Translated from the History, book xviii. c. 51.
It happened that, about the same time, Bothwell sent one of his confidential servants to the castle of Edinburgh, to bring to him the silver casket, covered with inscriptions, which had once belonged to the French king, Francis. In it were letters of the Queen, almost all written with her own hand, in which both the King's murder and the whole sequel were plainly discernible; and in almost every letter there was an injunction to burn it. But Bothwell, who knew the Queen's inconstancy, of which he had recently seen many instances, preserved the letters, so that, in any disagreement, he might use their testimony, and prove himself not the author of the crime, but only an accomplice. This casket Sir Robert Balfour gave to Bothwell's servant to take away; but first he told the leaders of the opposite party what had been sent, and the agent and the destination.... It was captured....
The Deposition of Thomas Nelson.
Goodall, vol. ii. p. 243, from Cott. Lib. Calig. i. 165.
... She {the Queen} caused take down the said new black bed {in Darnley's room}, saying it would be soiled with the bath, and in the place thereof set up an old purple bed, ... and the said keys that were delivered into the hands of Archibald Beton remained still in the hands of him, and others that awaited upon the Queen, and never were delivered again to the King's servants; for she set up a green bed for herself in the said low chamber, wherein she lay the said two nights, and promised also to have bidden {remained} there upon the Sunday at night. But after she had tarried long and entertained the King very familiarly, she took purpose (as it had been on the sudden), and departed as she spake to give the masque to Bastien who that night was married {to} her servant, namely the said Archibald Beton and one Paris, Frenchman, having the keys of her chamber, wherein her bed stood in, as also of the passage that passed toward the garden.... The Queen being departed toward Holyrood-house, the King within the space of one hour passed to bed, and in the chamber with him lay umquhill {i.e. the late} William Taylor. The deponent and Edward Symonds lay in the little gallery, that went direct to the south out of the King's chamber, ... and beside them lay William Taylor's boy, who never knew of anything till the house wherein they lay was falling about them....
CRAWFORD'S DEPOSITION
Thomas Crawford's Deposition.
[With regard to the deposition of Crawford, see [p. 144]; the wording of the account of the conversation between Mary and Darnley should be carefully compared with that of the second Casket Letter.]
Hosack's Mary. Appendix L.
First I made my Lord {Lennox} my master's humble commendations unto her Majesty with the excuse that he came not to meet her, praying her grace not to think that it was either for proudness or yet for not knowing his duty towards her Highness, but only for want of health at the present, and also that he would not presume to come in her presence until he knew farther her mind because of the sharp words that she had spoken of him to Robert Cuningham, his servant, in Stirling, whereby he thought he was in her Majesty's displeasure. Notwithstanding, he has sent his servants and friends to wait upon her Majesty. She answered that there was no receipt against fear. I answered that my Lord had no fear for anything he knew in himself, but only of the cold and unkind words she had spoken to his servant. She answered and said that he would not be afraid in case he were not culpable. I answered that I knew so far of his Lordship that he desired nothing more than that the secrets of every creature's heart were written in their face. She asked if I had any farther commission. I answered no. Then she commanded me to hold my peace.