1. lib. (£50.)
1562.—"Item, the xvj day of Aprile, be the Quenis Grace precept to David Ritio, Italiane, chalmer-cheild, as his acquittance schawin vpoun compt beris,
xv. lib."
These payments seem to have been additions to the annual pension granted to him by the Queen. In the "Compt of the Collector Generall of the Thirds of Benefices," for the year 1561, and rendered 18th February 1563-4, we find among the pensions paid, the following entry:—"And of the soume of threscoir fivetene pundis, pait be the Comptare to David Rycheo, Italiane, vallet of the chalmer, for his zeirlie pensioun, granted to him be the Quenis Majestie, of the zeir compted, as hir Hienes letters vnder hir subscriptioun, and the said Davidis acquittance schawin and producit upoun compt proportis,
lxxv. lib."
In 1564, Riccio's salary was £80, paid quarterly; and in December that year, he was nominated French Secretary to the Queen, in place of Raulet. (Randolph's Letter to Cecil, 3d December 1564, Keith's Hist., vol. ii. p. 259; and Labanoff, vol. i. p. 248.) In the Treasurer's Accounts in August 1565, there are numerous payments made "to David Riccio Secretar," for articles of furniture, dress, &c., "be the King and Quenis Graces precept," chiefly for the use of "the Kingis Grace." He had been an active promoter of the Queen's marriage with Darnley, which may have contributed to increase his interest at Court. Randolph, in a letter to Cecil, dated 3d June 1565, uses this strong language:—" David now worketh all, and is only governor to the King and his family; great is his pride, and his words intolerable. People have small joy in this new master, and find nothing but that God must either send him a short end, or them a miserable life. Tho dangers to those he now hateth are great, and either he must be taken away, or they find some support, that what he intendeth to others may fall upon himself." (Keith's Hist., vol. ii. p. 291.) It has been said that he was appointed Keeper of the Great Seal about this time. This undoubtedly is a mistake: see vol. i. p. 446. But the influence he had obtained, and the prospect that when the Parliament assembled he might prevail upon the Queen to proceed against the Earl of Murray and the chief Protestants, in connexion with the foolish jealousy of her husband, gave rise to that conspiracy which terminated in Riccio's murder—one of those deeds which disgrace the history of this country.
Referring again to the Treasurer's Accounts, one or two other entries may be quoted:—
"Item, be the Quenis grace command, the last of Januar [1565-6,] to David Riccio, for reparatione of his chalmer, as his acquittance schawin upoun compt beris,
ijc lib. (£200.)"
On the last of February he received, on the Queen's account, £2000 in part payment of 10,000 merks, for "the dewitie of the Cunzehouse." And after his death, we find,