Elizabeth: July 1582

132. Roger Aston to Leicester. [July 7.] Cott. Calig. C. VII., fol. 23.

At my coming out of Scotland I landed at Lowestoft [Lostoo] on purpose to advertise your lordship of the proceedings of Scotland. I had not leisure to write at such pleasure as I would. I trust your lordship received the letter I sent by the London post, to which I refer you to all things relating to the present state of Scotland. I am now arrived at Antwerp with a gentleman of the King's with letters of congratulation to his "altes" and the Prince, and further to procure Colonel Stewart's licence to come into Scotland, and that there may be some order taken with some of his captains that have "vnjustlye complenit" of him to his "altese." He hath been in some trouble, but he is out of it, to their great shame that "akouest" him. He is now in readiness to depart to Scotland. His goodwill is to do good, "but I am in dovt it will take no afec," for the Duke is so bent against England, that he cannot with patience hear a good word spoken of it, nor yet "abyd" any that come out of the country. Arran "sveres that that he sayes," and flatters him and feeds him with lies, and tales to keep himself in credit. They are "in contemp" of the whole country, and daily more and more, which I trust will break out ere long. They are going to keep a "govstese kourt at Sengonston," which will help the matter "wele forwart." It will incur the hatred of the common people: they have taken lately some of the Earl of Argyle's servants "as Sempell and Moreson." The earl hath more friends in Scotland than ever he had. There have been some Englishmen of late at Dalkeith in secret with the Duke: he hath great "entelyganes" out of England, by whose means I know not. The ministers never "pred" faster for England than they do now. It is thought there will be an alteration. I pray God send it shortly. I "mene" to hear of it before I come there.

The King hath written his letter to Colonel Stewart very earnestly for me. He hath received me very willingly and hath promised to do for me as I would wish. Hereafter I will procure your lordship's letter to him. He is one that "oners" your lordship, and will be glad to do you all the favours that lie in his power. If there be any way here I may do your lordship service, I shall do my diligence if I may be advertised. One thing I had forgotten. There were three "chef men" who came in with the horses who were "Senior" Pele and his brother and one that they called "Count." There was not one of them but that after he come in to Scotland was very "yell hort." With the horses they brought with them that day, that Pele took his leave being on horseback before the King, "the Kinges hores strofe so sore as had lyke to have slene him, he was fene to take him to a staf to go with"; the common bruit is "the menesters maleson lyght on them." These "hores" stand the King in 3000l. sterling, one way and another. The King sent to the Lord Yester for a chain of George Douglas's that he had in "gayg"; he answered the messenger, that if the King wished to give such rewards, he would have over many "hores"; all men would bring him "hores." But he would not part with the chain without money, so "Senior Pele wanted that chene," but he got another. The Earl of Arran to flatter the Duke sent three horses to the Duke of Guise, furnished after the Scotch fashion. And so abiding, etc. Signed: Roger Aston.

Postscript.—The 6th of this instant the town of Hovdencke was rendered to the malcontents with condition to pass with bag and baggage and their "ensiantes displed."

3 pp. Holograph, also address. Indorsed.

