Mary Queen of Scots, 1542-1587

by Unknown

THE DOCUMENTS

CONTENTS

	[1.]		The Contents of the Casket.
		(a)	The Letters.
		(b)	The Sonnets.
		(c)	The Contracts of Marriage.
	[2.]		The Deposition of Thomas Nelson.
	[3.]		The Deposition of Thomas Crawford.
	[4.]		Murray's Journal.
	[5.]		The Depositions of Paris.
	[6.]		The Confession of Ormiston.
	[7.]		The Confession of the Earl of Morton.
	[8.]		Letter from Mr. Archibald Douglas to the Queen of Scots.

THE CASKET LETTERS

THE CASKET LETTERS.

[The following eight letters are the principal contents of the famous Silver Casket (cf. [pp. 125] and [132-161]). A long and bitter controversy has been waged in connection with the question of their authenticity. Every recorded production of them has been the subject of debate. Their discovery is related on [pp. 203-207]. Their appearance at York is described in the letter to Queen Elizabeth on [pp. 138-143]. It is evident that, at York, they were produced in Scots, and there has been considerable controversy as to whether they were there stated to be originals or translations. At Westminster, they were shown to the Commissioners in French. Within a few years after the Westminster Conference, we lose all trace of the original documents. Translations of them into Scots, English, and Latin and French versions, which we now know (at least in the case of some of the Letters) not to have been those produced at Westminster, were published soon after the Conference closed. In 1571, Latin translations of Nos. I., II., and IV. were printed in the Latin edition of Buchanan's "Detectio," and, in the same year, a Scots translation was published in London, containing the sonnets in French and Scots (reprinted in Anderson's "Collections," Vol. II.). Prefixed to each of the Scots versions was the first sentence of each letter, in French (see [pp. 194-5]). In 1572 another Scots version was published at St. Andrews, and, in 1573, a French translation of the "Detectio" appeared, with the imprimatur "Edinburgh." To it, French versions of all the letters, except No. III., were appended, with a version of the sonnets, varying considerably from that in the Scots "Detection." Research has revealed the existence of English translations of Nos. I. and II. and French versions of Nos. III. and V. in the Record Office; and of English translations and French versions of Nos. IV. and VI. at Hatfield. All these various versions will be found printed, in careful and scholarly fashion, in Appendix C. of Mr. T. F. Henderson's "Casket Letters and Mary Queen of Scots."

The method adopted in the present work has been to print the Scots version of all the letters, with a glossary of unusual words. It is the only complete version, and the published French and Latin letters are probably derived from it. Variations both in these and in such English and French versions of the letters as are at Hatfield or the Record Office, are indicated in notes appended to each letter. Care should be taken to distinguish between these Hatfield or Record Office French versions and the "Published French," i.e. the French of the edition of 1573.

References to the literature of the question will be found in an Appendix. For the guidance of the reader, it may be added that one section of the discussion turns upon the question whether French originals of Nos. I., II., VII., and VIII. ever existed; and the Scots and English have been carefully examined to discover if they bear traces of derivation from a French source.

Of the other contents of the Casket, the Sonnets, and the important clauses of the marriage contracts will be found immediately after the letters.]

The following Scots words, which appear frequently in the text of the letters, may be unknown to English readers:—

Abaschit = surprised.
Aganis = against.
Allanerly = only.
Awin = own.
Beseik = beseech.
Chereis = cherish.
Conqueis = conquest.
Cordounis = cords.
Dreddouris = fears.
Eir = ear.
Eis = ease.
Fane = anxious (wald verray fane, wished very much).
Fascherie, fascheous = trouble, troublesome.
Fenze, fenzeingly = feign, feigningly.
Fulische = foolish.
Gangand = going.
Gar = force, compel.
Gude = good.
Haillely = wholly.
Impesche = hinder, prevent.
Incontinent = immediately.
Inlack = fail.
Inragis = becomes angry.
Irkit = tired, wearied.
Irksome = troublesome, disagreeable.
Journey = day's work.
Luif, luifar = love, lover.
Mekle, meikle = much.
Playn, plenzeit = complain, complained.
Quha = who.
Quhair = where.
Quhen = when.
Quhilk = which.
Quhill = while, till.
Regiment = rule.
Schaw = show.
Schort = short.
Schuillis = schools.
Seik = sick.
Sic, siclyke = such, similarly.
Sone = son.
Speik = speak.
Suld = should.
Travell = take pains, try.
Thristit = nudged.
Tuichit = touched.
Tyne = lose.
Unsay = contradict.
Wald = would.
Waryit = cured.
Wod = mad, angry.
Ze, zow = ye, you.
Zisternicht = yesternight.
Zit = yet.

