and most spedely be brought to passe, which in Case the French breake of from Treatte, her Majestie wolde sholde be gon thorough withall without any longer delay, or loss of Time; the rather for that it appeareth by all Advertisements, that the French seeke nothing so much as to wyn Tyme, and draw forth Matters in length to serve theyr Purpose wythall; which must not be endured: And where your desire to know what you shall doe, if the French Commissioners that be with you, will require the Presence of sume of theyr Colleages in the Town: her Highnes thinketh, as you doe, that the same is in no wise to be grauntyd, nor the said Commissioners that be in Lyth to be suffered to issue, or treate of this Matter otherwise then is prescribed by your Instructions. As touching the last Point, where ye desire to know what shall be done, in case the said French Commissioners shall require Assistance of such Scottyshemen as were of the French Faction: Her Highnes thinks fyt, yf the same shall be demaunded, that the Lords of Scotland be made privie thereunto; and in case they and you shall not see sume reasonable cause of the contrary, her Majestie thinketh, and so do we allso, that it may without Daunger be grantyd, wherin nevertheless, your may use your good Discretions as you shall see may best stand with the Advancement of her Highnes Service. And forasmuche as one Parrys, an Iresheman, who hath, (as we think you doe well enough remember) byn a Fugitive out of this Realme nowe a long Time together, is as we understande come from the French, and hathe now yelded himself into the Lorde Greye's Hands: We hartely pray you, in Case you may conveniently, to talk with the said Parrys, and understand of him what he can say touching the Practises that hath byn attemptyd in Ireland, or any other Thing concerning the State of the Queen's Majestie, or her Realme; and to lett us know what he is able to say therin, to the Intent if his Meaning and Doing shall appere ùnto you to deserve the same, we may be Sutors unto her Highnes for his Pardonne, and for such farther Consideracion of hym, as his Doing shall deserve. And thus we wish you most hartely well to fare. From Greenwich the 15th of June, 1560. Your assured Loving Friends, Winchester. W. North, &c. LXVIII. The Commission of the Estates to move Queen Elizabeth to take the Earl of Arran to her Husband. Taken from the Original now at Hamilton. THE Lords of Parliament, and others Under-written, havand Consideration how the Kingdome of England is joynt with this, Be an Dray March, how Puissent it is, what Incommodity we and our Forefathers have felt, be the continual Weirs betwixt the Tuo Nations; and be the contrar, how Profitable there Amytie may be to us, what Welth and Commodity we may obtain therethrow; hes thought good divysed and ordained, that the Occasion presently opened up to us shal be followed, that is, sute made to the Queen of England in the best Manner, That it may please her Majesty, for Establishing of one perpetual Friendship, to joine in Marriage with the Earll of Arran; being of the lawfull Blood of this Realme, and failzieing of Succession of the Queen, our Soverain Ladies Body, next his Father, the Dukes Grace of Chastellerault declared be Act of Parliament, Second Person of the Realme, Air Apparant to the Crown; and for that Purpose that Honourable Persons be sent in Ambassate, fra them yn Behalf of the Estates. And to the Effect, the Sute may be made in the most Honourable Manner, and to her Majestys best Contentation, they have devised that presently in plane Parliament it shal be devised, that certain Ambassadours be sent to her Majesty, fre the Estates, to give her Hieness Thanks for the guid Will she has ever born to this Realme, sen she came to her Crown, and desire she hes that it may continue an free Kingdom in thantiant Liberty, sufficiently of late declared, be her support liberally granted for the Relief thereof; and for the guid Quietnes we presently enjoy, purchast to us be her Majestys Means and Labours; and they are withall to desire of her Heeness to give strait Commandments to her Wardains, and Officers upon the Borders, to continue with ours, for suppressing of broken Men, and stanching of Thift, with sic other Things as are necessar for the Common Weel of this Realme: And that the States give Power to the Lords of Articles, and others Underwritten, to devise sic Commision and Instructions as are necessar, for that Purpose, to be sealed, and subscribed be Six of the Principals of every Estate, whilk sal be as sufficient, as giff it were subscribed and sealed be the haill EsVOL. III, PART II. 2 H tates; and therafter the Lords of Articles, and ours under specified, to devise the Instructione and Commission tuching the Heid of the Marriage. LXIX. The Queens Majesties Answere declared to her Counsell concerninge the Requests of the Lords of Scotlande. In Sir W. Cecil's Hand. (The 8th of Dec. 1560. F. 133. Caligula B. 10.) Her Majestie reduced the Answere into Three Points. 