Part of a Letter from Randolph to Cecil, from Berwick, 25 April, 1566.

THERE is continually very much speech of the discord between the queen and her husband, so far that, that is commonly said and believed of himself, that Mr. James Thornton is gone to Rome to sue for a divorce between them. It is very certain that Malevasier had not spoken with him within these three days. He is neither accompanied nor looked upon of any nobleman attended upon by certain of his own servants, and six or seven of the guard; at liberty to do, and go where and what he wil, they have no hope yet among themselves of quietness.

David's brother, named Joseph, who came this way with Malevasier, unknown to any man here, is become secretary in his brother's place.

No. XVII. (Vol. I. p. 411.)

The earl of Bedford to Cecil, 3d August, 1566.

THE queen and her husband agree after the old manner, or rather worse. She eateth but very seldom with him, lieth not, nor keepeth company with him, nor loveth any such as love him. He is so far out of her books, as at her going out of the castle of Edinburgh, to remove abroad, he knew nothing thereof. It cannot for modesty, nor with the honour of a queen, be reported what she said of him. One Hickman, an English merchant there, having a water spaniel which was very good, gave him to Mr. James Melvill, who afterwards, for the pleasure which he saw the king have in such kind of dogs, gave him to the king. The queen thereupon fell marvellously out with Melvill, called him dissembler and flatterer, and said she could not trust one, who would give any thing to such one as she loved not.,

The earl of Bedford to Cecil, Aug. 8.

THE disagreement between the queen and her husband continueth, or rather increaseth. Robert Melvill drawing homwards, within twelve miles of Edinburgh, could not tell where to find the queen; sith which time she is come to Edinburgh, and had not twelve horses attending on her. There was not then, nor that I can hear of since, any lord baron, or other nobleman in her company. The king her husband is gone to Dumfermling, and passeth his time as well he may; having at his farewell, such countenance as would make a husband heavy at the heart.

Sir John Forster to Cecil, 8 Sept. from Berwick.

THE queen hath her husband in small estimation, and the earl of Lennox came not in the queen's sight since the death of Davy.

Sir John Forster to Cecil, 11th Dec.

THE earl of Bothwell is appointed to receive the ambassadors, and all things for the christining are at his lordship's appointment, and the same is scarcely well liked of the nobility, as is said. The king and queen is presently at Craigmillar bút in little greater familiarity than he was all the while past.

Advertisements out of Scotland from the earl of Bedford.

THAT the king and queen agreed well together two days after her coming from- and after my lord of Murray's coming to Edinburgh, some new discord has happened. The queen had declared to my lord of Murray that the king bears him evil will, and has said to her that he is determined to kill him, finding fault that she doth bear him so much company; and in like manner hath willed my lord of Murray to be spiere it at the king, which he did a few nights since in the queen's presence, and in hearing of divers. The king confessed, that reports were made to him, that my lord of Murray was not his friend, which made him speak that thing he repented; and the queen affirmed, that the king had spoken such words unto her, and confessed before the whole house, that she could not be content that either he, or any other, should be unfriend to my lord of Murray. My lord of Murray enquired the same stoutly, and used his speech very modestly, in the mean time the king departed very grieved; he cannot bear that the queen should use familiarity either with man or woman, and especially the ladies of Arguile, Murray, and Marre, who keep most company with her. My lord of Murray and Bothwell have been at evil words for the 1. of Ledington, before the queen, for he and sir James Balfour had new come from Ledington, with his answer upon such heads of articles as Bothwell and he should agree upon, which being reported to the said earl in the queen's presence, made answer, that ere he parted with such lands as was desired, he should part with his life. My lord of Murray said stoutly to him, that twenty as honest men as he should lose their lives ere he reafte Ledington. The queen spake nothing, but heard both; in these terms they parted, and since, that I hear of, have not met. The queen after her hunting came to Edinburgh, and carryeth the prince thence to Stirling with her. This last Saturday was

* August, 1566. Paper-office, from the original.

executed a servant of the lord Ruthven's, who confessed that he was in the cabinet, but not of council of the fact. The queen hath also opened to my lord of Murray, that money was sent from the pope, how much it was, and by whom, and for what purpose it was brought.

No. XVIII. (Vol. I. p. 421.)

Part of a Letter from Elizabeth to Mary, Feb. 20, 1569, A copy interlined by Cecil. It contains an answer to a complaining letter of Mary's upon the imprisonment of the bishop of Ross.

AFTER this [i. e. Mary's landing in Scotland] how par tiently did I bear with many vain delays in not ratifying the treaty accorded by your own commissioners, whereby I received no small unkindness, besides the manifold causes of suspicion that I might not hereafter trust to any writings. Then followed a hard manner of dealing with me, to intice my subject and near kinsman, the lord Darnly, under colour of private suits for land to come into the realm, to proceed in treaty of marriage with him without my knowledge, yea to conclude the same without my assent or liking. And how many unkind parts accompanied that fact, by receiving of my subjects that were base runnegates and offenders at home, and enhancing them to places of credit against my will, with many such like, I will leave for that the remembrance of the same cannot but be noysome to you. And yet all these did I as it were suppress and overcome with my natural inclination of love towards you; and did afterwards gladly, as you know, christen your son, the child of my said kinsman, that had be fore so unloyally offended me, both in marriage of you, and in other undutiful usages towards me his sovereign. How friendly also dealt I by messages to reconcile him, being your husband, to you, when others nourished discord betwixt you, who as it seemed had more power to work their purposes, being evil to you both, than I had to do you good, in respect of the evil I had received. Well I will overpass your hard accidents that followed for lack of following my council. And then in your most extremity, when you was a prisoner indeed, and in danger of your life from your notorious evil willers, how far from my mind was the remembrance of any unkindness you had shewed me. Nay, how void was I of respect to the designs which the world had seen attempted by you to my crown, and the security that might have ensued to my state by your death, when I finding your calamity to be great, that you were at the pit's brink to have miserably lost your life, did not only intreat for

376

your life, but so threatened some as were irritated against you, that I only may say it, even I was the principal cause to save your life.