Letter I.

Goodall, vol. ii. p. 1, et seq.

It appeiris, that with zour absence thair is alswa joynit forzetfulnes, seand yat at zour departing ze promysit to mak me advertisement of zour newis from tyme to tyme. The waitting upon yame zisterday causit me to be almaist in sic joy as I will be at zour returning, quhilk ze have delayit langer than zour promeis was.

As to me, howbeit I have na farther newis from zow according to my commission, I bring the man with me to Craigmillar upon Monounday, quhair he will be all Wednisday; and I will gang to Edinburgh to draw blude of me, gif in the meane tyme I get na newis in ye contrary fra zow.

He is mair gay than ever ze saw him; he puttis me in remembrance of all thingis yat may mak me beleve he luifis me. Summa, ye will say yat he makis lufe to me; of ye quhilk I tak sa greit pleasure, yat I enter never where he is, bot incontinent I tak ye seiknes of my sair syde, I am sa troubillit with it. Gif Paris bringis me that quhilk I send him for, I traist it sall amend me.

I pray zow, advertise me of zour newis at lenth, and quhat I sall do in cace ze be not returnit quhen I am cum thair; for, in cace ze wirk not wysely, I se that the haill burding of this will fall upon my schoulderis. Provide for all thing, and discourse upon it first with zourself. I send this be Betoun, quha gais to ane day of law of the Laird of Balfouris.

I will say na farther, saifing that I pray zow to send me gude newis of zour voyage. From Glasgow this Setterday in the morning.

There are no important variations in the published Latin and French translations.

An English version of Letter I., preserved in the Record Office (State Papers relating to Mary Queen of Scots, vol. ii. p. 66), quoted by Mr. Henderson in his "Casket Letters," pp. 124-5:—

It seemyth that with your absence forgetfulness is joynid consydering that at your departure you promised me to send me newes from you. Nevertheless I can learn none. And yet did I yesterday looke for that that shuld make me meryer than I shall be. I think you doo the lyke for your return, prolonging it more than you have promised.

As for me, if I hear no other matter of you, according to my commission, I bring the man Monday to Craigmillar, where he shall be upon Wednisday. And I go to Edinborough to be lett blud, if I hear no word to the contrary.

He is the meryest that ever you sawe and doth remember unto me all that he can, to make me believe that he loveth me. To conclude, you wold say that he maketh love to me, wherein I take so much pleasure, that I have never com in there, but the payne of my syde doth take me. I have it sore to-day. If Paris doth bring back unto me that for which I have sent, it suld much amend me.

I pray you, send me word from you at large, and what I shall doo if you be not returned, when I shall be there. For if you be not wyse I see assuredly all the whole burden falling upon my shoulders. Provide for all and consyder well first of all. I send this present to Ledington to be delivered to you by Beton, who goeth to one day a law of Lord Balfour. I will say no more unto you, but that I pray God send me goode newes of your voyage.

From Glasco this Saturday morning.

Letter II.

Being departit from the place where I left my hart, it is esie to be judgeit quhat was my countenance, seing that[20] I was evin als mekle as ane body without ane hart; quhilk was the occasioun that quhile dennertyme I held purpois to na body: nor zit durst ony present themselves unto me, judging yat it was not gude sa to do.

Four myle or I came to the towne, ane gentilman of the Erle of Lennox came and maid his commendatiounis unto me; and excusit him that he came not to meit me, be ressoun he durst not interpryse the same, becaus of the rude wordis that I had spoken to Cuninghame; and he desyrit that he suld come to the inquisition of ye matter yat I suspectit him of. This last speiking was of his awin heid, without ony commissioun.

