LETTER IX

THE FRENCH ‘SONNETS’

O dieux ayes de moy compassion E m’enseignes quelle preuue certane Je puis donner qui ne luy semble vain De mon amour et ferme affection. Las n’est il pas ia en possession Du corps, du cueur qui ne refuse peine Ny dishonneur, en la vie incertane, Offence de parents, ne pire affliction? Pour luy tous mes amys i’estime moins que rien, Et de mes ennemis ie veulx esperere bien. I’ay hazardé pour luy & nom & conscience: Ie veux pour luy au monde renoncer: Ie veux mourire pour luy auancer. Que reste il plus pour prouuer ma constance?

Entre ses mains & en son plein pouuoir Je metz mon filz, mon honneur, & ma vie, Mon pais, mes subjects mon ame assubiectie Et toute à luy, & n’ay autre vouloir Pour mon obiect que sens le disseuoir Suiure ie veux malgré toute l’enuie Qu’issir en peult, car ie nay autre envie Que de ma foy, luy faire apparceuoir Que pour tempest ou bonnace qui face Iamais ne veux changer demeure ou place. Brief ie farray de ma foy telle preuue, Qu’il cognoistra sens feinte ma constance, Non par mes pleurs ou feinte obeissance, Come autres ont fait, mais par diuers espreuue.

Elle pour son honneur vous doibt obeissance Moy vous obeissant i’en puys resseuoir blasme N’estât, à mon regret, come elle vostre femme. Et si n’aura pourtant en ce point préeminence Pour son proffit elle vse de constance, Car ce n’est peu d’honneur d’estre de voz biens dame Et moy pour vous aymer i’en puix resseuoir blasme Et ne luy veux ceder en toute l’obseruance Elle de vostre mal n’a l’apprehension Moy ie n’ay nul repos tant ie crains l’apparence Par l’aduis des parents, elle eut vostre acointance Moy maugre tous les miens vous port affection Et de sa loyauté prenes ferme asseurance.

Par vous mon coeur & par vostre alliance Elle a remis sa maison en honneur Elle a jouy par vous de la grandeur Dont tous les siens n’auoyent nul asseurance De vous mon bien elle à eu la constance,[436] Et a guagné pour vn temps vostre cueur, Par vous elle a eu plaisir et bon heur, Et pour vous a receu honneur & reuerence, Et n’a perdu sinon la jouissance D’vn fascheux sot qu’elle aymoit cherement. Ie ne la plains d’aymer donc ardamment, Celuy qui n’a en sens, ni en vaillance, En beauté, en bonté, ni en constance Point de seconde. Ie vis en ceste foy.

Quant vous l’aymes, elle vsoit de froideur. Sy vous souffriez, pour s’amour passion Qui vient d’aymer de trop d’affection, Son doil monstroit, la tristesse de coeur N’ayant plesir de vostre grand ardeur En ses habitz, mon estroit sens fiction Qu’elle n’auoyt peur qu’imperfection Peult l’affasser hors de ce loyal coeur. De vostre mort ie ne vis la peaur Que meritoit tel mary & seigneur. Somme de vous elle a eu tout son bien Et n’a prise ne iamais estimé Vn si grand heur sinon puis qu’il n’est sien Et maintenant dist l’auoyr tant aymé.

Et maintenant elle commence à voire Qu’elle estoit bien de mauuais iugement De n’estimer l’amour d’vn tel amant Et vouldroit bien mon amy desseuoir, Par les escripts tout fardes de scauoir Qui pour tant n’est en son esprit croissant Ayns emprunté de quelque auteur eluissant. A feint tresbien vn enuoy sans l’avoyr Et toutesfois ses parolles fardez, Ses pleurs, ses plaints remplis de fictions. Et ses hautes cris & lamentations Ont tant guagné que par vous sont guardes. Ses lettres escriptes ausquells vous donnez foy Et si l’aymes & croyez plus que moy.

Vous la croyes las trop ie l’appercoy Et vous doutez de ma ferme constance, O mon seul bien & mon seul esperance, Et ne vous peux ie[437] asseurer de ma foy Vous m’estimes legier je le voy, Et si n’auez en moy nul asseurance, Et soubconnes mon coeur sans apparence, Vous deffiant à trop grande tort de moy. Vous ignores l’amour que ie vous porte Vous soubçonnez qu’autre amour me transporte, Vous estimes mes parolles du vent, Vous depeignes de cire mon las coeur Vous me penses femme sans iugement, Et tout cela augmente mon ardeur.

