BL Caligula, c, iii, 364
BL MSS Cotton Caligula, c, iii, 364
Wright: Queen Elizabeth and her Times Vol 1, 1838, No. 208 page 430
Lethington to Mary Queen of Scots, Edinburgh Castle, the 10th of August
Transcribed by Thomas Wright who notes An intercepted letter in cypher, dated Aug. 10, 1572, and endorsed as decyphered, Dec. 5.
It is very long sen I writ to your Majestie, not for lack of duty or diligence, but for lack of moyen to convey our letters. We have socht all meanes possible, but could fynd nane sure. We have hasarded with this bearer these few, with quham we dare not write amply for fear of intercepting, and I knaw not if this chifre [cipher] be sure. Gif your Majestie receive this safely, and fynde the moyen sure, write back, and your commandment shall be obeyed. God knawis in what straite we your servants hes ben this twelfmonth past, and yet are. We send Mr. James Kirkaldy to France long before Yule, for ayde outher of men or money. He is yet still there, and can get no despeche. We have found na frendship of France, and it apearis by Monsieur du Croc his doings in this countrey and his familiar dealing with the Regent, and his faction, that France favors their action a greate deale better then ours. Alwayes we get na ayde.
The force of Scotland hes byne about this towne continually all this yeir, and hes keipid us sa strait sen mid-lent reyn, that they suffrit not a peck of vittel to come to this castel sensyne. And whair pure [poor] women hazardit on the night to bring in some on their backs for themselfes and their pure bairnes, ay as they fell in the hands of their watches, they wer hangit without mercy. Be that way they have hangit a great nombre of women, and some of thame with barne, and parted with barne upon the gallowes, a crualty not heard of in any contry. Yet it hes furderit their cause, and put the peple in sik feare that nane durst issue or enter in this towne, and brought us to sik streit of vittel that the hail [whole] pepill as well inhabitants of the towne as subdarts, wer brocht to extreme hunger. By mediation of the ambassador of France and the Quene of England, there is an abstinence tane for twa monthes with disadvantages conditions to us, for we behuffit [behoveth] to mak the towne patent open, and yet it wes force to us to yeild therto for near ane inoneth before ther was na vittel in the towne, but that that was given furth of the castel, quharby we put the castel in great danger, and for safety of the tane behuffit to quite the tother. (1)
We have referred all differences betwene our enemyes and us to the ambassador of France and the Quene of England, for to your and our enemyes we wil yeild nathing. We mon [must] on force take sik apointement as they will prescribe, becaus we have na moyen to beare out the cause as we wald. We have na assister in this realme, nor hes had this twelfemonth, but onely the Erle of Huntley and ourselves, all other hes left us lang syne, or rather thay did us na good turne.
Your Majestie mon provide some way for safety of the castel of Edinbourgh, and furnishing therof, for it is the mark our adversars alwayes shotis at, and they will spare nathing outlier be micht or slict (2) to come be it, for they have experience qwharof it may serve, and that it is ay able to cast the ball, as indede it had put this mater lang syne out of play, gif France had played their part. We sall provyde for the safety of it as weil as we may, but it will be baith costly and combersome ; and will require far mair expenses now qwhan our enemies hes the towne at their devotion, nor it did before. It will not be a small thing will serve that turne, and therfore your Majestie mon with diligence provyde a releif for it, and cause money be send to vitell it for a yeir at leist, and furnis it with all provision necessar, as alswa [also] to mantaine the garrison necessary, for sa lang as the castel is preserved the cause will not perish. I refer the rest to your Majestie's discretion. God knowis what burdein we have borne, for the furnishing of all the charges of this war lies onely lyne on our shoulders, qwherby we have beggerit ourselfes and all the freinds we had credit of.
I wold wishe your Majestie, seing how slack a part France hes tane [taken] with you, suld essay yet be all meanes gif ye may wonne the Quene of England, for I see not be quhat other meanes your releif can be wrocht, and it may be gif ye make hir good offers, she will now schaw you mair favour nor sche did quhan ye had ma freindis.
Sa we maist humbly kiss your Majestie's handes. From Edinbourg Castel, the 10th of August. Send us word quhat ye wald have done, and your commandementis sall be obeyed.
(1) For safety of the one it behoved to quit the other.
(2) Alight or slight.
