To our trusty counsin the lord Lochlevin.

TRUSTY cousin, after our most hearty commendations, we received your letter of the 3d of March, and as we take your plainness therein in good part, as proceeding from a friend and kinsman, in whose good affection towards us we never doubted, so ye may not think it strange that we purge ourselves so far of your accusation, as in conscience we find not ourselves to have offended in. As touching our offence to God, we intend not to excuse it, but to submit us to his mercy; for ambition surely we think none can justly accuse us; for in our private estate we could, and can live as well contented, as any of our degree in Scotland, without further aspiring The bearing too the charge of the goverment of the realm, indeed, mon lead us, or any other that shall occupy that place, not simply to respect ourselves, but his majesty's rowme which we supply, and therein not transcending the bounds of measure, as, we trust, it shall not be found we have done, it ought not to be attributed to any ambition in us. For as soon as ever his majesty shall think himself ready and able for his own government, none shall more willingly agree and advance the same nor I, since I think never to set my face against him; whose honour, safety, and preservation has been so dear unto me, nor I will never believe to find otherwise at his hand than favour, although all the unfriends I have in the earth were about him, to persuade him to the contrary. As we write unto you, our friendly dealing and confidence in the house of Mar is not thankfully acquit; as we trust yourself considers; but because the ambassadors of England, my lord of Angus, the chancellor, treasurer, and some noblemen rides west this day to see the king, we pray you heartily address yourself to be there as soon as ye can, and as ye shall find the likelihood of all things, let us be advertized thereof with your own advice, by Alex Hay, whom we have thought goed to send west, seeing my lord of Angus from Stirling rides to Douglas. And so we commit you in the protection of God. At Holyrood house, the 4th of March, 1577.

For the avaritiousness laid to our charge, indeed it lies not in us so liberally to deal the king's geare, as to satisfy all cravers, nor never shall any sovereign and native born prince, let be any officer, eschew the disdains of such, as thinks them judges to their own reward; in many causes I doubt not to find the assistance of my friends, but where my actions shall appear unhonest, I will not crave their assistance, but let me bear my own burthen.

*From the original. E. of Morton's Archives. Bund. B. No. 31.

No. XLI. (Vol. II. p. 120.)

Letter of Walsingham's to Randolph, Feb. 3, 1580-1.*

SIR, I have received from my lord lieutenant the copy of your letter of the 25th of the last directed unto his lordship, containing a report of your negociation with the king and his council, in your second audience, wherewith having made her majesty acquainted, she seemed somewhat to mislike, that you should so long defer to deal for the enlargement of Empedocles. But I made answer in your behalf, that I thought you were directed by the advice of the said Empedocles' friends, in the soliciting of that cause, who knew what time was fittest for you to take to deal therein, with most effect, and best success with which answer her majesty did in the end rest very well satisfied, touching that point.

Your putting of us in hope that d'Aubigny might easily be won at her majesty's devotion, was at first interpreted to have been ironie spoke by you. But since it seemeth you insist upon it, I could wish you were otherwise persuaded of the man, or at least kept that opinion to yourself, for considering the end and purpose of his coming into Scotland, as may be many ways suf ficiently proved, was only to advance the queen's liberty, and reception into that government, to overthrow religion, and to procure a foreign match with Villenarius, wherein the inclosed copy, which you may use to good purpose there, shall partly give you some light; there is no man here can be persuaded that he will change his purpose, for so small advantage as he is likely to find by it, and therefore you shall do well to forbear to harp any more upon that string, as I have already written to you. The prince of Orange sending, I fear will not be in time that it may do any good; for besides that these people are in themselves slow in their resolutions, their own affairs are, at present, so great, their state so confused, and the prince's authority so small, that he cannot so soon take order in it; and yet for mine own part, I have not been negligent or careless in the matter, having more than three weeks past, sent one about it, from whom nevertheless I do yet hear nothing. The letters you desire should be written thither by the French ministers, I have given order to Mr. Killingrew to procure, who, I doubt not, will carefully perform it, so that, I hope, I shall have them to send you by the next. And so 1 commit you to God. At Whitehall, the 3d of February,

3580.

Your very loving cousin and servant,

FRA. WALSINGHAM.

[This letter is an original, and in some parts of it wrote in cyphers and explained by another hand. By Empedocles is understood Morton By Villenarius the King of Scotts. D'Aubigney is marked thus O

Cott. Lib. Calig. C. 6.

