Elizabeth: May 1579

407. Occurrences in Scotland. [May 14.] Cott. Calig., C. V., fol. 155.

On the 4th of May, Hamilton Castle was besieged by the Earls of Morton and Angus, Lords Ruthven, Boyd, and Cathcart, and the Master of Glencairn. There are in the house 50 able men. The house is well garnished with armour and weapon, and furnished with victuals for a year.

The Hamiltons have been openly with Lords Maxwell and Herries. Arbroath has embarked at Kirkcudbright for France, but Claud continues quietly in Scotland. Lord Herries is sent by the Hamiltons to the King to offer to yield the houses of Hamilton and Draffen, provided that the captains thereof to be appointed may be Stewarts, etc., neither Douglas nor Boyd. They offer also to leave the realm on condition that they may enjoy their livings.

Captain Crawford is hurt in the foot, two soldiers slain, and divers hurt with shot out of the house. This siege is to be continued by quarterage. Morton and the others now present there are to return in short time, and Argyll, Atholl, Montrose, and others shall succeed and enter. Before they come home there will be news. The Earl of Lennox is to be lieutenant-general in Scotland during these wars, and Argyll shall be Chancellor. But no sudden resolution is like to ensue in either of them. On the 12th instant two cannons, a batard and a moyen were sent out of Edinhurgh Castle towards Hamilton. Other ordnance is sent from Stirling and Dumbarton, and the town of Edinburgh have sent 200 men with the ordnance. It is looked that the Hamiltons will seek support from the Queen of England, because she has been the author of the general pacification in Scotland. Six earls, besides sundry lords and barons with other gentlemen, have subscribed to pursue the murder of the Earl of Atholl. If the Earl of Huntly be not already departed to France on his licence, he is like to be restrained. The Earl of Angus intends to hold in his journey to France. Lord Seton and his three sons are charged under pain of treason to enter into ward in Brechin Castle, where they all are, except Lord Seton, who repaired to Stirling to mitigate this charge. It is thought that the Chevalier de Bucca, besides the outward show that he brought to the King, had either privy direction or quiet traffic to be intended with some favourers of the Queen Mother [of Scotland] to the King of Scots. Lord Seton was charged before to bring in Robert Bruce, servant to the bishop of Glasgow, who Seton affirmed had not been in his company long before. Bruce is now declared rebel and enemy to the King of Scots. It is commanded by open proclamation that no passenger should be received into any ship or vessel to be carried out of the realm, notwithstanding any licence for the same; and by the same proclamation all such licences granted are disallowed.

There is a conventical of Atholl's friends to be holden on the 15th instant at Dunkeld, where Argyll is looked for; but he is more like to be absent. Captain Ninian Cockburn died on the 6th instant.

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408. Occurrences in Scotland. [May 24.] Cott. Calig., C. V., fol. 156.

The Castles of Hamilton and Draffen, seeing the ordnance to approach on the 15th of May, offered composition and to render on the conditions following;—that they within might have remission for all faults done before that day, except the murder of the King and two Regents, and that for those crimes they might remain unaccused for fifteen days next after their coming forth of the house; that they might depart with bag and baggage. The Abbot of Dryburgh returned with these articles from the camp to the King, who resolutely denied all the conditions, affirming that it was not honourable for a Prince to deal with his rebels in such manner, and thus the offences of those men ought not to receive any form of indent. Lord Ruthven also was sent afterwards from Hamilton to persuade the King to more clemency; wherein he could not prevail to get other grace or answer of the King, than that if they would yield simply, he would, perhaps, show favour to such as he thought worthy, and it is thought that the Earl of Morton by secret messages procured the King thus to deal with them.

On the 19th of May the house of Hamilton was rendered simply, and the Earl of Morton carried the prisoners taken therein to Stirling, where he was honourably received by the King, who oftentimes had said openly that no nobleman's service in Scotland was to be compared to Morton's. Whereupon no small offence is conceived by sundry hearing the same. Captain Crawford with his band still remains at Hamilton to rase and cast down the same.

The keepers of Draffen abandoned the house in the night, and young Sir James Hamilton and a gentleman of the King's remain in the house there, which is to be rased.

There is a Convention of the nobility begun at Stirling on the 23rd of this month. It is thought Lord Maxwell, the Provost of Edinburgh, and other of the associates at Falkirk will be committed toward. It is like that Montrose will join in friendship with Morton.

At the conventicle at Dunkeld Sir James Balfour's case was held so desperate that none would meddle therewith. He has quietly departed to the north, intending, as some think, to pass to France; but others are of opinion that he would seek to persuade the Gordons that their estates and condition are no better than the Hamiltons'. All which matters will be prevented. The Earl of Arran is brought to Linlithgow and left there in the custody of Captain Lammey. His mother and Lord David Hamilton are likewise to be brought to Linlithgow. These prisoners following, taken at Hamilton, are to "thoyle" an assize at Stirling on the 25th instant for the slaughters of the Earls of Murray and Lennox, viz.:—Arthur Merington, late captain of Hamilton, David his son, Laird of Sillerton, Arthur [Hamilton] of Bothwelhaugh, brother to him who slew the Earl of Murray, and he who held James Hamilton's stirrup after he had killed the Earl of Murray.

James Douglas, son of the Earl of Morton, seeks earnestly the life of Arthur Hamilton of Bothwelhaugh, and the Earls of Mar and Buchan and the Laird of Lochleven travail also for the same, saying that the lives of ten of the best of the Hamiltons is but a small recompense for the loss of the Earl of Murray.

Lord Seton and his three sons are removed from Brechin to St. Andrews, where they remain prisoners. There is no tumultuous commotion seen in Scotland at present, yet the privy whisperings threaten some trouble hastily to arrive.

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