I answerit to him, that thair was na receipt culd serve aganis feir; and that he wald not be affrayit, in case he wer not culpabill; and that I answerit bot rudely to the doutis yat were in his letteris.[21] Summa, I maid him hald his toung. The rest were lang to wryte. Schir James Hammiltoun met me, quha schawit, that the uther tyme quhen he hard of my cumming, he departit away, and send Howstoun, to schaw him, that he wald never have belevit that he wald persewit him, nor yit accompanyit him with the Hammiltounis. He answerit, that he was only cum bot to see me, and yat he wald nouther accompany Stewart nor Hammiltoun, bot be my commandement. He desyrit[22] that he wald cum and speik with him. He refusit it.

The Laird of Lusse,[23] Howstoun, and Caldwellis sone, with xl hors or thair about, came and met me. The Laird of Lusse said, he was chargeit to ane day of law be the King's father, quhilk suld be this day, aganis his awin handwrit, quhilk he has; and zit notwithstanding, knawing of my cumming, it is delayit. He was inquyrit to come to him, whilk he refusit, and sweiris that he will indure nothing of him.

Never ane of that towne came to speik to me, quhilk causis me think that thay ar his; and nevertheless he speikis gude, at the leist his sone. I se[24] na uther gentilman but thay of my company.

The King send for Joachim zisternicht,[25] and askit at him, quhy I lodgeit not besyde him, and that he wald ryse the soner gif that wer; and quhairfoir[26] I come, gif it was for gude appointment? and gif ye wer thair in particular? and gif I had maid my estait, gif I had takin Paris[27][28] and Gilbert to wryte to me? and yat I wald send Joseph away. I am abaschit [i.e. I wonder] quha hes schawin him sa far; zea, he spak evin of ye marriage of Bastiane.

I inquyrit him of his letteris, quhairintil he plenzeit {complained} of the crueltie of sum; answerit, that he was astonischit,[29] and that he was sa glaid to se me, that he belevit to die for glaidness. He fand greit fault that I was pensive.

I departit to supper. This beirer will tell zow of my arryving. He prayit me to returne; the quhilk I did. He declairit unto me his seiknes, and that he wald mak na testament, but only leif all thing to me; and that I was the caus of his maladie, becaus of the regrait that he had that I was sa strange unto him. And thus he said: Ze ask me quhat I mene be the crueltie contenit in my letter? It is of zow alone that will not accept my offeris and repentance. I confes that I have failit, but not into that quhilk I ever denyit, and sicklyke hes failit to {too} sindrie of your subjectis, quhilk ze have forgevin.[30]

I am zoung.

Ye will say that ze have forgevin me oft tymes, and zit yat I returne to my faultis. May not ane man of my age, for lacke of counsell, fall twyse or thryse, or inlacke {fail} of his promeis, and at last[31] repent himself and be chastisit be experience? Gif I may obtene pardoun, I protest I sall never mak fault agane. And I crave na uther thing bot yat we may be at bed and buird togidder as husband and wyfe; and gif ze wil not consent heirunto I sall never ryse out of yis bed. I pray zow, tell me zour resolution. God knawis I am punischit for making my God of zow, and for having na uther thocht bot on zow; and gif at ony tyme I offend zow, ze ar the caus, becaus quhen ony offendis me, gif, for my refuge, I micht playne unto zow, I wald speik it unto na uther body; bot quhen I heir ony thing, not being familiar with zow, necessitie constrains me to keip it in my breist, and yat causes me to tyne {lose} my wit for verray anger.

I answerit ay unto him, bot that wald be ovir lang to wryte at lenth. I askit quhy he wald pas away in ye Inglis schip. He denyis it, and sweirs theirunto; bot he grantis that he spak with the men. Efter this I inquirit him of the inquisition of Hiegate. He denyit the same quhill I schew him the verray wordis was spokin. At quhilk tyme he said that Mynto had advertisit him, that it was said that sum of the counsell had brocht an letter to me to be subscrivit to put him in presoun, and to slay him gif he maid resistence. And he askit the same at Mynto himself, quha answerit that he belevit ye same to be trew. The morne I will speik to him upon this point. As to the rest of Willie Hiegait's,[32] he confessit it, bot it was the morne efter my cumming or {till} he did it.

He wald verray fane that I suld ludge in his ludgeing. I refusit it, and said to him that he behovit to be purgeit, and that culd not be done heir. He said to me, I heir say ze have brocht ane lyter {litter, couch} with zow; bot I had rather have passit {travelled} with zow. I trow[33] he belevit that I wald have send him away presoner. I answerit that I wald tak him with me to Craigmillar, quhais the mediciner and I micht help him, and not be far from my sone. He answerit that he was reddy when I pleisit, sa I wald assure him of his requeist.