Mon amour croist & plus en plus croistra Tant que je viuray, et tiendra à grandeur, Tant seulement d’auoir part en ce coeur Vers qui en fin mon amour paroitra Si tres à cler que iamais n’en doutra, Pour luy ie veux recercher la grandeure, Et faira tant qu’en vray connoistra, Que ie n’ay bien, heur, ni contentement, Qu’ a l’obeyr & servir loyamment. Pour luy iattendz toute bon fortune. Pour luy ie veux guarder santé & vie Pour luy tout vertu de suiure i’ay enuie Et sens changer me trouuera tout vne.

Pour luy aussi ie jete mainte larme. Premier quand il se fit de ce corps possesseur, Du quel alors il n’auoyt pas le coeur. Puis me donna vn autre dure alarme Quand il versa de son sang maint drasme Dont de grief il me vint lesser doleur,[438] Qui me pensa oster la vie, & la frayeur De[439] perdre las la seule rempar qui m’arme. Pour luy depuis iay mesprise l’honneur Ce qui nous peut seul prouoir de bonheur. Pour luy iay hasarde grandeur[440] & conscience. Pour luy tous mes parents i’ay quisté, & amys, Et tous aultres respects sont a part mis. Brief de vous seul ie cherche l’alliance.

De vous ie dis seul soubtein de ma vie Tant seulement ie cherche m’asseurer, Et si ose de moy tant presumer De vous guagner maugré toute l’enuie. Car c’est le seul desir de vostre chere amye, De vous seruir & loyaument aymer, Et tous malheurs moins que riens estimer, Et vostre volunté de la mien suiure. Vous conoistres avecques obeissance De mon loyal deuoir n’omettant la science A quoy i’estudiray pour tousiours vous complaire Sans aymer rien que vous, soubs la suiection De qui ie veux sens nulle fiction Viure & mourir & à ce j’obtempere.

Mon coeur, mon sang, mon ame, & mon soussy, Las, vous m’aues promes qu’aurois ce plaisir De deuiser auecques vous à loysir, Toute la nuit, ou ie languis icy Ayant le coeur d’extreme peour transie, Pour voir absent le but de mon desir Crainte d’oubly vn coup me vient a saisir: Et l’autrefois ie crains que rendursi Soit contre moy vostre amiable coeur Par quelque dit d’un meschant rapporteur. Un autrefoys ie crains quelque auenture Qui par chemin deturne mon amant, Par vn fascheux & nouueau accident Dieu deturne toute malheureux augure.

Ne vous voyant selon qu’aues promis I’ay mis la main au papier pour escrire D’vn different que ie voulou transcrire, le ne scay pas quel sera vostre aduise Mais ie scay bien qui mieux aymer sçaura Vous diries bien qui plus y guagnera.

CRAWFORD’S DEPOSITION

(State Papers, Scotland, Elizabeth, vol. xiii. No. 14. Cal. Foreign State Papers, Elizabeth, vol. viii. No. 954, February 1566-7.)

The Wordes betwixt the Q. and me Thomas Crawforde bye the waye as she came to Glasco to fetche the kinge, when mye L. my Master sent me to showe her the cause whye he came not to mete her him sellfe.

Firste I made my L. mye masters humble com̃endac̃ons vnto her Ma{ti} w{th} thexcuse y{t} he came not to mete her praing her grace not to thinke it was eath{r} for prowdnesse or yet for not knowinge hys duetye towardes her highnesse, but onelye for want of hely{e} at y{e} present, and allso y{t} he woulde not p'sume to com in her presence vntille he knewe farder her minde bicause of the sharpe Wordes y{t} she had spoken of him to Robert Cuningh{a}m hys servant in Sterling. Wherebye he thought he Was in her Ma{tis} displesvre Notwithstanding he hathe sent hys servantᕦ and frendᕦ to waite vppon her Ma{ti}.

She aunswered y{t} there was no recept against feare.

I aunswered y{t} mye L. had no feare for anie thinge he knewe in him sellf, but onelye of the colde and vnkinde Wordes she had spoken to hys servant.

She aunswered and said y{t} he woulde not be a fraide in case he were not culpable.

I aunswered y{t} I knewe so farr of hys Lordsh. y{t} he desired nothing more than y{t} the secretts vf everye creatures harte were writtē in theire face.

She asked me yf I had anie farder com̃ission.

