is entred in dealing with the Jefuites; and vseth diffimulacion in the courses with England. The matter was very hardly taken here, fpecially by her Maiefty, and heauily lamented by your speciall freindis. And truly matters are entred in fo hard apprehenfions, that I feare this inconftant kinde of dealinge of imprisoning at one day, and releafing at another, without her advife, fhall giue occafion of fpeach and thinking, at all times hereafter, that nothing shalbe beleeved of that which shall come from that countrey, except it shall confist in actions. And, to fpeake the truthe, it was not well done to fett Arren at liberty before returning of her Maiefties Ambaffadour, by reafon all men condemnes the King in that matter, eether of inconftancy, or then pat it was done for iefting with her Maiefty, which is very euil taken, as will appeare by her Maiefties letters to the King. I haue travelled diuers times that her Maiefty might haue vfed fome mitigation, but I perceave my labours will not prevayle, vnles his Maiefty make fome amendement by action. So far as concerneth theis banished Lordes, I fee the whole frendis of Sir Thomas Ruffell not only minded to giue them countenance and affeftance, but her Maiefty is alfo begining to give eare to their peticions, and to cause questions of their force at home to be demaunded. It wilbe dangerous to fuffer that courfe to goe forwardes, by reafon it cannot be called back when men would. In my opinion it fhalbe well done to lay the perill open to his Maiefty, and to lett him vnderstand nothing can help that matter, and bring him in credite and favour here, as he was before, except doing by action; and no action can be able to help, but the releiving of the banished Lordes, or then the deliuery of Arren and Ferniherft,' to be vsed at their pleafure, or then the performing of both. I think reafon fhould move his Maiefty to remeid theis matters, before they come to further ripenes, otherwife when men would doe good, matters wilbe vnremedible, as I writ to you before that writ was loft. I dare make no recommendacion vpon this text left I should efeeme partiall. Sir Thomas Ker of Fairnihirst. THE MASTER OF GRAY TO THE EARL OF LEICESTER.1 MY HONOURABILL LORD. Albeit that finding my felf verie far interefit, by the to fodune aduertifment the Embaffadour maid of me, I affuret him that I would not deall forder in maiters, til I fhould haue bein fatiffiet: yit, feing the King, my Souueraine, his eftet perrefht, the course lykly to be ouerthrown, and my felf and my freindis apperantly to be reducit to futche miferie, that our lyfis and landis fhouldeft be fubiect to the mercie of our enemies, I haue impertit to him the verie moyen quhou all theis euillis may be remediit, and hes left afe all particulair querell. I ves heir in futche place as I could not vryt my felf in ciffre, and I vould not commit it to patent letter, fo I haue prayit him to vryt of it to your Lordfhip and the reft of my honourable freindis. And fume other thing I haue vritten to Mr Douglas, for to fchau your Honour, and vil pray you for your helpin hand, and, in grace of God, I fhall bring maiters about, to the veil of bothe pe princes and realmes, to the contentment of you and all godly perfonages, and for the ruin of my ennemeis, quho hes diffiryt my vrak, and of the courfe, and to the gryt difpleafur of all richt men. It vil please your Honour to mak Mr Douglas acquent vithe your Lordships counfell, quhou ye villit I fhould vfe my felf in maiters, to the end, he may lat me vnderstand it in chiffre; and I fhall do good vil to conforme my felf in all thingis to your contente. Bot one [thing] cheifly is to be aduiffit vpone, that Arrane and Mortoun ar pacquit vpe, and maiters compofit betwene them, for it hes a forder tail than ve haue hithertile forfein, albeit in deid it haithe verie gryt fchow: of the effectis, I haue delyuerit to the Embaffadour and Mr Douglas; for it is of treuthe that their Jefuiftes repairit to Mortouns hous, and euer fince he hes haid, as is spokin to the King, in his hous daily, mess, and all his men, for fure, ar payit vithe Frenche crounes. So that ve feir the apprehenfioun of the King 1 From the original in Cott. MSS. Calig. C. VIII. art 195, fol. 228. his awin perfoun for to be takin in France; vitche accordis verie veil to þat my oncle came for to mak me aduertifment, þat the hole Guifartis hoppit fhurly to fee the King in France yit befor Allhallowday. The vorft is the King is young and cairles, and in his tym hes neuer teastit any frowning ftorme, vitche makis him beleue that no man dar attempt any futche maiter. Bot if thingis be not in tym remediit, I am schreudly affrayit that he become vyfe throu a verie hard experience; bot of pis your Honour vil know more particulairly a vther day. As your Honour thinkis expedient, you may fchaw of pis to pe Queen hir Maieftie your Souueraine. Now only reftis to thank you verie grytly, for the courtaifie schewit to my oncle. I hoyp in recompence I shall mak him do you feruice. So taking leue, I comit your Honour to God his holy protection. Frome our Court at Inchemerin, quhair skairfly for hounting ether do ve fleip or eat, 25 of Auguft, 1585. Your Honours obedient to do you