The Lord Ruthen is verie sycke and keapethe moste his bedde.

Thus havinge longe trobled you for the desyer we have in all thyngs to satysfie you, thoughe we had good wyll in some thyngs to have byne sparer, in speciall for the speaches betwen the Quene and her howsbonde, we take our leaves.

At Barwicke the xxvijth of Marche 1566.
Your Honors moste assured

F. BEDFORD.

THO. RANDOLPHE.

My Lord of Murraye, by a speciall servant sent unto us, desierethe your Honors favour to these noble men as his dere frends, and such as for hes sake hathe geven this ad

venteur.

THE names of suche as were doers and of counsell in this laste attemptate committed at Edenb. the ixth of Marche 1565a.

The Earle of Morton.

L. Ruthen.

L. Lyndesaye.

The Mr. of Ruthen.

L. of Liddington Secret.

Mr. James Magil, Clerke of the Regester.

Sr. John Balendin, Justice Clerke.

St. Come.

Mr. Adam Ersken, Abbot of Combuskenethe.

a 1565-6.

Larde of Drumwhastle, called Congingham.

Lar. of Carse. Montethe.

La. Bawarde. Murraye.

La. of Lough Leven.

His Brother that maried the Heyer of Bouchan. Androwe Carre of Fawdensyde.

Ormeston.

Brimston.

Elphenston.

Hanton.

Caudor.

Strrnehauke.

Patricke Balentine.

Whittingham.

Patrick Murraye of Tibhere Moore.

Tho. Scote, Under Sheriff of Stretherne.

Larde of Carmichell.

Androwe Coningham, Sonne to the E. of Glen

carne.

Mr. Androwe Haye.

Mr. Archibald Duglas.

George Duglas, Uncle to the King.

Alex. Ruthen, Brother to the Lord Ruthen.

All thes, men of good livings,

besydes a number other gentlemen.

Imprisoned.

The Larde of Dromlangricke in Edenb. Castle.

The La. of Wetherborne, in Donbar Castle.

The Provoste of Glenclonden Sonne to Doml. in the Blacknes.

The Earle of Lenox commanded from the Courte.

After the murder of Rizzio, "the vengeance of the Queen of Scots," says Hume, "was implacable against her husband alone, whose person was before disagreeable to her, and who, by his violation of every tie of gratitude and duty, had now drawn on him her highest resentment. She engaged him to disown all connexions with the assassins, to deny any concurrence in their crime, even to publish a PROCLAMATION containing a falsehood so notorious to the whole world; and having thus made him expose himself to universal contempt, and rendered it impracticable for him ever to acquire the confidence of any party, she threw him off with disdain and indignation."

The following was the King's DECLARATION, already alluded to in p. 216.

"Apud Edinbroug xxo. Martii 1565.a "Forasmuch as divers sedicious and wicked persons have maliciously sowed rumors, bruts, and pryvey whisperings anemst the lieges of our Realm, slanderously and irreverently backbiting the Kings Majestie, as that the late Conspiracye and cruel murder committed in presence of the Quene's Majestie and treasonable deteyning of her Majesties moost noble persone in captivitye was done at his commaundement, by his counsail, assistence, and approbation, his Grace for the removing of the evil opinion which the good subjects may be induced to conceyve through such false reports and sedicious rumors, hath, aswell to the Quenes Majestie as in the presence of the Lords of Secret Counsaill plainly declared upon his honor, fidelite, and the woord of a Prince, that he never knewe of any part of the sayd treasonable Conspiracye whereof he is slaunderously and sakefesly traduced, nor never counsailed, commanded, consented, assisted, nor approved the same. Thus farr onely his Highnes oversaw himself in to, that at the intisement and perswasion of the sayd late Conspirators, his Grace, without the Quenes Majesties advise and knowledge, consented to the bringing home out of Englande of the Earles of Murrey, Glencarne, Rothos, and other persons being ther, with whom her Highnes was of fended; which he hath in no wise denyed, and this is the symple, syncer, and playn truth to all and sundry to whome it offers, be it made knowen and manifest by these presents."b

a i. e. 1565-6.

MS. Cotton. Calig. B. Ix. fol. 213.

992

LETTER CLXXXVII.

Queen Elizabeth to Sir John Foster, respecting the Earl of Morton, the Lord Ruthven, and their Accomplices.

[MS. LANSD. NUM. 9. art. 19.]

The Reader need hardly be reminded that several of the murderers of Rizzio fled to England. How far they were favoured by Queen Elizabeth, or rather by Cecil's policy, the following Letter will, in some measure, explain. Lord Ruthven died at Newcastle shortly after, as it was said, repentant.

Sir John Forster, to whom the Queen's Letter is addressed, was one of the Wardens of the Borders.

TRUSTY ande right welbeloved Wee grete you well. Whereas the Quene of Scotts our good sister charginge the Erle Moreton, Lord Ruthwen, and otheres their Complices, remayninge nowe at our Towne of Newcastle, not only with the slawghter of hir servant David the Italian not far frome hir persone, but with certein other treasons towards hir owne personne, hathe thereupon maide diverse ernest meanes to us, 'bothe by messages ande Lettres, to deliver them unto hir; and on hir behalfe the Frenche Kinge haithe ernestlie required us to deny them any succor: ande seinge that wee maye not indede maintein the keppinge of them withein our Realme, and yet consederinge the displesour that the Quene their soveraigne presentlie bearethe towardes them, wee wolde be lothe to committ them into hir handes duringe the tyme of hir indignation. Wee therefore wolde that thaie shulde de

vise of some place out of our realme, where they maie provide for ther lives and safety vntil suche tyme as ether theye may procure their Soveraignes wrath and displeasure to be assuaged towardes them, or ells that suche indyfferency of Lawe (as they cane reasonably desier) may, accordinge to their doings, be ministered unto them. Wherefore we requier you forthwith to repaire to them, ande thus muche to signify unto them, that therafter thay maie take spedy order for some place for their saiftie out of our Realme, where thaie shall think metest. This matter you shall as of yourself firste declare unto them, as a thinge conveniente ande necessary for them to do: ande if they shall not thereupon make their resolution to departe, then you shall singnyfie unto them this our pleasor in our name expressely. And thereof faile you not to see it executed. Yeven under our Signet at our mannor of Grenewich the vijth of May 1566. the eight yere our Reigne.

of

LETTER CLXXXVIII.

Mary Queen of Scots to the Lords of Queen Elizabeth's Council.

[MS. COTTON. CALIG. B. X. fol. 388. Orig.]

Of this Letter, the signature alone is the Queen's. The rest is written in the hand of a secretary. It relates to the succession of Mary, in the event of Queen Elizabeth's death without issue, to the Crown of