in doune putting of theifis, and vpsetting of iustice. The Hamiltounis luiked on, quhen seiknes, throw excesse of trauell, or sum vther rakles auenture, should cut him of without children; and, destitute of this hope, first he stoppid the Kingis metyng with his vncle the King of Ingland, quha, at that tyme, hauing but one doughter, was willing to haif marryid with the King of Scotland, and maid him King of the hole ile after him; and to haue enterid him, at that present tyme, in possession of the duchy of Yorke; but the said Schir lames, euer hauing eye to his awn scope, hinderid this purpois by sum of the Kingis familiaris, that he had practised with by giftis, and speciallie by the Bischop of Sanctandros, James Betoun, vncle to the Erle of Arranis mother, and greit vncle to Schir lames wyfe, and raised sic suspitioun betuix the twa Kingis, that broght baith the realmes in greit besync's.

This purpois as sayd is put abak; the King, seing that his ambassadouris furtherit not at his plesure, deliuered him selfe in persoun to ga be sey in France; and Schir Iames Hamiltoun, perseuering in his former intentioun, went with him to hinder his mariage, by all meanis that he might; and, to that effect, the King sleiping in the schip, without any necessitie of wynde and wedder, Schir Iames causid the marineris to turn saill of the west coist of Ingland bakwart, and land in Galloway, quhair the King was verray miscontent with Schir lames and Maister Dauid Panter, principall causeris of his returnyng, as diuers that was in the schip, yit liuyng, can report: And, fra that time furth, the King, hauing tryid out his pretence, and persaiuing his vnfaithfull dealing euer disfauourid him, and, to his greit displesure, fauoured opinlie the Erl of Lennox and his friendis in his absence; the quhilk Erle pretended a right and tytill to the hole Erldome of Arrane, the present Erle for that tyme being knawin to be bastard; as also, it was in mens recent memorie how Schir Iames Hamiltoun had cruellie slayne the Erle of Lennox at Linlythgow, euin to the greit displesure of the Erle of Arrane, father to Schir lames, and vncle to the Erle of Lennox, cumming by the Kingis commandiment to Linlythgow: Sa the King, as said is, vnderstanding the priuate practick of Schir lames, in keiping him vnmaryid, haistit him the mair eirnestlic to mary, to the effect that his successioun might put the Hamiltounis out of hope of thair intent, and him out of danger by the Hamiltounis. And albeit that Schir lames, to make him selfe clene of that suspitioun, soght many diueris wayes to the distructioun of the Erle of Arrane his brother; yit he could neuer conqueis the Kingis fauour, vntill finallie he was executid for tresoun, and tooke ane miserabill end, conforme to his vngodly lyfe.

The King at last deceissit, and leuing a doughter of sex dayis auld, the Hamiltounis thoght all to be thairis. For then the Erle of Arrane, a young man of small wit and greit inconstancie, was set up by sum of the nobilitie, and sum familiar seruandis of the Kingis, lately deceissit; for thay thoght him mair tollerabill then the Cardinall Beton, quha, by ane fals instrument, had takin the supreme authoritie to him selfe,

The Erle of Arrane namid gouernour, by a priuait factioun, and fauourid by sa many as professit the trew religioun of Christ, becaus he was beleift then to be of the same; howbeit he was gentill of nature, yit his friendis, for the maist pairt, wer gredie baith of geir and blude, and

