Cotton MS Caligula C VI

A volume of records and papers (originals and copies) concerning England and Scotland, 1580–1581. It includes items in the hand of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (d. 1598).

ff. 2r–v: Robert Bowes, to William Cecil, reporting a plot of Esmé Stuart , Earl of Lennox and his friends to ruin Morton; Grey and Ogilby, lately arrived from France, raising the hopes of Mary Queen of Scots and the Catholic party, 2 April 1580.

ff. 3r–4v: Original letter from Nicholas Arrington, to [William Cecil?], reporting his application to James VI in favour of the Hamiltons; Argyle's and d'Aubigny's enmity to them; and various other intelligence; Morton's popularity, 4 April 1580, Stirling.

ff. 5r–6v: Original letter from Robert Bowes to [Francis Walsingham?], chiefly about the Earl of Morton, who proposes to have a guard and is going on a progress, 5 April 1580, Berwick.

f. 7r–8r: Original letter from Nicholas Arrington to [Francis Walsingham?], reporting various news: an alarm of a plot to carry off the king; d'Aubigny in great favour, 10 April 1580, Stirling.

f. 9r–10v: Original letter from Nicholas Arrington to [William Cecil?], reporting the struggles of parties respecting the custody of the king's person; Morton solicits Elizabeth I's protection; d'Aubigny consents to be instructed in the protestant religion, 16 April 1580, Berwick.

f. 11r–12v: Original letter from Robert Bowes to [Francis Walsingham?] about the struggles of the parties in Scotland; two French emissaries expected there; Angus on the borders, 16 April 1580, Berwick.

f. 13r–15r: Instructions to Robert Bowes, drawn up by Francis Walsingham; charging him to do all in his power to supplant d'Aubigny, and to get James to still to depend on Elizabeth, 19 April 1580.

ff. 16r–v: French letter from Elizabeth to d'Aubigny; complimenting him; but representing to him, that before his arrival Scotland was at peace, and that it will be to his honour to keep it so. 9 April 1580.

f. 17r: Elizabeth to Robert Bowes; ordering him to repair to the James with a letter from her, and give him information concerning the late troubles. 16 April 1580.

ff. 17r–v: Elizabeth to James VI, sent by Robert Bowes, recommending him as mediator in the late troubles, 16 April 1580.

ff. 17v–18v: Walsingham to Bowes; instructing him on how to conduct himself towards d'Aubigny, 17 April 1580.

ff. 18v–19v: Cecil and Walsingham to Bowes; instructions for lowering the credit of d'Aubigny, and by any means to get the castles of Edinburgh and Dumbarton out of his hands, and cautions about attempts of the French to carry off the young king, 17 April 1580.

ff. 19v–20v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; various news about the motions of Morton and Lennox, 27 April 1580, Edinburgh.

f. 20v: Henry, Lord Scrope to Walsingham, 1 May 1580.

ff. 21r–22r: Walsingham to Bowes; in answer to the above; and communicating several alarming reports concerning the discontents of the people in Scotland, and the intrigues of Spain, 3 May 1580.

ff. 23r–24v: French letter from Mary Queen of Scots, to Elizabeth; complains heavily of her hard usage; and desires that she may be allowed to go to Buxton, 2 May [1580; 12th year of her imprisonment], Sheffield.

ff. 25r–28v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; recounting his conferences with the Earl of Lennox and James; Morton sues for a trial; various news concerning several of the Scottish nobility, James's intended progress, 3 May 1580, Stirling.

ff. 29r–33v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; reports his negotiations in favour of the Hamiltons; on border matters; various information concerning Morton and Argyle; Lennox turned protestant, 10 May 1580, Stirling.

f. 38r: Earl of Lennox to Laird of Buchanan; summons him to meet him with a retinue to attend the king on his progress, 10 May 1580, Edinburgh.

f. 38v: Bowes to Walsingham; intelligence about the Bishop of Ross, Fernihurst, and Lennox, 16 May 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 39r–v: Original French letter from Lennox to Elizabeth; protesting himself innocent of the charge of promoting dissension between her and his king; and offering to fight her and his calumniators, 15 May 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 40r–v: James Murray to [Walsingham?]: intelligence 'specially of the practices and devices of the Papists' in Scotland, 15 May 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 41r–42v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham about Lennox's proceedings, and the disposition of the Scottish nobles, 16 May 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 43r–v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; acquaints them of some intended alterations in the state of Scotland, 17 May 1580.

