CP 153, 34

CP Volume 153 Folio 34-35

HMC Volume 1 Page 247 Number 775

Haynes Page 351-353 Number 352

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

6 July 1560 Secretary Cecill and Mr. Wotton to the Quene's Majesty

From the Original.

IT may please your excellent Majestie, after our last Letters wrytten the 2d July, we receaved your Majestie's Lettres of the 28th of June, brought hither to Edenburgh the 3d of this, in the Morning; the Contents wherof tending to the Liberty of Scotland, be so well provided for, as we trust your Majesties Expectation shalbe fully satisfyed. And yet we had attempted the same Manner of Proceding, as your Majesty doth, abowt this present Tyme, understand, by our long Letter, dated the first of this Month; at the wryting wherof certenly we wer more perplexed, then we durst seme to any Manner of Person. Nevertheless we have obteyned for your Majesties owne causees an honorable End, compelling them to acknowledg your undouted right, which they wer very hardly brought to doo in oppen Treaty: Nether we thynk they wold thereto agree, but that we bare them in Hand, that we wold not only breake uppon that Poynt with all our Harts, but also therby the World shuld see manifestly there injurioose Purposees, which in Words they had excused and coverid: In the end, it was obteyned, to there no small inward Greeffe, and to our inward Contentation. As for the Surerty and Liberty of Scotland we have bene meanes to obteyne all Thyngs requisite, so as the Nobilite here acknoledg the Realme more bounden to your Majesty, than to there Soverayne. In getting of Things, we have so tempered the Mater of graunting therof, that the Honor of the French Kyng and Quene is as much considered as may be, wherunto we wer no small helpers, as we thynk the French Embassadors will confess, yea and thank us more for the same, than there Master's Subjects. This Countrey shall be governed by a Counsell of itself of twelve, which Nomber shall be taken owt of the twenty four to be first named in Parlement by the three Estats; and of the twelve, seven shall be named by the Quene, and five by the Lords of Parlement. All thyngs past since Marche 1558. shalbe forgotten and by Parlement shalbe confirmed; every Man restored to his Office, in the Realme; no Frenchmen shall have any Office within the Realme; six and twenty Soldiers onely shall remayn, that is, twenty three in Dunbarr, and twenty three in Insketh; and those to be monethly mustred and payd be the Counsell of Scotland, and to be justefyed by the Laws of Scotlande; no Munition nor Victell shalbe brought into Scotland but from six Months to six Months, onely for there two Places, and the Nombers of sixscore. It seemeth very probable, that the Fort in the Ile shalbe demolished and the Chargees saved. Likewise for saving of Chargees we thynk suerly Dunbarr shall be putt into the Scottes Handes. In dede as Thyngs be now altered, we thynk the French will attempt, that they shall hereaster meane, by Money and Corruption, rather than by Force, to make a Division here: Wherof the Nobilite here seeme not to be improvident, and for avoyding of the Danger, wold, if it were not to suspiciose, make an Accord in Parlement, that whosoever shall take Pension of Fraunce, shalbe accompted an Enemy to there Contrey. This is there present Humor, but a Potion of Fraunce Crownes may chaunce alter this. In this Poynt our Admonitions to them be not forgotten. Amongst other Thyngs for ther Suerty we have compacted in your Majesties Treaty: First, that there shall no Shipp come into Scotland with Men of Warr or Munition: Next, that the French King and Quene shall accomplish all his grants to the Scotts; which, if he shall doo, we see not but your Majesty shall have long quietness with Scotland. It hath bene the difficulste Matter almost in our Treaty to obteyne a Covenant from the French Kyng and Quene to yowr Majesty to performe his Promisees to his Subjects, for therin, as they saye, there Masters Honour is more towched, than in any Thyng that ever cold chaunce to hym; for so the World shall saye, that he is forced by your Majesty therto, (as in truth he is) though it may not be so sayd to Frenchmen: Next, the Scotts shall hereby owe all the Favor which they receive from there King and Quene, to your Majesty, as in truthe also they doo, though they may not saye so to the French: And to make a cover for all this, these Imbassadors were forced by us to take a few good Words in a Preface to the same Article; and we content with the Kurnell, yelded to them the Shell to playe withall. Many other Thyngs be accorded to the Scotts, which shall much touch the French in Honor, and chiefly redound to the Liberty of the Countrey. Two Thyngs have bene to whott for the French to medle withall, and therefore they be passed over, and left as they found them. The first is the Matter of Relligion, which is here as freely and rather more earnestly, as I the Secretary thynk, receaved, than in England; a hard Thyng now to alter, as it is planted. The second is, the Accord, betwixt your Majesty and Scotland, remayneth in the same State that it was, and being motioned by the French Embassador to have it dissolved, the Scotts wold not Accord. These two Thyngs, we thynk, will much offend the French; and how they will hereaster stand, we be well contented to leave them as we found them; and yet, if the sayd Treaty shuld not remayne in force, the speciall Poynts tending to kepe Frenchmen out of Scotland and such lyke, be well and assuredly provided for. Thus we be bold in some Part to trouble your Majesty with our Doings, not dowting but when at our retorne your Majesty and your Counsell shall understand the whole, our Meanings and Intents shall not be disallowed. Now for our Proceedings, Yesterday the Accord betwixt Fraunce and Scotland was protracted to very Night, and at last concluded, and putt in wryttyng this forenoone. Our Treaty was Yesterdaye redy on both Parts to Signing and Sealing; and therin stayed untill this Daye, for that we wold have all doone at one Instant this Daye: Nevertheless our Articles for Demoliton of Lethe, and removyng of the French wer Yesternight signed, sealed, and delyvered; but yet they shall not be putt in execution, untill the Trety be also singed this Day. If we so conclude, we shall doo our endevor to hasten the Matter to the dissolving of the Army. I the Secretary have had some care herof, and have taken order both uppon the Sea and Land for the furderance herof. After the Wrytyng herof this fornoone, we have on all Parts signed, sealed and delyvered our Treatyes, that is to saye, betwist us and the French, and betwixt the French and Scotts; so as we be gone as farr as wrytyng can conduct us to Peace. We meane this Afternoone to proclame it, after a little Ceremonye done to understand the Contentation of the Towne; as though the Peace were not concluded, for Respect of their two Comissionars, lest the Counsellors of the Towne shuld uppon bravery (not mete for there Estate) alledg, that they had no nede of this Peace, as, if they shuld perceve the Peace concluded without them, they wold doo. And so meaning to advertise your Majesty with all spede, we do presently make a hasty ende; besechyng the same to take our Services in good part, whereby we shall thynk our Labors well bestowed, as otherwise we have done nothyng but our humble Duetyes. From the Campe before Leth the 6th of July 1560. Your Majesty's most bumble and obedient Subjects and Servants,

W. Cecill, N. Wotton.