Her Majesty will be over meikle troublit to reform the wranges we have sustainit already. For I am sure, gif reason and justice may have place, our maistress, and we her subjects, have received express wrang, far above two hundred thousand pounds sterling, in the time of this unhappy government, seeing the reformation of sa great causes, comes, now a days, so slowlie, and the ungodly law of oblivion in sic matters so meikle practis'd, I think, nowther for the Queen's honour, nor our weil, Your Lordships would sua mean, nor that it is good to us to follow it. And that ye will give your Sovereign sic advertisement thereof, as your good wisdoms shall find in this cause meet. It will be true and frindful working for us, indeed, and nowther French phrases nor boasting, and finding little other effect, that will cause us to hold away the Frenchmen. This is plainly written, and I desire Your Lordships plain answer, for in truth and plainness langest continues gud friendship, quhilk in this matter I pray God may lang continue, and have Your Lordships in his keeping. Off Dumfreis, the 3d day of September, 1568.

Your Lordships at my power to command leifully,

HERRIS.

Queen Mary to Queen Elizabeth.

[1568. Cott. Lib. Cal. 1. An original.]

MADAME ma bonne soeur. J'ay resceu de vos lettres, d'une mesme dete; l'une, ou vous faites mention de l'excuse de Mons", de Murra pour tenir son pretendu parlement, qui me semble bien froid, pour obtenir plus de tollérance que je m'estois persuadée n'avoir par vostre promesse, quant à n'osser donner commission de venir sans un parlement pour leur peu de nombre de noblesse alors, je vous respons, qu'ils n'ont que trois ou quatre d'avantage, qui eussent aussi bien dit leur opinion hors de parlement, qui n'a esté tenu tant pour cette effect, mais pour faire ce qu'expressement nous avions requis estre empeschés, qui est la forfalture de mes subjects pour m'avoir estés fidelles, ce que je m'assurois, jusques à heir, avoir eu en promesse de vous, par la lettre écrite à Mi Lord Scrup e Maistre Knoleis vous induire à ire contre eulx, voire, à les ensayre resentir; toutefois je vois que je l'ay mal pris, j'en suis plus marrie, pour ce que sur votre lettre qu'il me montrerent, et leur parole, je l'ay si divulguement assuray que pour vengeance que j'en désirasse, si non mettre différence entre leur faux déportemens, et les miens sincères. Dans vostre lettre aussi datée du 10me d'Aoust, vous metties ces mots: "I think your adverse party, upon my sundry former advices, will hold no Parliament at all; and if they do, it shall be only in form of an assembly to accord whom to send into this realm, and in what sort; for otherwise, if they shall proceed in manner of a Parliament, with any act of judgment against any person, I shall not, in any wise, allow thereof; and if they shall be so overseen, then you may think the same to be of no other moment, than the former procedures; and by such their rash manner of proceeding, they shall most prejudice themselves; and be assured to find me ready to condemn them, in their doings." Sur quoy, j'ay contremandé mes serviteurs, les faissant retirer, souffrant selon vostre commandement d'être faussement nommés traîtres, par ceulx qui le sont de vray : et encore d'être provoqués par escarmons dies, et par prinses de mes gens et lettres, et au contraire vous êtes informée que mes subjects ont évahis les vostres, Madame, qui a fait ce rapport n'est pas homme de bien, car Laird de Sesford et son fils sont et ont estés mes rebelles depuis le commencement; enquirés vous, s'ils n'estoient à Donfris aveques eulx, j'avois offri respondre de la frontière, ce qui me fut refusé, ce qui m'en devroit asses deschàrger, neanmoins, pour vous faire preuve de ma fidélité, et de leur falsité, s'il vous fayte donner ma le nom des coulpables, et me fortifier, je commanderay mes subjects les pour suivre, ou si vous voules que se soit les vostres, les miens leur ayderont; je vous prie m'en mander vostre volonté, au reste mes subjects fidelles seront responsables à tout ce que leur sera mis su les contre vous, ni les vostres, ni les rebelles, despuis que me conseillates les faire retirer. Quant aux François, j'escrivis que l'on m'en fit nulle poursuite, car j'espérois tant en vous, que je n'en aurois besoign,—je ne sçeu si le dict aura en mes lettres, mais je vous jure devant Dieu que je ne scay