f. 44r: Extract of a letter from Bowes to Walsingham; Morton ready to employ himself in a certain enterprise; Lennox suspicious, 23 May 1580.

ff. 45r–46v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; concerning the intended alteration in Scotland, the manoeuvres of Lennox, 23 May 1580, Berwick.

ff. 47r–49v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; about affairs in Scotland: 'The K. thinketh himself in no surety at Stirling, or in the keeping of them that remain about him.' 3 June 1580, Berwick.

f. 50r: Original letter from John Hamilton to Elizabeth; about delays in his pardon, and restoration. 4 June 1580, Paris.

ff. 51r–52r: Bowes to Walsingham; about the impending alteration in the Government of Scotland, 3 June 1580, Berwick.

ff. 52r–v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: news about James's progress, 15 June 1580.

ff. 52v–53r: Bowes to Walsingham: Morton and the queen's friends perplexed for want of timely assistance, 15 June 1580.

ff. 53r–v: Elizabeth to Morton; advising him of some attempts of the French and Lennox, and desiring his advice, 22 June 1580.

ff. 53v–54r: Walsingham to Bowes: instructions for counteracting Lennox's designs; desires to know what pension might content Morton; the prince of Condé in England, 22 June 1580.

ff. 54r–v: Extract of a letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: intelligence chiefly about Lennox and Morton, 9 July 1580.

ff. 57r–58v: French letter from Mary Queen of Scots to Elizabeth; exculpating herself, and complaining of her enemies; desires leave to go to a bath for her health, 21 June 1580, Sheffield.

ff. 60r–v: French letter from Cecil to the French ambassador (Michel de Castelneau?) expressing great civility, and assuring him that Condé's negotiation had been ineffectual, 1 July 1580.

ff. 61r–v: Original letter from Bowes to Walsingham: intelligence about Lennox, who still rises in favour, but 'whose weak cask may haply burst with the abundance of strong liquor poured into it' and about Morton, who is in great perplexity, 19 July 1580, Berwick.

ff. 62r–63v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham, about the restoration of Lords John and Claud Hamilton; Morton's proceedings and demands; redress for piracies, 19 July 1580, Berwick.

f. 64r: A note of commissions given to George Douglas, going from the Scottish to the French court, 20 July 1580.

f. 65r: Original letter from Morton to Bowes, concerning a plot to be laid, 29 July 1580, St Andrews.

ff. 66r–v: Original letter from James VI to Elizabeth I concerning the Hamiltons, 31 July 1580, St Andrews.

ff. 67r–v: [Archibald to Bowes?], intelligence about Morton, 31 July 1580.

ff. 67v–68v: Bowes to Robert Pitcairn (Commendator of Dunfermline and Secretary of State) about redress for attempts, 1 August 1580, Berwick.

ff. 68v–69r: Bowes to Walsingham, about Morton, 2 August 1580.

ff. 69r–v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: Morton likely to be reconciled with Lennox, and other news, 2 August 1580.

ff. 70r–71r: Walsingham to Bowes about the means of securing the interest of Morton, 10 August 1580, Oatlands.

f. 71r: Note in French of some prisoners taken at Bouchain.

ff. 71r–v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham, about Morton and Lennox's intended reconciliation and the king's activities, 10 August 1580.

f. 72r: Extract of a letter from Bowes to Walsingham, reporting a communication made to Morton; John Cunningham, Laird of Drumquhassle steady in Elizabeth's cause; the king's activities [10 August 1580].

ff. 72r–v: Bowes to Walsingham; Morton yields to Lennox, and the French party prevails, 22 August 1580.

ff. 73r–74v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: various news from Scotland; Morton still professes himself favourable to the English party; Lennox very desirous to have Dumbarton in his hands, 22 August 1580.

f. 75r: Bowes to Cecil: John Cunningham, Laird of Drumquhassle consents to surrender Dumbarton to Lennox, who shuts the port of Edinburgh for a day, 27 August 1580.

f. 76r: [Walsingham?] to Bowes about Elizabeth I's intention to send him (Bowes) and Lord Scrope to James VI to negotiate about the Hamiltons; desires him to persuade John Cunningham, Laird of Drumquhassle, not to surrender Dumbarton, 26 Aug 1580.

