Cotton MS Caligula C II

This volume is a rich source of materials for Anglo-Scottish relations and the issue of Mary, Queen of Scots in English and Scottish politics between 1570 and 1572 (there is one document, and possibly another, from 1569). It includes original correspondence of Mary, Queen of Scots (r: 1542–1567; d. 1587), and William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (d. 1598). Particualy significant is the frequent correspondence (sometimes more than one a day) between Thomas Randolph, English Ambassador in Edinburgh, to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, the Queen's Lord Lieutenant in the North, between April and November 1570 (especially from June onwards). Also significant are a number of tracts against Mary and her allies. these include a rare version of the rare printed pamphlet, A Discourse touching the pretended Match betwene the Duke of Norfolke and the Quene of Scottes, a pamphlet without author, publisher or date (the author is most plausibly Thomas Norton and the date is 1569 (the date usually taken for it) or 1570 (the date written on it (ff. 284r-291r.). Other tracts relate to the attacks on Mary in the English Parliament of 1572.

CONTENTS

f. 1r: Title-page: 'Letters & Papers of Scotland in Anno 1570.'

ff. 2r-v: Report of the townships in the East March that lie waste or have been spoiled and burnt by the Scots, 30 Mar 1570.

ff. 3r-v: Copy of the memorandum delivered to Mr Secretary (Sir William Cecil), 3 Aug 1570. Notes include orders to be given concerning certain jewels of Mary, Queen of Scots and the custody of her person.

ff. 4r-5v: 'Dubilles' (duplicates or drafts) of letters written by Mary Queen of Scots, to Queen Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and Sir William Cecil, Sheffield, 29 Dec 1570. Endorsed as by [presumably meaning carried by] the Bishop of Ross (John Leslie [Lesley]).

ff. 6r-7v: Letter of the commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots in London, to Sir William Kirkcaldy, Laird of Grange, Captain of Edinburgh Castle, London, 20 Jan 1571. Reporting the state of affairs at the English court.

ff. 8r-v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, 10 Mar 1571. Contemporary copy.

ff. 9r-v: Extract of letter from Bertrand de Salignac de La Mothe Fénelon, French Ambassador, to Charles IX, King of France, London, 25 Oct 1570. In French. He reports reporting the disposition of Queen Elizabeth I towards Mary, Queen of Scots.

ff. 10r-12v: Instructions of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, on his going in commission with Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway and William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston, to London, 26 Dec 1570. Draft.

ff. 13r-v: Letter of Sir William Cecil to Mary, Queen of Scots, 1 Jul 1570. Contemporary copy.

ff. 14r-15v: Letter of Charles IX, King of France to Bertrand de Salignac de La Mothe Fénelon, French Ambassador, Argentan, 10 Jun 1570. In French. Copy. With instructions concerning his proceedings at the English court in favour of Mary, Queen of Scots.

f. 16r: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and Sir William Cecil, London, June 26, 1570. The contemporary copies are on the same folio.

ff. 17r-18v: Letter of Bertrand de Salignac de La Mothe Fénelon, French Ambassador to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Islington, 6 Sep 1570. In French. Copy.

ff. 19r-20v: Letter of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex to Queen Elizabeth I, Carlisle, 29 Aug 1570. Probably copy (probably contemporary).

ff. 21r-v: The state ('estate') of Scotland, 19 June 1570.

ff. 23r-25v: Articles to be proposed to Mary, Queen of Scots on the part of Queen Elizabeth I, Hampton Court, 7 May 1570. A draft written in the hand of Sir William Cecil with his corrections. The heading speaks of the 'Articles to be performed by the Q. of Scotes devised by the Q. Mates Commandment, although the performance therof is uncerten'.

f. 26r: Letter of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury to Sir William Cecil, Tutbury, 11 May 1570. Original.

ff. 27r-28v: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and Sir William Cecil, Chatsworth, 9 Jun 1570. Original. With address. The letter is faint.

ff. 29r-30v: Letter of the Lords of Scotland in the young king’s interest to Queen Elizabeth I, Stirling, 24 Jun 1570. Representing the disordered state of their country for want of a regular government; and requesting favour and interference. Original. Signed by 12 lords.

ff. 31r-32v: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross to Sir William Cecil, 8 Jul 1570. Original, with notes on f. 32v in Cecil's hand.

f. 33r: Declaration of Sir William Cecil that he has not influenced Queen Elizabeth I against Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, 12 Jul 1570. In Cecil's own hand.

ff. 34r-35v: Letter of Madame Marie Pyenes to Mary, Queen of Scots, Donquel [Dunkeld?],15 Aug 1570. In French. Signed by the author. Pyenes is her signature and how the spelling is given in the endorsement, possibly in Burghley's hand.

ff. 36r-38v: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley] to Queen Elizabeth I, Islington, 6 Sep 1570. He complains strongly of the hostile proceedings of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex on the borders and the encouragement to 'rebels'; he encloses (f. 37r) an extract of the letter of Willliam Maitland of Lethington bearing the articles sent him by Sussex, 4 Jul. Original with Leslie's signature.

ff. 39r-41v: Notes on Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots in the hand of Sir William Cecil, 25 Sep 1570. A draft, including (ff. 40r-41v) Articles meet both for England and Scotland. Endorsement gives the notes as Assurances for the Queen's Majesty.