He desyris na body to se him. He is angrie quhen I speik of Walcar, and sayis, that he sall pluk the eiris out of his heid, and that he leis {lies}. For I inquyrit him upon that, and yat he was angrie with sum of the Lordis, and wald threittin thame. He denyis that,[34] and sayis he luifis {loves} thame all, and prayis me to give traist to nathing aganis him. As to me he wald rather give his lyfe or he did ony displesure to me.

And efter yis he schew me of sa mony lytil flattereis, sa cauldly and sa wysely, that ze will abasche {marvel} thairat. I had almaist forzet that he said he could not dout of me in yis purpois of Hiegait's; for he wald never belief yat I, quha was his proper flesche, wald do him ony evill; alsweill it was schawin that I refusit to subscrive the same.[35] But as to ony utheris that wald persew him, at least he wald sell his lyfe deir eneuch; but he suspectit na body, nor yit wald not, but wald lufe all yat I lufit.

He wald not let me depart from him, bot desyrit yat I suld walk {watch} with him. I make it seme that I beleive that all is trew, and takis heid thairto, and excusit my self for this nicht that I culd not walk. He sayis, that he sleipis not weil. Ze saw him never better, nor speik mair humbler. And gif I had not ane prufe of his hart of waxe, and yat myne were not of ane dyamont quhairintill na schot can mak brek, bot that quhilk cummis furth your hand, I wald have almaist had pietie of him. But feir not, the place[36] sall hald unto the deith. Remember, in recompense thairof, that ze suffer not zouris to be wyn {won} be that fals race[37] that will travell na les with zow for the same.

I beleve thay have bene at schuillis togidder. He has ever the teir in his eye; he salutis every body, zea unto the leist, and makis pieteous caressing unto thame to mak thame have pietie on him. This day his father bled at the mouth and nose; ges quhat presage that is. I have not zit sene him, he keipis his chamber. The King desyris that I suld give him meit with my awin handis; but gif {give} na mair traist quhair ze ar than I sall do heir.

This is my first journay {day's work.} I sall end ye same ye morne. I wryte all thingis, howbeit thay be of lytill wecht, to the end that ze may tak the best of all to judge upon. I am in doing of ane work heir that I hait greitly.[38] Have ye not desyre to lauch to see me lie sa weill, at ye leist to dissembill sa weill, and to tell him treuth betwix handis {i.e. occasionally.} He schawit me almaist all yat is in the name of the Bischop and Sudderland, and zit I have never twichit ane word of that ze schawit me; but allanerly {only} be force, flattering, and to pray him to assure himself of me. And be pleinzing on the Bischop I have drawin it all out of him.[39] Ze have hard the rest.

We are couplit[40] with twa fals races; the devil sinder us and God knit us togidder for ever, for the maist faithfull coupill that ever He unitit. This is my faith; I will die in it.

Excuse I wryte evill, ze may ges ye half of it; bot I cannot mend it, becaus I am not weil at eis; and zit verray glaid to wryte unto zow quhen the rest are sleipand, sen {since} I cannot sleip as they do and as I wald desyre, that is, in your armes, my deir lufe, quhome I pray God to preserve from all evill, and send yow repois; I am gang and to seik myne till ye morne, quhen I sall end my Bybill; bot I am faschit {troubled} that it stoppis me to wryte newis of myself unto zow, becaus it is sa lang. Advertise me quhat ye have deliberat to do in the mater ze know upon this point to ye end, that we may understand utheris {each other} weill, that nathing may thairthrow be spilt.

I am irkit {weary}[41] and ganging to sleip, and zit I ceis not to scrible all this paper in sa mekle as restis thairof. Waryit mot this pockische man be that causes me haif sa mekle pane, for without him I suld have an far plesander subject to discourse upon. He is not over mekle deformit,[42] zit he hes ressavit verray mekle. He hes almaist slane me with his braith; it is worse than your uncle's;[43] and zit I cum na neirer unto him, bot in ane chyre[44] at the bed feit, and he being at the uther end thairof.

The message of the father in the gait {way}.

The purpois {talk}[45] of Schir James Hamiltoun.