I aunswered no.

Then she com̃aunded me to holde mye peace.

The Wordes y{t} I rememb{r} were betwixt the Kinge and the Q. in Glasco when she took him awaie to Edinbrowghe.

The Kinge for y{t} mye L. hys father was then absent and sicke, bye reason whereof he could not speke w{th} him him sellfe, called me vnto him and theise wordes that had then passed betwixt him and the Quene, he gaue me in remembraunce to reporte vnto the said mye Lord hys father.

After theire metinge and shorte speking to geth{r} she asked him of his lr̃es, wherein he complained of the cruelltye of som.

He aunswered y{t} he complained not w{th}owt cause and as he beleved, she woulde graunte her sellfe when she was well advised.

She asked him of hys sicknesse, he answered y{t} she was the cause thereof, and moreover he saide, Ye asked me What I ment bye the crueltye specified in mye lr̃es, yt procedeth of yo{w} onelye y{t} wille not accepte mye offres and repentaunce, I confesse y{t} I haue failed in som thingᕦ, and yet greater fautes haue bin made to yo{w} sundrye times, w{ch} ye haue forgiuē. I am but yonge, and ye will saye ye haue forgiuē me diverse tymes. Maye not a man of mye age for lacke of Counselle, of w{ch} I am verye destitute falle twise or thrise, and yet repent and be chastised bye experience? Yf I haue made anye faile y{t} ye but thinke a faile, howe so ever it be, I crave yo{r} ᵱdone and protest y{t} I shall never faile againe. I desire no oth{r} thinge but y{t} we maye be to geath{r} as husband and wife. And yf ye will not consent hereto, I desire never to rise forthe of thys bed. Therefore I praye yo{w} give me an aunswer here vnto. God knowethe howe I am punished for makinge mye god of yo{w} and for having no oth{r} thowght but on yo{w}. And yf at anie tyme I offend yo{w}, ye are the cause, for y{t} whẽ anie offendethe me, if for mye refuge I might open mye minde to yo{w}, I woulde speak to no other, but whē anie thinge ys spokē to me, and ye and I not beinge as husband and wife owght to be, necessite compelleth me to kepe it in my breste and bringethe me in suche melancolye as ye see me in.

She aunswered y{t} it semed him she was sorye for hys sicknesse, and she woulde finde remedye therefore so sone as she might.

She asked him Whye he woulde haue passed awaye in Thenglishe shipp.

He aunswered y{t} he had spokē w{t} thenglishe mã but not of minde to goe awaie w{t} him. And if he had, it had not bin w{th}owt cause consideringe howe he was vsed. For he had neath{r} to susteine him sellfe nor hys servantᕦ, and nede not make farder rehersalle thereof, seinge she knewe it as well as he.

Then she asked him of the purpose of Hegate, he aunswered y{t} it was tolde him.

She required howe and bye whome it was told him.

He aunswered y{t} the L. of Minto tolde him y{t} a lr̃e was presented to her in Cragmiller made bye her own divise and subscribed by certeine others who desired her to subscribe the same, w{ch} she refused to doe. And he said that he woulde never thinke y{t} she who was his owne propre fleshe, woulde do him anie hurte, and if anie oth{r} woulde do it, theye shuld bye it dere, vnlesse theye took him sleping, albeit he suspected none. So he desired her effectuouslye to beare him companye. For she ever fownde som adoe to drawe her selfe frõ him to her owne lodginge and woulde never abyde w{t} him past two howres at once.

She was verye pensiffe. Whereat he fownd faulte he said to her y{t} he was adv{r}tised she had browght a litter w{t} her.

She aunswered y{t} bicause she vnderstoode he was not hable to ryde on horseback, she brought a litter, y{t} he might be caried more softlye.

He aunswered y{t} yt was not mete for a sick mā to travelle y{t} coulde not sitt on horsebacke and especiallye in so colde weather.

She aunswered y{t} she would take him to Cragmiller where she might be w{t} him and not farre from her sonne.

He aunswered y{t} vppon condic̃on he would goe w{th} her w{ch} was that he and she might be to geath{r} at bedde and borde as husband and wife, and y{t} she should leaue him no more. And if she would promise him y{t}, vppon her worde he would goe w{th} her, where she pleised w{th}owt respecte of anye dang{r} eath{r} of sicknesse, wherein he was, or otherwise. But if she would not condescend thereto, he would not goe w{th} her in anye wise.