ff. 42r-45v: Copy of the Instructions to Mr Secretary [Sir William Cecil] and sir Walter Mildmay, Sep 1570. So endorsed f. 45v); the heading, struck out, is Matters necessarily to be required for England and Scotland. This is a draft, with emendations in Cecil's hand. There is a further endorsement (f. 46r) of instructions to Sir William Cecil and Sir Walter Mildmay. One of these endorsaements might apply to ff. 40r-41v).

ff. 47r-48v: Instructions of Queen Elizabeth I to Sir Henry Norris, Ambassador in France. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil, 25 Sep 1570.

ff. 49r-54v: Articles delivered to Mary, Queen of Scots by Sir William Cecil and Si Walter Mildmay, with her answers and requests, Chatsworth, 5 Oct 1570. the document bears Mary's signature.

ff 55r-58v: Answers of Matthew Stewart, 13th (or 4th) Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, to the propositions made by Thomas Randolph, Ambassador for Queen Elizabeth I, Edinburgh, 8 Oct 1570. With Lennox's signature and endorsement by Cecil.

ff. 59r-62v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Sir William Cecil and Sir Walter Mildmay, Windsor Castle, 13 Oct 1570. With the Queen's signature at the head; address to Cecil and Mildmay, and Cecil's endorsement.

ff. 63r-65v: Deliberations of the Privy Council, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth I, Hampton Court. 29 Apr 1570.

ff. 66r, 67r, 68r, 74r, 75r: Five letters in cipher, probably all from Mary, Queen of Scots to Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. Of the five, f. 67r is explicitly identified (in a later hand) as such, and 31 Jan. The deciphered version is probably f. 72r; f. 75r is evidently deciphered in f. 73r.

ff. 70r, 72r, 73r: Three letters of Mary, Queen of Scots to Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. These are probably ff. 66r-68r deciphered (this works clearest for the relationship between ff. 67r and 72r and ff. 73r with 75r). Dates are 31 Jan, 15 -, and 18 Apr 1570.

ff.76r-77v: Notes gathered out of the ciphered letters between Mary, Queen of Scots and Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, in the hand of Sir William Cecil, 1570/1571.

ff. 78r-79v: Letter of Sir Francis Englefield to (?) Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Syon, 18 Nov 1570. Original.

ff. 80r-81v: Letter of William Maitland of Lethington to Sir William Cecil, Balvenie, 31 Dec 1570. With signature, address and Cecil's endorsement.

ff. 82r-103v: Nine draughts in the hand of Sir William Cecil; being arguments and deliberations on whether Mary Queen of Scots should be allowed to return to Scotland and the danger she poses in England. should be allowed to return to Scotland, Dec 1570 to Mar 1571.

• ff. 82r-83r: The dangers by Mary, Queen of Scots to Queen Elizabeth I and this realm, Dec 1570. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil.
• ff. 84r-85v: The causes of the perils [arising from the presence of Mary, Queen of Scots in England], Dec 1570. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil.
• ff. 86r-87v: The perils growing by forbearing to do justice, Feb 1571. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil.
• ff. 88r-92v: Considerations why the Queen's Majesty should detain the Queen of Scots upon the renunciation of her present title and what such assurances as may be devised most likely to bind between princes, 19 Feb 1571. Draft in the hand of sir William Cecil.
• ff. 93r-95v, 96v: A note of reasons remembered in Council to0 move Queen Elizabeth I not to restore Mary, Queen of Scots, 19 Feb 1571. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil.
• ff. 97r-98v: Two questions propounded, 20 Feb 1571: What reasons more may move to Queen to detain the Queen of Scots, and if she be not so moved then what manner of assurances are meet to require of the Queen of Scots before she be delivered. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil.
• ff. 99r-v: Reply to the four principal points, 20 Feb 1571. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil.
• f. 100r: If the Queen of Scots shall be delivered them these things following are to be considered, 15 Mar 1571. Draft in the hand of Sir William Cecil.
• ff. 101r-103v: If the Queen of Scots shall be continually retained here, then these things following are to be considered, 15 Mar 1571.

ff. 104r-105v: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross to William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, 19 Mar 1571. In Scots and Latin. Declaring her fear when she abdicated at Lochleven. With address and Burghley's endorsement.

ff. 106r-108r: Letter of (?) Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex to (?) Sir William Cecil, Alnwick, 16 Jun 1570.A corrected draft. reporting a conference with Archibald Douglas about Scottish affairs.

ff. 109r-110v: Letter of Scottish Lords in the King's interest to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 2 May 1570. Recommending William Edgar for redress. With signature of seven lords (including the earls of Morton and Mar), and address,

ff;. 111r-112v: Letter of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, 7 Oct 1570. With signature and address.

ff. 113r-114v: Letter of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex to William Maitland of Lethington, Alnwick, 16 Jun 1570.

ff. 115r-v: Letter of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex to William Maitland of Lethington, Eslington, 6 Aug 1570.

ff. 116r-117v: Letter of Scottish lords to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 1 May 1570. With address. Signatories include the Earls of Morton and Mar. Letter of credential for John Cunningham, laird of Drumquhassle.

