reformation of religion in his country,' The French made some demonstrations of invading England at this conjuncture;" and the English fall into some composition with the French;' but being satisfied that 96 On the 12th of this present, all the noblemen in these parts assembled themselves at Aberdeen. The earls of Athol, Errol, Montrose, Marshall, Crawford; and the lords Grey, Ogleby, Drummond, and Oliphant, have promised to do as the lord Huntley shall advise him.' Lett. 10th Feb. 1560, p. 705. She went there on 28th March 1560. p. 712. If it 98 She directed him to authorise sir R. Sadler in our name to assure the queen dowager that we mean nothing more than the preservation of our own realm, which her daughter has challenged and sought many ways; and the continuance of that kingdom in due obedience to her daughter, to be governed by its laws and without force of arms. be objected by the French, that they remain for subduing of the rebellion, we mean not to have the same removed, until the due obedience shall be acknowleged unto their sovereign lady, agreeable to the laws and liberties of the land.' Lett. 28th March 1560. p. 711. Her private letter of 15th Feb. to the duke of Norfolk, expressed, that except the nobility of Scotland shall be able themselves to expel the forces of France, that in these, our former intent must needs continue to aid them, to the clear expulsion of the French, whereby our kingdom may be more free from the invasion of France.' Haynes' Stat. Pap. 243. 99 Sir Thomas Chaloner's dispatch from Brussels, of 5th Feb. 1560, was, 'The admiral Chastillon is at this present at Calais with twelve ensigns, and by the latter of this month they shall be thirty ensigns; CHAP. XIX. II. 101 BOOK prepared to assist the Scots in the siege of Leith; 100 while the lords entered into articles of amicable arrangement with the government at Westminster, for its protecting succor.' No country ever made a compact with another for better purposes, more divested of ambitious ends, or with more honorable disinterestedness. The simple object was the expulsion of a common enemy, for the preservation of their national safety and individual independence. The queen of England issued a proclamation, declaring her desire to remain at peace with both France and Scotland; but detailing the conduct of the Guises, who, for their private advancement, were obviously seeking to involve the three countries in vindictive hostilities.102 Spain admitted the end of Elizabeth to be to have her realm in safety,' yet requested her to withdraw her forces from Scotland. not so much meant for Scotland, as for descent somewhere in England. Take heed to the Isle of Wight. The French will join to these eight companies of their gens d'armerie, and one thousand Swartrutters.* Haynes' Stat. Pap. 236. It is pleasing to read the ambassador's character of the founder of our Royal Exchange: Sir Thomas Gresham maketh such haste away for the queen's majesty's affairs, being a jewel for trust, wit, and diligent endeavour.' ib. 237. 100 Council's letter to the duke of Norfolk, 12 March. Haynes, 259. 101 They were first made at Berwick, 27 February 1560 (Haynes, p. 253;) approved of by Elizabeth, and re-copied and enlarged, 12 March (p. 259;) and sent a week afterwards to the duke, p. 264. After reciting the intention of the French to conquer Scotland, and unite it to their own crown, Elizabeth agreed to take it under her protection only for the preservation of its liberties during Mary's marriage with the French king, and one year after, and that she should send convenient aid to expel the French there, and to stop more from coming; and on taking any forts, to deliver them to the lords, or let the Scots demolish them, and should fortify no place without their consent; and that she should never permit Scotland to be conquered by France. The Scots agreed to assist England if invaded. Haynes, 253-5. 102 See it in Haynes, 268-70, dated 24 March 1560. On 5 April, Cecil made a private memorial of the injuries committed by France since the last peace.' ib. 277. 105 XIX. The queen answered the partial requisition by de- CHAP. siring the departure of the French, whose continuance had alone caused their entrance.103 Lord Grey was ordered to omit nothing for the siege of Leith ;10+ but having more bravery than skill, the place remained untaken; a vigorous assault failed, and the place was found not to be assaultable; 106 and sir Peter Carew was sent to inquire into the causes of the failure.107 But famine began to distress the defenders;108 and the French finding their great objects frustrated, evinced a desire for treating on a general pacification. pacification. The queen dowager's death accelerated the proposal.10 Sir William Cecil went down to Newcastle with Dr. Wotton, as the English commissioners, to confer with the bishop of Valence and Monsieur Randan;110 and after many meetings and much disputation, the articles of peace were 109 103 Minute of sir Fr. Knolles, 8 April. Haynes, p. 280. The French were borrowing Spanish ships and troops in Flanders, and had applied to the king of Portugal for some of his. ib. p. 286. 10 Queen's letter 16 April. ib. 291. On 20 April lord John Grey made his remarks to Cecil upon it. p. 295. A week after, a severe skirmish occurred before its walls. 296-300. 