THE RISING OF THE NORTH. 197 have taken with the utmost kindliness to the occupa- tion, but his reputation for such atrocities was so notorious that Philip was advised to choose some one against whom the Prince would be less likely to be upon his guard. 1 tan notado y conocido por los casos que le han sucedido, y que tambien es notorio en Francia y en otras partes que le convidaban a matar al Almirante, podria con mas difficultad que otro ir al efecto arriba dicho sin ser descubierto.' Parecer de Don Francis de Alava, February 24, 1570: MSS. Simancas. 1 Singularly also, after his present work was accomplished, the choice for this purpose fell actually on the murderer of Murray. It was no fault of Bothwellhaugh that he was not either the executioner or con- triver of both of the vilest assassina- tions which disgraced the sixteenth century in Europe. On the 23rd of September, 1573, Bothwellhaugh wrote thus from Brussels to Alava: ' My affairs, thank God, are in good case. I found the Duke of Alva at Amsterdam, where I spoke with Albornoz (the Duke's secretary) on the thing you wot of. The King of Spain will, I hope, soon know my desire to serve him. I am working on all sides to put matters in train, and I have found a gentleman of my nation who has been a captain in Haarlem well fitted for such an en- terprise. He is very brave, and I have so worked upon him with pro- mises and persuasions that he has gone after the Prince of Orange to finish the job. Trust me, if the thing is practicable, he will do it.' TEULET, vol. v. The gentleman, notwithstanding his fitness, failed. But Hamilton was not disheartened and made another trial. On the 1 6th of May, 1575, Agui- lon, secretary of the Spanish Embassy at Paris, wrote to Cayas : ' James Hamilton tells me of a practice which he and another Scot have in hand against the Prince of Orange. He meant to speak about it with Don Sancho d'Avila, but I told him he had better address him- self to the governor at once, that there might not be too many persons in the secret. I gave him a letter of introduction and all possible en- couragement, pointing out the serv- ice which he would do to God, his Majesty, and the Estate of Christen- dom.' Ibid. Finally it seems that these Ham- iltons, John as well as James, were no better than hired bravos, and were not particular whom they murdered if they could gain anything by it. John Hamilton for several years managed the secret correspondence between Mary Stuart and Alva. In the spring of 1573, when he saw
