Volume II Part 3 (2/2)
[94] In Vautr. edit. this name occurs as two words, ”b.u.t.teau Court;”
in MS. G, ”b.u.t.tincourt.” The person referred to, the Sieur de Bethencourt, is already mentioned in a note to vol. i. p. 384. Sir N.
Throkmorton, in his correspondence from Paris, notices that on ”the 11th of this present, (_i. e._ the month of June) there arrived here in post out of Scotlande, _one Butomcourt, a Frenchman, Maister d'hostel_ to the Quene Dowagier there, &c.” (Forbes's State Papers, vol. i. p. 130.) On the 21st June, he is called ”Betoncourt, the Scotishe Quenis Master d'hostel,” (ib. p. 141); again, on the 29th July, ”Butomcourt, which I thinke pa.s.sed through to England, had in charge to will the Quene Douagier of Scotland _to conforme herself to the Scotts procedings in religion, and to dissemble with them_; supposing that to be the best meane to worke theyr purposes.” (Ib. p.
183.) And on the 8th August, he further says, there was ”sent by Botuncourt, at his last dispetche, diverse blankes to the Quene Dowager, signed by the French King and Queen.” (Ib. 193.) His arrival in Scotland, with these letters, is noticed by Knox: see vol. i. p.
384.
[95] This date is left blank in the various copies of Knox's History.
But the above is neither a full or accurate copy of the letter, of which Mr. Tytler has given an extract from the original in the State Paper Office.--(Hist. vol. vi. pp. 136, 386.) It is dated not from St.
Johnstone (or Perth,) but from ”St. Andrews, 15th August 1559;” and will afterwards be given entire.
Answere with great expeditioun was returned to this letter, desyring some men of credite to be sent frome the Lordis to Berwyk,[96] for the receaving of money for the first supporte, with promeise, that gif the Lordis of the Congregatioun meant no utherwyse then befoire thei had writtin, and gif thei wald enter in league with honest conditionis, thei sould neather lack men nor money to thair just caus. Upoun this answer, was directed from the Lordis to Berwik, Maister Henrye Balnaves, a man [of] goode credit in boyth the realmes, who suddenlie returned with such a somme of money as served all the publict effaris till November nixt; when Jhonne c.o.kburne of Ormistoun send[97] for the second supporte, and receaving the same, unhappelie fell in to handis of the Erlle Bothwell, was wounded, tane, and spoilzed of a great somme.[98] Upoun whiche mischance followed all the rest of oure troubles befoire rehersed.
[96] In Sadler's State Papers, (vol. i. p. 401), there is a letter, dated 20th August 1559, addressed by Sir James Crofts to Knox, mentioning that Sadler and himself were desirous ”to have som conference eyther with Mr. Henry Balnaves, or som other discrete and trusty man, for the better expedicion of this grete and weightie busyness, which you have in hande;” and suggesting, that he should come by sea to Holy Island, and afterwards to be conveyed in secret manner to Berwick. On the same day, Sadler and Crofts wrote to Cecil, representing that some aid should be granted, along with the sum of 2000 or 3000 crowns, to relieve the Protestant party in Scotland in their present necessities: see page 35, note 2.
[97] In MS. G, ”being sent;” in Vautr. edit., ”sent.”
[98] The sum of 1000 sterling, on the last of October: see note in vol. i. p. 455.
In the Secound Booke preceading, we have declaired how Secretarye Lethingtoun[99] was directed to England: but one thing we have befoire past by. In that, oure greatest dejectioun, this ordour was tackin, That the Duike his Grace, the Erlle of Glencarne, Lord Boyd, Lord Uchiltrie, and thair freindis, should remain togither at Glaskow, for conforte of the countrey, and for geving of answeris, as occasioun should requyre; and that the Erlle of Arrane, the Lord James, the Erlle of Rothess, the Maister of Lyndsay, and thair adherantes, should continew togither within Fyffe, for the same causses, that advertiss.e.m.e.ntis mycht go frome the one to the other, as neid requyred. In the negotiatioun of the Secretary Lethingtoun with the Quene and Counsall of England, (in whiche he travailed with no less wisdome and faithfulnes then happy successe,) mony thingis occurred that requyred the resolutioun of the hole Lordis,[100] amanges which thair was one quhairof befoir no mentioun is maid.