f. 76r: Elizabeth to James VI: credential in favour of Bowes, 31 August 1580.

f. 76v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: reports having written to the Commendator of Dunfermline about the matters he and Scrope will be negotiating shortly, with a schedule of those matters, 31 August 1580.

ff. 76v–77v: Walsingham to Bowes: directions for cautioning James against Lennox, and otherwise couteracting him, 31 August 1580.

ff. 77v–78v: Walsingham to Bowes, qualifying the directions given in the above, with a despondent postscript, 1 September 1580, Oatlands.

ff. 78v–79r: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham, about his speedy journey into Scotland and the many changes talked of in the ministry of Scotland, 6 September 1580.

ff. 79r–v: Walsingham to Bowes, directing some remonstrances to be made to James VI about Lennox, before Scrope is sent down, 10 September 1580.

ff. 80r–81v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: reports his first negotation with James and the Council of Scotland, wherein they decline to order Lennox to withdraw during the demanded audience; and some subsequent transactions, 13 September 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 82r–v: A deliberation of Elizabeth's Council for directing Bowes concerning his negotiation against Lennox, 18 September 1580, Richmond.

f. 83r: Sir John Forster to Walsingham, concerning Lennox's high favour and some affairs on the borders, 16 September 1580.

f. 83v: Bowes to Walsingham about some Scottish affairs (names are in cypher), 20 September 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 84r–86v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: reports James's repeated refusal to cause Lennox to absent himself from the council on Bowes's delivering his message; about Drumquhassle and the borders, 20 September 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 87r–89v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: the audience in the absence of Lennox still refused; about piracies, changes in the offices and the borders, 25 September 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 90r–91v: Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: reports that Lennox professes to be well disposed towards Elizabeth; a conversation with Robert Melvin, in which a match between the James and some English lady is mentioned, 27 September 1580, Edinburgh.

ff. 95r–96v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham: the lieutenancy of the east and middle marches offered to Angus; some preachers inveigh bitterly against Papists; another interview with Melvin, etc., 1 October 1580, Edinburgh.

f. 97r: A note in Bowes's hand about Lennox [October 1580].

ff. 98r–99v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; various intelligence about an assembly, Lennox, Monburneau, etc., 6 October 1580, Edinburgh.

f. 100r: Extract from a letter from Bowes to Walsingham; various intelligence; the K. of Scotland very desirous to be married in England, 7 October 1580.

ff. 100r–101v: Cecil and Walsingham to Bowes: instructions for him to make some strong remonstrances concerning Lennox and then to leave Edinburgh; also concerning Morton, etc., 7 October 1570.

ff. 102r–105v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; reports his having executed his instructions contained in the above, 18 October 1580, Berwick.

ff. 106r–v: Original letter from Bowes to Cecil and Walsingham; Alexander Hume to be sent from Scotland to Elizabeth; Lennox's confident language, etc., 24 October 1580, Streatlam.

f. 108r: List of the 24 gentlemen of the king's chamber, and of the 6 extraordinary, 24 October 1580.

f. 108v: James VI to Elizabeth; credential in favour of Alexander Hume of North Berwick, October 25 1580, Holyroodhouse.

f. 109r: Original letter from Lord Claud Hamilton to Elizabeth: soliciting her protection in his and his brother's behalf, 27 October 1580, Alnwick.

ff. 110r–v: French letter from James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow to ? at Rome: on several affairs, chiefly relating to the Catholic interest in Scotland; he intimates a suspicion that the Bishop of Ross is assisted by England, 31 October 1580.

ff. 111r–112v: Notes of the things to be said to Alexander Hume by Cecil and Walsingham; original in Cecil's hand, 7 November 1580.

ff. 113r–v: French letter from ? to James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow, Mary's ambassador in France, concerning the Catholic interest in Scotland, 8 November 1580, Rome.

ff. 114r–v: 'Postils made to the heades of the message propounded by Mr Alexander Hume', 22 November 1580.

ff. 114v–115v: The sum of [Alexander Hume's] credit, delivered to Elizabeth at Richmond, 22 November 1580.

f. 116r: Elizabeth to James, expressing disapproval of his behaviour towards Bowes, sent by Alexander Hume, 1 December 1580, Richmond.

ff. 116v–117r: Memoranda concerning the nobility, and some men of note in Scotland, 7 and 25 December 1580.