1

3 Feb. 1580.

Sundry notes gathered upon good diligence given, and in time to be better manifested, being now thought meet to be in convenient sort used and laid against D'Aubigny, to prove him abusing the king, the nobility, and that state.*

FIRST, it hath been informed by credible means, that D'Aubigny was privy and acquainted with la Nave the king's mother's secretary, coming into Scotland, and of his errand there, tending chiefly to persuade the king, to think and esteem it an evil president for princes that subjects might have power to deprive their lawful sovereigns, as they did his mother, who was not minded, by any means, to defeat him, either of the present government of that realm, or yet of the possession of the crown and inheritance thereof, but rather to assure the same to him: and that for the accomplishment of that assurance, the king should have been advised and drawn to have governed, for some short time as prince, calling D'Aubigny to rule as governor of the prince, by commission from the queen his mother, until the king's enemies were suppressed; after which time D'Aubigny should have power given to establish and resign that kingdom to the king, by his mother's voluntary consent, whereby all such, as had before been in action against the queen or her authority, might be brought to stand in the king's mercy. And for that the king might live in more surety. D'Aubigny should be declared both second person in succession of that crown, and also lieutenant general of Scotland, and that D'Aubigny, before his departure out of France, received commission from the king's mother to the effects remembered or near the same. That in this behalf. he had conference with the bishops of Glasgow and Ross, and with sir James Baford, with which persons, and with the duke of Guise, he had and hath frequent intelligence, and by sir James Baford he was advised to confer with the lord John Hamilton before his repair into Scotland, whereunto he agreed, and yet afterwards he sent one John Hamilton to the said lord John to excuse him in this part, alledging, that he did forbear to come to him, lest thereby he should mar or hinder greater effects to be executed by him in Scotland.

That before his coming into that realm, the nobility and country were well quieted and united in good concord, with great love betwixt the king and nobility, and amongst the noblesse, but hath both drawn the king against sundry of the chiefest of his nobility, that have been most ready, and have expended their blood and possessions to preserve religion, and defend the king's person,

*Cott. Lib. Calig. C., An orginal.

his government and estate, and also hath given occasion of great suspicions and offence to be engendered betwixt the king and his nobility, and especially with such as have been in action against the king's mother and her authority, who by force and means of the said commission and practice, should have been brought into most dangerous condition; and who also may find themselves in no small perill while he possesses the king's ear, abuseth his presence, and holdeth such of the principal keys and ports of his realm, as he presently enjoyeth.

That he hath drawn the king not only to forget the great benefits done to him and his realm, by the queen's majesty of England, but also to requite the same with sundry signs of great unthankfulness, and wounding therewith the honour of her majesty, and thereby hath adventured to shake the happy amity long time continued betwixt those princes.

And whereas these griefs were to be repaired by gentle letters and good offers, to have passed and been done betwixt them : In which respect the king and council having resolved to write to her majesty, for her highness better satisfaction in the late negotiation of Mr. Alexander Hume of Northberwick, had given order to the king's secretary to frame that letter: He minding to break the bond of amity in sunder, willed the secretary to be sure that nothing should be inserted in that letter whereby the king should crave any thing at her hands, seeking thereby to cut off all loving courtesies betwixt them, as by the declaration of the said secretary may be better learned, and thereupon further approved.

That under the hope and encouragement of D'Aubigny's pro tection, Alexander King presumed with that boldness to make his lewd harangue, and by his means hath hitherto escaped chastisement and correction, due for his offence.

That sir James Baford, condemned of the slaughter of the king's father, hath been called into the realm by Lennox, without the privity of the king. And whereas the said sir James found in a green velvet desk, late the earl of Bothwell's, and saw and had in his hands the principal band of the conspirators in that murder, and can best declare and witness who were authors and executors of the same; he is drawn by Lennox to suppress the truth, and to accuse such as he himself knoweth to be innocent; and as by order of law, will be so found, if they may have due trial, which, contrary to all justice, is by Lennox' means denied.

[This is the charge against D'Aubigny, mentioned in the foregoing letter by Walsingham; but by Baford they mean sir James Balfour.]

No. XLII. (Vol. II. p. 133.)

The copy of the king of France his directions sent to Scotland with Seineur de la Motte Fenelon. Translated out of the French.*

FIRST, on their majesty's most christian part, he shall make the most honourable salutation and visiting to the most serene king of Scotland, their good brother and little son, that in him is possible.

To give him their letters that are closed, such and such like as they have written to him with their hands, and to show expressly the perfect friendship and singular affection, that their majestys bear to him, and to bring back the answer.

To take heed to the things which touch near the most serene king, to the effect that his person may be in no danger, but that it may be most surely preserved.

And that he be not hindered in the honest liberty that he ought to have, and that no greater, or straiter guards be about him than he had before.

And such like, that he be not impeached in the authority, that God hath given to him of king and prince sovereign above his subjects, to the effect he may as freely ordain and command in his affairs, and in the affairs of his country, with his ordinary council, as he was used to do of before.

That his nobility, barons, and commonality of his country may have their free liberty to resort to his serene majesty without suspicion of greater guards or more armed men about his person than the use was, that they be not afraid and hindered to resort; and further that the segnieur de la Motte Fenelon sall liberally and freely speak to the said serene king and council, requiring the re-establishing of that that may or hath been changed or altered.

And that he may know if the principalls of the nobility and other men of good behaviour of the towns and commonality of the country conveens, and are content with the form of govern ment presently with the said serene king, to the end that if there be any miscontent he may travaile to agree them together, and that he return not without the certainty of the samine.

And if he may understand that there be any who have not used them so reverently towards the said serene king their sovereign lord, as the duty of their obedience required, that he may pray on this behalf of his majesty most christian the said serene king his good brother, giving him council wholly to forget the same, and exhorting them to do their duty towards his majesty, in time coming, in all respects with the obedience and true subjection they ought him.

Calderw. MS. History, vol. 3. p 208.