133. Proclamation by James VI. [July 12.]

Forasmuch as we and the Lords of our Secret Council are surely informed that of late sundry false bruits and informations are dispersed through our realm by some persons, our unnatural subjects, stirred up by the spirit of unquietness and sedition, as well privily persuading as publicly declaiming that we, moved or else seduced by some of our Council against our own mind and inclination, were induced to consent that the true religion taught and professed within our realm should be subverted, Christ's Church planted therein changed, altered or rather removed, and in place thereof papistry to be erected, "ye maist abbominable," and idolatry of the mass to be again received, all this tending rather to "ane seditioun and commotioun" of our faithful subjects than to any edification of Christ's flock, meaning therethrough, as appears, "for sum yer particularie" to disquiet our estate, the true religion of Christ, and his Kirk, planted by His own right hand, and to bring contempt and disobedience both of the law of God and man. Wherethrough it must be believed that the givers out of such false bruits seek no other thing but change of authority and trouble of common peace, and to evade punishment of offences committed against us and our laws; and although the said bruits be given forth falsely, yet are the same "devulgat" under colour of religion and title, and name of the Kirk, to persuade the simple multitude that the same are done upon zeal of their obedience to God, whom they and all the people are bounden rather to obey than to obey man—whereunto this tends in the mouths of such troublesome, seditious, and "unquiet spretis," fearing punishment for their offences. We doubt not but our faithful subjects are able to perceive Satan with his numbers, being discovered, who can transform himself into an Angel of light, remains always in his actions enemy to Christ and to all his faithful numbers, etc., to stir our good subjects to neglect our obedience. Therefore we, with advice of the Lords of our Council, command and charge all and sundry earls, lords, barons, ministers, and others our lieges whomsoever, that they desist and cease from all publishing. preaching, reporting, or affirming of such false bruits and manifest lies as are before mentioned, by which we and our Council are most untruly accused, certifying those who do to the contrary that they shall be punished with all rigour. "Attour" we declare and make manifest that our care and principal affection is for glory of God, the continuance of true religion taught and professed, and Christ's Kirk planted in this our realm, which we profess with our whole heart, and shall, God willing, maintain with all power to our life's end, and shall not suffer any other name, Kirk, or religion to be professed, but the name, Kirk, and religion of our Master and Saviour Jesu received, confirmed, and established by our laws and ordinances of Parliament, by the advice of our whole Estates, detesting and abhorring all kind of idolatry, superstition, papistry or other infidelity whatsoever, and all kind of false or hypocritical religion not contained in the Book of God. And this we confess solemnly before God, His dear Son the Lord Jesu Christ, with his Holy Spirit, and you our subjects, his numbers, with our whole heart and mind, etc. Which declaration we make of the tender love we bear to all our good and faithful subjects, exhorting them no other ways to be persuaded by the givers forth and preachers of such false bruits, and that they be not moved to any conventions or assemblies, under whatsoever title or names, whereby they may give occasion of offence to us [and] our laws, except our advice and direction be had therefor. Certifying those who do in the contrary that they shall be "repute and haldin," and punished as makers of convocation of our lieges, disquieters of common peace, rebels, and enemies to us, our authority and laws. And because it is come to our knowledge that rumours are published by the said disquieters of our common peace, that our dearest cousin Esme, now Duke of Lennox, should be a counsellor and adviser to us in the premises presently for the erecting of the papistry and abolishing of the true religion, which he has subscribed with his hand, sworn in the presence of God, "apprevit with the holie actyoun of ye Lordis Tabill," like as he is ready to seal the same with his blood— We, therefore, with the advice of the Lords of our Secret Council, have thought expedient to publish to all our faithful subjects the malicious "falset" of these calumnies published against our said cousin. Perth. Per actum Secreti Consilii.

1 p. Broadsheet. Copy. Indorsed.

Cott. Calig. C. VII., fol. 26.

Copy of the same.

134. Mr. Archibald Douglas to Walsingham. [July 16.]

Because, for honest dealing reduced to great necessity, I was of mind to have withdrawn myself to some other realm where I would have embraced any good occasion to have done her majesty service, and then not destitute of good hope that her highness before my departure would have seen some good order given for repairing of a part of my loss sustained in manner known to her, now I am constrained by this letter to lay before your honour some part of my just grief, and to let you understand "sic impossibilite" that I am not able so hastily as I would to perform my intended desire.

First, I am so burdened with debts in this country that I am forced to take some order for them before my departure; and in like manner my "bedfallow" [is] so troubled with my creditors in Scotland that I am constrained to request my friends there to devise some way to help her to be relieved.

How great grief of mind it is to be subject to the payment of great debts and have nothing wherewith to do it, nor to sustain the rank that until this time I have borne out, your honour may judge. To this grief greater are added by the heavy speeches proceeding from her majesty, who constantly affirms that no part of my trouble or loss has proceeded from any service done to her highness, or by any direction given from her or any her ministers. As it has pleased her majesty to speak it, so do I believe that there has not lacked some malevolous person to give her majesty so untrue information, and yet I doubt nothing but time will produce such matter as will move her majesty and others to understand the contrary, as "owith" it shall be. It appertains not to so mean a gentleman as I be to contend with so mighty a Princess as her majesty is, and therefore I will leave the consideration of the verity hereof for the present to your honour and such other of her ministers as best know it, and I must travail that time hereafter may produce her full effect.

