MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS TO THE MASTER OF GRAY.'

1. Octobre 1584.

J'AY efcript mon opinion à mon fils touchant l'ouverture que vous m'avez fait en fon nom pour voftre voyage vers la Royne d'Angleterre. Si luy mande pleinement que Je ne puis aulcunement approuver cefte artificielle demonstration d'un malcontentement et nouvelle divifion entre luy et moy, comme preiudiciable a tous deux pour les raifons qui f'enfuyuent. Affauoir, que la Royne d'Angleterre ou n'adiouftera point de foy, et le prendra en diffimulacion a ieu deffeigné expres entre mon fils et moy, ce que fuffira pour empefcher voftre voyage vers moy, au lieu de la faciliter: ou fi elle croift que la diuifion estre vraye, c'est donner a nos ennemys pres d'elle le feul aduantage qu'ils defirent pour la deftourner de proceder plus auant en aulcun traicté auec nous. Car, fans aulcune doubte, ils luy ont iufques icy faict croire et fondre sa feureté et de fon eftat, en nostre diuifion. &c.

Croyez pour certain qu'il n'y a que la feule crainte d'un extreme qui puiffe amener la Royne d'Angleterre a faire pour nous, et que rien rendra mon fils fi comtemptible vers elle, qui fi par la pasture des belles promeffes elle le peult une fois deftituer et priuer de l'appuy et fupport de moy et mes amys, et parens les princes eftrangers; &c. pourtant fi mon filz eft perfuadé, foit par belles promeffes d'Angleterre ou d'ailleurs qu'en fe monftrant feparé de moy, il obtiendra d'elle a part des meilleures conditions; qu'il f'affeure du contraire, eftant la feule chofe a quoy elle tend, de luy donner, comme l'on doit, la croche en iambe, et qu'elle ne fe fouciera par apres de parfourmer et obferver chofe quelconque qu'elle aura promife. &c.

Octobre 1584.

Je ne me doubte point qu'elle ne paste mon fils, comme elle faict moy mefmes de l'efperance de la fucceffion de cefte couronne, mais ce n'est qu' artifice pour feulement nous tenir en laiffe apres elle, ayant des le

"An

'Cott. MSS. Calig. C. VIII. art. 94, fol. 108: where this article is marked as abstract out of certayne Letters of the Queene of Scottes to the Mr of Gray," with the title 'Recueils des Lettres de la Royne d'Escosse au Mr de Gray?

commencement de fon regne tenu toufiours ce maxime principale de fa feureté ou elle eft plus refolu que iamais, de ne declarer, tant qu'elle viura, aulcun heritier, ny fouffrir aulcune de fes fubiectz deftourner leurs yeulx d'elle: &c.

COMMISSION BY KING JAMES VI. TO THE MASTER OF GRAY,
AS AMBASSADOR TO ENGLAND.

JAMES, by the grace of God, King of Scottes, To all and fvndrie, whome yt efferis, whofe knowledge theis our letteris fhall to come, GREETINGE; Forafmuche as, we haue confiderid of the befte and most aparent meanes to fettel our estate in quietnes and furetie, and our Realme in a perfett tranquillitie and repofe, and findinge the fame cheeflie to confift in keeping stedfaste and inviolable the happie peace, and long contynewd amitye betwixt vs and our deerest sister and coufin, the Queene of Englande, being the Princes in the worlde neerest alwaies, and moste respectable to ws, and enterteyning of the fame on our behaulfe, by good intelligens and mutuall correfpondancis, in all good offices tendinge to the obfervacion and increafe of the fame, Will, therefore, having good proofe and experience of the wifdome, willingenes, circumfpection and fufficiency alwaies, of our truftie and wellbelovide coufin, PATRICK MASTER OF GRAYE, fpeciall gentilleman of our Privie chamber, and of his entire and dutifull affection borne to our estate and fervis, have, in that respect, made, nominate, constitute and ordeyned, and by theis our letteris, nominates, makes, conftitutis and ordeynes him our Ambaffador, orratour, commiffioner, deputie, and speciall meffanger, to the effect vnder written, givinge, graunting, and committing to him our full power, speciall comaunde, expreffe bydding, and chardg, for vs and in our name and behaulfe to conveane with our deereft fifter and coufin, the Queene of Englande, her councell, and fuch as she shall appointe and authorise to

that effect, at what fouever tymes and places; and to treate, conferr, deliberate and conclude in all matters and cawfes betwixt vs and our faide deerest fister, our domynions and fubiects, tending to the confirmacion and enterteynment of the faide amitye, and continueance of peace and quietnes betwixt vs: And thervppon to contracte, indent, promife, fubscribe and enterchange feales, and generally all and fundrye other thingis to do, exercife and vfe, that to th'execution of the premiffeys neceffarey requirid, although the fame requierid more fpecial comiffion nor is here in expreffid, firm and ftable houlding, and for to houlde all and what fouever thing our faid Ambaffador, deputie, and meffenger, in our name in the premiffes, lawfully leadis to be doun. Thies vnder our greate feale, and fubfcribed with our hande, at our Pallace of Hollyrood hoofe pe xiiijth daie of Octobir, 1584, and of our raigne the xviijth yere.

