of this inftant the Mafter of Graye and Sir William Stewarde were brought before the King and Counsell, wher the Mafter was an hower and a half in fecret conference with the King, and the [King], comynge from the Master of Graye, called all the Counfell and the noblemen togither; where both the Mafter [of] Graye and Sir William Stewarde were brought face to face before the King and Counsell and whole nobilitye, where Sir William Stewarde accufed him of certen points of treafone. [One] was, that he pretended to have flaine the Lord Secretarye, wherby the Court might have bene changed, and the King delivered to the northern Lordis; an other, that he wrote a letter fecretlye to her Maieftie, that if she determyned to execute the Quene, pat it myght be done clofely and qu[ietly]; and finallye, that all his proceadings were un diffimulacion with his Maieftie; and that the Earl of Huntley and the Lord Claude were of the [partie] with the Master for the killinge of the Lord Secretar: Who chardged him before the King that he lyed falfelye, or any other that would take his parte, to avouche that matter of the [murder], and that if he had bene fufficient invocat, they would have proved themselves upon him; chardging him he was ever accompted no[thing] but a lyar and murderer himself.

And fince they were noe other would witneffe with him

who was his informer and

faid George was brought in, and

he had informed Sir William Stewarde of any

who flatlye answered he lyed, and faid that

beinge as good a gentleman as he ever was, he would prove it uppon hym that he fa[lfely] belyed him. So that Sir William Stewarde has greatlye difcredited himself.

The King feameth to be greatlye displeased with the Master of Graye, and hath given him [in charge] to the Earle Huntley. And if the Lordis had not stoode well with the Mafter, yt is thought the King would have ftricke of his heade.

The Master of Gray was carryed to Edenburgh castle to pryfon againe that night, as [was] Sir William lykewise.

There examinacion the first day contynewit from twoe in th'afternoone till 9 at night; and the next day following thei were to be brought before the King, Counfell, and Lords againe.

For the next dayes proceading, as yet I heare not further of yt, but by the next your Honour shall understand more at lardge of [the] wholle procedings, as I fhall receave intelligence].

The wholle nobylitie is in Courte at the

and have bene

ever fence the ij of this monthe, fave only th'erle of Anguifhe, who is

And fo for this tyme I remyt your Honour to the protection of th' Almighty. Burwik, the xijth of Maye, 1587.

Your Honours moft humble,

To the Right Honourable

Sir Francis Walfingham, Knight, principall Se[cretary] to her Maieftie, and [one of her] Highnis most Honourable Privie Counfell,

HENRY WEDDRYNGTON, K.

INDICTMENT AGAINST PATRICK MASTER OF GRAY, MAY 23, 1587.1

COMPERIT Mr Dauid McGill of Nisbet, Aduocat to our Souerane lord,

1 From PITCAIRN's Ancient Criminal Trials, Vol. I. Part 3, p. 157.

and produceit the Dittay after specefeit, and defyrit proces; of the quhilk the tenour followis.

Dittay against the Maister of Gray.

PATRIK MAISTER OF GRAY, Je ar indytit and accufit, that ze haif laitlie, within þe space of þis zeir bypast writtin, delt and travellit to France for findrie materis preiudiciall to pe Religioune presentlie profeft be our Souerane lord and his fubiectis; and therefore, to haif had libertie of confcience, or otherwyis to fy [fay] forme of Religioune, to haif bene vfit att ewerie manis awin appittite within þe realme; incontrair þe tennour of pe Actis of Parliament; incurrand pairthrow the panis contenit in pe famin. Secundlie, Indytit and accufit, that during pe tyme foirfaid, he hes intendit to deill with fum perfonis in France, that be pair moyane, throw his informacioun, our Soueranis mariage with pe King of Denmarkis dochtir (being ane deed honest and lauchtfull in prefens of God and men) mycht haif bene ftayit; takand thairthrow vpoun him, without ony warrand, forder thane becumit ane fubiect of his dewtie to haif done; fpeciallie, in that his intentioune tendit to pe hindrance of þe Kingis mariage, being ane act proffitabill to pe commoun welth of þis realme. Thrydlie, Indytit and accufit, for þe vndewtifull wryting of lettres, concerning the eftait of his Maieftie and pe realme, in Ingland; without his Maiefties knawledge or command; thairthrow exceding far þe dewtie of ane fubiect. Ferdlie, Indytit, that he hes travellit in materis quhilk mycht haif destroyit the eftait of þis realme; quhilk trawell, gif it had tane effect, his Maiefteis perfon mycht haif bene indangerit, committing pairthrow the cryme of Treffoune. Fyftlie, Indytit, for counterfitting of pe Kingis stamp,' and putting of the famin to ane letter writtin with his Maiefteis awin hand, without his command or auctoritie to do pe famin; and ficlyke, for retening and keping of pe famin ftamp in his handis. Saxtlie, Indytit for diuers and findrie vtheris offences and crymes of Treffoun, alreddie declarit and confest be him to his Maiefteis felf; quhairof he is giltie; quhilk he can nocht deny. Lyke as, the haill pointis of Dittay

! A caschet or stamp, bearing a fac-simile of the King's signature.

aboue writtin ar of veritie, as he can nocht deny pe famin, nor na pairt pairof.

