tice Clerke fon dernier embaffadeur en Angleterre. Le conte de Montroffe a figné la bande du conte D'Aran avec plufieurs aultres my lords et barons. Au contraire Huntley, Bothwell, Athol, le Secretaire Methland, Sir Robert Melvin, et aultres y compris les puynez Setons (car my lord eft du cofte du conte D'Aran), onte figné la bande de Gray contre luy. My lord Claude Hamilton, qui eft par deça, a d'efperance de retourner en Efcoffe par ce moyen. Madam, voyla ce que je fcay et prevoy de l'eftat D'Efcoffe pour jourd'huy, me mettant du refte à ceulx qui en fcavent plus de moy. THE RELATION OF THE MASTER OF GRAYE, CONCERNING THE FOR the reformacion of matters out of order, both in the court particularly, and the gouernment generally, of Scotland, and the removeing of fome bad inftrumentis (namely, th' Earle of Arrane, by whofe credite the Kinge was runing a courfe that this ftate might not fuffer) from the Kinge, it was at laft thought expedient to let loofe, and turne downe the Lords banished and abidinge in London to the Borders. But before they should goe downe, a partye was first prouided for them on the Borders, to ioyne with them, and fecret friends wrought for them in the court, against they fhould come forward; the chiefe whereof was the Master of Gray, oppofite enemy to Arrane, and as great a fauourite of the King as he. These thinges being rype, the Ambassador retyreing himself at the inftant, it fo fell out, that he aryving at Barwick the xvj of the last moneth, the Lords were come down to the Borders the next day after. The Lords, tearmed the Lords of the faction, or banished lords, were theife: th' Earles of Angus and Marre, the Mafter of Glamis, the Lordis of From the Cott. MSS. Calig. C. VIII. art. 224, fol. 260. This article will also be found in the Bannatyne Miscellany, Vol. I. p. 129. Arbroth, Pashley, Cambuskenneth and Dryborrough, and others. The oppofite were, th' Earles of Arrane, Montroffe, Crawford, Collonell Steward, Sir William Steward, Arranes brother, and the Lord of Downe, &c. The firfte meetinge of the banished Lords together was at Kelfo within the midle Marches, and thence divided themfelues thus: Angus and his company, the better to gather frendis, went to Pebles, not farre from Edinburgh; Arbroth and his company went to Dumfreys, to ioyne with the Lord Maxwell, that had bene in armes all the fumer before, for a particuler against Johnston, the Kings Warden; and fo being feuered, appoincted for a generall rendevous, or meting-place, at Faukirk, xij myles from Sterlinge, the lafte of that moneth; where they met together, and were to the number of 8,000 horfe and footemen. The Mafter of Gray in this tyme was gone from the Courte to gather friendis, and meant to furprise Saint Johnstone, being fecretly friendis for the Lords of the faction, but pretended to levy all that he did for the Kinge, that then purposed to make a rode upon the Lord Maxwell, comaunding all men from fixty to fixteen, to goe with him. All this tyme Arrane lay at his howfe at Kenneil, fo comaunded by the King vpon the fufpicion of the Lord Ruffells flaughter; but vnderstandinge of Mr Wottons fecret retyre, and the comeing of the banisht Lords, whome he tearmed rebellis, to the Borders, he repayred to the courte, enformeing the Kinge of all that he heard, perfuadeinge the Kinge that all this was done with the Mafter of Grayes privitie and knowledge; and therefore, defirous that the King should take his life from him, drew him for to fend for the Master of Gray with diligence. The Mafter beinge fent for, (he was then affemblinge his friendis in the Fife fhyre,) was doubtfull what to doe, beinge privily advertised that his life was fought for by Arrane; yet feareing leaft his abfence fhould overthrowe the whole plot, and by giveing place to Arrane, hazard the caufe, adventured and came to the Kinge, whome he found gracious, and beleived all that the Master had faid in his purgacion; which when Arrane and his complices fawe, they determyned to kill him in the Kingis prefence amongst themselves, or at the least within the caftell. But whileft they were thus occupyed in court, word came that the Lordis Here all were like to fall in sonder by rea son of the Lord Bod wells wauering. were marched and come within a mile