We undersubscribing, understanding that although the noble and mighty Lord James, Earl Bothwell, ... being not only bruitit {reported} and calumniated by placards, privily affixed on the public places of the Kirk of Edinburgh, and otherwise slandered by his evil willers, as art and part of the heinous murther of the King, ... but also by special letters sent to her Highness by the Earl of Lennox, and debated {accused} of the same crime ... he by condign inquest and assize of certain noblemen his peers and other barons of good reputation is found guiltless and innocent of the odious crime objected to him ... and we considering the anciency and nobleness of his house, the honourable and good service of his predecessors, and specially himself to our Sovereign, and for the defence of this her Highness' Realm against the enemies thereof, and the amity and friendship which so long has preserved betwix his House and every one of us.... Therefore obliges us, and every one of us, upon our Faith and Honours, and Truth in our bodies, as we are noblemen, and will answer to God, that in case hereafter any manner of person or persons ... shall happen to insist farther to the slander and calumniation of the said Earl of Bothwell, as participant, act or part, of the said heinous murther, ... we ... shall take ... plain and upright part with him, to the defence and maintenance of his quarrel.... Moreover, weighing and considering the time present, and how our Sovereign the Queen's Majesty is now destitute of a husband, in the which solitary state the Commonwealth of this Realm may not permit her Highness to continue and endure; ... and, therefore, in case the former affectionate and hearty service of the said Earl ... may move her Majesty so far to humble herself, as preferring one of her native born subjects unto all foreign princes, to take to Husband the said Earl, we, and every one of us undersubscribing, upon our Honours and Fidelity, obliges us, and promises, not only to further, advance, and set forward the marriage to be solemnised and completed betwix her Highness and the said noble Lord ... but in case any would presume directly or indirectly, openly, or under whatsoever colour or pretence, to hinder, hold back, or disturb the said marriage, we shall in that behalf, esteem, hold and repute the hinderers, adversaries or disturbers thereof as our common enemies and evil willers.... In witness of the which we have subscriyved these presents, as follows, at Edinburgh, the 19 Day of April, the year of God, 1567 years.
SIGNATORIES TO THE BOND
The names of such of the nobility as subscribed the bond, so far as John Read {a dependent of Murray} might remember, of whom I had this copy, being in his own hand, being commonly termed in Scotland, Ainslie's Supper.
The Earls—Murray, Huntly, Cassilis, Morton, Sutherland, Rothes, Glencairn, Caithness.
Lords—Boyd, Seton, Sinclair, Semple, Oliphant, Ogilvie, Rosse-Hacat, Carlisle, Herries, Hume, and Innermeith.
[This note is appended to Cecil's copy of the bond. It should be noted that Murray was not in Scotland at the time, and that his name does not appear in a copy of the bond in the Scots College at Paris, for which we have the authority of Sir James Balfour.]
THE QUEEN CAPTURED
1567.—May. Mary on her Capture. Instructions to the Bishop of Dunblane for the French Court.
Keith's History, vol. ii. p. 592.
In our returning he awaited us by the way, accompanied with a great force, and led us with all diligence to Dunbar.... And when he saw us like to reject all his suit and offers, in the end he showed us how far he was proceeded with our whole nobility and principals of our estates, and what they had promised him under their handwrites.... In the end, when we saw no esperance to be rid of him, never man in Scotland once making an attempt to procure our deliverance, ... so ceased he never till by persuasions and importune suit, accompanied not the less with force, he has finally driven us to end the work begun at such time and in such form as he thought might best serve his turn, wherein we cannot dissemble that he has used us otherwise than we would have wished, or yet have deserved at his hand.