereuntil, as well in peace as in war, both with our bodies and with our goods: and seeing there is no place where we may do better service now than in general councils and parliaments, in giving our best advice and reason, vote and councell for the furtherance thereof, for the maintenance of virtue and punishment of vice, as use and custom had been of old by ancient acts of parliament observed in this realm; and whereby we understand that we ought to be heard to reason and vote in all causes concerning the commonwealth, as well in councils as in parliament; otherwise we think that whatsomever ordinances and statutes be made concerning us and our estate, we not being required and suffered to reason and vote at the making thereof, that the same should not oblige us to stand thereto. Therefore it will please Your Lordships to take consideration thereof, and of the charge born and to be born by us, since we are willing to serve truly to the common well of this realm, after our estate, that ye will, in this present parliament, and all counsells where the common well of the realm is to be treated, take our advice, counsell and vote, so that, without the same, Your Lordships would suffer nothing to be passed and concluded in parliament or councils aforesaid; and that all acts of parliament, made in times past, concerning us, for our place and estate, and in our favour, be at this present parliament confirmed, approved, and ratified, and act of parliament made thereupon. And Your Lordships' answer humbly beseeches.

Of the success of this petition, the following account is given by Randolph ; Lett. to Cecil, 19 Aug. 1560. The matters concluded and past by common consent on Saturday last, in such solemn sort as the first day that they assembled, are these: First, that the barons, according to an old act of parliament, made in the time of James I., in the year of God, 1427, shall have free voice in parliament; this act passed without any contradiction.

No. V. (p. 104.)

A Letter of Thomas Randolph, the English Resident, to the Right Worshipful Sır William Cecil, Knt., Principal Secretary to the Queen's Majesty.

[9 Aug. 1561. Cott. Lib. B. 10. fo. 32.]

I HAVE received Your Honour's letters of the first of this month, written at Osyes in Essex: and also a letter unto the Lord James, from his kinsman St. Come out of France in this they agree both that the Queen of Scotland is nothing changed of her purpose in home coming. I assure Your Honour that will be a stout adventure for a sick crased woman, that may be doubted as well what may happen unto her upon the seas, as also how heartily she may be received when she cometh to land of a great number, who are utterly persuaded that she intendeth their utter ruin, come when she will; the preparance is very small whensoever that she arrive, scarcely any man can be persuaded that she hath any such thought in her head. I have shown Your Honour's letter unto the Lord James, Lord Morton, Lord Lidington; they wish as Your Honour doth, that she might be stayed yet for a space, and if it were not for their obedience sake, some of them care not tho' they never saw her face. They travel what they can to prevent the wicked divices of these mischievous purposes of her ministers, but

fear that that will always be found that filij hujus seculi, they do what they can to stand with the religion, and to maintain amity with their neighbours; they have also need to look unto themselves, for their hazard is great, and that they see there is no remedy nor safety for themselves, but to repose themselves upon the Queen's Majesty our sovereign's favour and support. Friends abroad they have none, nor many in whom they may trust at home. There are in mind shortly to try what they may be assured at of the Queen's Majesty, and what they may assuredly perform of that they intend to offer for their parties. This the Queen of Scotland above all other things doubteth; this she seeketh by all means to prevent; and hath caused St. Come, in her name, earnestly to write to charge him that no such things be attempted before her coming home; for that it is said that they too already arrived here out of England for the purpose, what semblance somever the noblemen do make that they are grieved with their Queen's refusal, that cometh far from their hearts. They intend to expostulate with me hereupon. I have my answer ready enough for them. If she thrust Englishmen all out of this country, I doubt not but there will be some of her own that will bear us some kindness. Of me she shall be quit, so soon as it pleaseth the Queen's Majesty, my mistress, no longer to use my service in this place. By such talk as I have of late had with the Lord James and Lord of Lidington, I perceive that they are of mind that immediately of the next convention, I shall repair towards you with their determinations and resolutions, in all purposes, wherein Your Honour's advise is earnestly required, and shortly looked for. Whatsomever I desire myself, I know my will ought to be subject unto the Queen my sovereign's pleasure, but to content myself, would God I were so happy as to serve Her Majesty in as mean a state as ever poor gentleman did to be quit of this place; not that I do in my heart wax weary of Her Majesty's service, but because my time and years require some place of more repose and quietness than I find in this country. I doubt also my insufficience when other troubles in this country arise, or ought shall be required of me to the advancement of Her Majesty's service, that either my will is not able to compass, or my credit sufficient to work to that effect, as perchance shall be looked for at my hands. As Your Honour hath been a means of my continuance in this room, so I trust that I shall find that continual favour at your hands, that so soon as it shall stand with the Queen's Majesty's pleasure, I may give this place unto some far worthier than I am myself, and in the mean season have my course directed by your good advice how I may by my contrivance do some such service as may be agreeable to Her Majesty's will and pleasure.

