But to return from this digression, which, though a little out of its place, seemed too important to be omitted.

The distraction that France was in, made it not easy to them to carry on the war of Scotland, by reason of the charge that the sending forces to so great a distance put them to: whereas it was but a short march to the English, to go to the assistance of the lords of Scotland; so they were willing to make up matters the best they could by a treaty. Commissioners were appointed to treat on both sides. In the mean while, the queen regent of Scotland died: so Cecil and Wotton, who were employed by the queen in that treaty, apprehending the French might, upon this emergent, study to gain more time, wrote to the queen for positive orders.

A letter was written to them on the 15th of June, signed by five privy counsellors; which is in the Collection (No. lxvii), taken from the original. By it, it appears, that this treaty was then a secret, which they saw must soon break out; so the persons employed in Scotland advised the acquainting King Philip with it, because they looked on it as brought very near a total agreement. To this the queen's council agreed. Those in Scotland apprehended, that perhaps the French would, upon the regent's death, go away and leave the kingdom without coming to any agreement. If they should do so, they did order them to advise with the duke of Norfolk, and the lords of Scotland in league with them, how the French may be forthwith expelled the kingdom, without any loss of time. For by all the advertisements they had, they understood that the French intended to gain time as much as was possible. If the French desired to have some of their colleagues in the town, to assist them in managing the treaty, that was by no means to be granted: but if they desired the assistance of such Scottish men as were of their faction, and if their friends in Scotland consented to it, that seemed reasonable. The rest of the letter relates to one Parrys, an Irishman.

The treaty, by reason of the weakness of the French force, was soon brought to a conclusicn. The French were to be sent away in three weeks. An assembly of the states was to meet, and to settle the affairs of the kingdom: it was to be governed by a council of twelve persons; of whom the king and queen were to name seven, and the states to choose five and by these, all affairs were to be governed, they being made accountable to the parliament. The last article was, "that the king and queen should not use the title or arms of England and Ireland any more.'

When matters were brought to a settlement in Scotland, the Scots sent up the earls of Morton and Glencairn to the queen. Their message will best appear from the instructions which will be found in the Collection (No. Ixviii), copied from the original, that is still preserved, and in the "the possession of the duchess of Hamilton: by which, estates of parliament, considering how the two kingdoms lay joined together; and reflecting on the inconveniences that they and their ancestors had suffered by continual wars, and on the advantages of a perpetual friendship between them; therefore they did order a proposition of marriage to be made to the queen of England, with the earl of Arran; who, after his father, in default of succession of the queen's body, was the next heir of the crown of Scotland. And they resolved, that an embassy should be appointed, to make the proposition in the honourablest manner that could be devised. They also order thanks to be given to the queen, for the good will she has on all occasions expressed for their kingdom; which she had particularly declared of late, by the support she had given them for their relief; by the means of which they enjoyed their present quiet. And they were also ordered to move the queen, to send strict commands to her wardens, and other officers on the borders, to suppress all broken men, and to restrain all thefts. These instructions were appointed to be sealed and subscribed by six of every estate; and that was to be held as valid as if all the estates had sealed and subscribed them.

This order of parliament is signed by the archbishop of St. Andrew's, the bishops of Dunkeld, Galloway, Dumblane, Argyle, and the elect bishop of the isles: and by as many abbots and priors: the prior of St. Andrew's, afterwards earl of Murray; the abbot of Arbroth, afterwards marquis of Hamilton; the abbots of Newbottle and Culros: the commendator of Kilwinning, and the prior of Lochlevin. So many of the ecclesiastical state of both ranks concurring, shows, that they rejoiced in the deliverance that they had from the servitude under which the French had almost brought them.

These instructions are also signed by the duke of Chatelherault, who subscribed only James; and by the earls of Argyle, Athol, Morton, Crawford, and Sutherland; and by the lords Erskine, Gordon, Salton, Hay, Uchiltry, Innermeth, Boyd, Lindsay, Gray, and some others, whose names cannot be read: and by eight provosts of boroughs. But no seals are in this noble instrument; so probably it was an authentic duplicate, that was deposited in that family, to remain as an undoubted proof of the right of succeeding to

the crown of Scotland, if the queen had left no issue of her own body.

To this an answer was given, which I have put in the Collection (No. Ixix), from the draught of it in Cecil's hand. "The queen received the hearty thanks that the three estates sent very kindly; and was glad the assistance she had given them was so well accepted by them. She was so well satisfied with the effects it had, that if the cause should happen, in which they might need aid from her, she assures them it shall not be wanting. The queen did perceive the difference between the benefits bestowed by her father on many of the nobility of that nation, which were supposed to be to the prejudice of the kingdom, and so had not the success expected; and those they had received from her, which were directed to the safety of the realm: so the diversity in the bestowing them had made this diversity in the acceptance of them.