KING JAMES VI. TO SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM.1

TRUSTY AND WELLBELOVED, WE greete you well: having directed our trusty and wellbeloved coufen, Patrick Maifter of Gray, gentelman of our Privy chamber, to our deereft fefter, the Queene your foueraigne, to open and communicate vnto her fuch thinges on our behalf, as being well accepted of, according to our expectacion, may prooue greatly to the weale of both our Crowns and Countreyes, wee will require you very earnestly, that, according to the place of credite and councell which you occupy, you willbe the meane to further him to speedy prefence, and a convenient dispatch and anfwere of his errand; trufting him in that which he fhall deliver vnto you on our behalf: Thus we committ you to God. From our Pallace of Halirud house.

Your loving ffriend,

1 Cott. MSS. Calig. VIII. fol. 118.

JAMES R.

EARL OF ARRANS INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MASTER OF GRAY.'

No feale to be enterchanged, nor handwritt by you, but according to the old band, chiefly that either others rebells be either delivered or banished, and the receators common enemies to both realmes.

In all other purposes of weight defire to be further refolved of his Maiefty; fometime alleadging fuch headis not to be in your inftruccions anywife; fome tyme, that ye are specially in that inhibited, whereuppon your blanckes fuffice, alfo the blanckes brought with you to make your revocacion, as the neceffity fhallbe offred.

One parte of your inftruccions you must haue to many patent, namely, that yf the league be kept to his Maieftie touching his rebells, that you lett the Queene in all thinges knowe her danger, which the Kings Maiefty esteemeth his owne; and if need require, offer in his Maieftys name forces, both vppon foote and horfback, to defend her, and pursue all that would disturbe her eftate or realme: the condicions as is conteyned in the league, I thinck to our owne Border, and fo many dayes vppon our chardges; what further vppon the Queenes.

Yf a league offenfive and defenfive fhalbe to you propounded, caft it not of, but demaund the condicions, and pofte them to his Maiefty, whereof you fhalbe shortly refolved; ffor that, theis ten yeares, they have ever beene feeking, and when noe other thing will ferve, that will protract tyme, and be in his Maiefties opinion to graunt or denie.

Yf it shalbe condifcended the Rebells be bannished, spare not to condifcend to this, that all fubiects of England shall haue acceffe to all partes of Scotland with out pafport or licence, and all Scotes in England in like manner. This will pleafure England greatly, and yet I fee a comodity divers wayes to our Maister.

1 Cott. MSS. Calig. C. VII. art. 191, fol. 224. This article is marked in the printed Catalogue of the Cotton. MSS. under the date August 1585, but it evidently refers to the embassy of the Master of Gray in 1584.

LORD HUNSDON TO LORD BURGHLEY.1

MY VERY GOODE LoRDE, thys longe lookyd for man, the Mafter of Gray, ys come att lafte, for whose stay ther hath wantyd no practyfys, whyther yn Skotlande nor owte of Inglande; for in Skotlande, the Collonell Stewarde, the factyon of France and Spayne, and the papyftis, haue dune theyr befte; all the forine factyons in Inglande hathe nott flepte. And he hathe nott only hade worde sent hym, how gretly he ys alreddy condemd at the courte, bothe with hyr Maiefty and vthers about hyr, and that he shall fynde fo flender entertaynment there, as he wyll fune wyfhe hymfelfe away. And to feare hym the more, yt hathe byn fayd too hym, that yn hys paffynge threw thys cuntrey, his cairyagis shalbe taken, with all hys wrytyngs, and hymfelfe nott fre from perryll, whyche, God wyllynge, I wyll take order wellynowhe for hys fafty too Newcaftell. And no dowght but hys cumynge offendis many yn Inglande, for they know he cane towche fume of them deply. He came hyther apon Satterday yn the afternune, hauynge exprefe commandment too deale with me, and too make me acquayntyd with hys negocyacion fhurely, as he hathe dune, and hathe promefte me muche, but I wyll neyther truft hym too farr, nor aduyfe hyr Maiefty too trufte hym, farther then the fhall fynde cawfe at hys hande, bycawfe he ys fo gretly condemde alreddy amonge vs, as whatfoeuer he faythe, yea the King hymfelfe, or therle of Arren, muste nott be beleuyd. Thys mane, for beynge grete with the Skotsh Queen, and for beynge a papyfte, I know he cane fay mutche of the Skotfhe Queen, few men more; but for hys papyftry, I wolde all owars wer fuche, for yefterday, beynge Sunday, he went to the chyrche with me, hauynge feruys booke of myne, fyttynge with me yn my peu, he fayde all the feruys, and, bothe befor the fermone and after, he fange the falmes with me, afwell as I cowld doo, wherby yt femes he had byn eufyd too them, or else he cowld not a dune yt fo well and fo reddyly now, lett hys relygyon be whatt ytt wyll.

'From the original, Cott. MSS. Calig. C. VIII. art. 105, fol. 122.