Airthe, and their kin and friends, with the special declaration that the said Laird of Garden is not to be responsible for the Lairds of Corstorphine and Strathhenrie, James and David Forrester, brothers of the deceased David Forrester of Logie, Duncan Forrester of Culmoir and his sons, and Alexander Forrester, son of Duncan Forrester in Kipmad, further than the laws of the country and the general bond require. THE MINISTERS OF EDINBURGH to the EARL OF MAR. 1596, December 18. Edinburgh.-Pleis your lordship, we dout not bot ye have hard or now the effect of this lang conference that hes bene betwixt his Majestie and us, mony commoningis and als mony brekis. They tuik thair vantage evir under traist, quhill at the last the malice of sum counsallouris is cumit to this that the stipendis of the ministrie ar dischargit, and the commissionaris of the Generall Assemblie ar put af the towne, Maister David Blak convict of treasoun and put in ward, and we be ane act alreaddy set downe appointed to suffer the lyk. And now last of all undir commoning ane great nowmer of our flok quho in our defence stuid, ar chargit to gang af the towne, sua that the people, animat na dout be the word and motioun of Godis Spirit tuik armes, and war nocht we stayed thair faird, thay had licht, na dout, upoun mony of the counsallouris. Alwayis the godlie baronis with utheris gentlemen that wer in the towne have convenit thame selffis and taiken upoun thame the patrocinie of the Kirk and hir caus. They laik ane heid, ane speciall nobleman to countenance the mater, and with ane consent hes maid chois of your lordship. And seing God hes gevin your lordship this honnour, we could not do na les then follow his calling and mak it knawin to you, that with all convenient diligence your lordship micht cum heir and utter your affectioun to the gude caus and ressave the honnour that is offerit to yow. Quhilk we dout not bot your lordship will do. In the mean tyme we refer your lordship to the protectioun of God. Edinburgh this 18th of December, 1596. Your lordshipis to be commandit in God. Mr. Rot Bruice. Mr. Waltir Balcaquell. HOLOGRAPH LETTER FROM KING JAMES THE SIXTH to 1597, July 5. Falkland.-Jonstone,-Faill not after the sicht heirof to concurre with all diligence with the Erle of Marr or Sir Thomas Areskine for the apprehension and sure convoie of Patrike Bruce, and suffer nane of the cuntrey to ryse or make impediment thairunto as ye will ansoure to me. Fairueill. From Falkelande, the v of Julie, 1597. JAMES R. 1597.-Precept freeing Sir James Admestoun of Duntreth, knight, of entering himself in ward on account of "the tumult and uproare rased within oure burgh of Edinburgh upon the sevintene day of December last," for which he had been charged to ward in the Castle Doun of Menteth, provided he find caution to appear before the Council on ten days' warning. Signed, JAMES R. 1598, April 21. Gastonhall.-Robert Bruce of Clackmannan, to John, Earl of Mar, reminding him of a promise he had made to his lordship in Stervilling, "That sa lang as ane Bruce was not in the feild or thair blwd spiltt, I suld tak pairt with your lordship in that matter." Now one of his innocent kinsmen had been slain, and his whole friends had urged him to seek redress, which he could not do till first he had freed himself of this promise. He challenges the Earl with casting him off, by (1) taking from him the kindly possession of his teind; (2) maintaining the writer's brother James in the molestation of his tenants, and (3) protecting a man who had been convict in the writer's court of theft; evidences sufficient of the Earl's unfriendly disposition towards him, for which he had given no occasion. It was not these things, however, but the "innocent slauchter" of his friend that moved him to take this step, though he is informed that the Earl knows nothing of it, and that none of his people were present at it. Signed, ROBERT BRUCE of Clackmanane. KING JAMES THE SIXTH TO THE EARL OF MAR AND THE ABBOT OF KINLOSS, AMBASSADORS AT THE ENGLISH COURT. 1601, February 5. Holyroodhouse.-Right trustie cousin and counsellour, we grete you heartely well. Since your departure conforme to our direction given to you for removing of these jelosies arising upoun our alleaged dealing with forreyne princes, speciallie with the Pope and King of Spayne, we have caused by so many of our Counsell as are best affected in this matter try and examyne Mr. Edward Drummond, who was alleaged to have caryed from us commission to the Pope and to have made particulare offers to him concerning our sone, the Prince, the Castle of Edinbroughe, and sute of money for entertyning a guarde, whereupoun Sir Henry Broncard on the Queenes behalfe expostulated with us; of whose deposition we have sent you herewith the just coppie. Wee have likewise caused