No. XIX. (Vol. I. p. 434.)

Letter of 2. Elizabeth to 2. of Scots. Thus marked on the back with Cecil's hand.-Copia Literarum Regiæ Majestatis ad Reginam Scotorum. VIIIo Aprilis.

MADAME, vous ayant trop molestè par M. de Crocq, je n'eusse eu si peu de consideration de vous fascher de cette lettre, si les liens de charitè vers les ruinez, et les pricres des miserables ne m'y contraignassent. Je entens que un edit a etè divulgè de par vous, madame, que ung chascun, que veult justifier que ons estè les meurtriers de votre feu mari, et mon feu cousin, viennent a le faire le xime de ce mois. La quelle chose, comme c'est plus honourable et necessaire, qui en tel cas se pourra faire, ne y estant cachè quelque mistere ou finesse, ainsi le pere et amis du mort gentelhomme m'ont humblement requis, que je vous priasse de prolongue le jeur, pource qu'ilz cognoissent que droict les iniquies se sont combineès par force de faire ceque par ils ne pourront pas faire; partant, je ne puis mais sinon pour l'amour de vous meme, a qui il touche le plus, et pour la consolation des innocens, de vous exhorter le leur conceder cette requeste, laquelle, si elle les seroit niè, vous tourneroit grandement en soupçon, de plus que j'espere ne pensez, et que ne vouPour l'amour de Dieu, madame, usez de driez volontiers ouyr. telle sinceritiè & prudence en ce cas qui vos touche de si pres, que tout le monde aye raison, de vous livrer comme innocente d'ung crime si enorme, chose que si ne fistes, seriez dignement esboyë hors de rancz de princesses, & non sans cause faite opprobre de vulgaire, et plutot que cela vous avienne, je vous souhaiterois une sepulture honorable,qu'une vie maculeè; vous voiez madame, que je vous traite comme ma file, et vous promets, que si j'en eusse, ne luy souhaiterois mieulx, que je vous desire, comme le Seigneur Dieu me porte tesmoignage, a que je prie de bon cœur de vous inspirer a faire ce qui vous sera plus a honneur, et a vos amis plus de consolation, avec mes tres cordialles recommendations comme a icelle a qui se souhaite le plus de bien, qui vous pourra en ce monde avenir. De West. ce 8 jour de Janviert en haste.

* Paper office.

↑ A mistake in the date corrected with Cecil's hand, VIII® Aprilis.

No. XX. (Vol. I. p. 445.)

Account of the sentence of divorce between the earl of Bothwell and lady Jean Gordon, his wife. From a manuscript belonging to Mr. David Falconer, advocate. Fol. 455.

UPOUN the 29 of Apryle, 1567, before the richt hon. Mr. Robert Maitland, dean of Aberdene, Mr. Edward Henryson, doctor in the laws, two of the senators of the college of justice, Mr. Clement Little, and Mr. Alexander Syme, advocattis, commissers of Edn'; compeered Mr. Henry Kinrosse, procurator for Jean Gourdoune countes of Bothwell, constitute be her for pursewing of ane proces of divorcement intendit by her contra James, erle Bothwel her husband for adultry, committed be him with Bessie Crawfurde, the pursuers servant for the time; and sicklyke, for the said erle, compeared Mr. Edmond Hay, who efter he had pursued and craved the pursuer's procurator's oath de calumnia, if he had just caus to pursew the said action, and obtained it, denyed the libell, and the said Mr. Harrie took the morne, the last day of Apryle, to prove the same pro prima. The quhilk day, having produced some witnesses, he took the next day, being the 1 of May, to do farther diligence. Upon the quhilk 1 of May, he produced some moe witnesses, and renounced farther probatioune. After quhilk, he desired a term to be assigned to pronounce sentence. To whom the said commissars assigned Satterday next, the 3 of May, to pronounce sentence therein, secundum allegata et probata quilk accordingly was given that day in favour of the pursewar.

At the same time there was another proces intendit be the erl of Bothwell contra his lady, for to have their marriage declared nul as being contracted against the canons, without a dispensation, and he and his lady being within degrees defendand, viz. ferdis a kin, and that wyse for expeding of this process, there was a commissioune grantit to the archbishop of St. Androis to cognosce and determine it, and Rot. bishop of Dunkeld, William, bishop of Dunblane, Mr. Andro Craufurd, chanon in Glasgow, and parson of Egelshame, Mr. Alexander Creichtoun, and Mr. George Cooke, chancellor of Dunkeld, and to Mr. Johne Manderstoune, chanon in Dunbar, and prebendar of Beltoune, or any ane of them. This commissione is datit 27 Aprile, 1567, was presented to two of the saids commissioners, viz. Mr. Andr Crawfurd and Mr. John Manderstoune an Satterday 3 May, by Mr. Thomas Hepburne, parson of Auldhamstocks, procurator for the erle of Bothwel, who accepted the delegaticune, and gave out their citation by precept, directed Decano Christianitatis de Hadingtoune, nec non vicario seu curato eccl. parochie de Creichtoune, seu cuicunq; alteri cappellano debiti requisitis, fer VOL. II. 3 B