BL Caligula, b. ix, 218
BL MSS Cotton Caligula b. ix, 218
Wright: Queen Elizabeth and her Times Vol 1, 1838, No. 95 Page 199
Thomas Randolph to the Earl of Leicester, Edinburgh, July 31 1565
Transcribed by Thomas Wright
May it please your Lordshipp, I have receaved your Lordshipp's letter by my servante, sufficient testimonie of your favour towards me, where I thynke myselfe always so as that what other myshapp soever befalle me, I have inoughe to comforte myself with.
Though I have not at thys tyme receaved neither according to the mode I fonde in, nor the necessitie of the service that I am employed, I will rather passe it as I maye with patience, than trouble your Lordshippe to be suter for me where there is so little hope that anye good wil be done for me.
I dowte not but your Lordship hath heard by suche information as I have given from hence, what the present state of thys countrie is, howe this Quene is now become a married wife, and her husband, the self same daye of his marriage, made a kinge. In their desyres hytherto they have founde so muche to their contents, that if the rest succede and prosper accordinglie, theie maye thinke themselves much happier than there is appearance that theie shal be. So manie discontented mynds, so muche myslyking of the subjectes to have these matters thus ordered in this sorte to be brought to pass, I never hearde of anye marriage. So little comforte as men do take, was never seen at any tyme where men sholde have shewed themselves to rejoice, if that consyderation of her own honor and of her countrie had bene had as appertayned in so weightie a case. Thus theie feare the overthrow of religion, the breache of amity with the Quene's Majestie, destruction of as manie of the nobilitie as she hath myslyking of, or that he to pick a quarrell unto.
To see all these inconveniences approaching there are good number that maye soner lamente with themselves and complayne to their neighbours, than able to fynde remedye to helpe them. Some attempte with all force theie have, but are too weake to do anye good. What is required other wayes, what meanes ther is made, your Lordshipp knoweth, what wil be answerde, or what wil be therin, we are in great dowte, and tho your intente be never so good unto us, yet we so muche feare your delaye that our ruin shall prevent your support. When counsell is once taken, nothynge so nedefull as spedie execution, upon this we wholly depende. In her Majestie's hands it standeth to save our lives or to suffer us to perishe.
Greater honor her Majestie cannot have then in that which lyeth in her power to do for us. The somes are not greate, the numbers of men are not manie that we desyre ; monie wyll daylye be founde though thys wil be some charge, men growe day lie, though at thys tyme I thynk her Majestie shall lese but fewe. Her friends here being once taken away, where wyll her Majestie fynde the lyke? I speake leaste of that which I thynke is most earnestlye intended by this Quene and her housbande, when by hym it was lately sayde that he cared more for the Papistes in Englande then he did for the Protestants in Scotlande. If therefore his hope be so greate in the Papistes of Englande, what maye your Lordshipp beleve what he thynketh of the Protestants there : for his byrth, for his nurriture, for th’ honor he hathe to be of kin to the Quene, my mestres, if in preferring those that are the Quene's Majesty's worste subjects, to those that are her beste, he declareth what mynde he beareth to the Quene's Majesty's self, anye man maye saye that it is slenderly awarded, and his duetie evel forgotten. He wolde nowe seeme to be indifferente to bothe the religions, she to use her masse, and he to come sometymes to the preachyng.
Theie wer married with all the solemnities of the popyshe tyme, saving that he hearde not the masse ; his speeche and talke argueth his mynde, and yet wolde he fayne seem to the worlde that he were of some religion. His words to all men agaynst whom he conceaveth any displeasure, howe unjuste soever yt be, so prowde and spitefull, that rather he seemeth a monarche of the worlde than he that not longe since we have scene and knowne the Lord Darlye. He looketh nowe for revenue of manie that have lyttle will to gyve yt hym, and some there are that do gyve it that thynke hym lyttle worthye of it.
