from inconvenient, devysis to kill this Senator; and tharefore he entrit in societie with Lodovic Duc of Lennox, upon the 14 day of Februar, whome he persuadit to assist to that tragedie; and first had obtenit a command of the Prence to charge the Senator to remove furth of Edinburgh beyond the rever of Forth; and upon that same day efternone, as he is reddie with obedience to reteir, and was past furth of the toun towart Leyth, the Duc and Sr James followit with expeditioun, and thair in the hie way killit him. Thair was also killit at that same instant a worshipfull gentilman, Sr Alexander Stewart of Newtounleys, Knycht, in the Duc his cumpany. Efter this fact they returnit to Edinburgh and convoyit the King to his palice of Halyruidhous, as thoght thay had committit na sik cryme; whilk semit verie odious in the sight of the people.

David Grayme of Fentrie was beheadit upon the 16 day of Februar, verie seiklie in bodie, oppressit with a bludie flux ; wha gave testemonie be a lang letter, writtin and subscryvit be his awin hand, direct to the King, making mentioun, that the forenaymit Lords had tayne the burdene bayth for thaymeselfis and uthers Catholics, to ressave sik a nomber of soldiors, as the King of Spayne and counsall sould appoynt: And in case he wald bestow any money for uplifting of any men heir, thay sould willinglie. bayth convoy the Kings armie upoun Ingland, and sould retene a certayne nomber in Scotland for reformatioun of religioun, and obteyning libertie of conscience: And that he had gevin counsall heirunto dyvers tymes, efter that the mater was communicat

unto him be Mr James Gordoun and be Mr Robert Abercrombie, jesuits, and last of all be Mr George Ker. Becaus tharefore that he foreknew of this purpose, and concelit the same, he was under daynger of the law. For this caus, he desyrit not be tryit be his pearis, bot referrit himself in the Kings will and mearcie, when he was arraignit at the bar. The Jugeis adverteist the King thareof, bot he desyrit the juré to proceid, wha fand, that they could not acquyt him, bayth be reason of his awin confessioun in writt, as also be cuming in will; and tharefore thay referrit him over to the King, wha immediatlie commandit him to be beheadit: And the dome of the Kings will was prononcit, that all his lands and rents sould fall in his Majesteis hands, etc.

Tharefter, upon the 18 day of Februar, the King tuik jurnay from Edinburgh towart the north, for the persewing of Huntlie, Angus and Arroll, and maid his residence in Aberdene. Thais Lords and thair dependers war, be oppin proclamation, and at thair dwelling places, requyrit to shaw thair obedience and comperance before the King. Bot thay before hand understanding of the Kings cuming, had all left thair ordinar habitations voyd. The Countess of Huntlie and Countess of Arroll came to the King, to whais he grantit the mentenance and keaping of their speciall and princepall howsis and rents, without any compt and rakning of the rents thareof to be maid to his Majestie or to his treasorer for the transgressions of thair husbands. And in the meyne tyme, the Queyne of Ingland sent in my Lord Burrow hir ambassador in Scotland, requyring that the peax and confede

racie concludit and confermit at Leyth, after the expulsing of the French armie from Scotland, sould now de novo be ratefeit be the King in his perfyt eage; and forder, that he sould without delay puneish the lords and gentilmen suspect of treason, and now sufficientlie tryit be thair awin writtis and messages; that he sould grant thayme na favor, but extreme regor, for feare of the inconvenient that sould follow upon thair wicked pretence being unpuneist, when bayth tyme and occasioun war now presentit. To the whilkis petitions he promeist to send answer competent with his awin ambassador.

In the moneth of Maij 1593, ambassadors war sent from Den-.1593. marc to demand a just rentall of Queyne Annais drowrie in Scotland; but thair answer was differrit to the parliament tyme whilk immediatlie followit. In the meyne season thay maid progres to all sic provencis as war thoght convenient that the drowrie sould be tayne of, accumpaneit with sum of the Kings deputtis, as war expreslie direct for that effect.

The parliament was haldin in the moneth of Julij, whare Francis Erle Bothuell, be consent of the haill Lords of articles thair chosin and convenit, was declarit traitor aganis the Kings Majestie and realme; and for confirmatioun thareof, his armoreis revin at the mercat croce of Edinburgh in the presens of the people thair assemblit.

Bot befor the actis of that parliament war perfectlie pennit and aggreit upoun in all poyntis, the noblemen and gentilmen of the

is sa far interest, that thair blude was , and Bothuell lang baneist without ent thaymeselfis within the toun of Edinon the reddiest way that mycht be for gt maist expedient, that Bothuell sould

- exaus thair cumpany was then very strang; Le subtile forces, he sould enter in the er himself to his clemencie and mearcie ; eir.

ng was, that the King had burdenit the whs before, that he wald condiscend to Caller Maitland, (wha before was reterit from

TUL) and was desyrit that he sould be adBATAS NA Tharefter to report ansuer: Bot the Duc to be interest be the incuming of the said

was mair neidfull that Bothuell as a - can sould be restorit, nor the chanciller; and a tlewis.

A company with himself, the Erle of Atholl melina Fänburgh, and all his speciall freyndis and de procurit for ather of the thréé in greatest De day of Julij 1593, the noblemen entrit palmer, the Duc of Lennox being before prewil was logeit all nycht preceding in my Auxilk is situat at the baksyd of the Kings

this patent passage at all tymes; and when

the noblemen war potentlie entrit the Kings chalmer, and the rest of the gentilmen of Stewartis and thair dependers becum maisters of the utter and inner court, possessing all the entres keyis be quyet subtile force, the word was immediatlie sent to my Lady Gowreis logeing, the Countes of Atholl being then within the palice, as it had bene to tak leve and gudenycht at the king; and she seing all the mater preparit as she wald have wishit, (being upon counsall of the mater) tuik occasion to pas to the lady hir mother, be the bak passage: And when the port was maid patent to hir, behauld, thair is Bothwell disguysit, accumpaneit with Mr John Colvill onlie, wha immediatlie entrit, and with all expeditioun past to the kings chalmer, accumpaneit with my lady Athols trayne; and the king being then at his secret place, Bothwell preparit himself on his kneyis, and layd his sworde doun before him, drawin; and when the king came furth, he cryit with a loud voyce, pardon and mearcie for Chrystis saik of all his former offences committit aganis his Majestie. The king demandit be what credence he entrit thair; he said, it was upon playne simplicitie, ather to déé or leve, as best sould pleas his Majestie; and becaus he acknawlegeit himself greavouslie to have offendit in tyme bygayne, he was thair presentlie comperit to offer him in his Majesteis will and pleasure, ather for present death, or utherwayis, becaus he was irkit of his former lyff of baneishment. The king effrayit, cryit Treason. The Erle of Mar, and Sr Williem Keyth drew to thair armure, but war sone pacefeit be the multitude of the contrar faction. The clamor of treason went from the palice of Halyruidhous