this matter to heart, as we know the contrary in effect, and had of before removed the like opinion out of her Majefty's mind, which by finister information was credited. Their reports has hindered our commiffion, and abufed this Queen, fearing in like manner we shall be stayed until anfwer come from Scotland by fuch perfon as they have intelligence of. And albeit that it will be well enough known to all men how heavily your Majesty takes this proceeding to heart, the truth is, that they have by this occafion fo perfuaded the Queen, that it is like to hinder our negotiation. As alfo Alchinder Steward is to be directed in their party, by our knowledge, who has awantyt more of his credit than I believe he may perform; and we willed him to defift from this dealing, faying it does harm, and he is not meet for that purpose, remitting to your Majesty's good discretion to take order herein; as we shall be anfwerable to your Majesty not to omit any point we have in charge, as the truth is, the Mafter of Graye has behaved himself very uprightly and difcreetly in this charge, and evil tayne with be divers in thefe parts who were of before his friends. We have been behalding to the menftrals who has born us beft company, but has not been troubled with others. Wylzeme Kethe hath left nothing undone that he had in charge. As for Mr Archibald, he has promised at all times to do his dewoyr, wherein he fhall find true report made to your Majefty. Craving pardon of your Majesty that I have been fo tedious, after I have kiffed your Majesty's hand, I humbly take my leave. Praying God to grant your Majesty many good days and happy, in whofe protection I commit your Majesty. At London, the 26th of Jan. 1586.

SIR, Albeit Mafter George' has not been in commiffion, he is not inferior in his fervice to any of us, as well by his good advice and diligent care he takes for the advancement of your fervice, wherein we have not been a little furthered.

1 Mr George Young.

TO THE KINGIS MAJESTY, FROM THE MASTER OF GRAY AND
SIR ROBERT MELVILL.

PLEASE it your Majesty, in the last audience we had, fince our laft advertifement by William Murray, we find her Majefty at the refuming our offers fomething mitigated, and inclined to confider more deeply of them. Before we got leave, at our reafoning, certain of the council, namely, my Lord Leicester, Sir Chriftopher Haton, my Lord Hunfdon, and my Lord Hawart, being prefent in the chamber, gave little fhow of any great contentment to have her from her former refolution, now caffin in perplexitie what the fhould do; always we left her in that ftate, and fince have daily preffed conference with the whole Council, which to this hour we have not yet obtained. This day we have fent down to crave our leave. The greatest hinder which our negociation has found hitherto, is a perfuafion they have here, that either your Majesty deals fuperficially in this matter, or that with time ye may be moved to digeft it; which, when with great difficulty we had expugnit, we find anew that certain letters written to them of late from Scotland has found fome place of credit with them in our contrare. So that refolving now to clear them of that doubt by a special meffage, they have made choice of Sir Alexander Stewart to try your Highness's meaning in it, and to perfuade your Majesty to like of their proceedings, where from no terror we can fay out unto him is able to divert him; he has given out that he has credit with your Majefty, and that he doubts not to help this matter at your Highness's hand. If he come there that errand, we think your Majefty will not oversee the great difgrace that his attempts fhall give us here, if he be not tane order with before that he be further heard; and if fo be that any other be directed, (as our intelligence gives us there fhall), our humble fuit is to your Majefty, that it may please your Highnefs to hear of us what we find here, and at what point we leave this matter with her Majesty, before that they find accidence. The caufes whereof remitting to our private letters, we commit your Majefty for the prefent to God's eternal protection. From London, this 21ft of Jan. 1586.

NOTES OF A LETTER TO THE MASTER OF GRAY.

WONDERS King James 6. fhould take fo hainoufly pe death of his Mother, as to meditate revenge, being contrary to his intereft and wifdom. Firft, pe quarrel being unjuft, and no fuceffe can be expected in fuch a cafe; þat sentence being thought neceffary for the Queenis fafety and þat of pe land, he opposes himself to pe judgement of God, whofe minifters they were in giving that fentence. Scotland not able to make head against England, it being stronger, and þe former weaker, by þe want of þe affiftence of France, who are not fo fond of þe old allies fince England has loft its footing in France. Affiftance from oper foreign Princes not much to be depended upon, both being tedious, fmall, and uncertain, as the experience of pe Kingis Mother may difcover. England nead not fear all the attempts if attacked, which, by the conjunction of Holland and Zealand, has gott fuch strength by fea; and if þe King should invade England and be defeated, taken prifoner, this realm, fo provocked, may difable him from þe Succeffion, as by law they may; operwife if he behave himself with pat moderation þat becomes a Prince of his perfections and education, which is alfo neceffary in this remedylefs accident, and by this kindness to Queen Elizabeth, who has fo well deferved at his hands, he will win þe hearts of þe whole kingdom. If war fhould enfue, (now in a manner extinct), pe old quarrels and animofity would be revived to pat degree, pat pe English would never accept him for their Prince, but ef pecially be nobility would be irreconciliable, by whofe fentence Queen Mary fuffered, and would never fuffer a Prince to rule over þem whom they have reason to fear would call þer Honours lives in queftion. Befides, per are but two potentates upon whom he can depend for affiftence to take prefent poffeffion of pe crown, viz. France and Spain; and who would advife him to apply to eper of them, difcover both want of fidelity and