"She received that proposition of marriage as a mark of the good intention of the estates for knitting the kingdoms in amity; in offering to her the best and choicest person that they had, though not without danger of the displeasure of the French king. But the queen was not disposed presently to marry; though the necessity of the kingdom might, perhaps, constrain her afterwards to it. Yet she desired, that the earl of Arran might not forbear to marry on her account : but that the amity between the two kingdoms might remain firm; since it was so necessary to their preservation, though no marriage were made upon it. The queen had heard a very good report of the earl of Arran, and thought him a noble gentleman of great worth, and did not doubt but he would prove to be such. In the last place, the queen desired the states would reflect on former practices among them, and would continue in a good agreement among themselves, and not fall into factions. And she concluded with a promise, that on her part no reasonable thing should be neglected, that might tend to the common defence of both the realms against any common enemy.'

Things went on pursuant to this treaty; to which it was not thought the French would have any regard when their affairs should be in a better condition. The apprehensions of that were soon at an end. In December, 1560, the union which that kingdom had with France was totally broke by the death of Francis the Second; so that Mary, queen of Scotland, had nothing left but her own strength to depend upon. The treaty of Leith, being in all other points executed, the queen ordered both Throckmorton, her ordinary ambassador in France, and the earl of Bedford, whom she

had sent over extraordinary, to demand Queen Mary's ratification of that treaty; which I shall open more particularly. because upon this occasion that jealousy was raised between the two queens, that ended so fatally to the one. The queen of Scots used many shifts to excuse her not doing it.

In a letter of Throckmorton's, of the 16th of April, which is in the Collection (No. lxx), he tells the queen, "that having pressed the queen of Scots to it, she said, she had not her council about her, particularly the cardinal of Lorrain, her uncle, by whom she was advised in all her affairs: nor had she heard from her council in Scotland. She promised, that when she heard from them, and had advised with her council about her, she would give an answer that should satisfy the queen. But her natural brother, the Lord James, being come over to her, the queen had commanded Throckmorton to demand again the confirmation of the treaty. Upon which the ambassador sent a gentleman to know her pleasure, when he should wait on her, to receive it from her hand. This, as he wrote to her, was desired by the queen, as a mean to make them live hereafter in all love, peace, and amity, together. And nothing could so demonstrate that queen's intention to entertain this, as the establishing that knot of friendship between them, for both their quiet and comfort, which was at that time the only refuge of them both." Of this he sent the queen, his mistress, a copy.

On the 1st of May, Mr. Somer, whom the ambassador had sent to Nancy, where the queen of Scotland was at that time, came back with her answer: which is in the Collection (No. lxxi), it being the only original paper that ever I saw in her hand. Dated from Nancy, the 22d of April, 1561. "She writes, she was then leaving that place; so she could give no answer until she came to Rheims, where she intended to be at the king's coronation: and she says that Lord James was only come to do his duty about her, as his sovereign lady, without any charge or commission whatsoever." This Throckmorton sent to the queen, together with a letter from the cardinal of Lorrain to the same purpose, which he also sent her in a letter, which will be found in the Collection (No. lxxii); in which he writes, "that though Somer had used the best means he could, to put the Scottish queen in mind of the promise she had made to the earl of Bedford, and to Throckmorton himself, yet he could get no other answer from her. The ambassador was ordered by the queen not to be present at the coronation: so he did not know when or where he should see her; for it was said she did not intend for some time to come into the neigh

bourhood of Paris: he therefore proposed to the queen to send a letter of credit by Mr. Somer to that queen; and with it to order him to go and demand her answer. By that queen's discourse with Lord James, it seemed she did not intend to give a plain answer, but still to shift it off: but he thought the queen insisting on it by a person sent express to stay for an answer, she would be able to judge from thence what measures she ought to take. The queen of Scotland had said to the ambassador, that she intended to give Lord James a commission, with a charge to look to the affairs of Scotland during her absence; and he, when he took leave of her, left one to bring that after him but that person was come with letters from that queen, but with no commission; and he understood by him that she had changed her mind, and would give no such commission, until she should come to Scotland herself: nor would she dispose of any thing till then. This was easily seen to be on design to let all people understand on what terms they might expect benefices, grants, or other favours from her.

The true reason why she would not employ Lord James, was, because she found she could not draw him from his devotion to the queen; nor from his resolution to observe the late treaty and league between England and Scotland: and it is added, that the cardinal of Lorrain saw he could not draw him from his religion, though he used great persuasions to prevail on him." Upon these accounts, the ambassador wrote over, "that he saw he might be much depended on so he advises the queen to consider him as one that may serve her to good purpose, and to use him liberally and honourably. He had made great acknowledgments of the good reception he met with as he came through London: so he on many accounts deserved to be both well used, and much trusted. The queen of Scotland had great expectations from the popish party; and from the earl of Huntly in particular. He gives in that letter an account of a great tumult that had then happened at Paris, upon occasion of an assembly of protestants for worship in a private house, in the suburbs. The rabble met about the house, threatening violence: upon which those within, seeing persuasions had no effect, fired and killed seven or eight of them. The court of parliament sent an order to suppress the tumult, and disperse the multitude. This was plainly contrary to the edict lately made: but the ambassador apprehended that greater disorders would follow." And that I may end all this matter at once,

I find in a letter of Jewel's, that is in the Collection (No. Ixxiii), that the duke of Guise sent to the princes of