this in wyfedome, and nothing inferior in pratling, who hath, in lyke manner, written finiftroufly of me to the Bishopp of Glafquo, and pe Jefuifts. The man is yong Fintry. But your Maiefty knoweth that he came into Scotland only to be at theire devocion, without any perticuler refpect eyther to your Maieftys affaires, or the King my mafter. But I hope at my returne, I shall do good will to pay him home againe, and fend him the way he came. I care no thing his mifreporting to those people, for it is long fince I did write unto your Maiefty that I would in no fort follow theire advife in thinges, for I knew them to be very perticuler to them felves, refpecting no thing els but theire owne advancement in greatnes and creadit without pe world. Therefore, Madame, although I love my relligion as well as any Jefuift, or other Prieft in Europe, I shall befeech your Maiefty not to follow any more theire violent counsell. Albeit your Maiefty writs that nothing shall cause the Queen of England do more willingly then feare, yet this feare would be joyned with lenity and friendship, for this Counfell here is not fo bairnely, but they can very well distinguish feare in mouthes, from that which hath great appearance, and are not to be afrayde of wordes. And for my owne part I fee not þe appearance þat shall affray them, nor yet the effect, and to speak truly I have given the Kings Maiefty this counfell, that he leane not any way to forrayne ayde, feing the furtheft ever I did yet fee exceeded not faire promifes. And this, Madame, if eyther youe or he leane to, it may deceave youe. Therefore, Madame, þe fame counsell I give unto your Maiefty, and befeeche youe remark it well, feeinge þe end of your defeigne is to be fucceffor to pe Crowne of Englande, my opinion is, that all violent courfes are injurie unto it, in two refpects. The first, if youe should pretend any violence against þe prince pat now reigneth, it were enough to animate so þe fubiects hearts against youe, that with great paine should they ever acknowledge any of youe for theire prince, expecting the lyke violence to be used against þemselves, having ben faithfull fubjects in her tyme; and it is not unknowen unto your Maiefty what feare they have of this kind of violence in this contry, for the which cause they have instituted theire new affociacion, and fo farre as I can learn, the people is very willing to imbrace it. I will not infift E any more to difcourfe of it, feing youe have already feene it. The fecond respect, I take it from the people, who being the only louers of peace, fhall ever be enemy to all, who, in any fort, by any kind of meanes, or violent courfe, fhall alter or disturbe theire common tranquillity, feing pat fpoyles them of theire geire. Therefore, Madame, as I shall answere, first to God, and next unto þe King my master, and your Maiefty, my opinion is, that youe follow fome folide, calme and quiet. course, as most advantageous for the accomplyfhment of your deffeigne, and that in effect your Maiefty take with the Queen of England fome honeft, frendly, and quiet dres, to be end pat during her lyfe, without all jaloufie, the poffeffe that which hath ben provided to her by God, and if fo it please him, after her, your Maiefty and the King your fonne may enter with contentment, both to yourselves and your subjects, into a peacable kingdome. Your Maiefty may object, that in all overtures friends are to be retayned. I affent very well to that, but theife frends must be others then forrayners, although I will grant that forraine frends are not to be trayned, but entertayned in very honorable termes. But the frends that fhalbe moft fure, are the fubjects of Scotlande. And for this caufe, Madame, I shall ever give the Kings Maiefty counfell to entertaine a firm and fetled quietnes in his owne country, with his owne and emong his owne fubjects, and to quenche all trifle particulers, feing they may be impeachment of his further weale and greater comodity. This farre, Madame, I have written, to be end your Maiefty may know be King your fonnes will and intencion, and the occafion of my voyage, not to have proceeded uppon fuch grounds as are contayned your laft letter, for, I affure youe I fhall never be the inftrument of any feperacion or divifion betwene youe and the Kings Maiefty your fonne, and this I will profeffe in prefence of all Scotlande and England. As for the Earle of Arran, or any his accions, I will not anfwere. And thinck not, Madame, that I eyther follow or haud on him, or any other fubject in Scotlande or England, but that I accompt myself in fellowship with be beft. And yet, Madame, as I write unto youe oft before, I cannot perceave the Earle of Arran to be enemy in your Maieftys affaires. To be plaine with your Maiefty, the King my master hath not in this given unto me commandmant to deale in all things conjointly, as if the affociacion were perfected in effect, but yet his will is, that I do for your Maiefty in all things that may tend to your weale and contentment; but of truth, (faving better advise), it is more fitt for your Maiefty that the King enter into folide frendfhip with pe Queen of England perticularly, and then to dreffe for youe, as his Mother, with her who then fhalbe his frende. And thincke not, Madame, pe Kingis Maiefty to be so barnelike, that faire offers, without the apparant effect to follow, shall content him, as that I, his meffager, am fo deftitute of good reafon, that I cannot very well decerne the fhadow from the verity. Uppon this, Madame, with all diligence I crave your anfwere. Nowe rests to show your Maiefty, that I have had conference with Monfieur