ff. 118r-v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Sheffield, 16 Feb 1571. With Mary's signature; address.

ff. 119r-120v: Letter of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex to the Scottish lords of the faction of Mary, Queen of Scots, Berwick, 17 Apr 1570.

ff. 121r-122v: : The discourse of the audience with Queen Elizabeth I at 'Ricotte' [?Rycote]. The person in audience and author may well be John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross.

ff. 123r-124r: Commission of Mary, Queen of Scots to James Hamilton, Duke of Châtelherault, George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly and Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, to act in her name, 6 Jan 1569. In Scots.

ff. 125r-126v: First-hand account of audience between (?) John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross and Queen Elizabeth I, Oatlands, 28 Jun 1570.

f. 127r-128v: Passport of James VI, King of Scots (under the hand and signet of Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent, Edinburgh, 4 Nov 1570. For two noblemen of the party of Mary, Queen of Scots to go to England, at the desire of Thomas Randolph, English Ambassador. An endorsement describes this as the first passport which was 'rejected' (?).

ff. 129r-130v: Letter of Scottish lords to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 11 May 1570. The letter is a credential in favour of Archibald Douglas, the bearer. The 7 or 8 signatories include the Earls of Morton and of Mar and William, 4th Lord Ruthven. With address.

ff. 131r-133v: Letter of William Maitland of Lethington to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Strathbogie, 13 Oct 1570. EWith signature and address.

ff. 134r-135v: Proclamation of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex of a cessation of arms, Warkworth, 14 Sep 1570. Contemporary copy.

ff. 136v-137v: Letter of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba to Queen Elizabeth I, Antwerp. 5 Feb 1571. In French.

ff. 138r-139r: A brief declaration of the wicked and ungodly proceedings of certain inveterate conspirators against the Queen's Majesty our Sovereign[Mary, Queen of Scots] against all laws, equity and reason since the beginning of their last rebellion. In Scots. The hand has been identified as that of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of ]Ross.

ff. 140r-141v: Letter of the commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots to William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, London, 5 Mar 1571. Contemporary copy. The text of the letter gives the year as 1571 [i.e. new style 1572], the endorsement as 1570 [i.e. new style 1571].

ff. 142r-143v: Letter of Charles IX, King of France to Bertrand de Salignac de La Mothe Fénelon, French Ambassador, Pavia, 6 Nov 1570. Copy in French scribal hand.

ff. 144r-147v: Reply by Matthew Stewart, 13th (or 4th) Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, to the last answers given by Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Queen Elizabeth I's Lord Lieutenant in the North to the 34 notes given him by Robert Pitcairn, Commendator of Dunfermeline and Ambassador with him, Edinburgh, 15 Nov 1570.

ff. 148v-149v: The answer of signatory Scottish lords to certain instructions committed to Nicholas Errington by Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, delivered to Robert Colvile of Cleish to ne imparted to Sussex. The nine signatories include Earls of Morton and Mar and William Ruthven, 4th Lord Ruthven.

ff. 150r-151v: Letter of William Maitland of Lethington to Thomas Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex, Balvenie, 21 Dec 1570.

ff. 152r-153v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, her ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I, Sheffield, 6 Feb 1571. With her signature, and address for Ross.

154r-155v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, her ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I, Sheffield, 13 Jan 1571. With her signature, and address for Ross.

ff. 156r-157v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway and William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston, Sheffield, 19 Mar 1571. With her signature; and address.

ff. 158r-159v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, her ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I, Sheffield, 4 Mar 1571. With her signature, and address for Ross.

ff. 160r-v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to Queen Elizabeth I, Sheffield, 27 Mar 1571. In French. In Mary's hand throughout. With address. She requests her interest at the next session of Parliament.

ff. 161r-v: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway and William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston to William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, London, 5 Mar 1571. Offering historical arguments for setting aside the abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots and urging the furtherance of the treaty.

ff. 162r-163v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to Queen Elizabeth I, 24 May 1570. In French. In Mary's hand throughout. With address. The letter itself gives only the day and the month, the year is also given in a later heading.

ff. 164r-v: Letter of the lords of Scotland of the King's party to Queen Elizabeth I, Stirling, Jun 1570. From another copy, the 1802 catalogue gives the date of 24 June.

ff. 165r-166v: Letter of signatory noblemen to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 10 May 1570. The seven signatories include the Earls of Morton and Mar and William Ruthven, 4th Lord Ruthven.

ff. 167r-168v: Notes of what course will be best for Queen Elizabeth I to hold in her speech with James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, 5 Mar 1571. In the hand of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex.

ff. 169r-170v: Notes, schemes, and advices concerning Scottish affairs. [?Mar 1571]. In the hand of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex.

ff. 171r-172v: A memorial of certain matters to be considered of in the treaty between the two parties in Scotland, 14 Mar 1571. The year on the endorsement is 1571 (i.e. new style 1572), but perhaps in error, as other related documents seem to be March 1570/1571, In the hand of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex.

ff. 173r-v: Notes on Scottish matters, 12 Mar 1571. In the hand of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex.

ff. 174r-175v: A note of who be Protestants and who be Papists, or neutrals and atheists, amongst the Scottish peerage and higher clergy. N.d., but the presence of the Earl of Mar (john Erskine, 17th or 1st earl of Mar) places it before 29 Oct 1572.

