The Queen of Scotland, Queen Dowager of France, desires to obtain the following from her good sister, the Queen of England, and has charged M. D'Oysel to the same effect:—
1. A passport for her, with a clause that if she arrives in any part of England, she may tarry there, and purchase provisions and necessaries, and if it seems good to her, that she may leave her ships and pass by land to Scotland.
2. Another safe conduct for her to pass through England to Scotland with her train, and one hundred horses, mules, &c.
3. Another safe conduct, with commission for the said M. D'Oysel to go and return through England to Scotland.
[D'Oysel had an interview with Elizabeth, who inquired about the ratification of the Treaty of Edinburgh, and declined to grant the safe-conduct "except she (Mary) shall first accord to do those things that by her promise, under her hand and seal, she is bound to do."—Foreign Calendar, July 13th, 1561.]
A WORDY WARFARE
1561.—July 26. Throckmorton to Queen Elizabeth.
Cabala, pp. 345-349.
LANGUAGE THAT BECOMETH A QUEEN
... The 20th of this present, in the afternoon, I had access to the said Queen of Scotland ... the said Queen sat down, and made me sit also by her; she then commanded all the audience to retire them further off, and said: Monsieur l'Ambassadeur, I know not well my own infirmity, nor how far I may with my passion be transported, but I like not to have so many witnesses of my passions, as the Queen, your mistress, was content to have when she talked with Monsieur d'Oysel. There is nothing that doth more grieve me, than that I did so forget myself, as to require of the Queen, your mistress, that favour which I had no need to ask; I needed no more to have made her privy to my journey, than she doth me of hers; I may well enough pass home into my own realm, I think, without her passport or license; for though the late King, your master (said she), used all the impeachment he could both to stay me and to catch me when I came hither, yet you know, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur, I came hither safely, and I may have as good means to help me home again as I had to come hither, if I would employ my friends.... Let the Queen, your mistress, think that it will be thought very strange amongst all princes and countries, that she should first animate my subjects against me, and now being widow, to impeach my going into my own country. I ask her nothing but friendship. I do not trouble her State, nor practise with her subjects; and yet I know there be in her realm that be inclined enough to bear offers; I know also they be not of the mind she is of, neither in religion or other things. The Queen, your mistress, doth say that I am young and do lack experience! indeed (quoth she), I confess, I am younger than she is, and do want experience. But I have age enough and experience to use myself towards my friends and kinsfolks friendly and uprightly; and I trust my discretion shall not so fail me, that my passion shall move me to use other language of her than it becometh of a Queen, and my next kinswoman.... I answered, madam, I have declared unto you my charge commanded by the Queen, my mistress, and have no more to say to you on her behalf, but to know your answer for the ratification of the Treaty. The Queen answered, I have aforetime showed you, and do now tell you again, that it is not meet to proceed in this matter, without the advice of the nobles and states of mine own realm, which I can by no means have until I come amongst them.... But I pray you, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur (quoth she), tell me how vieth this strange affection in the Queen, your mistress, towards me? I desire to know it, to the intent that I may reform myself if I have failed. I answered ... As soon as the Queen, my mistress, after the death of her sister, came to the crown of England, you bore the arms of England diversely quartered with your own, and used in your country notoriously the style and title of the Queen, my mistress, which was never by you put in use in Queen Mary's time.... Monsieur l'Ambassadeur (said she), I was then under the commandment of King Henry, my father, and of the King, my lord and husband; and whatsoever was done then by their order and commandments, the same was in like manner continued until both their deaths, since which time, you know, I neither bore the arms nor used the title of England.... It were no great dishonour to the Queen my cousin, your mistress, though I, a Queen also, did bear the arms of England; for, I am sure, some, inferior to me, and that be not on every side so well apparented as I am, do bear the arms of England. You cannot deny (quoth she) but that my grandmother was the King her father's sister, and (I trow) the eldest sister he had. I do assure you, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur, and do speak unto you truly as I think, I never meant nor thought matter against the Queen, my cousin.... And so I took my leave of the said Queen for that time.