1. THE First was, That where the Three Estats had sent the Lords of Scotland to present their harty Thanks to her Majestie for the Benefits receaved this last Yere by her Majesties Ayde given to them. Her Majestie is very glad to perceave her Good Will, and Chardgs so well bestowed as to see the same thankfullye accepted and acknowledged; and findeth the same to have been seasonablie planted that produceth so plentifull Fruct, with the which her Majestie doeth to satisfie herself, as if at any Time the like Cause shall happen wherin her Friendship, or Ayde, shall, or may Profit them for their just Defence, the same shall not be wantinge. And although in former Times it appeared that sondry Beneficts bestowed upon divers of the Nobilitye here by her Majesties most Noble Father, had not such Succes, nor was answered with like thankfullnes : Yet her Majestye doth nowe evidently se the Cause thereof to be for that the Meaneninge of her Father's Beneficts were interpreted, and supposed to be to the Discomoditye of the Land, and these her Majesties be evidentlye sene to bend directlye to the Safetye of that Realme. And so the Diversitye of the bestowinge hath made the Diversitye in the Operacion and Acceptation of them. 2. The Second Point is, where the same Estates have by their Parlyament accorded, That suyte should be made for the Marriage with her Majesty of the Earl of Arrayne; her Majestye cannot interprete that Motion to come but both of a good Meaneinge of the same Estaits, pretendinge thereby to knit both theis Kingdomes presently in Amytye, and hereafter to remaine in a perpetuall Amytye; and of a great Good Will of the same Estates towards her Majestye, offeringe to her the best and choicest Person that they have, and that not without some Daunger of the Displeasure of the French Kinge in so doinge: For answere hereunto, her Majesty findeinge herself not disposed presently to Marry, (although it may be that the Necessitie and Respect of her Realme shall hereto hereafter constrayne her) wished that the Earle of Arrayne should not forbeare to accept such Mariage as may be made to him for his own Weill and Surety; and that all other Means be used to the Continewance of Amytie firmly betwixt these Kingdomes; wherunto her Majesty thinketh many good Reasons ought to induce the People of both Realmes, and in a Manner to continewe as good Amytye therby, as by Mariage: For it appeareth, that if every Nobleman of Scotlande will well consider how necessarye the Friendship of this Realme is to that, for the preservation of their Liberties; they shall chiefly for Safegard of themselves joyne together in Concord with this Realme, and so every one particularly minding his own Suretye, of Consequence the Love and Amyte shall be Universall; by which Means her Majesty thinketh the Amitye may be well assured, though_no Mariage be obteyned. And as to the Person of the Earle of Arrayn, her Majesty surely hath heard a verie good Report of him, and thinketh him to be a Noble Gentleman of great Woordinesse and so thinketh surely that he shall prove here after. 3. Thirdly and Lastly, Her Majestye thancketh the said Lords for their Paines and Travell; and although she doubteth neither of their Wisdome, nor of the Providence of the Estates at Home in Scotland, yet for demonstracion of her hearty Good Will, her Majesty cannot forbeare to require them not to forget the Practises that be past, by such as before Tyme sought the Subversion of them; and nowe much more will doe it, if there maye be left any Entry for Corruption, be Reward, or other Scope of Practise. And therefore her Majesty wisheth, that they all do persist, first in a good Concorde, makinge their Causes come amongst themselves; and not to dissever themselves in any Factions, but to foresee well Things before they chaunce: For that her Majestie thinketh this prove verie true, That Darts foreseen, hurt verie little, or not at all. And for her Majesties Parte, there shall no reasonable Thinge be neglected, that may furder this comun Action of Defence of both the Realmes, against any common Enemye. LXX. A Letter of the English Ambassador, to Queen Mary of Scotland, for her Ratifying the Treaty of Leith." (Paper-Office.) PLEASETH it your Majestie. The same may remember, that at my Lord of Bedford's being in this Court, He and I demanded of you, on the Behalfe of the Queen's Majestie, our Mistress, your good Sister and Cousyne, your Ratification of thaccord latelye made at Edingborough in Scotland. Wherunto you made Answer, amonge other Things, that your Counsell being not about youe; namely your Uncle, my Lord Cardinall of Lorraine, by whom you are advised in your Affaires, and also for that your Majestie had not heard from your Counsell in Scotland, from whom you looked to hear then verie shortlye; you could make us no direct Answer therin. But that heering from them, and having consulted with your Counsell heere; you would satisfie her Majestie in the same. Sins whiche Tyme, her Majestie having Knowledge of the coming to you of the Lord James, your Brother, who passed lately through England hitherwards, by whom (her Majesty judgeth) you will be advised, bothe in Respect of his Ranke and Estimacion in your Realme of Scotland, and allso for that he hathe the Honour to be your Majesties Brother, and of good Credite with you And nothing doubting of your Consultation with my said Lord Cardinall, and others of your Counsell heere sins that Tyme; her Majestie hathe presentlie commanded, and authorized me to put your Majestie in Remembrance therof againe; and to renew the Demande of your Confirmation of the said late Accord. Therefore I have presently depechid to you this Gentleman, Bearer heerof, her Majesties Servant: By whom, I beseeche you, to let me understand your resolute Answer in that behalfe. And uppon Knowledge of your Pleasure, to delyver me the said Ratification; and of the Tyme and Place, I will not faile (God willing) to resort, whither your Majestie will appoint me to come for that Pourpose. By demanding of this Ratification, as the Queen's Majestie, my Mistress, your good Sister, dothe shew the great Desyre She hathe, to lyve from hence forth in all assured good Love, Peas and Amytie with you, and your Realme; so, in her Opynion, there is nothing that can argue your reciproke good Will, to answer to the lyke for your Parte agayne, so much as the Stablishing the same by this Knot |