examyn Poury Ogilvie whoe was alleadged to have used on our behalfe a commission to the King of Spayne, whose deposition you shall also receave. And because for the present we have no other adminicles whereby the verity of their depositions may be impugned, and we perswade our selves that the Queenes Counsell there wolde not have taken so greate holde of these maters except they had had some warrand, after you have made the Queene or suche as shee shall appoynt acquainted with their depositions, you shall crave them to give you suche groundis and testimonyes as they have, whereby their declarations may be improoved, and the contrary being verified they may receave condigne punishement according to the quality of their desert. For whiche effect we have committed Poury Ogilvy to warde within our Castle of Edinburgh; and because we had no certeyne accusation against Mr. Edward Drummond we have committed him to warde within his mother's house under caution of great sumes to appeare before us and our Counsayle as often as he shalbe required, and in no wise to depairte oute of our realme withoute licence. It appeares to [us] verie straunge that suche jealousies should be fostered and no certeyne authoris knowen, and we thinke that our bypast cariage in all our actions hathe deserved that we should be friendlie satisfyed, at least by detecting the authors, that if they be men of credit and their delations be surely warranted, paynes may be irrogated to the offenders; and if maliciouslie they be contrived to be a disquieting of the amity betwixte our states, they may be punished or at least knowen for seditious enemyes of the publick repose, and we cleered of so vile imputations; from whiche wee have alwayes bene so farre as we never medled in any course with whatsoever prince whiche we wold not have knowen to all the worlde. And althoughe the frends of Poury Ogilvy have made greate sute to us that he shoulde be at libertie under pecuniall paines, yet we have refused, because the said Sir Henry Broncard amongst others his expostulations alledged that when suche persons as had abused our auctority being oute of the contrey returned home, their heads were clapte, we have made him fast till tryall may be had, if he have merited any more greevous punishment, whiche he shall not escape if in any case he be guilty. Wherein we wolde wishe them to keepe the like severity bothe in tryall and punishement of suche as by surmeses and calumnyes foster suche jealosies, whereof the ende, if remedy be not found, will breede more displeasour. Yow shall deale as you finde opportunity that we may have certainty that nothing be done in prejudice of our title, and observe carefully that under pretext of discoverie of this action no stuffe be forged to our disadvantage. The rest to your discretion and our former instructions. Committis you to God. Holyroodhouse the fifth of Februarie, 1601. Signed, JAMES R. Addressed:-To our right trustie and welbeloved cousin and counsellour the Earle of Mar and Abbot of Kinlosse, our ambassadors at the Court of England. KING JAMES THE SIXTH to the EARL OF MAR. 1601, April 9. Linlithgow.-Richt traist cousing and counsallour, we greit yow hertlie wele. We have ressavit your letter and sene your uther letter send to our Secretare, and according to our accustumat forme used toward our ambassadouris in sic great and wechtie materis of estate, have writtin your ansuer with our awin hand. Lykeas for the mair haistie dispasche of this berare (lang luikit for be yow) in absence of our Secretar (quher we ar presentlie) we have causit writ ansuer concerning the mater of the Bordour. It appeiris in the hinderend of your letter anent the hunting accident that the Quene and Counsale seame verray far to mistak that mater, as lykvise that your selffis hes mistaiken the same. For compensatioun wes nevir promeist to be admittit be us; bot, be the contrair, we craved the entrie of the Englische officiaris for compensatioun of the entrie of our officiaris to thame for lesse faultis, these that our officiaris tuke the revendge upoun being bot bas rascall thevis; quhairas thay that wer murtherit, woundit and taiken prissoneris at that hunting, wer gentilmen of honnest rankis and houssis, being giltie of na cryme to England nor nevir afoir complenit upoun. We wer never sa unjust towards our awin subjectis as to tak Englandis, spairing and not punischeing of sum of thair bad subjectis to be a compensatioun for sa great wrangis committit on our gude subjectis, specialie that being done be thair officiaris and avowitlie on day licht, betwixt the quhilk and ony doing of our baid thevis can be na proportioun. Thairfoir, as of befoir, lett that great complaint be renewit, and the Quene and Counsale be put in remembrance quherat that mater left, quhilk wes not upoun any sic