CP 152, 69

From Waalt

CP Volume 152 Folio 69-70

HMC Volume 1 Page 194 Number 640

Haynes Page 264 Number 246

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

19 March 1559 The Queen's Majesty to the Duke of Norfolk

From a Minute of Secretary Cecill.

RIGHT trusty and right welbeloved Cosyn we grete yow well. We haue well wayed, and by advise of our Counsell considered the Articles, conteyning the Conference betwixt yow as our Lieutenant Generall, and the Lord James Steward, and certen other Lords of Scotland, hauing Comission of the Duke of Chastelleroult, and other of the Nobilitie of Scotland joyned with hym. And perceauing the Substance and fynall Scope thereof to be the Preservation, first of the Kingdom of Scotland, from Conquest, and secondly of this our owne Kyngdom from Invasion of France; we haue caused the same Articles to be (onely in some Partes for more playne understanding therof) reformed, and doo send the Coppye thereof at this present unto yow: Requyring yowe, that because they shall come somwhat late to your Hands, ye will with all Expedition notefye the same to the sayd Lord James and his Collegees, lest they, or some other of there parte, might be in the meane tyme ledd into some dout of our Contentation to ayde them. And at the tyme of your Advertisement yow shall doo well to procure, that they maye Sygne and Seale there Part, and send the same by such Persons as shall receyve your Parte. And assure them that we haue also accorded to ratefy the same under our great Seale of England, which they shall they shall haue uppon the sending of the Hostagees promised; for performance wherof we doo also presently send awey by Sir Nicholas L'Estrange, the sayd Confirmation under our Great Seale. And although we doo thus procede for most surty, lest the Parte of Scotland shuld fall in some dowte and mistrust, if they shuld not understand our Contentation to gyve them the Ayde expected; yet we doo daylye and rather howrely looke for some kynd of Answer from the French King to such Matter, as we sent to hym, for redress as well of such unfrendly Dealings with us, as of his Violence and Force in Scotland. To the which, if his Answer shall be as we requyred, that is, indede, and withoht delaye, to redress all his Attempts agaynst us, and indede to withdrawe his whole Forces out of Scotlande, and to committ the Governance thereof to the naturall People of the Land, then we shall be very well content to forbeare the obteyning thereof by Force: Of which Answer if we be not advised before the 21 of this Moneth, nor satisfyed indede before the 24th or 25th, then we haue a just and honorable Cause to persew our reasonable Request by Force. And for this Purpose we haue, as to such a Matter apperteneth, thought necessary that, whilest we remayned in expectation of some Answer, nether our Power nor the Power of Scotland. shuld be out of reddyness; nether shuld longar forbeare, than that they might both mete at Achynson's Hauen the 31st hereof, lyke as heretofore we wrote unto yow. And if any of the Parte of Scotland shal be abused by the Practisees of the French, that this differryng from the 25th is the 31st is to leave the Matter at Random; ye maye assure them, that the principall Cause was for that wee thought it a Parte of Princely Honour on our behalf, although it be not so used on the French King's Parte, to demand first rather by our request and amicable Manner, the Redress of the Enormytyes and Hostilities, than by force; and therin also to gyve them reasonable tyme both to advertise, and persorme the Purpose which is reasonably required on both our Partes. And therfore lyke as the Cause of it self is just and naturall to defend and expell Force with Force, so is it now honorable to doo that by Force, that they will not accord unto by Request and Treaty. Thus yow may truely satisfye all Persons as ye shall see Cause. Presently we haue not to wryte any more unto yow, but require yow to see all manner of thyngs reddy for the Exploict ageynst the Daye assigned: And except we shall haue Cause to the contrary, and shall thereof advertise yow, our Pleasure is that ye shall follow your former Instructions: And where, in the Copye of the Articlees, there remayneth two vacant and blank Places, one for the Nomber of Horsemen, the other for Footmen, because we knowe not what the Lords of Scotland will agree to therin, we leaue it to your Consideration uppon Conference with them; and thynk it shall be very well if ye can obteyne, that the Nomber of Horsmen be made two thousand, and the Footmen one thousand; or the Horsmen fifteen hundred at least; for we thynk the Seruice of there Horsmen more convenient for the remote Parts of our Realme, than Footmen. Gyven under, &c.