These few words I am bold to write unto Your Honour of myself. For the rest, where that is wished that the lords will stoutly continue yet for one month, I assure Your Honour that there is yet nothing omitted of their old and accustomed manner of doing, and seeing that they have brought that unto this point, and should now prevail, they were unworthy of their lives.

I find not that they are purposed so to leave the matter. I doubt more her money than I do her fair words; and yet can I not conceive what great things can be wrought with forty thousand crowns, and treasure of her own here I know there is no sure or ready means to get it. The Lord of Lidington leaveth nothing at this time unwritten, that he thinketh may be able to satisfye your desire, in knowledge of the present state of things here. Whatsomever cometh of that, he findeth it ever best that she come not; but if she do come to let her know, at the first, what she shall find, which is due obedience and willing ser vice, if she embrace Christ, and desire to live in peace with her neighbours. By such letters as you have last received, Your Honour somewhat understandeth of Mr. Knox himself, and also of others, what is determined, he himself to abide the uttermost, and other never to leave him until God have taken his life, and thus together with what comfort somever it will please you to give him by your letters, that the Queen's Majesty doth not utterly condemn him, or at the least in that point, that he is so sore charged with by his own Queen, that Her Majesty will not allow her doing. I doubt not but it will be a great comfort anto him, and will content many others; his daily prayer is for the maintenance of unity with England, and that God will never suffer men to be so ungrate, as by any persuasion to run headlong unto the destruction of them that have saved their lives and restored their country to liberty. I leave farther, at this time,

to trouble Your Honour, desiring God to send such an amity between these two realms, that God may be glorified to them of this world.-At Edenbourgh, the 9th of August, 1561.

No. VI. (p. 108.)

A Letter of Queen Elizabeth to Queen Mary.*

[16th of Aug. 1561. Paper Office, from a copy.}

To the right excellent, right high, and mighty Princesse, our right dear and well-beloved sister and cousin the Queen of Scotland.

RIGHT excellent, right high, and mighty Princesse, our right dear and right well-beloved sister and cousin, we greet you well. The Lord of St. Cosme brought to us your letters, dated the 8th of this present at Abbeville, whereby ye signify that although by the answer brought to you by Monsieur Doyzell, ye might have had occasion to have entered into some doubt of our amity, yet after certain purposes, passed betwixt you and our ambassador, you would assure us of your good meaning to live with us in amity, and for your purpose therein ye require us to give credit to the said St. Cosme. We have thereunto thought good to answer as followeth: The same St. Cosme hath made like declaration unto us on your part, for your excuse in not ratifying the treaty, as yourself made to our ambassador, and we have briefly answered to every the same points, as he can show you and if he shall not so do, yet least in the mean season you might be induced to think that your reasons had satisfied us, somerally we assure you, that to our requests your answer cannot be reputed for a satisfaction. For we require no benefit of you, but that you will perform your promise, whereunto you are bound by your seal and your hand, for the refusal whereof we see no reason alledged can serve. Neither covet we any thing, but that which is in your own power as Queen of Scotland, that which yourself in words and speech doth confess, that which your late husband's our good brother's ambassadors and you concluded, that which your own nobility and people were made privy unto, that which indeed made peace and quietness betwixt us, yea, that without which no perfect amity can continue betwixt us, as, if it be indifferently weighed, we doubt not but ye will perceive, allow, and accomplish. Nevertheless, perceiving, by the report of the bringer, that you mean furthwith upon your coming home, to follow herein the advice of your council in Scotland, we are content to suspend our conceipt of all unkindness, and do assure you that we be fully resolved, upon this being performed, to unite a sure band of amity, and to live in neighbourhood with you as quietly, friendly, yea as assuredly in the knot of friendship, as we be in the knot of nature and blood. And herein we be so earnestly determined, that the world should see if the contrary should follow (which God forbid) the very occasion to be in you and not in us; as the story witnesseth the like of the King your father, our uncle, with whom our father sought to have knitt a perpetual bond by inviting to come in this realm to York, of which matter we know there remain with us, and we think with you, sundry witnesses of our father's earnest good meaning, and of the error whereunto divers evil councillors induced your father; or, finally, where it seemeth that report hath been made unto you, that we had sent our admiral to the seas with our navy to empeache your passage, both your servants do well understand how false that is, knowing for a truth that we have not any more than two or three small barks upon the seas, to apprehend certain pirates, being thereto entreated, and almost compelled by the earrest complaint of the ambassador of our good brother the King of Spain, made of certaine Scottishmen haunting our seas as pirates, under pretence of letters of marque, of which matter also we earnestly require you, at your coming to your realme, to have some good consideration, and the rather for respect that ought to be betwixt your realme and the countries of us, of France, of

*This is the complete paper of which that industrious and impartial collector, Bishop Keith, has published a fragment, from what he calls his shattered MS. 154, note (a) 181.