1543.]
THE FRENCH WAR.
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manner, his sense of the conduct of the Scottish people. Dec. 16.The day after Arran's declaration against the Protestants an English herald appeared in Edinburgh, and delivered to the Parliament, perhaps in person, a message in the following words:—
'The most excellent, most high, and mighty prince, my most redoubted sovereign Henry the Eighth, by the Grace of God King of England, France and Ireland, and in earth the Supreme Head of the Churches of England and Ireland, hath given me charge and commandment to declare unto you as followeth:
'First, how his Majesty, being in war with you upon provocation of your late sovereign deceased, and having by his death, and victory given by the hand of God upon such as attempted the invasion of his Majesty's realm, a great opportunity to prosecute the same wars, to the confusion and extermination of such as would have presumed to withstand his force, hath been content—in respect of his pronepte, and upon such a suit as hath been made unto his Highness with a visage and countenance hitherto of humility, due reverence, and submission—to do all things that should tend to the conservation of your lady and mistress; to lay aside armour and puissance, and to enter communication and treaty with you, with conclusion to place his pronepte in marriage with the noble prince his Majesty's eldest son and heir apparent, Prince Edward; and in the mean time and after to live in peace, rest, and quiet with you. To which covenant ye have agreed and consented. This ye have all promised. To this ye have all by the go-