THE MASTER OF GRAY TO THOMAS RANDOLPHE.1

I PERCEAUE the Queen and my Lord of Leftors defireft I fhould continue my choife for the leuie of men for Flanders. I am as willing as at any time before, but, as I wrote to your Lordship, of late I fhould fee the matter tend to fuch delay, that, before God, I was altogether defperate of it, and began with the King an other courfe; fo pat if now I fhould flide in where I was, except it proceed from fome other, he shall thinke it in mee a note of inconftancie. Therefore, I pray you, that her Maieftie will doe that curtefie for me, to craue it of the Kinge, and I fhall be ready with all expedition, for I defire the purpose for many refpects. From Dunfermling.

MR ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS TO SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM.a

PLEASE YOUR HONOUR, Since my laft vnto you, it hath pleafed his Maiefty, my foueraigne, who was in the partes of Fife at my arrivall to Edinburgh, to appoint the Master of Gray his lodging there for admission of me to his prefence, which was vppon the flowerth of May, where the Nobilitie, and fuch of the Councell as was prefent, receaved the bannkett. Before the King came in the house, the Secretarie had fome conference with me in a private chamber, where he affirmed the Lordes vnderstood

his owne answer. The gentleman is greatly perplexed; his charges have byne greate; he hathe borrowede greate soumes of monye; divers compaynies of soldiers all reddie, and the drume daylye soundinge to leavie greate numbers, and hathe the Kings lycens vnder the greate seale; all which I have seen and hearde, but leave yt vnto your Honour to iudge therof as yow thynke good, not willinge, I am sure, to drive so good a frend and servant to that inconvenient that he shall foreuer loos bothe honour and credit, and foreuer lyve with shame.' Cott. MSS. Calig. IX. art 196.

From a copy, bearing date 19th June 1586, in Cott. MSS. Calig. C. IX. fol. 235. 2 From the original in Cott. MSS. Calig. C. IX. art 119, fol. 203.

I was lodged to their greif, ffor that they were not made acquainted with my returne in Scotland, but that the fame was done only by the King; and, therefore, they fufpected that I had fome fecret courfe with him that might tend to their hurte. I affured him I meant no harme to no Scotteshman; but my coming home tended to this end, that I might be difburdened of the heavy fclander wherewith I had beane charged; and for this effect I would feeke both his Lordship and their favourable affistance when any occacion should be offred. After fome propose of complement, he prayed that their might be playne dealing betwixt him and me, vppon knowledge therof he would affure me of his friendship in all matters that might touche me. I promised honeft and playne dealing, fo as he would affure me of the like. When as we were fpeaking, aduertisement was made that the King was coming, and comaunded that noe man fhould remayne in the chamber. After whofe entrey fome speeches beeing vttered by me, in comendacions of his humanitie, that so far had humbled him felf as to come where one of the meaneft of his fubiectes was prifoner, I deliuered hir Maiefties lettre, which beeing read, he vttered theis or the like fpeaches :-'At your departure I was your enemie, and nowe, at your returning, I am and shall be your frend. You are not ignorant what the lawes of the realme are, and what beft may agree with my honour to be done for your furetie. I must confeffe her Maiefties request in your favours to be honourable and favourable, and your defire to haue triall by affefe to be honeft; and I my felf doe beleeue that you are innocent of my Fathers murther, excepte in foreknowledge and concealing: a fault fo comon in theis daies, that noe man of any dealing could mifknowe, and yet fo perillous to be revealed, in refpect of all the actors of that tragedie, that noe man, without extreme danger, could vtter any speache therof, bycaufe they did fee it, and could not amend it. And therefore, I will impute vnto you, neither foreknowledge, neither concealinge, and defire that you may aduife with my Secretarie what way may be most agreeable to my honour and your furetie in triall, and it shalbe performed.' After that I had giuen thankes vnto his Maieftie, I could not forbeare to let his Highnes vnderstand that it did appeare to me, that whatfoeuer it should be done in my favour were beft to be

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done at her Maiefties requeft; to the which he yealded. Thereafter he faid to me, 'You haue nowe beene long in England, and hath, as I am informed, knowne her Maiesties meaning towardis the title that I pretend to that crowne, when it shall please God to leaue that place vacant, and in like manner doth vnderstand the difpofition of the mindes of her Highnes Councell therein, I defire you freelie deliuer vnto me what inclination you finde in them to my welfare in this matter.'