ff. 118r–119v: Elizabeth's instructions to Thomas Randolph going into Scotland, on apprehending Morton. (Original countersigned by Walsingham), 6 January 1581.

f. 120r: 'A private memorial for Mr Randolphe', instructing him about some secret objects.

ff. 124r–126v: Thomas Randolph to the Lord President, reporting his negotiations with James VI, in favour of Morton, against Lennox and the Catholic interest; advises the strengthening of the borders, etc., 22 January 1581, Edinburgh.

ff. 128r–v: Original letter, partly in cipher, from Walsingham to Randolph, acquainting him with Elizabeth's intentions concerning Morton and Lennox, etc., 3 February 1581, Whitehall.

ff. 131r–132r: Several notes of things to be laid against d'Aubigny (later 1st Duke of Lennox) to prove his abusing the king, the nobility, and the state of Scotland, 3 February 1581.

ff. 133r–v: Original letter from Bowes to [Walsingham?]: intelligence chiefly from Randolph, and concerning Lennox and Morton, 7 February 1581, Berwick.

ff. 134r–v: Notes in Cecil's hand about some orders to be proposed to the queen concerning the borders, February 1581.

ff. 135r–138r: The intention of Elizabeth and her offers to James, his noblemen and good counsellors, sent to Thomas Randolph, under Cecil's hand, at the time the army was sent to remain upon the borders, 17 February 1581.

f. 141r: Heads of a letter to the lords of Scotland, about Lennox, Morton, etc., 18 February 1581.

ff. 142r–143r: Extract from a letter from Bowes to Walsingham, about a convention in Scotland; a confederacy of some lords, Lennox, Morton, the forces on the borders, 24 February 1581.

f. 143v: 'The nobilitie of Scotland assembled at the conuencion in Edinburgh', 20 February 1581.

f. 144r: Extracts from letters of Randolph and Bowes on the Earl of Angus, 7 January to 29 March 1581.

f. 144v: A list of noblemen and others who are the Earl of Morton's friends and allies.

ff. 144v–145v: Memoirs of certain heads to be communicated to Elizabeth on Morton's behalf.

f. 146r: The effects of a conciliatory letter to be sent from James VI to Elizabeth I.

f. 147r: A list of some alterations made in James's household.

ff. 148r–156v: A brief discourse of Randolph's negotiation with James and the council of Scotland, from his being sent there on 6 January to his return to Berwick about the middle of March 1581; Lord Boyd charged with treachery against Angus.

ff. 157r–160v: The dealings of Mr. Randolph, with the Earl of Angus, 1 March 1581.

ff. 161r–162r: An abstract of the causes of the decays of tenancies and services upon the borders, taken from the certificates, and remedies to amend them, 1581.

ff. 163r–164r: An abstract of the musters of horsemen and footmen on the borders.

f. 165r: Extract from a letter from Bowes to Walsingham; Angus intends to take refuge in England, 16 May 1581.

ff. 167r–v: French letter [to Lennox?], 1581.

ff. 168r–173v: The sum of all the conferences between the Earl of Morton, John Durie and Walter Balcanquhal, on the day of the earl's execution, containing his declarations about Darnley's death, and many other points, 2 June 1581.

ff. 175r–177r: Archibald Douglas to [Walsingham?], vindicating himself against the charge of having contributed towards the death of Darnley, 21 July 1581.

f. 178r: Extracts from letters from Scrope to Cecil about the state of the borders and with intelligence from Scotland, 12 and 18 August 1581.

f. 178v: Names of the lords and lairds dwelling on the west marches of Scotland, and their marriages and alliances, 12 August 1581.

ff. 179r–182v: Advice to be given to James on behalf of Elizabeth for the establishment of his estate, 4 September 1581.

f. 183r–184v: Copy of a letter from Paris, containing an account of some negotiations there by George Douglas, and copies of letters to him from James, Mary Queen of Scots and the Earl of Lennox, 9 September 1581.

f. 185r: An extract from a letter from Sir Henry Widdrington to Cecil: intelligence about Scottish affairs, 21 September 1581.

f. 186r: Widdrington to Cecil about Scottish affairs, 3 October 1581.

f. 187r: Sir John Forster to Cecil about a parliament appointed in Scotland and a debate between Lennox and Arran, 13 October 1581, Alnwick.

ff. 188r–190v: Articles concerning the state of the borders; and proposals for their security, 1581.