MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS TO PATRICK FIFTH LORD GRAY.1

TRAIST COUSING, We greit zou weill. The baptifme of our dearest fone the Prince wilbe schortlie, and pat in Streueling, quhairvnto the Ambaffatours of the gretaft Princes in Chriftandome will refort, and than it is maist neidfoull that we be honorabillie accumpanyt, ge will here of the tyme and dyett; quhilk we pray 30w effectuuslie addres 3ou to keip, apparellit in fic honeft maner as the tyme and occafioun cravis, according to the eftait of your hous; ffor 3e will not agane in many geiris haue the like thyng in hand; and heirintill ge will do ws maift thankfull feruice and plefour. Subfcriuit with our hand, at Crammald,' the xvj day of Auguft, 1566.

MARIE R.

To our traift coufing,

the Lord Gray etc.

'From the original in the possession of Francis, Lord Gray.
'Crammald, or Cranalt, now Meggetland, is situated in Peebles-shire.

EARL OF MORTON, AND OTHER LORDS, TO PATRICK FIFTH LORD GRAY.1

MY LORD, eftir maist hertlie commendationes: It is refoluit to dispatche ROBERT, Commendatare of Dunfermling,2 towardes the Quene of England, with fic a lettir and credit as 3our Lordship may perfaue: And becaus the fame wilbe pe mair honorable, and haue the grettar auctoritie, the mor Noblemen and of the Eftatis that fubfcriue it, we haue fend the lettre and inftructionis to your Lordship to be fubfcriuit, prayand your Lordship to fubfcriue the fame, that pe berar may returne thairwith howfone may be, becaus the fonar the dispatche be maid, the fonar will we reffaue refolutioun. And fen the neceffitie of this Commoun weill cravis the fame, we doubt not bot zour Lordship wilbe willing to the furtherance and expeditioun thairof. And fua for the prefent we commit 3our Lordship in the protectioun of God. At Edinburgh the xx day of Marche, 1569.

MATHEW, EARL OF LENNOX, REGENT, TO PATRICK MASTER OF GRAY, AFTERWARDS SIXTH LORD GRAY.'

RICHT TRAIST COUSING, efter maift hertlie commendatioun, We vnderftand that thair is ane irne zetling,' apprehendit in the Forth of Bruchtie, the tyme of the wynning þerof, now in your hous of Bruchty, quhairwith we haue prefentlie to do for the Kingis feruice; and pairfoir, we defyr 30w effectuuflie, that 3e will not faill to caus deliuer the faid irne zetling, with fic furnitour as the hes ganand for hir, to the berair heirof, to be tranfportit to Leyth, as we haue appointit; quhairin ze fall declair zour gude affectioun to the Kingis feruice, and will speciall and gude plefour. Thus we committ 3ow in the protectioun of God. At Striueling, the last day of Auguft, 1571.

Your affurit freind,

Mnsym Bugun

And efter the prefent feruice be done, the fame pece falbe deliuerit to 30w agane, ffor we ar conftrenit to charge all freindis quhair ordinance is at this tyme.

To our richt traift coufing,

the Maister of Gray.

1 From the original in the Advocates Library, Edinburgh.

The following entry appears in the Lord Treasurer's accounts, as the expense of transporting this piece of ordnance and other amunition to Leith:- Oct. 1571. Item to Robert Gardnar gunnar, for expens maid be him in passing to Perth, Dundie, Bruchtie, and vpers partis, for bringing of ane irne pece, bullettis, and bying of bullettis, tymmer, and boit fraucht to the schoir and peir of Leith, hors hire and feis; as ane compt given in be the said Robert, and subscriuit with his hand, schawin and producit vpon compt beirs, xxvti iijs iiijð.