She aunswered that her comminge was onelye to that effecte, and if she had not bin minded thereto, she had not com so farre to fetche him, and so she graunted hys desire and p{o}mised him y{t} it should be as he had spoken, and therevppon gave him her hand and faithe of her bodye y{t} she woulde love him and vse him as her husband. Notwithstanding before theye coulde com to geath{r} he must be purged and clensed of hys sicknesse, w{ch} she truisted woulde be shortlye for she minded to giue him the bathe at Cragmill{r}. Than he said he would doe what soever she would have him doe, and would love all that she loved. She required of him in especialle, whome he loved of the nobilitie and Whome he hated.

He aunswered y{t} he hated no mã, and loved all alike well.

She asked him how he liked the Ladye Reresse and if he were angrye w{th} her.

He aunswered y{t} he had litle minde of suche as she was, and wished of God she might serve her to her hono{r}.

Then she desired him to kepe to him sellfe the promise betwixt him and her, and to open it to nobodye. For ᵱadventure the Lordes woulde not thinke welle of their suddine agrement, consideringe he and theye were at some wordes before.

He aunswered that he knew no cause whye theye shulde mislike of it, and desired her y{t} she would not move anye of thẽ against him even as he woulde stirre none againste her, and y{t} theye would worke bothe in one mind, otherwise it might tourne to great{r} inconvenience to them bothe.

She aunswered y{t} she never sowght anye waie bye him, but he was in fault him sellfe.

He aunswered againe y{t} hys faultes were published and y{t} there were y{t} made great{r} faultes than ever he made y{t} beleved were vnknownē, and yet theye woulde speke of greate and smale.

Farder the Kinge asked me at y{t} present time what I thowght of hys voyage. I aunswered y{t} I liked it not, bicause she tooke him to Cragmill{r}. For if she had desired him w{th} her sellf or to have had hys companye, she would haue taken him to hys owne howse in Edinbr̃. Where she might more easely visit him, than to travelle two myles owt of the towne to a gentlemãis house. Therefore mye opiniō was y{t} she tooke him awaye more like a prison{r} than her husbande.

He aunswered y{t} he thowght litle lesse him sellf and feared him sellfe indeid save the confidence, he had in her promise onelye, notwithstandinge he woulde goe w{th} her, and put him sellfe in her handes, thowghe she showlde cutte hys throate and besowghte God to be iudge vnto them bothe.

_Endorsed_: ‘Thomas Crawfordᕦ deposit.’

INDEX

Abercairnie, Laird of, Mary’s appeal to him on behalf of evicted cottars, 8

‘Actio,’ the, quoted, on Darnley’s murder, 141, 142

‘Admonition to the Trew Lordis,’ cited, 151

Ainslie’s band, purport of, 177, 178; defaulters from, 181; Morton’s stipulation, 254; signers of, 329, 330; Morton’s adhesion to, 383

Alava, Beaton’s statement to him about Moray, 210

Alloa, Mary at, 80

‘Appeal to Christian Princes,’ cited, 240

Argyll, Earl of, disliked by Darnley, 73; lodged by Mary in Edinburgh Castle during her labour, 73, 75; at Craigmillar, 98; Paris’s statement as to him and Mary on the night of Darnley’s murder, 161; in confederation against Bothwell, 181; cited, 38

Arran, Earl of, blamed by Bothwell as the cause of the Protestant rebellion, 47; feud with Bothwell, 47, 49; reconciled to him through Knox, 50; discloses to Knox Bothwell’s plot to seize Mary, 50; apprises Mary of the plot, 51

Atholl, Earl of (member of council), 172; confederated against Bothwell, 181; cited, 203

Baillie Hamilton, Lady, on the Hamilton casket, 368, 369, 370

Balcanquell, Rev. Walter, receives Morton’s confession, 148

Balfour, Sir James, concerned in the murder ‘band’ against Darnley, 88, 90, 99; gives Bothwell the keys of Mary’s room at Kirk o’ Field, 163; persuaded by Lethington to surrender Edinburgh Castle, 186; charged by Mary with complicity in Darnley’s murder, 189; the Casket in his keeping, 198; holds Edinburgh Castle, 274

Ballantyne, Patrick, said to have menaced Mary’s life, 38

‘Band of assurance for the murder’ of Riccio, 67, 68

Bannatyne (Knox’s secretary), his account of the death of the Earl of Huntly, 38

Bannister (Norfolk’s servant), Norfolk’s statement to him regarding