chose du monde de leur venue, que ce que m'en aves manday, ni n'en ai oui de France mot du monde, et ne le puis croire pour cest occasion, et si ils si sont, c'est sans mon sceu ni consentement. Pourquoy je vous supplie ne me condamner sans m'ouire, car je suis prest de tenir tout ce que j'ay offert a Mester Knoleis, et vous assure que vostre amité, qu'il vous plest m'offrir, sera rescue avant toutes les choses du monde, quant France servit la pour presser leur retour à ceste condition, que prenies mes affaires en mein, en soeur, et bonne ami, comme ma Francé est en vous; mais une chose seule me rende confuse, j'ay tant d'enemis qu'ont votre oreille, la quelle ne pouvant avoir par parolle, toutes mes actions vous sont desguisées, et falsement raportées, par quoi il m'est impossible de m'assurer de vous, pour les manteries qu'on vous a fait, pour destruire vostre bonne volonté de moy; par quoy je désirerois bien avoir ce bien vous faire entendre ma sincere et bonne affection, laquelle je ne puis si bien descrire, que mes enemis a tort ne la décoloré. Ma bonne soeur, gagnes moy; envoyés moy querir, n'entrés en jalousie pour faulx raports de celle que ne désire que votre bonne grace; je me remettray sur Mester Knoleis à qui je me suis librement descouverte, et après vous avoir baisée les mains, je prierai Dieu vous donner en santé, longue et heureuse vie. De Boton, ou je vous promets, je ne n'espère pertir, qu'aveques vostre bonne grace, quoyque les menteurs mentent. Ce 26 d'Aoust.

No. XXVIII. (p. 189.)

Queen Elizabeth to the Earl of Murray.

[Paper Office. From a copy corrected by Secretary Cecil.]

RIGHT trusty and right well beloved cousin, we greet you well. Where we hear say, that certain reports are made in sundry parts of Scotland, that whatsover should fall out now upon the hearing of the Queen of Scotts cause, in any proof to convince or to acquit the said Queen concerning the horrible murder of her late husband our cousin, we have determined to restore her to her kingdom and government, we do so much mislike hereof, as we cannot endure the same to receive any credit: and therefore we have thought good to assure you, that the same is untruly devised by the authors to our dishonour. For as we have been always certified from our said sister, both by her letters and messages. that she is by no means guilty or participant of that murder, which we wish to be true, so surely if she should be found justly to be guilty thereof as hath been reported of her, whereof we would be very sorry, then, indeed, it should behoove us to consider otherwise of her cause than to satisfy her desire in restitution of her to the government of that kingdom. And so we would have you and all others think, that should be disposed to conceive honourably of us and our actions.

Indorsed, 20 Sept. 1568.

No. XXIX. (p. 192.)

Sir Francis Knollys to Cecil, the 9th of October, 1568, from York.

[An Original. Paper Office.]

My Lord's Grace of Norfolk sending for me to Bolton, to attend upon him here Thursday last, I made my repair hither accordingly, meaning to stay ho until Munday next; as touching the matters of the commission, that His Graco and the rest have from Her Highness, His Grace hath imparted unto me of all things thereunto appertaining, and what hath hitherto passed, and altho' the matters be too weighty for my weak capacity, to presume to utter any opinion of mine own thereof, yet I see that My Lord Herris for his parte laboureth a reconciliation, to be had without the extremity of odious accusations; My Lord of Ledington also saith to me, that he could wish these matters to be ended in dulce maner, so that it might be done with safety; of the rest you can conceive, by the advertisements and writings sent by our commissioners.

A Letter from the Bishop of Ross to the Queen of Scots, from York, October, 1568,

[Cott. Lib Calig. C. i. A copy.]