Besides this, it has pleased her majesty by some obscure speech uttered to let it be understood that a part of my dealings past are by some, although not by herself, thought to be worthy of suspicion, and that I have been dealing with the Queen Mother of Scotland. Surely, sir, the reputation and honesty appertaining to a gentleman that I have heretofore so carefully preserved, and that now are all in all that remain safe to me in place of all the wealth of fortune that ever I have possessed, require that her majesty may be moved most humbly to take trial in this matter. If it shall be found or anywise appear that I have used indirect dealing that may in anywise violate the laws of hospitality or the behaviour of a dutiful subject since my coming into her majesty's realm, in that case, in place of recompense for my loss, I crave sore punishment for my offences. As for any dealing with the Queen Mother of Scotland, I protest before God that I never served her nor anywise meddled with her service since the time she was deposed from her authority. Neither was I ever minded to enter into her service to this time, that by the extreme necessity whereto I am reduced by the manner to you known, I am forced to seek the service of some Prince who may be moved to have consideration of my present grief, because I perfectly understand that no Prince will receive me into favour, because of my services past against her, unless I shall have her letters of recommendation. In like manner I cannot live in surety in France unless I have her special letters to her friends there for that effect. Therefore I must humbly pray your honour to move her majesty that the said letters may be obtained by any her highness's ministers or other ways, that I may have permission to deal for them myself in such open and public manner as may be void of all suspicion or ill dealing. Sir, I am not ignorant, by reading history, that some politic Princes in time past travailed to overthrow such persons in fame and reputation as had desire for reward and advancement at their hands, but I can never believe that her majesty's good nature, who so virtuously has "behavit" herself in the affairs of Scotland, will suffer my honest reputation to be suppressed, who has spared no goods of fortune "unperischit" in her majesty's service, nor yet can I imagine what profit her majesty can "report" by the ruin of one gentleman who has been ever ready to do her service. Truly, the ill effects that such crime of dealing may produce as well to her highness' service in time to come, as to her ministers who may be honestly employed in that realm, move me to be no less careful to earnestly crave that this suspicion conceived by her majesty may be orderly tried, than I am desirous to humbly request that this rigorous dealing used against me concerning my loss may with favour be reasonably qualified.

Till this time I have never craved the help of any councillor to move her majesty either concerning the state of Scotland or myself in particular. saving your honour, to whose office chiefly such matter appertains. London. Signed: A. Douglas.

3 pp. Holograph. Addressed. Indorsed.

135. Sir Henry Woddryngton to [Walsingham]. [July 19.] Cott. Calig. C. VII., fol. 28.

Such intelligence as I can learn from Scotland worth advertisement, I shall not be slack in returning to you. The King and Duke are at St. Johnstone with the rest of the Council, viz., the Earl of Arran, Gowrie, and Crawford, and others. The greater number of the ministry and the "principalles" with certain barons with them made their access to the King last week for the accusation of the Duke for giving refuge and support to the excommunicated Bishop of Glasgow. Whereas the said course has been decided before the King and Council, the Duke has asked for respite of fourteen days to give them an answer, and the ministry have returned home. The Duke means to charge them with the last conspiracy and practice wherein they were about to have procured him to have been shot and slain. The Earl of Arran is thought to be the informer of these things to the Duke, who is at this present the worst thought of, and accounted the falsest that is in Scotland at this day.

The day before the ministers took their leave there was a very godly sermon in the cathedral church of St. Johnstone made by one of the principal preachers; whereat the King, the Duke and Council were present with a great assembly more. And after the sermon was ended the King made a protestation in the hearing of the whole assembly in this manner and with these words. That he would defend and maintain the religion publicly professed in Scotland so as it should please God to give him grace to reign. And also the Duke affirmed the same with like protestation.

These noblemen have shown themselves partly in the faction with the ministry for the religion who dwell on the north side of Fife, viz., the Earl of Montrose and the Earl Rothes. Also these noblemen are in the same faction with the ministry for the religion dwelling on the south side of the Firth, viz., the Earls of Argyll, Mar. Glencairn, and Eglinton, the Lords Boyd and Lindsay, the Laird of Bargany, a baron, the Laird of Lochinvar, a baron, the Laird of Wiemes, a baron, and the Laird Tullebarne, and divers others of great party and living. The Earls of Glencairn and Mar, the Lord Lindsay and the Laird of Tullibardine (as I am credibly informed) the Duke is about to apprehend and accuse of treason, for the refuge and receiving the Earl of Angus's servants, and for having conference with them since their banishment from Scotland.

Also the Duke is about to get the King to send his strict command to the captain of Edinburgh Castle to deliver the said castle to the Earl of Arran. As I am secretly informed he will not do it without the advice of the noblemen before expressed, and if he may be "comforted" and assisted by them he will not deliver it. As I understand, he is a man very timorous, and without their countenance and aid, it is doubtful what he will do. The Duke bears all the sway with the King, and what he will have him to do, it is done.

"There Justice heire" proceeds throughout all Scotland, and is straightly executed, and great inquisition of every man's behaviour and disposition, as well of that which hath been done forty years since, as of things lately done, which is the course of their "Justice heire," to the end that no man may escape free of "componitor," as they term it, rich nor poor, but to be sessed according to their livings and ability, and the accounts and reckonings made to the Duke for the King, which makes much murmuring, but no man dare withstand it. Berwick. Signed: Henry Woddryngton.

Postscript.—There is access of Englishmen through the Middle Marches into Scotland, who go to the Duke. Whereupon Sir William Carre, warden of the Middle Marches of Scotland, by means of the Duke, is straitly commanded lately by the King, that if any Englishman claiming to the Lord Seaton or the Laird of Farnihearst come within his "cinct" and rule, he make them no impediment or stay, but help them forward.

