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sioners as many ships with like number of men as came with my Lord of Lennox at his last being there. The Mr. Kilmaurs bade Edgar also say that the Earl his father, and himself, were out of trust with the Governor and his friends; but the Cardinal hath much trust in them, for they know his mind is towards the agreement of the peace, and to my Lord of Lennox's purpose. He bade him also say that he did see letters shewed unto him by the Cardinal that came from the French King to the Governor and the Abbot of Paisley, which mentioned that one Delycray, Frenchman, was ready to come into Scotland forthwith, with money and munition; how much, the letters did not ascertain; and soon after, one Lorge Maquire should arrive there, with 400,000 crowns and a good number of men forth of France. It appeared in the said letters that the French King has written to the King of Denmark to prepare such number of men forth of his dominion of Denmark as he may furnish to pass into Scotland, in haste, to aid the Scots, and the French King will pay their wages. And yet he bade Edgar say that he perceived by the Cardinal's words that the Cardinal had no trust to the coming either of the men or money, but a protraction of time, with fair words from the French King.

Edgar also says that on the third of March he delivered a letter from my Lord Wharton to the Earl of Glencairn, at Fyndliston, a manor place of his, upon the next morrow after the Mr. Kilmaurs came from Glasgow to his father at Fyndliston;

and there the Earl of Glencairn presently, with his son the Master of Kilmaurs, bade Edgar say to my Lord Wharton that, like as he perceived by his son that he had moved Edgar to say from him even so he thought convenient that the Earl of Lennox should sue for the commission in form as afore; and to bring at the least with them 5000 men; and in any wise that my Lord Wharton might be in that commission, for his son might supply his room upon the west borders of England during his absence; and he doubted not but if the Earl of Lennox might obtain that commission, with such a number of men, and to bring with him also the Earl of Cassilis and the Lord Maxwell, all things would be dressed to the King's Majesty's pleasure, and the weal of both realms. And he was sure that the Cardinal, with the most part of the noblemen of Scotland, except the Governor and his brother, were well minded to consent to the peace and marriage in form, as the noblemen, the King's Highness's prisoners had promised, and for the same so delivered their pledges.

Also they bade Edgar say that it should be best that the said commissioners should come with that power of 5000 men, to the Garlough, upon the coast, near to Dumbarton; there to remain until those commissioners, with such other commissioners of Scotland, might meet to treat upon these causes, and to enter pledges on both sides for assurance to perform their premises. And likewise they bade Edgar say that it would be well done that my Lord of Lennox in the mean time

addressed his letters to the Earl of the Illis, to meet with the said commissioners at the Garlough, to join with them in their treaties for the King's Majesty's purpose; and if it were known in Scotland that the Earl of Illis did come for maintenance of my Lord of Lennox's causes, it would be mean to put many in Scotland in fear to be against the Earl of Lennox, and also that no powers should assemble at that present for any displeasure. And further they bade him say, that they thought good that, afore the setting forwards of the commissioners, it should be bruited along the borders of England that the King's Majesty's army was coming to invade upon Scoland; whereby it would cause the Scotsmen to sue to my Lord of Lennox to stay the army, and, therewith to make the Scots (with a fear thereof) the more conformable to the peace.

The Earl of Glencairn bade him say to the Lord Wharton that he would have given 500 nobles so that he and the Lord Wharton might have had meeting together, instead of Sir Ralph Eure and George Douglas, for neither of them trusted to open their minds. And the Earl of Glencairn doubteth nothing but, if the Lord Wharton might be in this commission, that he might speak with him, all things would be dressed to the King's Majesty's pleasure; and desireth the Lord Wharton that for any thing that his Highness would have him to do that his Majesty would write to him, and he should obey the same conformably to his bond remaining with his Highness. The Earl of

Glencairn bade him say to my Lord of Lennox that he should wish in his heart his good speed in all his causes, which he would further, like as he had great favour to his house, and had shed his blood for my Lord of Lennox's father, and so would do for him to obtain his purpose, in case he never had good of him hereafter. The Earl of Glencairn bade him say to my Lord Wharton that the Governor commanded him to be with him at the late encounter beside Jedworth; but he says that his answer was that, so long as he was the King's Majesty's prisoner, he would not assemble, nor be against his Majesty's people; for he knew his Highness's purpose was for the weal of Scotland. And he stayed himself, with all his men, at home; and the whole Shirewick of Ayr, and others.

And, after all these credences received by Edgar, the Master Kilmaurs delivered him a letter to my Lord of Lennox, of credence in all these as afore. And therewith bade Edgar say that if the Earl of Lennox put any doubts in these causes, or for his coming into Scotland, he would promise his son, lying in this realm as pledge, (whom he best loved) to suffer death, if all the same were not performed. And so the said Edgar departed from the said Earl of Glencairn, and Mr. Kilmaurs at Kilmaurs, the 8th of March, and came to Carlisle the 10th of the same.

The said Earl of Glencairn bade Edgar also say that at the late convention at Edinburgh, about Candlemas last, the Governor was more out of

favor with all the noblemen of Scotland than ever he was; and sundry of them said there openly at their departure, that they would not hastily come to any more conventions at his appointment. The Earl of Glencairn, because he did not write by Edgar, did inform him to shew a token to my Lord Wharton, which was that at the being at Carlisle of the Earl of Glencairn, my Lord Wharton and Sir Robert Bowes, Knight, walking in the castle together, did let the Earl see a letter which Robert Maxwell, Priest, brought them from his master, wherein they all perceived small effects; which token is true.

MATTHEW, Earl of LENNOX.
THOMAS WHARTON.

No. XLII.

(Talbot Papers, Vol. A. fol. 325.)

LORDS OF THE COUNCIL

TO THE COUNCIL IN THE NORTH.*

AFTER our hearty commendations unto your good Lordship. The King's Majesty hath seen your

After the civil commotions in the North, which followed the suppression of religious houses by Henry VIII., the Duke of Norfolk, who commanded the army, gave a formal authority under his seal to certain persons of worth in those parts to take cognizance of the complaints of the country people who had suffered by the violence of either party; and the King, hearing of it, approved of the idea, and sent down a peculiar seal for the purpose. Afterwards, the Duke being recalled, the seal was given to Tunstall, Bishop of Durham, with the title of President of the North; and his council was appointed by the King, with express orders in their commission "to hear and determine on the complaints of the poor;" but their authority was afterwards extended to all affairs on the borders, as appears by this letter, and other papers. See more of this Council in a letter from Sir Thomas Gargrave, in March, 1548.

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