ff. 176r-177v: Notes in the hand of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, in two columns on the pros and cons vis-a-vis of Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I. Endorsed: 'observations on his first being in the consultation'.

ff. 178r-179v: Matters to be considered of if Mary, Queen of Scots is set at liberty. Notes in the hand of Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, 20 and 22 Mar 1571.

ff. 180r-182v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 28 Mar 1570. Enclosed is Randolph's list of such as remain obedient to the King of Scots and have subscribed to his authority. With Randolph's signature and address.

ff. 183r-184r: Letter of William Maitland of Lethington to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 29 Mar 1570. Copy.

ff. 185r-186r: An abstract of letters of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, covering the period Apr 1570-12 Jun 1570. In Sussex's hand.

ff. 187r-188v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 2 Apr 1570.

ff. 189r-190v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Hampton Court, 21 Apr 1570. With signature; address.

f. 191r: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Berwick, 7 Apr 1570. Telling him that he will await his arrival in Berwick.

ff. 192r-193v: Letter of James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton to Thomas Randolph, Dalkeith, 8 Apr 1570. Original, with signature and address 9to Thomas Randell, Master of the Queen's Posts).

ff. 194r-195v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, 9 Apr 1570. An original, with address. In a postscript, he notes that he encloses the letter he has received today from the Earl of Morton (i.e. ff. 192r-193v).

ff. 196r-197v: Letter of Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Hampton Court, 10 Apr 1570. Ordering to him have her declaration, printed and now sent to him, justifying military intervention in Scotland, be proclaimed in the wardenries of the Marches and dispersed in Scotland. With signature and affress. (The declaration, also dated 10 Apr 1570, is By the Queene. A declaration of the just, honourable, and necessarie causes, that move the Queenes Majestie to levie and sende an armie to the borders of Scotland, with an assuraunce of her intention, to continue the peace with the crowne, and quiet subjectes of the sayde Realme of Scotlande , ESTC: S112304; STC, 2nd edition: 8028.).

ff. 198r-199v: Letter of James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 25 Oct 1570. Original, with address.

f. 200r: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross to Sir William Cecil, London, 26 Apr 1570. Leslie complains about the arrest of one of his servants for 'the little treat for the defence of the Q. my Mris honor wch was stayed at the printars.' He encloses the principal copy of it, to show that there is nothing of offence to Queen Elizabeth I or her Council in it. Copy.

ff. 201r-202v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, 30 Apr 1570. With royal signature, and address for Sussex.

f. 203r: Letter of the nobles and commoners of the King's party in Scotland to Queen Elizabeth I: letter of credential in favour of Thomas Pitcairn, Commendator of Dunfermeline, Edinburgh, 5 May 1570. Original, with 20 signatures.

ff. 204r-207r: Conference had between Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, the Lord Chamberlain (William Howard, 1st Baron of Effingham), the Lord Keeper (Sir Nicolas Bacon) and Sir William Cecil with John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, with Ross's answer, 5 May 1570. Later copy.

f. 207v: Letter of Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox to Sir William Cecil, Berwick, 8 May 1570. A later copy (the heading calls Cecil Lord Burghley, which is wrong for this date).

f. 207r: Letter of Robert Pitcairn, Commendator of Dunfermline to Sir William Cecil, London, 16 May 1570. A later copy (the heading calls Cecil Lord Burghley, which is wrong for this date).

ff. 208v-209r: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Hampton Court, 8 May 1570. With royal signature and address for Sussex. On Norham Castle.

ff. 210r-v: Letter of William Maitland of Lethington to (?) Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh Castle, 17 May 1570. A copy. Recipient is addressed as 'your Lordship' and is not Leicester.

f. 211r: Letter of Robert Pitcairn, Commendator of Dunfermline to Sir William Cecil, Kingston, 20 May 1570. A later copy (the heading calls Cecil Lord Burghley, which is wrong for this date).

ff. 212r-213r: Answer of Queen Elizabeth I to the French Ambassador (Bertrand de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon) for the beginning of the treaty of abstinence (from intervention in Scotland), 22 May 1570. In French.

ff. 214r-215v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Hampton Court, 22 May 1570. With royal signature, address and seal.

ff. 216r-219r: Memorandum of the letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Sir Henry Norris [Norreys], Ambassador in France, on her conference with the French Ambassador [see ff. 212r-213r], 23 May 1570. Later copy.

ff. 220r-v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Hampton Court, 31 May 1570. With royal signature.

ff. 221r-222v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to the Scottish nobility and others of the King's party, Hampton Court, 31 May 1570. Possibly a copy; the address is 'To our right trustie and right beloved cousins' the Earls of Glencairn, Morton, Mar, Menteith and 'Bowghon' 'and others of the nobillitie of Scotlande ioyned wth them in the preservacion of amitie betwyxt England and Scotlande'.

ff. 224r-226r: Copy of a proclamation made the party of Mary, Queen of Scot assembled at Edinburgh, 1570. Later copy with pencil annotation.

ff. 227r-228v: Articles to be propounded to the Regent of Scotland at his election. The Regent is Matthew Stewart, 13th (and 4th) Earl of Lennox. Lennox's election as Regent was 12 Jul 1570.