Of that the Laird of Lusse schawit me of the delay.

Of the demandis that he askit at Joachim.

Of my estait.

Of my company.

Of the occasioun of my cumming;

And of Joseph.

Item. The purpois that he and I had togidder.

Of the desyre that he has to pleis me, and of his repentance.

Of the interpretatioun of his letter.

Of Willie Hiegaite's mater {business}, of his departing.

Of Monsiure de Levingstoun.

I had almaist forzet, that Monsiure de Levingstoun said in the Lady Reres eir at supper he said to me, quhen I was lenand upon him warming me at the fyre. Ze have { fair sair } going to se seik folk,[46] zit ze cannot be sa welcum to thame as ze left sum body this day in regrait, that will never be blyth quhill he se zow agane. I askit at him quha that was. With that he thristit my body, and said, that sum[47] of his folkis had sene zow in fascherie; ze may ges at the rest.

I wrocht this day quhill {till} it was twa houris upon this bracelet, for to put the key of it within the lock thairof, quhilk is couplit underneth with twa cordounis. I have had sa lytill tyme that it is evill maid; bot I sall mak ane fairer in the meane tyme. Tak heid that nane that is heir se it, for all the warld will knaw it, becaus for haist it was made in yair presence.

I am now passand to my fascheous {hateful} purpois.[48] Ze gar (force) me dissemble sa far that I haif horring thairat; and ye caus me do almaist the office of a traitores. Remember how gif {if} it wer not to obey zow, I had rather be deid or I did it;[49] my hart bleidis at it. Summa, he will not cum with me, except upon conditioun that I will promeis to him, that I sall be at bed and buird with him as of befoir, and that I will leif him na ofter:[50] And doing this upon my word, he will do all thingis that I pleis, and cum with me. Bot he has prayit me to remane upon him quhil uther morne[51] {till tomorrow}.

He spak verray bravely[52] at ye beginning, as yis beirer will schaw zow, upon the purpois of the Inglismen, and of his departing; Bot in ye end he returnit agane to his humilitie.

He schawit, amangis uther purposis, yat he knew weill aneuch that my brother had schawin me yat thing, quhilk he had spokin in striviling, of the quhilk he denyis ye ane half, and above all, yat ever he came in his chalmer. For to mak him traist me, it behovit me to fenze {feign} in sum thingis with him; thairfoir, quhen he requeistit me to promeis unto him, that quhen he was haill we suld have baith ane bed;[53] I said to him fenzeingly, and making me to beleve his promisis, that gif he changeit not purpois betwix yis and {by} that tyme, I wald be content thairwith; bot in the meane tyme I bad him tak heid that he leit na body wit thairof, becaus, to speik amangis our selvis, the Lordis culd not be offendit, nor will evill thairfoir: Bot[54] thay wald feir in respect of the boisting he maid of thame, that gif ever we aggreit togidder, he suld mak thame knaw the lytill compt thay tuke of him; and that he counsallit me not to purchas sum of thame by him. Thay for this caus wald be in jelosy, gif at anis, without thair knawledge, I suld brek the play set up in contrair in thair presence.

He said, verray joyfully, And think zow thay will esteme zow the mair of that? Bot I am verray glaid that ze speik to me of the Lordis, for I beleve at this tyme ze desyre that we suld leif togidder in quyetnes: For gif it wer utherwyse, greiter inconvenience micht come to us baith than we ar war of;[55] bot now I will do quhatever ze will do, and will lufe all that ze lufe; and desyris zow to make thame lufe in lyk maner; For, sen thay seik not my lyf, I lufe thame all equallie. Upon yis point this beirer will schaw zow mony small thingis. Becaus I have over mekle to wryte, and it is lait: I give traist unto him upon zour word. Summa, he will ga upon my word to all places.

Alace! I never dissavit {deceived} ony body: Bot I remit me altogidder to zour will. Send me advertisement quhat I sall do, and quhatsaever thing sall cum thairof, I sall obey zow. Advise to with zourself, gif ze can find out ony mair secreit inventioun by medicine; for he suld tak medicine and the bath at Cragmillar. He may not cum furth of the hous this lang tyme.