2 pp. Address torn. Indorsed: "19 Jvlye 1582. From the marshall of Barwyck."

135. Elizabeth to [ ]. [July.] Cott. Calig. C. VII., fol. 27, b.

Whereas we understand by a letter from the King of Scotland to Lord Scrope, Lord Warden of the Middle Marches, that the said warden's refusal to keep a meeting for redress of all attempts of goods on both sides until order was taken for redress of certain slaughter, contrary to former treaties of peace and articles in that behalf provided, was not liked by the King, and that he earnestly required the warden to leave the ordering of slaughter as matters out of practice to our dear brother, and to proceed to the keeping of meetings for "attemptatis of goodis," forasmuch as the lives of our subjects are dearer to us than their goods, and the orders of slaughter (established in the 5th year of Edward VI.) are not of so long time past but that they may well, and ought to, be put in practice "and so have been thought not sodenly as had beene requisit for the better peace of the Borders" and continuance of amity between the King and us, we could not but like well of the discreet dealing of our said warden in that behalf.

And whereas the King further complains of want of justice in redress of murderers, which we are informed mean the denial to deliver Andrew Story for the slaughter of one Trotter, forasmuch as it has been manifested that they had before murdered one of the Storyes, and notwithstanding this, Trotter came into our realm without licence, and abode there for eight days, during which time he was slain, we cannot but think his denial as "grounden" on justice was rightful, the proof of the matter carrying that no redress ought to be made for the same.

¾ p. Copy.

136. John Molini to [ ]. [July 25.] C.P., vol. XII.

Brother, after hearty commendations; this present is to advertise you that our friends are in health. Our brother William was in these parts of late, who is departed to Flanders.

The Earls of Huntly and Crawford are presently arrived and well "acceptiit" by our sovereign.

His majesty is at Dalkeith, being accompanied by the Earls of Lennox and Arran, Seton and Ogilvy. The said two earls have most credit of his grace.

The parliament is to be holden in October, wherein the Earl of Angus with divers his dependers are summoned to be forfeited.

"In respect I lake cifar hes beyn compellit to repose apone others to supplye, quhome with I hayf conferred, informit and gave intelligences as to George Douglas and him quhome her majestie wrett the thirtene of May last, whither letters are presentlye arrivit." He to whom they are directed has been beholden greatly to me "both in his particular," but specially for her grace's service, which I shall continue in during life, albeit it well appears that her majesty has not understood all things "neyther by wryte nor token" of her grace's come to my ears. Nevertheless, I shall continue until experience tries the same. I am to "conferre" for sending answer to her … [a]bsence, who has small "place" to do further than his counsel, "being evill putt in his ga gray heid."

²/3 p. Copy. Indorsed.

137. Bond by Scottish Noblemen against D'Aubigny. [July.] Cott. Calig. C. VII., fol. 22.

"Forme of the bond made amonge the noblemen that is enterprised against Dobany."

We undersubscribed considering the evident dangers whereunto the professors of God's true religion within this realm are now subject, by reason of the overthrow of the same religion, intended, and begun to be executed, by godless and wicked men "that is cropin in credit" beside the King's majesty our sovereign lord. perverting all laws, judgments, and "lowable" customs of the realm, by private, indirect and corrupt means, for the wreck of the nobility, the ministry and his highness's good subjects in all estates, that is done most worthily since his coronation, partly to satisfy the ambition, avarice and "consumpcion"; besides the daily peril of his highness's most noble person, good fame and estate, and apparent dissolution, violation and breach of the happy amity with England if speedy remedy be not provided: therefore in God's fear and in his majesty's obedience, moved by these most just and necessary occasions we have vowed and sworn in God's presence and by the tenor hereof faithfully "bindes and oblisis us to others" that we shall concur in resisting the evils intended by whatsoever persons against God's true religion, his majesty and ourselves, and seeking redress and reformation of these enormities by punishing the authors thereof, removing of abuses and corruptions, and establishing the same justice, good order, quietness and amity with our neighbours "to the awin integritye" according to the word of God and "loveable" laws of this realm, and shall take our "folde," true and plain part with others, esteeming, reputing and holding all sudden occasions that are fallen or shall fall out against any one of us in particular, and all enterprises attempted by any one of us in especial, in prosecution of this most honest, godly and lawful cause to be common to us all, never shrinking from the same, without respect of whatsoever person shall "oppone himself in the contrary," or of any offence or quarrel bypast among ourselves, as we shall answer to our eternal God and upon our honours, faith and truth. In witness hereof we have subscribed these presents with our hands as follows, days and places particularly mentioned.

1¼ pp. Copy.