Elizabeth: December 1578

394. James VI. to Elizabeth. [Dec.] Add. MSS., 33, 531, fol. 179.

It is "hevelie compleynit" to him by his subject, Nicholas Woodward [Vdwart], merchant of Edinburgh, and Thomas Urquhart, of Leith, master of a little barque thereof, called The gift of God, that an English pirate of the burden of 45 or 50 tons has spoiled them of their clothing, money, and all they had, and threatened to cast them overboard, as they had been, indeed, if the prayers of Scottish gentlewomen had not saved their lives. Desires her to make earnest search to be made for this so heinous attempt, that the wounded hearts of his subects may be "mitigat." Stirling.

1 p. Draft. Indorsed.

395. Practices against the Queen of England. C.P. vol. XI.

"An abstracte of matters wherby the Scottish Queen may be charged to have attempted some practises against her majestie's estate."

Out of certain heads of a memorial given by the Scottish Queen to the bishop of Ross, being sent to the pope. That she hoped there were many of the English nobility of her party; for that they all, especially the Catholics, moved through the right of her title, openly pretended that when the time served and their help was necessary, they would wholly stick to her, knowing that by her only means the Catholic religion was to be restored in England: that she desired nothing so much as to have the Catholic religion established through this whole isle: that being desirous by the pope's means to have letters written in her favour from other foreign Princes to the Queen of England, she uses these words, "Quanquam tantæ injuriæ Catholicæ principi irrogatæ, impunitæ, videtur in omnium Catholicorum principum dedecus cedere; ut qui lege conscientiæ tenentur omes injurias vindictare; quanto magis illas, atque tanto tempore quasi reliquorum omnium principum contempta authoritate sint inflictæ"? etc.: that in her name he should recommend to the Pope the rebels of the north and others escaped, especially Stuckley, who might serve in time as fit instruments for the execution of the intended interprise. Out of letters written by her in cipher to the bishop of Ross: that whereas he had advertised her that the pope had attempted somewhat which was to be put in execution by the greatest Princes for restoring the Catholic faith in this island, she thought that matter had no good ground, as well in respect of the rash attempt in hand by Stuckley with a few desperate persons, as also for that she perceived the pope was hardly brought to provide any convenient sum of money for the advancement of so godly and necessary a cause for all Christendom as was the transportation of her son, whom she would have remain with her cousins the Guises, in Lorraine: that for effecting her desire, he should let the Pope understand that there wanted only his help, and that she would give order that his nuntio at Paris should be further informed touching those causes.

In like letters from her to the bishop of Ross are these words: "Tempus enim instare videtur, ubi multis visum est, ut citius forsan, quam expectavimus etiam status hujus regni mutatio contingat. Nam ista regina est valetudinaria, et omnium sermone effertur, illam gravi ethica laborare, nec posse diu vivere: id quod etiam medici intimi secreto significarunt, et multi nobiles incipiunt sese in gratiam mei insinuare, etc. Quare opto ut cum nobilibus Angliæ, ubicunque illos inveneris tractos; ut amicos suos in mei favorem sollicitent, ut meas partes sequantur. Sed si nostri in Scotia agant partes suas, nihil est in hac causa timendum."

Out of a letter written by her to the said bishop, 10th July, 1578: — "Auget timorem dum cogito magnam esse differentiam inter desperatos conatus eorum hominum, qui exules et patria sua et omnibus bonis exuti authores sunt et hortatores ad audiendum aliquid: et inter conatus potentissimorum istorum principum qui tam suas privatas injurias ulciscendi gratia, quam ob publicam religionis causam 3 aut 400,000 coronatorum facile periclitari, sinent gravius enim nihil patientur."

1¼ pp. Indorsed: "Matters against the Sc. Qu. ext. out of the booke brought out of Germanye by Haller. 1578."

Copy of the same.

396. Earldom of Lennox. Elizabeth. [1578.] Harl. MSS. 289, fol. 202.

The Queen of England wrote twice to the Regent in the behalf of Margaret, Countess of Lennox. The Regent's answer was that there were doubts in law. Request for the Lady Arbell. The Regent's answer. By the death of her father the earldom falls into the King's hands. Thomas Randolph to deal with the Regent therein. Drumquhassel has 2600 marks in his hands for a wood that was sold.

2½ pp. Indorsed.

397. Nobility of Scotland. [1578.] Cott. Calig., C. V., fol. 133.

"Catalogus Nobilium Scotiæ et hæreticorum.

Comites Catholici.—Atholl, Huntly, Eglinton, Fuvolia, Caithness, Cassillis, Crawford, Menteith.

Domini qui "milordi" dicuntur, catholici:—Ogilvy, Maxwell, Seton, Oliphant, Cesford, Borthwick, Gray, Sempill, Drumwhasell, Fleming, Elphinstone, Adam Gordon, Claud Hamilton.

Comites fautores Reginæ, neque multum pertinaces in Calviniana secta:—Argyll, Montrose, Rothes, Sutherland, Ross (Rothalia), Marishal, Murray, John Earl of Arran, Abbot of Arbroath [sic].

"Milordi" fautores Reginæ neque multum pertinaces in secta Calviniana:—Livingston, Fleming, Hume, Lindsay, Thraquart, Innermeath, Erroll, Saltoun, Lovat, Sinclair, Roshacquart, Cathcart.

Comites magis pertinaces in religione:—Angus, Morton, Glencairn, Buchan, Methven, Glammis, "Fortiasius," Saltoun, Lovat, Ochiltrie, Cathcart, Boyd [sic].

"Milordi" pertinaces in sua secta:—Lindsay, Ruthven.

Episcopi hæretici:—Orkney, Satsaerensis.

Vacant et possidentur ab hæreticis ministris:—St. Andrews, Aberdeen, Murray, Brechin, Galloway, the Isles, Lismore.

Episcopi Catholici:—Archbishop of Glasgow, Dunkeld, Dunblane, Ross.

Abbates omnes fere et commendatitii sunt conjugati; nonnulli tamen sunt cutholici. Nobiles autem, barones et equites partim sunt catholici, partim hæretici, sed pauci sunt valde pertinaces in Calviniana secta, quia tædio quodadmodo sunt affecti ministrorum propter eorum insolentiam, et ita novam optant habere mutationem. Civitates præcipue profitentur Calvinianam sectam, sed in singulis multi sunt cives catholici et viri boni.

2¾ pp. Copy.