ff. 229r-230v: Extracts taken out of the book of negotiations of George Seton, 5th Lord Seton, 1570. This includes summaries of letters to and from Mary Queen of Scots and details on his relations with Scottish and English supporters of the Queen and the Duke of Alba.

ff. 231r-233v: Notes of instructions Mary, Queen of Scots when she sent John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross to Pope Gregory XIII [?1575], of Pope Gregory XIII's instructions to Ross, and a letter from Pope Pius V, 9 Jan 1570. In Latin.

ff. 234r-237v: Declaration of Queen Elizabeth I to her subjects, 1569 or 1570. A proclamation enjoining obedience in the wake of the Northern Rising of 1569. The later clerk who transcribed this notes that he was copying from a text under the hand of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley.

ff. 238r-239v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Hampton Court, 6 Jun 1570. With royal signature and address.

ff. 240r-241v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 9 Jun 1570. Original, with address.

f. 242r: Note of goods taken from the old Laird of Lethington (Sir Richard Maitland, who signs), Jun 1570.

f. 243r: Letter of William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston to Thomas Randolph, Kirkpatrick, 12 Jun 1570, with Randolph's answer, Edinburgh, 13 Jun 1570. About a truce. Both letters are contemporary copies in the same hand.

ff. 244r-245v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 13 Jun 1570. Original, with address. The letter includes Randolph telling Sussex of his having communicated favourable intelligence from Queen Elizabeth I to the Scottish lords of the King’s party; and various intelligence, about the probable choice of a regent and news of the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland.

f. 246r: Letter of protection of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba to Henry Parker, 11th Baron Morley, 13 June 1570. In French. Later copy.

ff. 247v-248v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to Queen Elizabeth I, Chatsworth, 14 Jun 1570. In Mary's hand throughout; endorsed by Sir William Cecil that the letter was sent by John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross but he did not present it.

ff. 249r-250v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 16 Jun 1570, 'late in the night'. original, with address.

ff. 251r-252v: Letter of Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Hampton Court, 11 Jun 1570. Original, with royal signature, address and seal.

ff. 253r-256v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Stirling, 21 Jun 1570. With signature and address. The letter includes a report of a meeting of the Scottish lords in the King's interest at Stirling.

ff. 257r-258v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Stirling, 21 Jun 1570. With signature and address.

ff. 259r-260v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Stirling, 23 Jun 1570. With signature and address. He reports that the convention at Stirling is ended; that the Earl of Lennox is named lieutenant until the pleasure of Queen Elizabeth I is known; and various news.

ff. 261r-262v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 25 Jun 1570. With signature and address.

ff. 263r-264v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 26 Jun 1570. With signature and address.

ff. 265r-266v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 27 Jun 1570. With signature and address.

ff. 267r-268v: Letter of Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, to Thomas Randolph, Glasgow, 29 Jun 1570. Original, with Lennox's signature as Regent and address. Lennox recommends the bearer and expresses friendship.

ff. 269r-270v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Oatlands, 30 Jun 1570. With royal signature and address.

ff. 271r-272v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 2 Jul 1570. With signature.

ff. 273r-274v: Letter of John Moonney to Thomas Randolph, Glasgow, 2 Jul 1570. Intelligence, including news of Liddesdale. original, with address.

ff. 275r-276v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Oatlands, 2 Jul 1570.

ff. 277r-279v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 5 Jul 1570. Some use of cipher. There is a paragraph of deciphered text, f. 278r.

ff. 280r-281v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 6 Jul 1570. Original.

ff. 282r-283r: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 6 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 284r-291r: A Discourse touching the pretended Match betwene the Duke of Norfolke and the Quene of Scottes. No date, author, place of publication or printer on the title-page (usually dated 1569, though '1570' has been written on the title-page here; Thomas Norton has been taken as the most likely candidate for author).

ff. 292r-293v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, 6 Jul 1570.'at nyght'. Original. With address.

ff. 294r-v: Letter William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston to Thomas Randolph, Terregles, 6 Jul 1570, with reply of Thomas Randolph Edinburgh, 8 Jul 1570. Copies. Livingston writes about a truce.

ff. 295r-296v: Letter of Matthew Stewart, 13th (or 4th) Earl of Lennox to Thomas Randolph, Glasgow, 8 Jul 1570. With signature and with address for Radloph ('Randall').

ff. 297r-298v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 8 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 299r-301v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 9 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 302r-303v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 11 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

f. 304r: List of the names of the Lords assembled at Edinburgh, 12 Jul 1570.

ff. 305r-306v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 12 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 307r-v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston, Edinburgh, 14 Jul 1570. Copy.

ff. 308r-309r: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 14 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 310r-311v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 15 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 312r-313v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 16 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 314r-319v: The election of Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox as Regent of Scotland, with the Articles which he is sworn unto, Edinburgh, 17 Jul 1570. The account includes the names of the electors.

ff. 320r-321v; Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 17 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

f. 322r: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to her mother-in-law Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, Chatsworth, 10 Jul 1570. Copy, probably later.

ff. 324r-325v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 18 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 326r-327v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston, Edinburgh, 18 Jul 1570. Copy.

ff. 328r-329v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 20 Jul 1570. Original.