termes of compensatioun, as is wranguslie alledged be thame, bot becaus eftir you had anis for a fassoun wairdit Mr. Phenick and Hary Wothingtoun in frie warde quhill forder tryell, we and thay could not aggrie upoun the forme of the said tryell, bot efter lang disputatioun it deit out on thair parte upoun that point. In quhilk respect ye sall as of befoir urge justice upoun that point, quhilk the Quene promeist to us be hir awin letter, as is aggreable to equitie and justice. Sua be not content to be satisfeit with sic forged and sklender excuisses; assuiring the Quene and Counsale as be oure letters and ambassadors we have oft done afoir, that gif justice be not now done in that earand, the gentilmen quhom we have quhill this tyme deteanit from thair awin revendge in hoip of justice, will now becum dispairit, and luiking na mair for redresse, it will not langer ly in our pouer to stay thame from mending thame selffis. Thus we commit yow in Godis protectioun. From Linlythgw, the ix of Aprile, 1601. Signed, JAMES R. We have writtin to the Lord of Roxburcht and Lard of Johnstoun according to the tennour of the former part of your letter. Addressed-To our richt traist cousing and counsallour the Erll of Mar, our Ambassadour, presentlie at Londoun. 1601.-Licence to Mr. Robert Bruce, minister, to return to Scotland and resort to any part thereof save Edinburgh, and miles thereabout, dispensing with all acts made in the contrary. Signed, JAMES R. 1601.-Order to the Captain and Constable of the Castle of Edinburgh to deliver to Ludovick, Duke of Lennox, tua pareis falconis and ane moyen with thair bullat and furnitour, to be cariet in his schip to France. Signed, JAMES R. THE MARQUIS OF HAMILTON to the EARL OF MAR. 1602, March 17. Hamilton. My Lord and weilbeloveit gossope, efter my verie hartly commendatioun. I resavit your lordshipis letter and persavis thairby the injurie laitlie done to D yow be my cousing, yong James Hamiltoun, in hoching of your oxin, quhairof I knew nathing befoir the cuming of your lordshipis letter in my handis; and gif the yong man had maid me aquent heirwith befoir the doing of the twrne and socht my consall thairinto, I vald have be all meaneis dissuadit him fra fallowing furth of any sic course. And now seing it proceidit by my knawledg I vill na vay fortifie nor maintein his wrangus doingis, for your lordship knawis how far I mislyk al sort of wrangis or oppressionis; meikill mair vill I mislyk ony vrang done to yow. Thair is nane, nather Hammiltoun nor uther, quha vill preise to do vrang to your lordship quhom I vill fortifie, bot rather vil assist yow aganeis ony quhatsumever in Scotland, his Majestie only being exceptit. Sa my hartly commendationis rememberit to my guid lady, your bedfallow, I commit yow and hir baith to God his halie protectioun. Hamiltoun, the xvij of Martch, 1602. Your lordshipis assurit loving gossop to the utirmest of my pouar. Signed, HAMILTON. Addressed To my Lord and weilbeloveit gossope, the Earle of Mar. KING JAMES THE SIXTH to the EARL OF MAR. 1603, May 14. Greenwich.-JAMES R.-Right traist cousing and counsallour, we great you hertlie wele. Having both be our dearest bedfellow the Quenes letter and report of Sir George Douglas hard of that mater laitlie fallin out at Sterling, as we have caryed our selff in sic incidentis, sua trust we that ye will not now utherwayes then ye have hithertillis done, stand upoun any ceremonyes, bot conforme your selff to quhatsumevir may content us or be aggreable to our pleasour, quhilk in this cais we have directed our dearest cousing and counsallour, the Duke of Lennox, particularlie to acquent you with, quhom ye sall credeit, and to quhais advise to be deliverit to you in our name we dout not bot ye will alwayes conforme your selff, as ye have done heretofoir in all things belanging us. And sua remitting our forder mynd to the sufficiencie of the bearer, we commit you to God. From our Court of Greinwiche the xiiijth of May, 1603. KING JAMES THE SIXTH to the EARL OF MAR 1603, May 17. Greenwich.-JAMES R.-Right trusty and welbeloved cousin and counsellour, wee greete yow right hartely well. Having understood as well by your awin declaration made to the Counsell, which yee desyred should by them be signified unto us, as by your owne letter upon your dewty and allegeance, that some of our subjectes had an intention to have taken our dearest sone, the Prince, if he had come from Striveling to the Torwood; and considering the same to be a purpose of no litle consequence which can not be let passe, but meriting dew tryall and condigne punishment, whiche cannot be well prosequted except yee come hether in persone to give us up the names of the persons who should have bene of the said conspiracy that we may thereafter proceede in their tryall; it is therefor our will |