My anfwere was, that it was very true that I had bene long in England, and therefore neceffary it would be for me, if I fhould trulie anfwere to his Maiefties question, to make division of the time of my abode, and to let his Maiestie vnderstand what opinion was had at every season or time that mutacion in gouerment had occurred in his owne realme, which was euer conceaved in opinion according to the nature or qualitie of the mutacion that happned to fall out. It pleafed his Maieftie to vse some interrupcion ere he heard any further, and said, 'I knowe what you meane; you would lett me vnderstand that I am burdened and flandered for other men their dealinges. When matters fhalbe well determined, my meaning fhalbe, at all times, founde to be conftant and friendlie towardis her Maieftie. And of this parte I can take your felf to record what hath beene my inward minde towardis her Maieftie, ever fince that time I directed the Master of Gray towardes her Highnes, who hath fince his returning at all times affured vnto me that I was mett with the like good minde, and if that be true, you are able to lett me vnderstand it.' I answered, that I well vnderstood that the Master of Gray had done the dutie of a trustie servant, and had done many good offices there, speciallie in removing of many doubtes that had receaved deepe impreffions, afwell in her Maiefties minde, as in the mindes of the best forte of that realme; which doubtes were growing vpon fome ill proceedinges and wrong informacion geven out to his Highnes defadvantage: who were the reporters I knowe not, but the reportes were geven out in all partes. He faid, he did well vnderstand that he was calumniated by feditious men that he had made deffertion in religion; that he was blood thirsty; that he was inconftant in friendship, and vntrue in keeping of promefe. But he tooke God to his witnes, how vntruly he was flandered in these pointes, by his indefcreete

preachers and unnaturall fubiects, that he beleeved noe prince would allowe of, and speciallie her Maieftie beeing a prince fubiect to the like flander her felf, if she should permitt unbridled fubiects to speake their pleasure of their naturall Prince. My anfwere was, that her Maieftie was not a little greeved to hear, that any fubiect durft prefume to speake any matter of their prince, and often times had been moved befides modefty in geving comande, that infolency in speaking against whatsoeuer prince should be reftreyned; but speciallie had geven direction that noe imodest minester should be tollerated to preach, lefte they might haue used some vndecent fpeach, which she would haue noe wife left unpunished, if it had beene againste his Maieftie. But of late all matters was reduced in such state, that might concerne his Maieftie in that realme, that noe man durft vtter any fuch fpeach as heretofore had beene spoken of. And if any should be fo foolifhe, they would not fayle without delay to receaue punishment; and great expectacion was had thereof of late, that he would not alter the course he had begunne, neether exceed the boundes of reason, for any man his pleasure. After fome fpeach of my Lord Treafourer and your Honour, in asking of your opinions of himself, and that I had fullie satisfied him thereagenft, he entred in some speache of the late Chauncelor, and of Colonell Stewart, alleadging him to be a fimple bodie, (fo he termed him), and was ready to departe out of this realme, and the other was alreadie departed, either to Ireland or fome other place; fo that he had left nothing vndone that had beene craved of him, excepting against fome certen rebellious Englishmen, that had beene heretofore required, and the fatiffaccion of her Highnes in honour, towardis the murther, which he with all his heart lamented, of Sir Frances Ruffell, against the Jefuiftes, fo he did terme the rebells; as God fhould be his Judge, he knewe not prefentlie where they were, but he would expell them his realme, and would make certificacion to all fuch as had kept them, if they were found to be in the realme, he would deliver them. And to fuch as were fufpected of that lamentable murther, he would leave nothing vndone that might fatiffie her Maieftie, fo that the fame might not bring him in difgrace of his fubjects, which he beleeved her Maieftie noe wife defired; and if any contravenors of his intencion fhould be found within his realme,

he was minded to invade them, and would ere nowe have performed the fame, yf his owne realme had beene reduced to a quiet ftate; which he fhould fhortlye fee performed, if her Maieftie would affift him. I did anfwere, that I firmelie beleeved her Maieftie would leaue nothing vndone that could be required in friendship, providing that he made her acquainted with his proceedinges, and founded his defire vppon reafon. Befides this, I thought her Maieftie would be offended, if the fhould not be made acquainted that he ftood in neede of any her affiftance for the weale of his realme. It pleased his Maieftie to anfwere, That he had made noe creature acquainted with his meaning in that matter, but he spake it vnto me by way of difcourfe, which some day he thought to performe, to giue testimony of his good meaning. Finding him in fo good termes, I said that there was divers of his frendes that mervayled, he beeing a Prince of fo great expectacion, and in the age wherein courage was accuftomable knowen rather by action than by speaking, that he made not offer to her Maieftie of fending his fubiects in the Lowe Countrie, and thought alfo that it was not decent for his age to be idle, whenas her Maieftie and remanent Princes were in armes. Vppon this he entred in a long difcourfe, that I perceaved had beene putt into his head, of the difference betwixt of fending and defending. To which both he confeffed him felf to be bound in divers degrees, and to offend alone fuch as would offend her Maiefties perfon or ftate; and for his owne parte, albeit he had divers times enquired if her Maieftie did esteeme the King of Spayne her enemye, he never could receaue directe anfwere there vppon; and notwithstanding therof, if he could be affured her Maieftie would esteeme that worthy of thankes, he would make offer of forces, in proporcion leffe or more, as he should knowe to be expedient for the service, and would excufe himself that he had fo long delayed the doing therof. This is the fome of all matters that had paffed by his Maieftie at that time, when as the Master of Gray came to the chamber, and showed the King that the Lordes were inquiring for what was become of him, thereafter the King faid to me, 'I can tarrie me no longer at this tyme; of this farre affure your felf, that I will doe all that may ferue to your contentment for your private furety, and within fewe dais will speeke further with you. In this mean