CP 152, 68

From Waalt

CP Volume 152 Folio 68

HMC Volume 1 Page 193 Number 639

Haynes Page 263 Number 245

Transcribed by Samuel Haynes in “A Collection of State Papers . . . 1542 to 1570” London, 1740

18 March 1559 Secretary Cecill to the Earl of Huntly

From a Minute of Secretary Cecill.

AFTER my most harty Commendacions to your good Lordship. I perceave by your honourable Lettres, that ye nether forget nor neglect my olde acqunce with you, which truly causeth me to be the bolder with your Lordship. Your Letters and Message to the Quene's most excellent Majesty brought by your Servant Mr. Keyre, haue bene right well accepted on hir Majestys Part, as your Servant can at good length informe yow. And herin hir Majesty hath so honorably and playnely shewed hir Pleasure to me, to be imparted unto your Lordship, that suerly I cold wish your owne Eares had bene partakers therof for your perpetuall Satisfaction. Hir Majesty meaneth princely, and lyke a good Neighbor, to releave the Declination of that Kingdom, and proposeth so to procede therin, as shall redound to the Honor of Almighty God, and to the Prosperite of both these Realmes, and to the Comfort of all such as shall be Ministers therin. Of this hir Majesty's Purpose I think your Lordship is not ignorant by the Declaration of the Lord James Stuard and his Collegees, which wer late at Barwyk, and there concluded a Treaty with the Duke of Norfolk; which her Majesty hath well allowed and ratefyed. Wherefore, good my Lord, now consider lyke your self, that is lyke a noble, wise and expert Man that, when the Tyme is come, the Power reddy, the Matter itself provoketh your all, nothing wanteth that wer requesite, your Enemy at the worst, yourselves well and honourably accorded, and such a Patrone and Frend as the Quene of England is, with her Power of Land and Sea for your preseruation; nowe, I saye, my Lord procede to the Savety of your Countrey, preserve your owne ancient House, remember there is no thyrd Thing to choose, but ether to suffer the Insolency of France, or to be preserved with a naturall Governance. Suerly whosoeuer shall speke of a third, that is of a favorable Governance, by French Men, yea though they be neuer so few, he ether is ignorant, or meaneth depe deceyte. No governance shall so accord with Scotland, but a lawfull Gouernance of naturall People. But in this Poynt I nede not to enlarge Speche to your Lordship, being a Man of so great Knowledge and Forsight as yow ar. Only this I dare affirme, that the greater Man year; the wiser, the more good ye maye doo herin; and if ye do it not effectually, howsoever ye may be inchanted with French Tunes, your Danger and Ruine will be the greater, and if Fortune shuld differt it, shall be the hevyer. For remedy herof Almighty God hath offered, and I am gladd to perceyve that ye will accept it. I am commanded or hir Majesty's Part, to wryte to yow (where you desyre to be receaved into hir Majesty's Protection with your Frends) lyke as ye may be certeyne of her Favor and Ayde to the common State of the Realme by hir Procedings; so shall ye most assuredly make Accompt of hir singular Favour towards yow aparte, and that she doth in this honorable Service, accept your Lordship with all your Frends and Allyees into hir Protection: Wherof I am assured, as sone as your Lordship shall make any Demonstration of any Action to concurre with hir Ayde, towards this Purpose, ye shall also see the Prooffe thereof. And thus meaning not by wryting to inlarge any more, I doo committ the rest both of her Majestie's good Mynd, and my good Will towards your Lordship to the Report of your Seruant; and wish your Lordships Honour to be increased in this honorable Seruice for your natyue Contrey; ye and for my Part, assute yow, that, whatsoeuer it shall please God to offer to the concord of these two Realmes, being at the Creation knitt in one Isle, and with one Language, and one sort of People, having no difference but Name, I will employe my indevor to the Performance therin, of God's Favour and good Will.