geuin to infustice quhair gayne followid. Thair was, in his tyme, nothing ellis but werr, oppressioun, and brybing of his callid brother, the Bischop of Sanctandrois, sa that all the estatis wer werie of hym, and dischargid hym of hys office, and charged with it an woman strangear. In the beynnyng of hys gouernement, the Quene and hir mother wer keipit by hym, rather lyke presoneris then princessis; but yit that incommoditie was caus of preseruyng of the Quenis lyfe, he beleifing to mary hir on his sone. But after the Erle of Lennox had delyuerid tham out of hys handis, and the nobilitie had refusid to mary hir on bys sone, howbeit he left hys ferme friendis, and, come to the Quene, abiurid hys religioun in the Gray-freiris of Striuiling, yit he could neuer cum agane to hys pretendid clymming to the crowne, quhilk he had lang soght, partly by fauour of sic of the nobilitie as wer alliat with hym, and partly by distructioun of the ancient housis that might haue put impediment to hys vnreasonabill ambition. For, hauing banished the Erle of Lennox, he thoght the Erle of Angous to be the principall that might resist hym; and, hauing enterid in waird Schir George Dowglas, to be yit mair assurid, he sent for the said Erle of Angous in freindly maner, and put hym in presoun, without any iust occasioun, and wold haue beheidid tham baith, if the arryuing of the Inglis army had not stayit hys purpois, by the quhilk and fear of the murmour of the pepill, he was constranit to delyuer tham. And, seing he durst not at sic a tyme put tham down by tyrannie, he offerit tham to the sword of the enemy to be slaine by tham. And, to the effect that thay and thair freindes, hauiug put abak the Inglis horsemen, and receiuyng an vther charge, might be the mair easely slayne, thay standing in battell and fighting for hym, he, in the battell behind, fled to Tynetham, and sa these nobillmen, sa far as lay in hym, was slayne, and preseruid by the prouidence of God.

The young Quene, quhilk, being in hir motheris keiping, he might not put doune, nor mary at hys plesure, he consentid to offer hir to the stormes of the sea, and danger of enemeis, and sauld hir as a slaue in France, for the duchy of Chastellarault; the quhilk he bruikis in name onlie, as the crowne of Scotland in fantasie, and receauit sic price for hir, as tresoun, periurie, and the sellyng of fre persounis should be recompensit with. But yit the couatise of the crowne that he had sold cessid not heir, for befoir hir returning hame out of France, at the troubillis quhilk began anent the repressing of the Frenchemen, and tyrannie agains the religioun, how many meanis soght the Hamiltounis to haue depryuit hir of all right, and translatit the crowne to tham selfis, is knawin baith in Scotland and Ingland.

Also after the Quenis arryuing in Scotland, sche seiking a querrell against the sayd Duike and sum vther Lordis, vnder pretence that thay had conspyrit against hir, for the religionis caus, the Duikis freindis left hym all, becaus that the rest of the Lordis wald not consent to destroy the Quene, or derogat hir authoritie by any maner of way. A lytill befoir the quhilk tyme, the occasioun of the Dukis conspyracie with the Erle Bothwell, to slay the Erle of Murray in Falkland, was na vther, but becaus, the sayd Erle of Murray liuyng, thay could nouther do the sayd Quene harme in her persoun, nor diminische her authoritie, nor constrane her to mary at thair plesure, and to her vtter displesurg.

After that the Quene had maryit with hym, quhom thay estemid thair auld enemie, and was with child, the gude Bischop of Sanctondrois, first callid Cuningham, estemit Cowane, and at last Abbot Hamiltoun, not onlie conspyrit with the Erle Bothwell, but come with the Quene to Glasgow, and convoyit the King to the place of his murther, the Bischop being lodged, as he seildom of befoir, quhar he might persaif the ple sure of that crueltie with all hys sensis, and helpe the murtheraris, if mister had bene, and send four of his familiar seruandis to the executioun of the murther, watching all the night, and thinking lang to haue the joy of the cumming of the crowne a degree neirer to the hous of Hamiltoun; and sa greit hope mellit with ambition inflamit his hart for the Kingis deceis, that within schort tyme he beleuid firmlie hys callid brother to be King, and he (the sayd Bischop) to be to him as curatour, duryng the hole tyme of his non-wit, quhilk had been a langer teirme than Witsonday or Martymes; for he thoght vndoubtidlie, that the Erle Bothwell should distroy the young prince, and not suffer hym to pros per, to reuenge hys fatheris deith, and precede the Erlis children in successioun of the crowne; and, the young prince onis cut of, the Bischop maid hys rekning, that the Quene and the Erle Bothwell, hated alredy for the slaughter of the King hir husband, and mair for the innocent, wer easie to be destroyit with consent of all estatis, and the cryme easie to the Bischop to be proued, quha knew all the secretis of the hole disseigne: Or, if they wald slay the Erle Bothwell, and spair the Quene, thay wer in hope sche should máry lohn Hamiltoun, the Dukis son, quhome with merie luikis and gentill countenance (as sche could weill do) sche had enterid in the pastyme of the glaikis, and caùsit the rest of the Hamiltounis to fond for fainnes. But, after that the Erle Bothwell had refusit battell, at Carbarry-Hill, and the Quene, befoir the cumming of the Hamiltounis, come to the Lordis, the Hamiltounis as at that tyme disapoint, fosterid thair vane hope with a merie dreame, that the Quene should be punischit after hir demeritis, and wer a tyme in dowbill ioy; the one that, beyng rid of the Quene, sehe should not beir ma children to debar tham from the crowne; and the vther, that thay might haue ane easie way to calumniat the regent for destroying of the Quene; but, seyng hir kept, thay blamit openlie the regent, quha kept hir in stoir in dispite of tham (as thay sayd) to be a stud to cast ma foillis, to hinder tham of the successioun of the crowne; yit, for all that, there would nane of tham cum to parliament to further thair desyre with ane anerlic vote, but lay bake to keip tham selfis at libertie, to reproif all that should be done in that conuentioun; and to fenze fauour towardis the Quene quhome thay hated, sa as, if by consent of the Lordis, or vtherwise, sche wer delyuerit, thay might helpe hir to put downe the Lordis, that wold not put hir downe in fauour of tham.

