"To speak the matter plainly, wise men do wonder what my Lord Duke's friends do mean; they are so slack and backward in this cause. In other actions, they have been judged stout and forward; and in this, which is the greatest that ever he or they had in hand, they appear destitute both of grace and of courage. I am not ignorant that they that are most inward in his counsels are enemies to God, and therefore cannot but be enemies to His cause. But the wonder is that he and his other friends do not consider that the tinsel of this godly enterprise will mean the rooting of them and their posterity from this realm. Considering, my Lords, that by God's providence ye are joined with the Duke's Grace in this common cause, do ye admonish him plainly of the danger to come. Will him to beware of the counsel of those that are plainly infected with superstition, with pride, and with venom of particular profits. If he do not this at your admonition, he shall smart, before he be aware; if ye cease to put him in mind of his duty, it may be that, for your silence, ye shall drink some portion of the plague with him...."
Upon the receipt of this letter, and consultation thereupon, a fresh decision was made; to wit, that the Lords would visit the Duke of Norfolk at Berwick, where he was.
Thus far have we digressed from the style of the history, to let the posterity that shall follow understand by what instruments God wrought the familiarity and friendship that afterwards we found in England. Now we return to our former history.
After the French Retreat from Fife.
The parts of Fife set at freedom from the bondage of those bloody worms, solemn thanks unto God, for His mighty deliverance, were given in St. Andrews. Shortly after, the Earl of Arran and Lord James apprehended the Lairds of Wemyss, Seafield, Balgonie, and Durie, and others that had assisted the French. They were, however, soon set at freedom, upon conditions that they never intended to keep: for such men have neither faith nor honesty. Mr. James Balfour, who was the greatest practiser, escaped. The English ships multiplied daily, until they were able to keep the whole Firth. This enraged the French and the Queen Regent, and they began to execute their tyranny upon the parts of Lothian that lay near to Edinburgh.
At Berwick, the Lords make a Contract with England.
In the middle of February 1560, the Lord James, Lord Ruthven, the Master of Maxwell, the Master of Lyndsay, Master Henry Balnaves, and the Laird of Pittarrow were directed to England, from the Duke's Grace and the Congregation. All these, except the Master of Maxwell, departed with their honest companies and commission by sea to Berwick. There they were met by the Duke of Norfolk, lieutenant to the Queen's Majesty of England, and with him a great company of the gentlemen of the North, and some also of the South, having full power to contract with the nobility of Scotland. This they did, upon such conditions as in the Contract are specified. And because we have heard the malicious tongues of wicked men make false report of our action, we have faithfully and truly inserted in this our history the said Contract, that the memory thereof may bide to our posterity. They may judge with indifference whether we have done anything prejudicial to our commonwealth, or yet contrary to that dutiful obedience which true subjects owe to their superiors—superiors whose authority ought to defend and maintain the liberty and freedom of the realms committed to their charge; and not to oppress and betray these to strangers. The tenor of our Contract follows.
The principal Clauses of the Treaty of Berwick.