of Sterlinge, which gaue Arrane and them caufe to bethink themfelues of defending the towne; and all the night, the first of November, with Montroffe and the reft, he watched on the walles himself in perfon. The next morninge, the ij of November, the Lords marched towardes the towne, with purpose to scale the fame. But Arrane, knoweing all this storme to be bent onely at his head, and fufpectinge falfehood in fellowship, and his own defertes, with one man fled fecretly out of the towne, over the bridge. The reft, feing him flip away, retyred all into the caftell, where the King, and Master of Gray, and other fecret frendis to the Lords were. The towne thus abandoned made fmall refiftance, but gaue entrance to the Lords, who forthwith made themfelues mafters thereof, by feazeing of the market place, and th’Earle of Marres house. their After the breakeinge into the towne, they went ftraight and fett vp banners before the fparre of the caftell, that was cramde full in a manner of great perfonages, with the King, fome friendes, fome enemyes. The King the next morninge fends out the Secretary and Justice-clerk, to take affurances for fuch as fhould come to parle with them. Which done, the Mafter of Gray was fent to them from the King, to demaund the caufe of their comeinge; and after an houres commoninge returnes, and makes an honourable reporte of their dutifull fubmiffion and defire to see his Maiefty, and kiffe his handis. The King, reteyneinge a feare that Arrane had put him in of them, fent them word, that if they would haue their landis and liueings and departe, he would give them all. They infift ftill vpon entringe the caftell to fee his Maieftye, whofe favour they fought more then their liveings. Whereat the King returneing the Mafter againe to them, propounded three things to them; viz. the fafety of his own perfon; no innovacion in the ftate; and the affurance of the liues of fuch as he should name. They made anfwere, that for the Kinges perfon they neuer meant harme vnto it, but would dye in defence of it. They defired no innovacion. But for the third propoficion, feing they were the men that had for fo longe a tyme bene iniured, they defired rather that for their furetye hereafter, the perfons, as they knew to be their enemyes, might be deliuered into their guard and handes, together with the fourtes and ftrengths of the realme. About theis two pointes there was much adoe, and a day spent in debateinge: yet, at length, what with the want of victualles for fo greate a number, the caftell, together with the goodwill of the mediators neceffitye, enforced to yield vnto it, and fo were the gates opened, the Lords let in, and admitted to the Kinges prefence. The first thinge after their entry, was the deliuery of the perfons of Montroffe, Crawford, Rothes, (Earles,) Collonell Steward, Sir William Steward, the Lord of Downe, and others; Arrane beinge fled, as faid is, before. Immediatly after was Arrane proclaymed traytour at the marquet place, in the Kinges name. The Kinges guard altered, and in the afternone of the fame day, a pacifficacion and remiffion proclaymed in the Lordes behalfe, all faultis forgiuen, and all thinges reputed as done for the Kings feruice. The caftell of Dumbritton affigned to Arbroth, the chiefe of the house "of the Hamyltons, and of right Earle of Arrane. The caftell of Edinburgh graunted to the keepeinge of Coldingknowes; and other strengthes to the reft, as Tomptallon to Angus; and Sterlinge to Marre, &c. And thus hath the good fucceffe in court fallen out, beinge well handled off all parties, which giueth hope to the Minifters to recouer their Sinode againe against the Bishops; and fo to reftore the difcipline of the Church, if not better, at least as well as it was before Arranes gouerment. THE MASTER OF GRAY TO SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM.' SIR, Albeit of late I wrote vnto you, yeat Robert Caruel, coming vnto me by your command, thought without lettre, for to knawe what was th'effect of this French Ambaffadours negociating, I have inftructed him at length. He is named Monfieur De Valle, fonne in lawe to Monfieur 1 From the original in Cott. MSS. Calig. C. IX. fol. 244. Pynart, and I think, by his addrefe, for he is very young and litle thing |