This thair intentioun was opinlie schawit, quhen the Quene beyng kept in Lochleuin, by commaundement of the hole parliament, was delyuerit by conspyracie of sum priuate men, especiallic of the Hamiltoumis, for thay assemblit all thair forces to put downe the young Kyng and Lordis obedient to hym. Quhilk euill will thay schew towardis the Lordis at the Langsyde, brynging with tham great stoir of cordis, to murther and hang tham, if thay had been takin prisoneris, and the victorie fallen to the Hamiltounis; and the same cuill will towardis the

King, in keiping the watter of Forthe, that he should not eschaip thair eruell handis, beyng assurit, if he come in the Quene of Inglandis power, that sche, of hir accustomate clemencie and kyndnes of blude, wald not abandoun hym to thair vnmercyfull crueltie, experimentit alredy in hys father. And, seyng that the prouidence of God had closit the dore to all thair wicitnes at that tyme, thay haue neuer ceisit since to seike enemeis to his Grace in all strange natiounis; and perceiuing that thay had faire wordis of all vtheris, except of the Quenis Maiestie of Ingland, quha vnderstode thair fals and tressonabill dealing, thay turnit thair hatred agaynst hir, and enterid in conspyracie with sum tratouris of Ingland, that wer als euil mindit towardis the Quenis Maiestie thair Souerane, as the Hamiltounis wer to the Kingis Hienes of Scotland. This is nouther dremid in wardrop, nor hard throw a boir, but a trew narratiue, of which the memorie is ludged in menis hartis, baith Scottis and strangeris, and the veritie knawin. By the quhilk ye may vnderstand the Hamiltounis pretence, this fifty yeiris and mair.

After sa many wayis sought by tham to distroy the right successioun, and place tham in the kinglie rowme, seyng all thair practisis could not auaill, and thair forces wer not sufficient, thay sought to augment thair factioun, adioyning to tham all that wer participant of the Kingis slaughter, and had aspyrit to slay the Quene of Ingland. And, to the effect thay might cum to thair wickit purpois, thay in a maner displayit a baner, to assemble togider all kynd of wickid men, as Papistes, renegat Protestantis, theifis, tratouris, murtherais, and opin oppressouris. As for thair adherentis in Scotland, I neid not to expreme their namis, nor the qualiteis of the conspyratouris of Ingland, for thay ar well enough knowin to your lordschippis. Yit one I can not ouerpass, beyng the cheif conspyratour choisin by tham to be King of Scotland and Ingland, I mene the Duike of Norfolk; in quhilk act ye may see how the thirst of your blude blindit tham agaynst thair awin utilitie. First, thay chose the principall enemie of the religioun of Christ in this ile, accompanyit with vther fylthie idolateris, to change the stait of the kirk in baith realmes, by cuttyng of the twa princes, seyng that, thair authoritie standyng, the conspiratouris could not cum to thair intent. Next thay respectit, in that proude tyranne, the vertewis that wer commoun to him and tham, as arrogancie, crueltie, dissimulatioun, and tresoun; for euin as thay had, this lang tyme in Scotland, sought the deith of thair righteous prince; sa he in Ingland, followyng the traide of his antecessouris, diveris tymes attemptyng tresoun, wald haue put downe the Quene of Ingland. Heir also appeiris the Hamiltounis crueltie agaynst the nobilitie of thair awin natioun, in seiking thair professit and perpetuall enemie of Scotland (as his bage beiris witness) quha should haue spilt the rest of the noble blude of Scotland in peace, that his antecessouris could not spill in werr; by quhilk electioun, beyng assurit that na Scottis hart can loue tham, sa can they loue nane of you, agaynst quhome thay haue vsit so many tresounabill actis. Thay do schaw also how crueltie and auarice haue blindit tham, thay can not se, in bringyng a tyrane to haue power ouer tham, seyng thay, pretending neirest clame to the crowne, should be neirest the danger. And yit, for all this, could these men be weill contentit, if by any meanis thay

