(7.) Vol. xx. art. 5.—A Letter from Thomas Buchanan to Cecill, dated from Copenhagen, Jan. 19, 1571. Informs him of the daily correspondence between the murderer Bothwell and the Queen of Scots. The reason of Bothwell's detention in Denmark; his other practices; communication with England, &c.:
[State Paper Office, Scotland, Elizabeth, vol. xx. art. 5.]
My Lord, efter my verray hairty commendaciouns. Being in thir pairtes of Dennemarke, wth commissioun from my maister the Kinges Mate of Scotland to the Kinges grace of this realme annent the delivery of the mordorer Bothwell to justice; and apparsaving the particular practises that the said mordorer Bothwell daylie hes wth the Kinges Majestes moder of Scotland who ꝑntlie is in your country, I culd no les hot of my dewty for the weilfair of both our countryes geve your honor advertysement thairof, wrthro sum ordour myght be taken thairin as your honour thinketh expedient, and that the persons travellours betwix thame myt be in all tymes herefter stoppet, pwnisched. Heerfore it may pleis your lordschip this to beleif and surly credit (yf men of great estimacioun in thir pairtes who heth reported the same to me be wordy of trust,) that the Kinges grace moder of Scotland hes send certane wretinges to this cuntry to Bothwell, desyring hym to be of good confort, wth sondry other purposes, who alsue theth wrtin, to the great ꝑjudice and hort of ane gentelman nemmed Capitane Johane Clark, be reassone that he at the comand of the Kinges Matle my maister dyd diligentlie procuir and labour to have haid the said mordorer Bodwell delivered to hym to have bene sent in Scotland. Whairthrou and by utheres unjust accusacions he is imprisoned, and as yit small hoip of his delyvere, altho the Quenes Mate of Ingland heth wretin letters in hys favor. The caus whoy the said Bothwell is not deliveret is judget to be, be reassone thay ar heir informet of certane devisiones to be in Scotland and Ingland, and thay dayle a wattching thairon be the mcanes of one nem̃ed Maister Horsey, who is send in England pairtlie be Bothwell and als be the cheifest of this land to espy whou all mattars doeth proceed both in England and Scotland; thairefter to bring here advertysement wth tres of favour from the Kynges moder to this Kyng that the mordorer Bothwell be not delivered to be punisched, wth sum promes of kyndnes to hym thairfore of the yles of Orknay and Schetland; whairfore I earnestlie request your lordschip to have er hento, and as your wysdome thinketh expedient to caus put ordour heirin, wrthrou the said Mr Horsey be not licenced to have entres to that woman whair sche remaned, nathe ȝit in lykmaner any uther stranger, for as I do understand thair is alsua ane page of Bothwelles send by hym in England wth certane wretinges two months ago to the same woman for the same effect and purpos, wch page is a Danish borne, ȝit not easilie to be knowin by a Scott be reasone he speketh perfyet Scottes, wch wretings yf thay cum to hyr handes may be prejudiciall and hortfull to both our countreyes and to the discontentment of the Quenes Matie of England; whairfore I doubt not but your honor wyll that hir hynes have knowledge heirof, and suche ordour to be takyne heiranent as hyr grace shall thynk nedfull. It may alsua pleis your honor to wytt that I have wrettin certane wrettinges to my Lord Regentes hynes in Scotland, the wch wretinges I earnestlie desyre to be conveyed be your honor to hys hynes wth the first com̃oditie. And thus bauldlie of small acquentance have I presumed to wreit unto your Lordschip, not dowbting your honores goodwyl and diligens to
be had herunto, for the amitie, friendschip, and concord that remaneth betuix our countreyes,