de Maluifer,' whome I finde to be the fame man your Maiefty declareth him to be. Emong other conference he asked me, whether it were true that Fontaine had said to the King my master, that he was altogether affected to the Queen of England, and that his Maiefty should not trust in him. In this I fhewed him the very truth, and it was, that Fontaine did speake it to pe King. In this, Madame, I esteeme him as evill handeled as my felf, for I have ever perceaved hitherto by his letteris, and now by him self, that he is no leffe willing to fee as good fucceffe of your Maieftys affaires, and the King your fonnes, then if he were your owne naturall fubject. Therefore, as I defire for myself, fo defire I that he may be fatiffied, and prayeth, that hereupon I may have your Maieftys anfwere, for I beleeve it shall not be permitted that at this tyme I fhall fee your Maiefty, but I fhall affay to have lycence to one of the gentlemen who are here with me, to visite your Maiefty on the Kings Maieftys part and my owne. I thank your Maiefty most humbly, that youe have written to pe King my master, in favour of fuche as I 1 Michael de Castelneau, or Chateauneuff, Seigneur de Malvissier, the French ambassador at the English court. Through him the partizans of Queen Mary appear to have corresponded with her Majesty. "The Bishop of Glasco receaved not three dayes agoe a pacquett from Mauvessier; though theie have no good opinion of Mauvessier's sufficiency, yet theie keepe in with him, and serve theire turns of him, and, in my opinion, theie have their intelligence to and from the Queen of Scotts by his meanes. Howe he getteth ytt to and from her I knowe not."-Murdin's State Papers, p. 410. did recomend unto youe. But as for Caualyon, I never intended to place him in any farther estate with the Kings Maiefty, then to serve him as a generall Secretary, for there is no man more fcrupulous to committ great affaires to petty companions then I am. Uppon the report that the last yere Mr Archibald Dowglas' was imprifoned, for having negotiated in your Maieftys affaires, and for that I understand he followeth no courfe offenfive to the King my mafter, I have privily spoken with him, and finde him a very honest, wyfe man. As for the changing of your Ambaffadour in France, it shalbe beft the Kings Maiefty be firft acquainted with it, to the end the next man be chofen to his contentment. And I esteeme it fhalbe very hard to find any worthy for it, yet the best is to be chofen. Claude Hamilton' is already gone into Scotland, to the great mifcontentment of all the Kings rebelles and enemies, where he keepeth himfelfe quiet. Your Maieftys man, litle William Dowglas, is lately departed into France, and hath left affygnation to the two thousand franks he hath lying on bank in Paris. The Laird of Eifter Weymes, who hath come hither out of France, hoping to have obteyned lycence to have spoken with your Maiefty, but that was refufed him. So I will request your Maiefty in his favour, that the will of the dead be kept unto him, and that no other prevent him at your Maieftys hands; and in recompence I hope he fhall do youe good fervice. Your Maiefty fhall excufe me that I requeft for my frends, for I fhall never request for my felf, untill it fhall please God to putt youe in better eftate. As for other thingis contayned in your Maieftys letter, which presently I will not fpecifie, I fhall not faile, God willing, to accomplish them to your Maieftys contentment. For, as I have already donne, (if I fhalbe well ufed), I fhall never spare lyfe nor geere in all your Maieftys honeft accions, and this your Maiefty fhall truft and perfwade your felfe, ever till pe effect declare pe contrary. I have written the prefent in Scottish, and in open 1 Mr Archibald Douglas, parson of Glasgow. Many of his letters to the Master and others will be found in this collection. * Lord Claude Hamilton, Commendator of Paisley, fourth son of James second Earl of Arran. letter, because of pe fure conveyance, but the next fhalbe more short and fecreat, because that my hand writing is knowen in this Court. I beleive your Maiefty fhall with difficulty read this counterfait fcribbling. So, ceafing to importune your Maiefty with tedious difcourfe, after having moft humbly kiffed your Maieftys hands, I pray God, Madame, to fend youe a long and happy lyfe, with better health and greater contentment then hitherto. At London, 22 of November, 1584. MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS TO THE MASTER OF GRAY.' GRAY, fi ces feruices et bons offices, lefquels vous m'auez toufiours offertz, meuz (Je croye) par vray confcience et cognoiffance de deuoir vers voftre Royne et mère de vostre Maistre, par elle receu en pareille dignité comme fon vnique enfant et cher heritier, ne m'euffent pouffée à vous recommander comme jeune homme de bonne race et de recommandables vertus, Je pense que vous pourriez plus aifément vous laiffer aller, comme jeune, aux perfuafions de ceux qui ne défirent que leur particulièr commodité, négligent ne bien publique et feruices de leurs Maiftres. Mais comme en cela vous prétendez que tort vous vous eft faict, faictes premier paroistre vos effectz fincères, et fans particularité, confidérant que c'eft qu'importe le denier de ce, que mon fils a accepté de moy, vous le fçauez Je croy, finon J'ay de quoy le monftrer et affez des téfmoins au befoing. Mais ja à Dieu ne plaife, que mon fils fust fi mal conseillé de me contraindre à cela, vous deuiez parlant à moy de la part de mon fils, prendre mes aduis vous le fçauez. Or, Je vous dis comme J'ay toufiours From a copy in Cott. MSS. Calig. C. VIII. fol. 162. |