CP, 153, 8

CP Volume 153 Folio 8

HMC Volume 1 Page 241 Number 755

Haynes Page 334 Number 340

Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740

27 June 1560 Mr. Secretary Cecill to Sir William Petre

From the Original.

SIR,

IT is pitee to trooble yow with our Troobles; and yet the late Occasion growing of the Queen's Majestie's Lettres, last sent by John Bynks, maketh me the bolder to impart the same unto yow. By hir Majestie's Lettres we be commanded to make a Contract with these Men for the Substance of the Leage betwixt the Queen's Majesty and the Scotts, which in no wise they can, having, as they affirme, no authorite therfore; and paffing much Alteration heruppon, they offer us a generall Clause to confirme all Thyngs in the said Treaty, Quæ spectant tantummodo ad Conservationem libertatis utriusque regni. With this Mr. Wotton will not be contented, having grete regard to the Queen's Majestie's Lettre; and so notwithstanding all indirect Pollicy, that I can, they will nedes depart. Before we pressed this Matter, they were content to pass over this Leage, and not to meddle with it; which I wold have intepreted to have bene a Permission answerable to an Article in our Instructions; but Mr. Wotton dowteth therin, and dare not aventure. I assure yow, for Thyngs knowen to me, if the Queen's Majesty's Lettre had left this Matter to my Discretion, I wold rather have aventured it with those Termes, than to have broken this Accord, wherunto we wer of all Partes come. But we be but Ministers, to doo as we be commanded, and not further, unles lack of Mony hyndreth the Preparation of the Army, and that doo theis Men well perceve, and therfore they now grow colder. If any thyng may be sene to morrow of better Purpose than this, I will advertise. I thynk we shall be forced to depart on Monday, for the French ar offended, that we procure not theyr Conduçte this Daye. From Edenburgh the 27th of June 1560. Yours assured,

W. Cecill.

To the Right Honorable Sir William Petre Knight, Chancellor of Thorder and of the Queene's Majestie's Privee Counsaille.