All honor that maye be attributed unto any man by a wyfe, he hathe yt wholly and fully, all prayse that maye be spoken of hym he lacketh not from herselfe, all dignities that she can indue hym with are alreadie given and granted. No man pleaseth her that contenteth not hym, and what maye I saye more, she hathe given over unto hym her whole wyll, to be ruled and guyded as hymself beste lyketh. She can as muche prevayle with hym in anye thynge that is agaynst his wyll, as your Lordship maye with me to perswade that I sholde hange myself. This laste dignitie owte of hande to have hym proclamed Kinge, she wolde have had it differed untyll it were agreed by Parlemente, or had bene hymself of twenty-one yeres of age, that thyngs done in hys name myght have the better autoritye. He wold in no case have it differed one daye, and either then or never. Wherupon thys dowte is rysen amongest our men of lawe, whether she beinge clade with a housbande, and her housbande not twenty-one yeres, anythynge withowte Parlemente can be of strengthe that is done betwene them. Upon Saturdaye at afternone these matters were longe in debating, and before theie were well resolved upon, at nine howers at night, by three herauldes at sounde of the trumpet, he was proclamed Kinge. Thys was the night before the marriage. This daye, Mondaye, at twelve of the clocke, the Lords, all that were in thys towne, were presente at the proclaiming of hym agayne, when no man sayd so muche as Amen, savinge his father, that cried owte aloude, "God save his Grace”.
The manner of the marriage was in thys sorte. Upon Sondaye, in the morninge, betwene five and six, she was conveide by divers of her nobles to the chappell. She had upon her backe the greate mourninge gowne of blacke, with the greate wyde mourninge hoode, not unlyke unto that which she wore the dolefull day of the buriall of her housbande. She was ledde unto the chappell by the Earles Lenox and Athol, and there she was lefte untyll her housband came, who also was conveide by the same lords. The ministers, two priests, did there receave them. The bans are asked the thyrde tyme, and an instrumente taken by a notarie that no man sayde agaynst them, or alledged anye cause why the marriage might not precede. The words were spoken, the rings, which were three, the middle a riche diamonde, were put upon her finger, theie kneel together, and manie prayers saide over them. She carrieth owte the .... and he taketh a kysse and leaveth her there and wente to her chamber, whither in a space she followeth, and there being required, accordinge to the solemnitie to cast off her care, and lay asyde those sorrowfull garments, and give herself to a pleasanter lyfe. After some prettie refusall, more I believe for manner sake then greef of harte, she suffreth them that stoode by, everie man that coulde approche to take owte a pyn, and so being commytted unto her ladies changed her garments, but wente not to bedde, to signifie unto the worlde that it was no luste moved them to marrie, but onlye the necessitie of her countrie, not if she wyll to leave it destitute of an heire. Suspicious men, or such as are given of all thyngs to make the worste, wolde that it sholde be beleeved that theie knewe eache other before that theie came there. I wolde not your Lordship shold so believe, the lykelyhoods are so greate to the contrarie, that if it were possible to se such an act done, I wolde not beleve it. After the marriage followeth commonly cheere and dancinge. To their dynner theie were conveide by the whole nobles. The trompets sounde, a larges cried, and monie thrown abowte the howse in greate abundance to suche as were happie to gete anye parte. Theie dyne bothe at one table upon the upper hande. There serve her these Earles Athall, shower, Morton, carver, Crayforde, cupbearer. These serve hymin lyke offices Earles Eglinton, Cassells, and Glencarne. After dyner theie dance awhyle, and retire themselves tyll the hower of supper, and as theie dyne so do theie suppe. Some dancing ther was, and so theie go to bedd.
Of all thys that I have wrytten to your Lordship, I am not oculatus testis, but of the veritie your Lordship shall not neede to dowte, howsoever I came by it.
I was sent for to have bene at the supper, but lyke a currish or uncourtoyse carle, I refused to be there, and yet that which your Lordship maye thynke mighte move me muche to have had the syghte of my mestres, of whom those eighteen dayes by juste accompte I gotte not a syght. I am, my Lord, taken by all that sorte a verie (1) which in my harte do well allowe, and lyke of myselfe the better, for yet can I not fynde either honeste or good that lyketh their doings.
I leave at thys tyme farther to trouble your Lordship, craving pardon for my long silence. I have more ado than I am able to discharge. I walke more nowe abrode by nighte then by daye, and the daye too lyttle to discharge myself of that which I conceive or receive in the nighte. As your Lordship I am sure is partaker of suche letters as I wryte unto Mr. Secretarie, so I truste that he shal be to this, to save me of a lyttle labor to wryte the same agayne. Most humblye I take my leave.
At Edenbourge, the laste of Julye, 1565. Your Lordship's alwayes bounde ever to commande.
Two thyngs I had almoste forgotten, th'one was, to honor the feaste the Lord Earsken (2) was made Earle of Marre, and manie made knightes that never shewed any greate token of theire vasellage. Th'other is that the Lord St. John had his office of Chief Chamberlayne taken from hym, and it was given to the Lord Flemenge, nowe in principall credit with our newe Kynge.
(1) A word or two illegible.
(2) John, fifth Lord Erskine. He Was elected regent in 1571, and died the following year.