Summa, be all that I can leirne, he is in greit suspicioun, and zit notwithstanding, he gevis credit to my word; bot zit not sa far that he will schaw ony thing to me; bot nevertheles, I sall draw it out of him, gif ze will that I avow all unto him. Bot I will never rejoyce to dissaive ony body that traistis in me: Zit notwithstanding ze may command me in all thingis. Have na evill opinioun of me for that caus, be ressoun ze are the occasion of it zourself; becaus, for my awin particular revenge, I wald not do it to him.

He gevis me sum chekis[56] of yat quhilk I feir, zea, evin in the quick. He sayis this far, yat his faultis wer publeist; bot yair is that committis faultis, that belevis thay will never be spokin of; and zit thay will speik of greit and small. As towart the Lady Reres, he said, I pray God that scho may serve zow for your honour; and said, it is thocht, and he belevis it to be trew, that I have not the power of myself into myself, and that becaus of the refuse I maid of his offeris. Summa,[57] for certanetie he suspectis of the thing ze knaw, and of his lyf. Bot as to the last, how sone that I spak twa or thre gude wordis unto him, he rejoysis, and is out of dout.[58]

I saw him not this evening for to end zour bracelet, to the quhilk I can get na lokkis. It is ready to thame: and zit I feir that it will bring sum malheus, and may be sene gif ze chance to be hurt. Advertise me gif ze will have it, and gif ze will have mair silver, and quhen I sall returne, and how far I mey speik.[59] He inragis when he heiris of Lethingtoun, or of zow or of my brother. Of zour brother he speikis nathing. He speikis of the Erle of Argyle. I am in feir quhen I heir him speik; for he assuris himself yat he hes not an evill opinioun of him. He speikis nathing of thame that is out, nouther gude nor evill, bot fleis that point. His father keipis his chalmer; I have not sene him.

All the Hammiltounis ar heir, that accompanyis me verray honorabilly. All the freindis of the uther convoyis me quhen I gang to se him. He desyris me to cum and se him ryse the morne betyme. For to mak schort, this beirer will tell zow the rest. And gif I leirne onything heir, I will make zow memoriall at evin. He will tell zow the occasioun of my remaning. Burne this letter, for it is ovir dangerous, and nathing weill said in it; for I am thinkand upon nathing bot fascherie. Gif[60] ze be in Edinburgh at the ressait of it, send me word sone.

Be not[61] offendit, for I gif not ovir greit credite. Now seing to obey zow, my deir lufe, I spair nouther honour, conscience, hasard, nor greitnes quhatsumevir; tak it, I pray zow, in gude part, not efter the interpretatioun of zour fals gude-brother, to quhome, I pray zow, gif na credite aganis the maist faithful luifer that ever ze had, or ever sall have.

Se not hir, quhais fenzeit teiris suld not be sa meckle praisit nor estemit, as the trew and faithful travellis quhilk I sustene for to merite his place. For obtening of the quhilk agains my natural, I betrayis thame that may impesche me. God forgive me, and God give zow, my only lufe, the hap and prosperitie quhilk zour humble and faithful lufe desyris unto zow, quha hopis to be schortly ane uther thing to zow for the reward of my irksome travellis.

It is lait; I desyre never to ceis fra wryting unto zow; zit now, after the kissing of zour handis, I will end my letter. Excuse my evill wryting, and reid it twyse over. Excuse that thing that is scriblit, for I had na paper zisterday quhen I wrait that of ye memoriall. Remember upon zour lufe, and wryte unto hir, and that verray oft. Lufe me as I sall do zow.

Remember zow of the purpois[62] of the Lady Reres

Of the Inglismen
Of his mother.
Of the Erle of Argyle.
Of the Erle of Bothwell.
Of the ludgeing in Edinburgh.

[The memoranda in the middle of the letter constitute the "thing that is scriblit," for which pardon is asked in the last sentence. The concluding words, from "Remember" to "Edinburgh," are instructions for the bearer.]