[99] William Maitland, see _supra_, p. 4, note 2.
[100] In MS. 1566, ”holye;” in MS. G. ”haill.”
Efter that the Quene and Counsall of England had concluded to send thair army into Scotland, for expelling of the Frenche, the Duke of Northfolk was sent to Berwyk,[101] with full instructionis, power, and commissioun, to do in all thingis concerning the present effaris of Scotland, as mycht the Quene and Counsellis in thair awin personis[102] do. Heirupoun the said Duke requyred sicke a pairt of the Lordis of Scotland, as had power and commissioun from the whole, to meet him at suche day and place as pleised thame to appoint. This advertiss.e.m.e.nt came first to Glaskow, by the meanis of the Maister of Maxwell. Quhilk redd and considdered by the Lordis, conclusioun was takin, that thei wald meitt at Carleill;[103] and that was the procurement of the said Maister of Maxwell, for his ease. Heirupoune war letteris direct fra the Lordis, lyeing in Glaskow, to Lord James, requyring him, with all possible expeditioun, to repair towardis thame for the purpois foirsaid. Which letteris redd and advised upoun, commandment was gevin to Jhone Knox to mak the answer: For so it was appointed at the devisioun of the Lordis, that he should answer for the pairte of thoise that war in Fyffe; and Maister Henrye Balnaves for the pairte of thame that abaide at Glaskow. The said Jhone answered as followis:--
[101] The Queen's letter to Sadler, intimating the appointment of the Duke of Norfolk as Lord Lieutenant in the Northern Counties, is dated the last of December 1559. He arrived at Newcastle on the 6th or 7th of January. The whole of his correspondence with the Privy Council of England, while he exercised that office, has been printed in Haynes's Collection of Original State Papers, from the Cecil or Burghley Papers. (Lond. 1740, folio.) Sir Ralph Sadler has also preserved several other letters of a less public nature: see note by Sir Walter Scott, in Sadler, vol. i. p. 718.
[102] In MS. G, ”thair awin proper persons.”
[103] The town of Carlisle.
”TO THE LORD DUKE HIS GRACE, AND THE LORDIS AT GLASKOW.
”AFTER humill commendatioun of my service. Albeit I have writtin ofter then anes to Mr. Henrye Balnaves, what thingis have myslyked me in youre slaw proceideings, alsweill in supporting youre brethrein, quho many dayes have susteined extreame danger in these pairtes, as in making provisioun how the ennemye mycht have bein annoyed,[104] quho lay in few nomber nye to youre quarteris in Striveling; and in making lykewayis provisioun, how the expectatioun of your freindis, quho long have awaited for youre answer, mycht have bein satisfied;--Albeit, (I say,) that of thoise thingis I have befoire complained, yet of verry conscience, I am compelled to signifie unto youre Honoris, that onless of these, and other inormiteis, I sall espye some redress, I am a.s.sured that the end shalbe suche as G.o.dlie men shall murne, that ane good cause shall perishe for lack of wisdome and diligence. In my last letteris to Mr. Henrye Balnaves, I declared, that youre especiall freindis in England wounder that no gritter expeditioun is maid, the weycht of the mater being considdered. Gif the falt be in the Lord Duke, and his freindis, I wrait also, that the greatest loss should be his and thairs in the end. And now, I can nott cease, boyth to wonder and lament, that youre hoile Counsall was so dest.i.tute of wisdome and discretioun as to charge this poore man, the Priour,[105] to come to you to Glaskow, and thairefter to go to Carleill, for suche effearis as ar to be entreated. Was thair none amangis you, quho did foirsee quhat inconvenientis mycht insew his absence frome these partis? I cease to speake of the dangeris in the ennemy.
Youre freindis have lyen in the Frith now xv. dayis bypast, (what was thair formar travaill is nott unknawin); thei have never receaved conforte of any man (him only excepted), more then thei had lyen upoun the coast of thair mortall ennemye.