feruice, JULS" of Gray To his honorable Lord th'Earle of SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM TO THE MASTER OF GRAY.1 HER Maiefty vnderstanding that you should be greatlie greeued, vpon fome doubt conceaued, that her good conceipt of you was altred vpon informacion fent from thence, that you were fallen away from that devocion you profeffed to beare towards her, fhe hath willed me to fignefie vnto you, that in cafe she should haue beene fo lightlie carried away vpon a bare informacion, without referving an eare for you, the fhould have ' From the original minute, dated 4th September 1585, in Cott. MSS. Calig. C. VIII. art. 200, fol. 133. done noe lefs wrong to herself than vnto you,-vnto her felf, for that it ftandeth not with the place of iuftice fhe holdeth, to condemne anie to die vnheard; and vnto you, that having deferued, (as no man more), fo greatlie at her handes, fhe fhould fayle to yeald you that, which every comon perfon may, in courfe of iuftice, clayme, and that is, the refervacion of an eare. Befides, when she looked into your birthe, which is honourabill, that noe pointe of honour is greater then to be true of word, or vnto your iudgment and wifedome, which can not but right well difcerne, that noe frendfhipp or amitie can be fo profitable as the amitie of England vnto the King, your maifter, of whofe well doinge noe Scott can be more carefull, fhe cannot thincke that you can be easilie carried away by a contrarie courfe, to ffayle either in pointe of honour touching yourself, or in dutie touching your foueraigne. And therefore, doth pray you to lay all doubtes and iealoufies afide, and to affure your felf that the Queen of England will never condemne fo devoted a gentelman, as the Master of Gray is, vppon flight brutes without receaving your answere. This much I wrote by her Maiefties comaundement and especiall direccion. For my felf I doe affure you that no one thing did, for the time fince I entred into the publique charge I nowe holde, greeue me more then that our Ambaffadour, through fuch a cunning practife and abufe offred him, fhuld be made an inftrument to call in queftion the credite of his best frend, and one whome he hathe profeffed to loue mofte in that realme. But this breach is nowe falved, and that opinion conceaved of you, that you have right worthily deserved, which I will feeke to nourifhe with noe leffe care then my owne perticuler credite. And fo, Sir. MONSIEUR FONTENAY TO MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.1 MADAME à ce que je peux prevoir des chofes D'Efcoffe, cefte negociation D'Angleterre se resouldra en fumée, ou pour le moins il fe paffera 1 Extracted from Fontenay's letter, dated at Paris, ce premier de Murdin's State Papers, p. 538. beaucoup de avant que l'en venir à une conclufion; mais cependant Gray fe fervant de l'authorité de la Reyne D'Angleterre, pour difgracier Aran, et fe mettre en fa place, je crains et croy qu'il remplira l'Efcoffe de factions et divifions, opposant les Hamiltons, à la mayfon de Lennox. Encore que les commencemens de pratiques du dit Gray n'en donnent apparence, il est apres aultant qu'il peult pour fayre retournir en cour, et repatrier avec le Roy d'Efcoffe, les contes De Huntley, D'Athol et Bothwell, et aultres, par le lemoyen defquelz il faict eftat de fayre rappeler les Hamiltons à la ruine du conte D'Aran, et pour leur moyen le combattre de fon authorite, ce qui en fin ne peult revenir qu' avec un tres perilleux hazard et du Roy voftre filz, et par confequent de voftre majesté. Laquelle, a cefte caufe, je fupplie tres humblement me faire fcavoir lequel de deux elle mieux aymeroyt la rayne du conte D'Aran, ou De Gray, pour ce que j'ay intelligence avec l'un et avec l'autre pour conduire ceft affayre felon vostre defir. A la verite il feroyt fort expedient de ruiner le conte D'Aran, et par le moyen de Gray, en ce fayfant, faire approcher de Roy le conte de Huntley et aultres bien affectionnez à voftre majesté, mais je crains que cela advenant par le moyen de Gray, et confequemment par l'entremise de la Reyne D'Angleterre, ceulx qui auparavant en defpit D'Aran, qui l'an paffe negocioit avec elle, luy eftoyent ennemis, ne deviennent les voftres, par fes pratiques et corruptions. La foudaine et frequente mutation D'Efcoffe, et des humeurs de la plus part de ceulx, qui y vivent, principalement en cour, me faict apprehender ceft inconvenient, quequel promeffes qu'a mon partement le conte D'Huntley, et plufieurs aultres m'ayent faict de leur fidelitié à l'endroit de vostre majesté, et pour ce, fi j'en eftoys creu voftre majefté ne fe declareroyt ny d'un cofte, n'y d'aultre, jufques à ce que vostre majesté vist plus clairement lequel de deux eft pour demuerer aupres du Roy. Je fcay bien que Gray defefpere de puvoir jamais mais obtenir pardon de vostre majesté, faict tout ce qu'il peult pres du Roy, et fous fon authorite pres de la Reyne D'Angleterre, pour faire defarmer voftre majefté De Nau, et tous aultres ferviteurs Francoys, et en leur place en fubftituer l'aultres Anglois ou Efcoffoys à la devotion de la Reyne D'Angleterre, et d'un Roy D'Efcoffe, qui des auparavant que je partife D'Efcoffe, j'en ay faict folliciter vivement le Juf H |