could attene to thair intent, by spoyle and rubberie, as they did quhen as thay wer placid in supreme authoritie; or by makyng of you slaues, as they did, in selling of thair quene, begyn that practise, quhairin howbeit the inhumanitie was great, yit was it not in supreme degre of cruelteis; but it is na moderat, tollerable, nor accustomat thyng that thay seike: it is the blude, first, of our innocent kyng, euen sic as hath bene preservit by wyld beastis, nixt the blude of all his trew seruandis and trew subiectis indifferentlie. For quhat defence can be in nobilitie, or quhat suirtie agaynst tham that haue murtherit a kyng, and seikis strangeris to murther ane vther knyg? Quhome sall thay spare for vertew and innocencie, that latelie executit, and yit defendis the murther of the regent: or quha will be ouersene for law, degre, or base estait, in respect of thay that conductit out of Tuidaill to slay maister John Wood, for na vther cause, but for beyng a gude servand to the crowne, and to the regent his maister, and had espyit out sum of thair practisis?

If this thirst of blude of these Lochlechis might be impute to haistie hounger, or any sudane motioun, quhilk causis men sum times to forget thair dewtie, there might yit be sum hope that, sic a passioun ouerpast, thay wald with tyme remember thame selfis, and after power amend faultis past, or at leist abstene in tyme to cum; but thair is na sic hnmanitie in thair nature, nor na sic pietie in thair hartis; for, not content with a kyngis blude, thay gaip for his sonnis murther; nor satisfiyit to haue slayne the regent, they keipit the murtherar in the Duikis hous in Arrane. Maist like thinkyng, as, if thay honourit not the doar, thay should not be knawin as counsallouris of the deid, and wald tyne the glorie of that nobill act. And, besydes all this, thay ar not onlie contentit to mantene Scottis tratouris, but alswa receifis Inglis tratouris, and settis vpa sanctuarie of tresoun, a refuge of idolatrie, a receptacle of theifis and murtheraris.

And howbeit the bullerant blude of a king and a regent about thair hartis, quhair of the lust in thair appetite geuis tham litil rest, daily and hourlie makyng new prouocation; yit the small space of rest quhilk thay haue, beside the executioun of thair crueltie, thay spend in deuysing of generall vnquyetnes throw the hole countrie; for, not content of it that thay tham selfis may steale, brybe, and reif, thay set out ratches on euery side, to gnaw the pepillis bonis, after they haue consumit the flesche, and houndis out; one of tham, the Clangregour, ane vther the Grantie, and Clauchattan, an vther Balcleuch and Fairnyherst, ane vther the Johnstounis and Armestrangis; and sic, as wald be hald in the halyest amangis tham, schew playnlie the affectioun thay had to banish peace and steir up troublis, quhen thay bendit all thair fyue wittis, to stop the regent to go first north, and syne south, to punish thift and oppressioun; and, quhen they saw that their counsall was not authorisit, in geuyng imp unitie toall misordour, thay spend it in puttyng downe of hym that wald haue put all in gude ordour.

Thair is a kynd of these theifis euin odious to mair gentill theifis, quhilk, callyng tham selfis great gentilmen, spoyllis trauellaris, cadgearis, and chapmen by the way, and ransounis pure men about Edinburgh for xx. schillyng the heid; quhilk vice can not procede of