PLEIS Your Majesty I conferred at length with A. ane great part of a night, who assurit me that he had reasoned with B. this Saturday C. on the field, who determinate to him that it was the D. determinate purpose not to end your cause at this time, but to hold the same in suspence, and did that was in her power, to make the E. pursue extremity, to the effect F. and his adherents might utter all they could to your dishonour, to the effect to cause you come in disdain with the hail subjects of this realm, that ye may be the mair unable to attempt any thing to her disadvantage. And to this effect is all her intention, and when they have produced all they can against you, D. will not appoint the matter instantly, but transport you up in the country, and retain you there till she think time to show you favour, which is not likely to be hastily, because of your uncles in France, and the fear she has of yourself to be her unfriend. And therefore their counsel is, that ye write an writing to the D. meaning that ye are informit that your subjects which has offendit you.-This in effect that Your Majesty hearing the estate of your affairs as they proceed in York, was informed that Her Majesty was informed of you, that you could not gudely remit your subjects in such sort as they might credit you hereafter, which was a great cause of the stay of this controversy to be ended. And therefore persuading her D. effectually not to trust any who had made such narration. But like as ye had rendered you in her hands, as most tender to you of any living, so prayit her to take na opinion of you, but that ye wald use her counsell in all your affairs, and wald prefer her friendship to all others, as well uncles as others, and assure her to keep that thing ye wald promise to your subjects by her advice. And if D. discredit you, ye wald be glad to satisfy her in that point be removing within her realm in secret and quiet manner, where her G. pleased, until the time her G. were fully satisfied, and all occasion of discredit removed from her. So that in the mean time your realm were holden in quietness, and your true subjects restored and maintained in their own estate, and sic other things tending to this effect. And affirms that they believe that this may be occasion to cause her credit you that ye offer so far; and it may come that within two or three months she may become better-minded to Your Grace, for now she is not well-minded, and will not show you any pleasure for the causes aforesaid.

N. B. The title of this paper is in Cecil's hand; the following key is added in another hand.

A. The Laird of Lethington.

B. The Duke of Norfolk.

C. Was the day he rode to Cawood.

D. The Queen of England.

E. The Queen of Scots' commissioners.

F. The Earl of Murray.

No. XXX. (p. 196.)

Deliberation of Secretary Cecil's concerning Scotland, Dec. 21, 1568

[Paper Office.]

THE best way for England, but not the easiest; that the Queen of Scots might remain deprived of her crown, and the state continue as it is.

The second way for England profitable, and not so hard.-That the Queen of Scots might be induced, by some perswasions, to agree that her son might continue King, because he is crowned, and herself to remain also Queen; and that the government of the realm might be committed to such persons as the Queen of England should name, so as for the nomination of them it might be ordered, that a convenient number of persons of Scotland should be first named

to the Queen of England, indifferently for the Queen of Scots, and for her son, that is to say, the one half by the Queen of Scots, and the other by the Earle of Lennox, and Lady Lennox, parents to the child; and out of those, the Queen's Majesty of England to make choice for all the officers of the realm, that are, by the laws of Scotland, disposable by the King or Queen of the land. That untill this may be done by the Queen's Majesty, the government remain in the hands of the Earle of Murray as it is, providing he shall not dispose of any offices or perpetuals to continue any longer but to these offered of the premises.

That a Parliament be summoned in Scotland by several commandments, both of the Queen of Scots and of the young King.

That hostages be delivered unto England on the young King's behalf, to the number of twelve persons of the Earle of Murray's part, as the Queen of Scots shall name; and likewise on the Queen's behalf, to the like number as the Earle of Murray shall name; the same not to be any that have by inheritance or office cause to be in this Parliament, to remain from the beginning of the summons of that Parliament, untill three months after that Parliament; which hostages shall be pledges, that the friends of either part shall keep the peace in all cases, till by this Parliament it be concluded, that the ordinance which the Queen of England shall devise for the government of the realm (being not tc the hurt of the crown of Scotland, nor contrary to the laws of Scotland for any man's inheritance, as the same was before the Parliament at Edinr. the Decemr. 1567) shall be established to be kept and obeyed, under pain of high treason for the breakers thereof.

That by the same Parliament also be established all executions and judgments given against any person for the death of the late King.

That by the same Parliament, a remission be made universally from the Queen of Scots to any her contrarys, and also from every one subject to another, saving that restitution be made of lands and houses, and all other things heritable, that have been by either side taken from them which were the owners thereof at the committing of the Queen of Scots to Lochlevin.

That by the same Parliament it be declared who shall be successors to the crown next after the Q. of Scots and her issue; or else, that such right as the D. of Chatelherault had, at the marriage of the Queen of Scots with the Lord Darnley, may be conserved and not prejudized.

That the Q. of Scots may have leave of the Queen's Majesty of England, twelve months after the said Parliament, and that she shall not depart out of England without special licence of the Queen's Majesty.

be

That the young King shall be nourished and brought up in England, till ho years of age.