ff. 330r-331v: Letter of William Maitland of Lethington to George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly, Blair Atholl, 24 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 332r-333v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 24 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 334r-335v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Cheney's, 26 Jul 1570. With royal signature, seal and address.ff. 336r-337v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 29 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 338r-339v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, 29 Jul 1570. With royal signature and address.

ff. 340r-341v: Letter of Matthew Stewart, 4th or 13th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, to James Gordon, 4th Earl of Morton, Stirling, 31 Jul 1570. Original. Lennox signs as Regent and the address is to Morton as Chancellor.

ff. 342r-343v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 31 Jul 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 344r-345v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 1 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 346r-347v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 1 Aug 1570, 'at viij of the clocke after Supper'. Original, with address.

ff. 348r-349v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 3 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 350r-v, 352v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 4 Aug 1570. Original.

f. 351r: A memorandum concerning prisoners, perhaps by James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, 5 Aug 1570.

ff. 353r-354v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Cheney's, 5 Aug 1570. Original, with royal signature, and address.

ff. 355r-356v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 6 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 357r-358v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 7 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

f. 359r-362v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 7 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 363r-364v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 9 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

f. 365r: Letter of Credentials of James Hamilton, Duke of Châtelherault, George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly and Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, lieutenants to Mary, Queen of Scots for George Seton, 5th Lord Seton, sent as plenipotentiary to Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba, 10 Aug 1570. Copy. Noted by Robert Cotton as made from the original charter, 1610.

ff. 367r-v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 12 Aug 1570. Original.

ff. 368r-369v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Cheney's, 12 Aug 1570. With royal signature and address.

ff. 370r-371v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 13 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 372r-373v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 14 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 374r-375v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 16 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 376r-378v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 17 Aug 1570, 'late in the night'. Original, with address.

ff. 379r-380v: Letter of Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, to Thomas Randolph, Stirling, 17 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 381r-382v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 21 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 383r-384v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, Governor of Berwick, Edinburgh, 25 Aug 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 385r-386v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 1 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 387r-388v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 6 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 389r-390v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 8 Sep 1570. Original, with address and seal.

ff. 391r-393v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 9 Sep 1570. Original, with address. Enclosed (f. 392r) is a memorandum of losses sustained by James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton in the Barony of Preston.

ff. 394r-395v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 9 Sep 1570. Original, with address. there is also a note on the cover that this was received at 6 p.m. on 10 Sep.

ff. 396r-399v: Letter of Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 10 Sep 1570. Original, with address. the letter itself is undated, but a note underneath the address states that it was delivered at Berwick at 4 p.m. on 10 Sep. It also has a note beneath the address, 'Hast post haste' for the lordship. There are enclosed two notes of Randolph's expenses, ff. 397r, 398r.

ff. 400r-401v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 10 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 402r-403v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 10 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 404r-405v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 10 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 406r-407v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 16 Sep 1570. Original.

ff. 408r-409v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 19 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 410r-411v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Reading, 19 Sep 1570. Original, with royal signature and address.

ff. 412r-413r: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Reading, 20 Sep 1570. Original, with royal signature and address.

ff. 414r-415v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 21 Sep 1570. Original.

ff. 416r-417v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 22 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 418r-419v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Reading, 25 Sep 1570. With royal signature and address.

ff. 420r-421v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 25 Sep 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 422r-423v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 27 Sep 1570. Original.

ff. 424r-428v: Commission of Queen Elizabeth I to Sir William Cecil and Sir Walter Mildmay to treat with Mary, Queen of Scots, with reasons why the latter should assent to the proposed articles, matters to be required of Mary, and the manner of assurance for the treaty, Sep 1570. A later copy; the clerk notes that it is taken from a copy in Cecil's hand.

ff. 429r-430v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 2 Oct 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 431r-432v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 3 Oct 1570. Original, with address. The letter is dated 3 Oct, but on the address leaf noted that the letter was at Edinburgh on the morning of 4 Oct (in the same hand as the address), and beneath that a note by William Dury that it was delivered at Berwick at 6 at night the same day.

ff. 433r-434v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Windsor Castle, 6 Oct 1570. With royal signature and address.

ff. 437r-438v, 435r-436v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 8 Oct 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 439r-440v: Proposals for restoring Mary, Queen of Scots and regulating the government of Scotland: by the lords of her party? Oct. 10, 1570. The date comes from a later addition; the text itself is undated.

ff. 441r-442v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Windsor Castle, 10 Oct 1570. Original, with royal signature and address.

ff. 443r-444v: Instructions of Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, to Nicholas Elphinstone, sent to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 14 Oct 1570. The instructions are signed by Elphinstone.

ff. 445r-448v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 16 Oct 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 451r-452v, 449r-451v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 18 Oct 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 453r-454v: Instructions by Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex to Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, 18 Oct 1570. Signed by Sussex. The endorsement gives the instructions as to Lennox. The 1802 Cottonian catalogue suggests the instructions are for Sussex's emissary Richard Wroth, and one passage suggests this is the case.

ff. 455r-456v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 20 Oct 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 457r: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 23 Oct 1570. Original.

f. 458r: Letter of James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Dalkeith, 25 [possibly 20] Oct 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 459r-460v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 25 Oct 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 461r-462v: Letter of Queen Elizabeth I to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Windsor Castle, 26 Oct 1570. With royal signature, and address.

