"Forsamekle as my Lord Duik of Chastellerault, understanding the
fals reporte maid be the Quene Regent against him, that he and his
sone, my Lord of Arrane, should pretend usurpatioun of the Croune
and Authoritie of this realme, when in verray deid he nor his said
sone never anis mynded sic thingis, bott allanerlie in simplicitie
of heart, movit partlie be the violent persute of the religioun and
trew professouris thairof, partlie by compassioun of the
commoun-wealth and poore communitie of this realme, oppressed with
strangearis, he joyned him self with the rest of the Nobilitie,
with all hasard, to supporte the commoun caus of that ane and of
that uther; hes thoght expedient to purge him self and his said
Sone, in presence of yow all, as he had done in presence of the
Counsall, of that same cryme, of auld, evin be summondis, laid to
his charge the secound year of the regne of our Soverane Lady.
Quhilk malice hes continewed ever against him, maist innocent of
that cryme, as your experience bearis witness; and planelie
protestis, that neather he nor his said Sone suittis and seikis any
pre-eminence,[993] eather to the Croune or Authoritie, bot als far
as his puissance may extend, is readdy, and ever shalbe, to concur
with the rest of the Nobilitie his brethren, and all otheris whais
hartis ar tweichet to manteane the commoun caus of religioun and
liberty of thair native cuntrey, planelie invaded be the said
Regent and hir said soldiouris, wha onlye does forge sick vane
reportis to withdraw the heartis of trew Scottisemen from the
succour thai aught of bound dewitie to thair commoun-weall opprest.
Quharefoir [he] exhortis all men that will manteane the trew
religioun of God, or withstand this oppressioun or plane conquest,
interprysed be strangearis upoun our native Scottisemen, nott to
credyte sick fals and untrew reportis, bot rather concurr with us
and the rest of the Nobilitie, to sett your countree at libertie,
expelling strangearis thairfra; whiche doing, ye shall schaw your
self obedient to the ordinance of God, whiche was establisshed for
mantenance of the commoun-weall, and trew members of the same."
The xxi day of October, cam fra the Quene then Regent Maister Robert
Forman,[994] Lyoun King of Armes, who broght unto us ane writting in
this tennour and credit:--
"Eftir commendatioun: We have receavit your letter of Edinburgh the
xix of this instant, whiche appeared to us rather to have cumit fra
ane Prince to his subjectis, nor fra subjectis to thame that bearis
authoritie: For answer whairof, we have presentlie directed unto
yow this berar, Lyon Herald King of Armes, sufficientlie instructed
with our mynd, to whome ye shall geve credence.
"At Leyth, the 21 of October 1559.
(_Sic subscribitur_,)
"MARIE R."
[SN: LETT THIS BE NOTED, AND LEFT ALL MEN JUDGE OF THE PURPOSE OF
THE FRENCHE.]