It is to be considered, that in this cause the composition between the Queen and her subjects may be made with certain articles, outwardly to be seen to the world for her honour, as though all the parts should come of her, and yet for the surety of contrarys, that certain betwixt her and the Queen's Majesty are to be concluded.

No. XXXI. (p. 197.)

The Queen to Sir Francis Knolleys, 22 January, 1568–9.

[Paper Office.]

WE greet you well, we mean not, at this point, by any writing, to renew that which it hath pleased God to make grievous to us and sorryful to yow; but forbearing the same as unmeet at this point, having occasion to command yow in our service, and yow also whilest you are to serve us. We require yow to consider of this that followeth with like consideration and diligence, as hitherto yow have accustumate in our service; at the time of our last letters written to yow the fourteenth of this month for removing of the Queen of Scots, we had understanding out of Scotland of certain writtings sent by her from thence into Scotland, amongst the which one is found to contain great and manifest untruths touching us and others also, as shall and may plainly appear unto yow by the

copy of the same, which likewise we send you, and because at the same time we were advertized, that it should be shortly proclaimed in Scotland, though then it was not, we thought good first to remove the Queen, before we would disclose the same, and then expect the issue thereof; and now, this day, by let ters from our cousin of Hunsdon we are ascertained, that since that time the same matters contained in the writing, are published in diverse parts of Scotland, whereupon we have thought it very meet, for the discharge of our honor, and to confound the falsehood contained in that writting, not only to have the same reproved by open proclamation upon our frontiers, the coppy whereof we do herewith send yow, but also in convenient sort to charge that Queen therewith, so as she may be moved to declare the authors thereof, and persuaders of her to write in such slanderous sort such untruths of us; and in the mean season, we have here stayed our commissioners, knowing no other whom we may more probably presume to be parties hereunto, than they, untill the Queen shall name some other, and acquit them; who being generally charged, without expressing to them any particularity, do use all manner of speeches to discharge themselves; wherefore our pleasure is, that ye shall, after ye have well perused the coppy of this writting sent to yow, speedily declare unto her, that we have good understanding given us of diverse letters and writtings, sent by her into Scotland, signed by her own hand, amongst which one such writting is sent with her commandment, expressly as now it is already published, as we are much troubled in mind that a Princess as she is having a cause in our hands so implicated with difficultys and calamitys, should either conceave in her own mind, or allow of them that should devise such false, untrue, and improbable matters against us, and our honor, and specially to have the aventure to have the same being known so untrue to be published; and you shall also say, because we will not think so ill of her, as that it should proceed of her self, but rather she hath been counselled thereunto, or by abuse made to think some part thereof to be true, we require her, even as she may look for any favour at our hands, that she will disburden herself as much as truly she may herein, and name them which have been the authors and perswaders thereof, and so she shall make as great amends to us as the case may require; after you have thus far proceeded, and had some answer of her, whether she shall deny the writing absolutely, or name any that have been the advisers thereof, you shall say unto her that we have stayed her commissioners here, untill we may have some answer hereof, because we cannot but impute to them some part of this evil dealing, untill by her answer the authors may be known; and as soon as you can have direct answers from her, we pray you to return us the same; for as the case standeth, we cannot but be much disquieted with it, having our honour so deeply touched contrary to any intention in us, and for any thing we know in our judgment the Earl of Murray and others named in the same writting, void of thought for the matters, to them therein imputed; you may impart to the Queen of Scots either the contents of the slanderous letter, or show her the copy to read it, and you may also impart this matter to the Lord Scroop, to join with you there as you shall think meet.

Sir Francis Knolleys to Queen Elizabeth, from Wetherby, the 28th of January, 1568

[An original. Paper Office.]

I WILL supress my own grieffs, and pass them over with silence, for the present learning of Your Majesty--and for this Queen's answer to the coppie of her supposed letter sent unto Scotland, I must add this unto my brother's letter, sent unto Mr. Secretary yesternight late; in process of time she did not deny but that the first lines contained in the same copie, was agreeable to a letter that she had sent unto Scotland, which touched My Lord of Murray's promise to deliver her son into Your Majesty's hands, and to avoid that the same should not be done without her consent, made her, she saith, to write in that behalf; she saith also that she wrote that they should cause a proclamation to be made to stir her people to defend My Lord of Murray's intent and purpose, for delivering of her said son, and impunge his rebellious government, as she termed it, but she utterly denyeth to have written any of the other slanderous parts of