ff. 463r-464v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 29 Oct 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 465r-466v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 30 Oct 1570. Original. With address. Beneath the address a note in another hand, 'Hast Post Hast Hast' and delivered at Berwick on 1 Nov at 2 in the afternoon. A further note says that the letter was received at Belford [14 miles from Berwick] at half over 2 on 1 November.

ff. 467r-468v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 2 Nov 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 469r-470v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 5 Nov 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 471r-473v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 7 Nov 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 474r-475v: Letter of James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 12 Nov 1570. Original, with address.

ff. 476r-477v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 14 Nov 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 477r-478v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 14 Nov 1570. Original. With address.

ff. 479r-480v: Letter of Thomas Randolph to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Edinburgh, 14 Nov 1570. Original. With address. Robert Pitcairn, Commendator of Dunfermline, whose coming to Sussex has long been expected, has charge to communicate matters to Sussex.

ff. 481r-486v: Instructions of James Hamilton, Duke of Châtelherault, George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly and Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll, Lieutenants of Mary, Queen of Scots in Scotland to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway and William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston: sent to treat with Queen Elizabeth I, 'Dunone and Strautbogie' [?Dunoon and Strathbogie], 10 and 15 Nov 1570. With Answers to the Articles of Assurance (ff. 484r-485v). The copy is signed by the three lieutenants, though only Huntly's is not very faint.

ff. 487r-v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, Chatsworth, 21 Nov 1570. The letter is in a clerk's hand, but as well as signing (as 'Your richt good frind and mestres Marie R') she has added a paragraph at the end in her own hand. With address.

ff. 488r-489v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, Chatsworth, 24 Nov 1570. Mary signs the letter as 'Your richt good frind and mestres Marie R'. With address.

ff 490r-510v: This is a series of letters and linked narrative of the negotiations (and preparatory documents) between the commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots and the English, late 1570-early 1571. In Scots. It actually begins with ff. 504r-v, which is the correct first page and precedes f. 490r, into which the text runs:

• ff. 490r-492r: Instructions of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway and William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston, Commissioners for treating with Queen Elizabeth I, with the manner of assurance, Sheffield, 26 Dec 1570. This is preceded by the latter part of a commission, probably to the same persons. Copy.
• ff. 492r-v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to Queen Elizabeth I, Sheffield, 28 Dec 1570 Copy. Letter of credential for her commissioners.
• f. 492v: Letter of the Scottish nobility of the Queen 's party for the Commissioners, Dunoon and Strathbogie, 10 and 15 Nov 1570. Copy.
• f. 493r: Copy of the warrandise, or ratification of the commission of her party in Scotland to the three commissioners, Sheffield, 28 Dec 1570.
• ff. 493v-494r: Arrival of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross in London and his first audience with Queen Elizabeth I, 2 and 3 Jan 1571.
• f. 494r: Arrival in London of Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway and William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston, 3 Jan 1571.
• ff. 494r-494v: Letter of John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross to Sir William Cecil, London, 4 Jan 1571.
• ff. 494v-495r: Journal of the proceedings of the three Scottish commissioners on the 6, 9, and 11 Jan. 1571.
• ff. 495r-498r: Copy of a letter of the three Scottish commissioners to Mary, Queen of Scots giving an account of their audience at Hampton Court on 13 Jan, London, 17 Jan 1571.
• ff. 498r-v: Copy of letter of the commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots to lairds of Ferniehirst, Buccleuch, and 'Badrowle', London, 15 Jan 1571.
• ff. 498v-500r: A draught of the explanation of the prorogation of abstinence [i.e. truce], given by Mary, Queen of Scots to the prince under the name of king.
• ff. 500r-501v: The abstinence given to us [the commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots], to be passed to Mary's lieutenants, corrected and delivered again to Sir William Cecil for the prince's part. This is the preceding item revised, and with many marginal notes.
• ff. 501v-502v: Memorial of Mary, Queen of Scots' objections against Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, and his answers.
• ff. 502v-503r, 505r: Answer of Matthew Stewart, 13th and 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland, to certain notes of acts allegedly done by him against the tenor of the assurance taken since the same was subscribed, 15 Nov 1570.
• ff. 504r-v: Notes relating to the granting of the Commission of Mary, Queen of Scots, beginning with the arrival of Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway and William Livingston, 6th Lord Livingston at Sheffield on 23 Dec 1570, and including her commission [This folio precedes f. 490r].
• ff. 505r-v: Replies to certain answers of George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly touching the violation of the abstinence [truce] by him, 28 Dec 1570.
• ff. 505v-506v: Answer by Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox, Regent of Scotland to a certain note of acts done by him and his adherents contrary to their promises made to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, by which it is alleged that they have broken the truce, 28 Dec 1570. [a reply to ff. 507r-508r].
• ff. 507r-508r: A brief note of acts done by Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox and his adherents contrary to their promises to Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, in violation of the truce subscribed by Lennox, 27 Dec 1570.
• ff. 508v-510v: Replies by the commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots to certain answers made by Matthew Stewart, 13th or 4th Earl of Lennox to the complaints made by John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, for the injuries and attempts done by him during the truce, 16 Jan 1571.