6 105 On 26 April, Norfolk intimated to the secretary, that tho Grey was 'forward enough, all is not in him that hath been thought.' p. 299. And on 5 May, ' Out of doubt, my lord Grey's service doth consist but on courage without any conduct. Every man that can lead a band of horsemen is not for so great an enterprise.' p. 304. By the 8 May, the duke stated, 'Out of 8,500 foot, he could only shew now 4,500. If the queen mind the winning of Leith, it is not to be done under 20,000 men.' p. 304. 106 Norf. letter, 11 May, p. 305. At the assault, the women did us much woe.' p. 319. 107 See Mem. 15 May, p. 310. His report was, that the assault failed, because there was not sufficient breach, and the ladders were not long enough by two yards, thro fault in not viewing of the ditches. Both Sadler and Crofts thought the breaches insufficient, and that it should not be meddled with; yet lord Grey persisted in attempting it.' Haynes, p. 346. 108 Lett. 30 May, p. 319. Haynes, 324. See notes of their 109 In June 1560, Cecil's letter. II. BOOK finally arranged," and Leith abandoned, with the stipulation that its fortifications should be demolished.112 113 To remove the personal danger to Elizabeth from the hostile competition of Mary for her immediate crown, which established a perilous rallying point for all who chose to become disaffected in England, and for all Roman Catholics there, it was expressly agreed in these pacifying articles, that Mary and her husband should abstain from using or bearing the title and arms of the kingdom of England or Ireland. The English army then marched homeward. The reforming preachers were allowed to continue their labors; and when the Scottish parliament met, their confession of faith received its sanction. The former clergy were declared to be usurping ministers, and the new ones only were to have power to administer the sacrament.114 The Reformation in Scotland thus received a legal establishment. 115 But Mary and her regal husband refused their ratification; 116 and thus kept the claim to dispossess Elizabeth unrenounced, and therefore 352. They were signed 6 July 1560. Cecil's letter, Haynes, p. 112 Cecil stated to the queen the substance of the peace. The most material points were: All the French fortifications to be demolished; the French soldiers to evacuate Scotland, and no more to be landed. The government of Scotland was to be in a council of twelve, out of twentyfour to be named by Parliament, of whom Mary was to chuse seven, and the estates the other five. The public offices to be filled by Scotsmen. A full recognition of Elizabeth's right to her crown, and disuse of her title and arms by Mary. Haynes, 354-6. 113 Keith, 134. He gives the other documents connected with this negotiation, 131–144. 114 Ib. 149, 150. 115 It was in August 1560 that these Acts passed. Keith, 151. 116 Keith, 154. XIX. ready to operate to all its possible results; while it CHAP. continued in the meantime its disquieting alarms."7 The unexpected death of Francis II. in the seventeenth year of his age, on 4th December 1560, which left Mary a widow, is declared to have been of critical importance, even not only to the French reformation,118 but, as to the actual day of its occurrence, to the very existence of the present dynasty of Bourbon, which was to have been sacrificed to the Romish religion,' 119 and to the ambition of the house of Guise. The states of France were then assembled at Orleans. The queen mother, Catherine de Medicis, persuaded Navarre, whom she released, to let her be appointed regent. 120 Her avowed 117 Sir J. Melville mentions, that after the queen regent's death at Edinburgh, all Scotsmen that were in France were detested, and some made prisoners. This caused me to require license of my queen [Mary] to visit other countries.' The constable gave him letters to the elector palatine, 'where I was advised first to remain to learn the German tongue. I was courteously received by this prince, and obtained such favor with him, that he sent me to France, as soon as he heard of the death of Francis, to rejoice and condole with the new young king Charles IX.' p. 85, 6. 6 118 Castelnau notices, that a grand dessein pour la religion was frustrated by the death of this king.' Mem. p. 57. This great design was, that if he had not died so soon, in a short time, as the evil [the reformation] was only in its birth, it would have been speedily stifled, and those of this opinion being reduced to extremity, would have had more to do in struggling against judges or in asking pardon, than in making war in the field. p. 58. Such were the mild plans intercepted by the death of Francis II.; which Charles IX. his brother, endeavored afterwards to execute. 119 Melville, who was at Paris immediately afterwards, and was so much trusted by Montmorency, declares that the king of Navarre (the father of Henry IV.) and his brother the prince of Condé, were under arrest, and in three days more would have been executed; that scaffolds had been prepared, and that Montmorency, who had been sent for to court, looked for no less,' and therefore made short journies on the road, under pretence of sickness, in order to procrastinate the time. Mem. p. 86. As he was in great favor with the king of Navarre,' p. 87, his statement comes with unusual authority. |