1 SLOANE MSS. in Brit. Museum, No. 3199, art. 65, p. 112.

judgement: And it is not politick to trust to those who will be jealous of his greatness, as a hindrance to per defyres and defigns, which is pe case unto thofe 2 Princes who are enemies of King James religion, feing pat bred a difficulty in his Mothers negotiations, and were only favorable because they hoped that the, being at liberty, by her wifdom, might convert him; if þat did not fucceed, pe King of Spain was to be her heir; how much more will they be jealous of him, who is a man, and more powerfull, by the union of pe two Crowns? It is contrary to be intereft of France to ftrengthen and make more powerfull a King of England, who by fo doing may be be more able to dispute his title to France itself; þe French King will with great difficulty be brought to engage in a foreign war, it being well known that that King, against his will, was engaged in the Civill war by thofe of the House of Guife, for the which he has good caufe to complean, whatfoever fhew he makes. No doubt he hateth þem, and wishes them confufion in heart. And if þe French, by a pretext of King James quarrel, tranfport the war out of their own country into this island, King James would only be used as an inftrument to ferve a turn, as his predeceffors heretofore have been, to pe effufion of much Scotch bloud, and pe spoil of þat realm. Neper is it the intereft of pe French King to advance the affairs of a king related in bloud to pe House of Guise, by whose assistance their defign to poffefs pat crown, and to depofe pe King, (a matter by him greatly doubted), may be better take effect. For pe Spanyard, his age and unfettled eftate fhould raper encline him to peace; if operwife, his ambition cannot but be dangerous to your King his practices, his power, his colour of right; for it is well known how he had figured himself an Empire over this part of pe world, what plots he laid for pe compaffing thereof; he defigned pe conqueft of this land in Queene Maryes time, he being then our King in right of his wife; the conqueft was fully concluded afterwards under collour of Religion, and by þe Prince of Orange, then of pe Privy Council, was fince repeated. He now pretendeth himself þe first Catholick of the bloud royall of England, being before reputed, though falfely, heir of the House of Lancafter, as by the pedigrees and books published by pe Bishop of Roffe and others in his favour, may appear. It was practifed, even during pe late King of Scotis life, by pe Jefuits and

divers gentlemen, to advance him to be Crown by the way of election, to be prejudice of her and her Lord, as meeteft to reftore pe Roman authority both here and elsewhere, though they did not altogether think of your Masters converfion, þey were affured he would not part with pe fupremacy. We may eafily judge how far he would prevail of pe donation made of this Crown by the late Queen of Scots, in her letters promifed to be confirmed in her laft Will and Teftament, whereof his Ambaffador at Paris, Don Bernardino de Mendoza, thinks not already to make open vaunt; and what herself hath practifed to pat effect with her fervants, fince her condemnation, God knows. Laftly, being þe strongest, what should let him to difpofe of pe prey as he lifteth. And yet by change of his religion, he shall be able to mend pe matter is very improbable, confidering þe fame private respects of peir own eftates and pretentions will still remain; and for the King of Spains part, pe ufurpation of pe kingdom of Portugall giveth evident proof þat his ambition cannot be reftrained when he hath þe advantage, by any bonds of religion, honour, or justice; and þe fimple A. poor Don Antonio has received, notwithstanding he is a catholique, doth fufficiently fhew what is to be hoped for, þat ought happen to your Sovereign in like cafe.

But contrariwife, pe Kingis revolt from religion (which God defend) is likely to be judged a want of religion raper than a change, and would be his utter overthrow, and difcredit in all Christendom; for as it fhall lose him his native and faithful fubjects, and well willers both at home and abroad, fo will it but win him hollow hearted friends, in respect pat no appearance can be had of his conftancy in any religion, if it shall appear that upon ftomacke he shall turn from his God and that Religion, wherein he was extraordinarily inftructed; neither can he prefently expect to be inheritour of his Motheris party and credit here, which, notwithstanding, was not fufficient to hold all the Catholicks of England united.

And for his honour, it is fufficiently fecured, feing he mediated fo earneftly for her life to be last; but she being now executed for fuch gud and neceffary causes, it will be more for his honour to fee how he can moderate his paffion by reafon.