Letter III.[63]

My Lord, gif the displesure of zour absence, of zour forzetfulnes, ye feir of danger sa promisit be everie ane to zour sa luifit persone, may gif me consolatioun, I leif it to zow to juge, seing the unhap that my cruell lot and continuall misadventure hes hitherto promysit me, following ye misfortunes and feiris as weill of lait, as of ane lang tyme by-past, the quhilk ye do knaw. Bot for all that, I will in na wise accuse zow, nouther of zour lytill cair, and leist of all of zour promeis brokin, or of ye cauldnes of zour wryting, sen I am ellis sa far maid zouris, yat yat quhilk pleisis zow is acceptabill to me; and my thochtis ar as willingly subdewit unto zouris, that I suppois yat all that cummis of zow proceidis not be ony of the causis forsaid, bot rather for sic {such} as be just and ressonabill, and sic as I desyre myself. Quhilk is the fynal order that ze promysit to tak for the suretie and honorabil service of ye only uphald of my lyfe. For quhilk alone I will preserve the same, and without the quhilk I desyre not bot suddane deith, and to testifie unto zow how lawly I submit me under zour commandementis, I have send zow, in signe of homage, be Paris, the ornament of the heid, quhilk is the chief gude of the uther memberis, inferring thairby that, be ye seising {placing} of zow in the possessioune of the spoile of that quhilk is principall, the remnant cannot be bot subject unto zow, and with consenting of the hart. In place thairof, sen I have ellis left it unto zow, I send unto zow ane sepulture of hard stane, collourit with blak, sawin with teiris and bones. The stane I compair to my hart, that as it is carvit in ane sure sepulture or harbor of zour commandementis, and above all, of zour name and memorie that ar thairin inclosit, as is my heart in this ring, never to cum furth, quhill deith grant unto yow to ane trophee of victorie of my banes, as the ring is fullit, in signe that yow haif maid ane full conqueis of me, of myne hart, and unto yat my banes be left unto yow in remembrance of your victorie and my acceptabill lufe and willing, for to be better bestowit than I merite. The ameling that is about is blak, quhilk signifyis the steidfastness of hir that sendis the same. The teiris are without number, sa ar the dreddowris to displeis yow, the teiris of your absence, the disdane that I cannot be in outward effect youris, as I am without fenzeitnes of hart and spreit, and of gude ressoun, thocht my meritis wer mekle greiter then of the maist profite that ever was, and sic as I desyre to be, and sall tak pane in conditiounis to imitate, for to be bestowit worthylie under your regiment. My only wealth ressaif thairfoir in als gude part ye same, as I have ressavit your marriage with extreme joy, the quhilk sall not part furth of my bosum, quhill yat marriage of our bodyis be maid in publict, as signe of all that I outher hope or desyris of blis in yis warld. Zit my hart feiring to displeis you as mekle in the reiding heirof, as I delite me in ye writing, I will mak end, efter that I have kissit zour handis with als greit affectioun as, I pray God (O ye only uphald of my lyfe) to gif yow lang and blissit lyfe, and to me zour gude favour, as the only gude yat I desyre, and to ye quhilk I pretend. I have schawin unto this beirer that quhilk I have leirnit, to quhome I remit me, knawand the credite that ze gaif him, as scho dois that will be for ever unto zow humbill and obedient lauchfull wyfe, that for ever dedicates unto zow hir hart, hir body, without ony change, as unto him that I have maid possessour of my hart, of quhilk ze may hald zow assurit, yat unto ye deith sall na wayis be changeit, for evill nor gude sall never mak me go from it.

The original French version of this letter is in the Record Office (State Papers, Mary Queen of Scots, vol. ii. p. 66). It is printed by Mr. Henderson, and by Hosack. No Latin or French version of it was printed in the Detectio.

Letter IV.

I have walkit laiter thair up then I wald have done, gif it had not bene to draw sumthing out of him, quhilk this beirer will schaw zow; quhilk is the fairest commodity {i.e. the most suitable opportunity} that can be offerit to excuse zour affairis. I have promysit to bring him the morne. Put ordour to it, gif ze find it gude.

Now, Schir, I have brokin my promeis; becaus ze commandit me nouther to wryte nor send unto zow Zit I have not done this to offend zow, and gif ze knew the feir yat I have presently, ze wald not have sa mony contrary suspiciounis in your thocht; quhilk notwithstanding I treit and chereis, as proceeding from the thing in the warld that I maist desyre, and seikis fastest to haif, quhilk is zour gude grace; of the quhilk my behaviour sall assure me. As to me: I sall never dispair of it, and prayis zow, according to zour promeis, to discharge zour hart unto me, Utherwayis[65] I will think that my malhure, and the gude handling of hir that has not ye third part of the faithfull nor willing obedience unto zow that I beir, hes wyn, aganis my will, yat advantage over me, quhilk the second lufe of Jason wan; not that I will compair zow unto ane sa unhappy as he was, nor zit myself to ane sa unpietifull ane woman as scho. Howbeit, ze caus me to be sumthing lyk unto hir in onything that tuichis zow, or yat may preserve and keip zow unto hir, to quhome only ze appertene; gif it be sa that I may appropriate that quhilk is wyn throch faithfull, zea only, lufiing of zow, as I do, and sall do all the dayis of my lyfe, for pane or evill that can cum thairof. In recompense of the quhilk, and of all the evillis quhilk ze have bene caus of to me, remember zow upon the place heir besyde.