The faid Patrik Maifter of Gray offerit himselff and become in oure Souerane lordis will and mercie for the faidis crymes.

JAMES GRAY TO PATRICK MASTER OF GRAY.'

and in tyme

My gud Lord Hamiltone hes heme haertlie comendit to your Lordship, for he cane nocht meruell of your lang ftay: trewlie ye hewe heme alfs fare to do yow freindfchip as ye hewe any mane in the vorld. His Maieftie hes takin deliberatione to ryd is ordenit for theme is extirpatione. This day his Maieftie beginnis and wowis to God, nocht to ly ane nicht quher he is ane vthere, till they be all banifcit Scotland gif you ver to mak speid, I think yeit ye fall try first is to be pute to the vill ouer pass I think als mikill as fall ferfe for yowr returne befor ferrar be med in the north. I veis ye vere heir agane, thene, in caece ye ver veriet, ye micht tak repofs in your awin houfs of Dunfermling. Bring all the horfs vith yow ye cane purches, for they ar meruelus skant heir. His Maieftie is meruelus weill plaefit vith my Lord Hewme. I hewe no regret bot of my Lord Bothuell. I trust ye falbe the first mane to procure his pardone, albeit, in trewth, he hes done yow fome wrang at this tyme, yeit vithin thise fewe dayis he hes gifen me affurans be his letter, that his doing vith the Erll of Huntlie is rather for your veill nor eny vther refpek in the vorld, in so fare that my Lord Huntlie wilbe als glaed to gif yow your awin as ye vold be to refewe it: quhen euir my Lord Huntlie think, I know it to be trew that my Lord Bothuell hes this promifs of heme. He hes, at fundrie tymes, fpokin verie fauorablie to myself in this faime mater, bot, thankis to God, ve fall nocht now be fo fare in

1 From the original in Cott. MSS. Calig. D. 1. art. 176, fo. 364. James Gray was the brother of the Master. He was for some time one of the gentlemen of the King's bedchamber. The date of the year in James Gray's letters is wanting; but the circumstances they relate, particularly the King's surprise at Halton, show that they were written in 1589.

his [pouer]. As for me, I proteft before God, he mycht a gifin faere vords to heme: he mycht a perfuadit more effellie to beleif theme nor me, for he hes comit to his litill bok no litill falfate. fpeid in your cuming. God be vith yow

gryte haeft, this morning the xj of Apprylle, [1589].

For God faek mak

one horfbak in

J. GRAY.

JAMES GRAY TO PATRICK MASTER OF GRAY.1

MY LORD, I refauit your Lordships letters, being vith my Lord Hewme intentione to hewe stayit his refolutione tuiching

in hyg his prefent parting of the cu[ntrie] to the tyme ve had hard farder from your Lordship; quherin his Lordship, as in all the offers conferning your veill, hes fchewin heme felf moft lowing and ry

He veil

yeit stay wpone your returne tuentie dayis, and at that tyme as ye fall think meit, no mane is abill to retard his deliberatione [but] ye onlie. I veill maift erniftlie requyft yow to mak haeft in your cuming: yowr linggeringe going hes done yow harme, yeit yowr prefens will help all that hes bein, and is fic as neceffarilie mene mane knaw quher to find theme fo trowlie the treweft freindis, as I may faye, in conftant loyall behauore, ne fu[ch] in this cuntrie hes better. I ame nocht ignorant quhow fare fundrie of yowr f[reindis] hethe bein intyfit be faere conditions and offeris to hewe bein drawin by y[ow], bot the hope they hewe of yowr future prefens incuragis theme agains the [fal]fattis of yowr enemies prefent. For Godis faek tempt theme no more, [but] be queik in yowr returne, that ve may tak a cours agreabill to [yowr] ferwice, and meit for our awin ftandinge. The tyme, in my appeirans, is verie proper for this purpos. Mene heth fo fare imbarkit theme felfis directlie agains [his] Maiestie, that the lowed found of there retraet fall nocht be hard. My Lord [Bothwell], tho expreflie aganis his Maiefties comand, and agains his awin promifs be vord a[mouth] befor his parting, and fins, hes cum to Dunfirm

1 From the original in Cott. MSS. Calig. D. 1, art. 205, fol. 409.