History of the Scottish expedition to Norway in 1612

by Thomas Michell

Letter from Sir Robert Anstruther to Sir Thomas Lache, Knyght, etc. Coppenhagen, 26 of October 1612.

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I dout not but you have hard the infortunat newis of these 300 Scottis men that went to Norroway; the bours of the country haue killed, and murthered them all, except some few, whereof Captane Alex^r Ramsay, Captane Henry Bruce, James Monypenny, and James Scott are saved, and sent by the King of Denmark unto his M^tie of great Britannie: for it is much better for them to come in the hands of a gratious and mercifull King, then to runne the hasarde and judgement of a merschel court of warre, which was heere ordained for them, if I had not prevented it, and procured, efter private examination, that they shuld be sent into Ingland.

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Paper endorsed 15, Sep 1612. The examination of Alexander Ramsey.

A.

Anno MDCXII. die XV. mensis Octobris, in horto Sereniss^mi ac Potentiss^mi Principis ac Domini, Domini CHRISTIANI Quarti, Daniæ, Norwagiæ, etc. Regis & Domini nostri clementissimi, coram nobis, Roberto Anstrutero, Ser^mi magnæ Britanniæ pro tempore Legato, Christiano Frisio et Bredone Rantzovio, regni Daniæ Senatoribus, constitutus Alexander Ramse, et ad diversa interrogata, hæc quæ sequuntur, confessus fuit.

Se ab Andrea Ramse in Locum tenentem assumptum: dictum verò Andream, se Caroli, Regis Sueciæ, literis, ad summi Ducis officium ascitum esse, affirmasse: Veruntamen nullas hac de re literas vidisse: De stipendio non conventum esse; spem sibi factam, fore, ut tantum stipendii, quantum quilibet alter supremi Ducis Locum tenens in Suecia, acciperet.

Correptus; quod S^æ R^æ M^tis Magnæ Britanniæ mandatum transgressus esset, contrà intulit se prænominati Andreæ Ramse fidem sequutum: Dixerat enim, jamdicta S^a M^te Magnæ Britanniæ sciente et indulgente illa fieri.