I craif with that ze keip promeis to me the morne; but that we may meit togidder, and that ye gif na faith to suspiciounis without the certanetie of thame. And I craif na uther thing at God, but that ze may knaw that thing that is in my hart quhilk is zouris; and that he may preserve zow from all evill, at the leist sa lang as I have lyfe, quhilk I repute not precious unto me, except in sa far as it and I baith ar aggreabill unto zow. I am going to bed, and will bid zow gude nicht. Advertise me tymely in the morning how ze have fairin; for I will be in pane unto I get worde. Mak gude watch,[66] gif the burd eschaip out of the caige, or without hir mate. As ye turtur I sall remane alone for to lament the absence, how schort yat sa ever it be. This letter will do with ane gude hart, that thing quhilk I cannot do myself, gif it be not that I have feir that ze ar in sleiping, I durst not wryte this befoir Joseph, Bastiane, and Joachim, that did bot depart even quhen I began to wryte.

A French version of this letter is in the possession of the Marquis of Salisbury at Hatfield (cf. Calendar of Hatfield MSS., I. 376-7) and has been printed by Mr. Henderson. ("Casket Letters," pp. 159-162.) It is here given in full, and the variations in the published Latin and French versions, and in the English translation at Halfield are indicated in the notes.

J'ay veillé plus tard la hault que je n'eusse fait si ce neust esté pour tirer ce que ce porteur vous dira que je treuve la plus belle commoditee pour excuser vostre affaire que se pourroit presenter. Je luy ay promise de le luy mener demain si vous le trouves bon mettes y ordre. Or monsieur j'ay ja rompu ma promesse. Car vous ne mavyes comande de vous envoier ni escrire si ne le fais pour vous offencer et si vous scavyes la craint que j'en ay vous nauries tant des subçons contrairs que toutesfois je cheris comme procedant de la chose du mond que je desire et cherche le plus c'est votre bonne grace de laquelle mes deportemens m'asseureront et je n'en disesperay jamais tant que selon vostre promesse vous m'en dischargeres vostre cœur aultrement[65b] je penserais que mon malheur et le bien composer de cœux qui n'ont le troisiesme partie de la fidelité ni voluntair obéissance que je vous porte auront gaigné sur moy l'avantage de la seconde amye de Jason. Non que je vous compare a un si malheureus ni moy a une si impitoiable. Combien que vous men fassies un peu resentir en chose qui vous touschat ou pour vous preserver et garder a celle a qui seulle vous aparteines si lon se peult approprier ce que lon acquiert par bien et loyalment voire uniquement aymer comme je fais et fairay toute ma vie pour pein ou mal que m'en puisse avenir. En recompence de quoy et des tous les maulx dont vous maves este cause, souvenes vous du lieu icy pres. Je ne demande que vous me tennes promesse de main mais que nous truvions et que nadjousties foy au subçons quaures sans nous en certifier, et je ne demande a Dieu si non que coignoissies tout ce que je ay au cœur qui est vostre et quil vous preserve de tout mal au moyns durant ma vie qui ne me sera chère qu'autant qu'elle et moy vous serons agreables. Je m'en vois coucher et vous donner le bon soir mandes moy demain comme vous seres porté a bon heur. Car j'enseray en pein et faites bon guet[66b] si l'oseau sortira de sa cagé ou sens son per comme la tourtre demeurera seulle a se lamenter de l'absence pour court quelle soit-ce que je ne puis faire ma lettre de bon cœur {fera} si ce nestoit qui je {qy} peur que soyes endormy. Car je nay ose escrire devant Joseph et Bastienne et Joachim qui ne sont que partis quand J'ay commence.