ff. 511r-514v: Instructions of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross for treating with Queen Elizabeth I, Sheffield, 26 Dec 1570. With Mary's signature.

ff. 515r-516r: Oration of William Maitland of Lethington at the Parliament of Scotland, Dec 1570. Later copy.

ff. 517r-v: Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots to John Leslie [Lesley], Bishop of Ross, her ambassador and counsellor towards Queen Elizabeth I, 6 Feb 1571. Evidently a copy, with an attempt to capture Mary's hand for the signature and closing.

ff. 518r-519v: A memorandum or letter by Mary, Queen of Scots. 8 Feb 1571. A copy collated with the original, and attested by Robert Higford. The endorsement calls it a 'discourse' and notes one strand of the letter - touching the sending of Ridolfi. There is some very amateurish use of cipher, decoded.

ff. 520r-526v: A copy of a writing submitted by James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton and others, a memorial of the nobility of Scotland of the King's party justifying his title and the renunciation of Mary, Queen of Scots, and delivered to the Commissioners of Queen Elizabeth I; Sir Nicholas Bacon, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham, William Cecil, 1st Baron Cecil and Sir Walter Mildmay, 28 Apr 1570. In Scots and Latin. The endorsement, and some marginalia, are in Burghley's hand.

ff. 527r-529r: A paper entitled, 'Texts for civilians, de actis ab incarcerato', 1 Mar 1571.

ff. 530r-531r: A copy of a letter from the Scottish lords of the Queen's party (20 names, headed by the Earls of Huntly and Argyll) to Queen Elizabeth I, 3 Mar 1571. Copy.

ff. 532r-533r: Answer of the Commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots, to the articles proposed by the commissioners for Queen Elizabeth I, 12 Mar 1571. Copy.

ff. 534r-535r: Letter of Charles IX, King of France to Bertrand de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon, French Ambassador, Paris, 13 Mar (or May) 1571. In French. A copy (and hence the inconsistency in dates as the copy gives both).

ff. 536r-538v: A note of certain heads thought of for the pacification between Mary, Queen of Scots and her subjects, and for the controversy concerning the crown between her and her son, 14 Mar 1571. Noted as a copy from an original in the hand of Sir William Cecil.

f. 539r: The declaration by Queen Elizabeth I to the commissioners of Mary, Queen of Scots, 23 Mar 1571. Copy.

f. 539v: Certain notes to be observed for satisfying the desire of Queen Elizabeth I in the matter of the Scottish treaty, 23 Mar 1571. Copy.

ff. 540r-550v: Coloured plan of a sconce (i.e. a fortification) (ff. 540r-541r); with a key to the plan (f. 542r) and a treatise advocating a series of sconces along the Anglo-Scottish border (ff. 543r-550v).

ff. 551r-564v: Manuscript tract owned by Sir William Cecil, whose endorsement names it as an 'Answer to a litle book that was publis against the Marriadge of the D. of Norfolk with the Scott Queen'. See above, ff. 284r-291r for the tract which this is attacking. For a fuller variant text of this tract, see Cotton MS Julius E XI, ff. 22r-41v, where the tract is dated 15 Mar 1570.

ff. 565r-572v: Manuscript tract by George Buchanan, 'Agaynst the Hamiltons'. Dated in a hand other than the main scribe's '1570'. Endorsed: 'The discourse of the practyze life and behavior of the Hamyltons G B'.

ff. 573r-575v: A manuscript tract, dated 1570. One heading is, 'The definition of a kingdom and a discourse upon the same'; another heading in another hand is 'Against the Q. of Scots'.

ff. 576r-578v: A manuscript tract titled 'Reasons presented to the Quens ma[jes]tie by the Bishops to prove that she maye lawfullie put the S[cottish] Q[ueen] to deathe by the worde of god.' To this title another hand has added 'in the tyme of the parlement holden at Westminster 1572'.

ff. 580r-582v: Manuscript tract, given the title, 'Againste the Q: of Scottes for her aduouterie and consentinge to the deathe of her Howsbonde'.

ff. 578v-579v: An Argument perswadinge that the Quens ma[jes]tie oughte to have in conscience a greate care of the saftie of her person'. A tract, possibly a sub-heading of ff. 576r-578v.

ff. 580r-582v: Manuscript tract, given the title, 'Againste the Q: of Scottes for her aduouterie and consentinge to the deathe of her Howsbonde'.

ff. 583r-584v: Manuscript tract entitled 'Reasons drawne by the learned in the comon law, to move the Quens Ma[jes]tie to proceade against the Q. of S[cots] accordinge to the first Bill, which imported the takinge awaie of her life & not disablement'. This and the following items (ff. 584r-588v) probably form one tract.

ff. 585r-587r: 'That it is not good but dangerous for the Quens Ma[jes]tie to procede according to the second bill for disablement, and not accordinge to the firste for attainder & execution'. ff. 584r-588v probably form one tract.

ff. 587r-v: 'Causes to remove the impedimentes obiected againste proceding accordinge to the firste bill.' ff. 584r-588v probably form one tract.

ff. 588r-v: 'Causes to induce hir Ma[jes]tie to proceade accordinge to law and Justice.' ff. 584r-588v probably form one tract.