Hunsdon, Governor of Berwick, is presently dealing with us that we shall do all good offices that may bring amity betwixt both our Sovereigns, their realms, and subjects, as I doubt not but your honour, and all the faithful subjects of England will do the like this. My very good Lord, not willing to trouble your Honour with longer writing, I wish you, and my Lady your bed-fellow, good health, with mercy and grace from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ; without omitting of my hearty commendations to both your Honours. From Edinburgh, the 16th day of November, 1571. Your honourable Lordship's assured, To the right honourable and my very good A. GALLOWAY.* Alexander Gordon, second son of John Lord Gordon, heir apparent to Alexander, third Earl of Huntley, by Jean, a natural daughter of King James IV. He was appointed Bishop of Galloway by Mary, to whose interests he seems to have been always firmly attached, and for whom he was now a commissioner in the negociation with Elizabeth which has been lately mentioned. The Kirk soon after suspended him from his function, and he assigned his see to his son, who obtained a charter of confirmation under the great seal. He died in 1576. The Bishop's nephew, George, the young Earl of Huntley, who is mentioned in this letter, was at this time commander in chief of Mary's adherents in Scotland. No. LXII. (Howard Papers.) LORD BURGHLEY TO THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY. My Lord, AFTER my most hearty and due commendations. This day I received letters from my Lord of Hunsdon, whereby he doth advertise me of a boy that should shortly come thither, with letters to that Queen; and, for the full knowledge thereof, I send to your Lordship the clause of his letter concerning the same, whereupon your Lordship may the better regard the party. I have disclosed the contents of some of the cyphered letters which your Lordship lately sent to me, being hidden under a stone. One was from that Queen to the Duke of Alva, wherein she makes plain mention of the practice of Ridolphi, imputing the discovery thereof to the negligence of others, and not of herself. Another of the letters was to Grange and Liddington, to confirm them to stand fast, and to expect money from the Duke of Alva, with the Lord Seaton. The third letter is not yet decyphered. The Lord Seaton is indeed by stealth come through England, landed at Harwich, and so passed into Scotland, by the Middle March, and is in the Castle of Edinburgh, where he hinders the accord. Le Croque is come hither, and shall to-morrow speak with her Majesty. I have no other news. I have committed the London companions, Reed, Theophilus, and the rest. And so, with my commendations to my good Lady, I end. March 4th, 1571. Your Lordship's assuredly, W. BURGHLEY. Extract out of my Lord of Hunsdon's letters, of the 28th of February, 1571. They have also advertised me from the Regent of a certain boy that should come lately out of England with letters to the Castle of Edinburgh, and is to return back again within three or four days. I have written to Sir John Foster to lay wait for him within his Wardenry, as I will do within mine; and if your Lordship have any occasion to send where the Scotch Queen lieth, it were not amiss that my Lord of Shrewsbury had warning of him. His letters are sewed in the buttons and seams of his coat. His coat is of black English frieze; he has a cut on his left cheek from his eye down, by the which he may be well known. To the right honourable my very good Lord the Earl of Shrewsbury, one of the Lords of her Majesty's Privy Council. No. LXIII. (Howard Papers.) THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY TO LORD BURGHLEY. My very good Lord, THIS bearer, Marshal de Jos, came hither on Wednesday last by her Majesty's license, as ap peared by his commission signed with your hand; who brought from the said Ambassador the sum of £150, which I delivered unto this Queen. His speech unto her was but short, altogether in my hearing, and containing no matter of importance as far as I could gather; neither did he deliver any letters, tokens, or privy message, unto her or any belonging unto her, for I used strait order to keep him from company of speech with any of them. She has now sent letters by him unto the Queen's Majesty, and also to the Ambassador; which letters I thought mete to enclose in a packet, directed under my seal, unto your Lordship, that they may be used there as shall stand with her Majesty's pleasure. She made importunate request uuto me this time that I should write unto her Majesty to desire knowledge of her pleasure whether her Highness would give her leave to sue for her access unto her Majesty or not, whereof she is still vehemently desirous, alleging, as she was wont, that she has great matters to impart unto her Majesty, expedient for her knowledge; but I utterly refused to deal for her therein, albeit I thought it not amiss to advertise you of this her earnest motion. I shall desire your Lordship to move that whosoever shall at any time have license to repair hither unto her, he may bring with him her Majesty's express warrant for my discharge; otherwise I mean not to permit him so much as to enter into my gates, what person soever he be. Thus I wish unto your good Lordship as well as I would unto myself. From Sheffield Castle, this 2nd of August, 1572. Your good Lordship's ever assured friend to my power, G. SHREWSBURY. To the right honourable my very good Lord the No. LXIV. (Howard Papers.) THE EARL OF SHREWSBURY TO THE QUEEN. May it please your Majesty, I RECEIVED lately your Highness's letters that I should see an indifferent jury impanneled for your Majesty in the county of Derby, to enquire of John Sacheverel, fugitive; whereupon I gave knowledge to the Sheriff of that shire of time and place which I thought metest for that matter, and with much ado the Sheriff at length met me, where we had some talk, of his part more stout and forward than in that matter was requisite. He would use no conference with me to the end your Majesty wrote; neither would he forbear or impannel any man at my motion; but departed, saying he would do as he thought mete; and so he did make and return a jury as himself liked best, without my assent. The jury indeed are very honest and discreet men; but for that I did well perceive Sacheverel and his friends bear such rule with that |