Do ye nott considder, that suche a companye sall neide conforte and provisioun from tyme to tyme? Remove him, and quho abydeth that cairfullie will travaill in that or any uther wechty materis in these pairtis? Did ye nott farther considder, that he had begune to meddle with the gentilmen[106] who had declaired thameselfis unfreindis heirtofoir; and also that ordour wald have bein taekin for suche as haif bein neutrall: now, be rea.s.soun of his absence, the one shall escaip without admonitioun, and the other shalbe at thair formare libertie? I am a.s.sured that the ennemye sall nott sleip, neather in that nor in uther effairis, to undermynd you and your hoile caus; and especiallie to hurte this pairt of the countrey to revenge thair formare foly. Gif none of these formar causses should have moved you to have considered that such a journay (at suche a tyme,) wes nott meet for him, neather yit for thame that must accompany him; yit discreit men wald have considdered, that the men that have lyen in thair jackes, and travailled thair horse continuallie the s.p.a.ce of a moneth, requyreth some longer rest, boyth to thame selfis, but especiallie to thair horsses, (befoire thei had bein charged to suche a journey,) then yitt they have had. The Priour may, for satisfactioun of your unreasonable myndis, interpryse the purposse; but I am a.s.sured, he shall nott be able to have s.e.x honnest men in all Fyiff to accompany him: And how that eather standis with youre Honoris, or with his safetie, juge ye youre selfis. But yitt, wonder it is, that ye did nott considder, to quhatt paine and fascherie shall ye putt youre freindis of England, especiallie the Duke of Northfolke, and his Counsall, whome ye shall caus travaile the most wearesoum and fa.s.schous gaitt that is in England.
In my opinioun, quhosoever gaif you that counsall eather laicked rycht judgement in thingis to be done, or ellis had too much respect to his awin ease, and too small regaird to the travaill and danger of thair bretherein. A comoun cause requireth a comoun concurrance, and that everie man beare his burdein proportionablie. But prudent and indifferent men espy the contrair in this caus, especiallie of lait dayis; for the weakest ar maist greavouslie charged, and to quhome the mater maist belongeth, and to quhome justlie greatest burthein is dew, ar exempted in a manor boyth from travaill and expensses. To speik the mater plainlie, wyse men do wonder what my Lordis Dukis freindis do meane, that thei ar so slaike and backward in this caus: In uther actionis, thei have bein judged stout and fordward; and in this, whiche is the greatest that ever he or thei had in hand, thei appeir dest.i.tut bayth of grace and of courage. I am nott ignorant, that thei that are most inward of his counsall ar ennemyes to G.o.d, and thairfoire can nott bot be ennemyes to his cause. But wounder it is, that he and his uther freindis should nott considder, that the tinsale of this G.o.dlie interpryse, shalbe the routing of thame and thair posteritie frome this realme. Considdering, my Lordis, that by G.o.ddis providence ye ar joyned with the Dukis Grace in this comoun cause, admonishe him plainlie of the danger to c.u.m: will him to beware of the counsale of those that ar plainlie infected with superst.i.tioun, with pryde, and with vennome of particulare proffeit; whiche gif he do not at your admonitioun, he shall smarte, befoir he beware: and gif ye cease to putt him in mynd of his deutie, it may be that, for youre silence, ye shall drynk some portioun of the plague with him. Tak my plaine speking, as proceeding from him that is nott youre ennemye, being also unceartaine when I shall have occasioun to writt heareafter. G.o.d, the Father of oure Lord Jesus Christ, a.s.sist you with the spreit of wisdome and fort.i.tude, that to his glorie, and to youre Lordschipis and oure commoun conforte, ye may performe that thing, which G.o.dlie wes ones begun. Amen. From Sanctandrois, the vj. of Februare, in haist, 1559.[107]
(_Sic subscribitur_,) ”Your Lordschipis to command in G.o.dliness, ”J. K.”
[104] In the MS. of 1566, ”anoyned;” MS. G. has ”anoyit.”
[105] Lord James Stewart, Prior of St. Andrews: see vol. i. p. 249, note 5.
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