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daughter; she herself doing well and being in safety. This our son, and by your highness your long-expected great grandson, resembles in the whole lineaments of his face that great Frederick of immortal memory, our once most worthy father-in-law. On this account to the divine power we give unceasing thanks, and humbly beg of him, that this blessing may prove a lasting one to us, and salutary to the kingdoms both of Scotland and Denmark, and to the illustrious house of Mecklenburg, and to the dominions and people on both sides. Since we are well assured, that this event will yield no less pleasure to your highness than to ourself, we have thought advisable to despatch to your highness with our message this our familiar, and beloved councillor Peter Junius, a Setoun, almoner of the kingdom, now for many years to you well known; to whom we wish you to give credence in all that he shall relate, no less than to ourself, if we were present.

May God, the heavenly father, preserve and defend for a length of years that venerable hoary head of thine, mighty prince, and may he endue you and make you flourish with all honours and blessings of every kind.

senting of our heartfelt commendations and letters to our dearest sister and cousin, the Queen of England, you shall in our name signify unto her that, seeing it hath pleased God to bless us with succession of our own body in the birth of a young son, which we doubt not was advertized to her good liking and contentment, we could not omit, with the first, having due respect to the blood, amity, and friendship betwixt us, heartily write her by these presents, of such as she shall please to direct as witness in her name to assist the baptizm, appointed to be the 15th day of July next to come." The prince was baptized according to the ritual of the episcopal church of Scotland.

James VI. to Robert Bowes.1

Right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well : forasmuch as upon the penitent humiliations and promised loyalty of John Colvil, together with the earnest suit of sundry of our faithful subjects respondents for him, we are, notwithstanding his former misdemeanours, not only moved to our princely pity and compassion; but also finding him conduct himself very honestly in a service lately laid to his charge (to the end he may be encouraged to hold out that good course without desertion, till we may find him other commodity fit for him) we have thought expedient to cause the perusal of his accounts, finding ourself justly indebted to him in one thousand two hundred three score six pounds sterling money. For payment thereof we have turned and addressed him to receive it of our gratuity, therein most earnestly praying you, as you would do us singular pleasure both for discharge of our promise to him and relief of his present necessity, that he or any having his power to that effect, may, by your favourable recommendations unto your sovereign, our dearest sister and cousin, procure the speedy delivery of the said sum, and to receive his discharge thereupon, which shall be as sufficient as if it were signed with our own hand. Like as to the same effect we have generally written to the lord treasurer,

1 MSS. Cotton. Calig. D. ii. Art. 86. The commencement of this letter is damaged by fire, but the deficiencies have been supplied from Rymer's Foedera. The original is somewhat redolent of Scotticisms, which I have in many places altered for the convenience of the general reader.

referring particular information to yourself; which letter we pray you deliver, and to return your answer hereupon with diligence. And, whereas we are informed our said suitor is traduced there by some, alleging that he returned not to us the plate and money received by virtue of our commission, before our going to Denmark, his allowance in that suit, signed by the auditors of our exchequer (which at our command is sent up), and our present affirmation of his sincerity in that behalf, shall purge him of any such imputation.

It cannot seem strange to you (who know so well the nature of our people, and manifold indignities attempting against us, especially by Bothwell) that we have turned our displeasure to compassion toward the said John Colvill; neither can any man think us thereby contrary, but rather like and conform to ourself; for to this hour (as you know best of any stranger) we never pardoned unwillingly, nor willingly punished; albeit the frequent and insufferable rebellions of our nation have much more procured 2 punishment than pardon; but we have ever wished resipiscence and amendment more than obstinacy and induration, as our clemency, in your eyes, upon thousands of our subjects can witness. And we still hold mercy the anchor of our conscience, the stay of our estate, the chief ornament and mark of every Christian throne, especially when it is extended upon such, as for open offences are willing and able to make open amendment, as our said suitor, without respect of hazard or slander, hath lately done, in giving honest

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proof of his unfeigned repentance by his late action against some of the principals who offended in the same degree as he did; yea, even further than was liked for at our hands.

Concerning the Irish matters, mentioned in our dearest sister and cousin's last letter, we have deferred to make answer thereunto, not for unwillingness or dislike thereof, but allanerly' upon taking order with the earl of Argyle, who, before he be enlarged or at least immediately thereafter, shall receive our commandment, that good friendship and neighbourhood be kept in that behalf, and such corrected as would presume anything to the contrary; like as, we well omit no occasion that may strengthen and confirm the amity betwixt the two crowns.

Thus, persuading ourself of undelayed satisfaction in the premises by your favourable means, and of all other good offices which you may lawfully perform, we protest 2 to keep the same in grateful remembrance; committing you to God's blessed protection.

At our palace of Holyrood House, the first day of March, 1594.

Your assured friend,

James VI. to Queen Elizabeth.3

JAMES R.

I am exceeding glad, madam and dearest sister, that my last letter pleases you so well.

1 Only. A Scotch term.

For, suppose indeed

2 Promise.

3 Harl. MSS. 292, Art. 41. "Doubtless you have heard how the king of Scots had like to have lost his life by the traitorous Bothwell, and now again more like at the hand of the insurgent Catholics."-Letter Cotton. Manuscripts.

it was a gloss, yet surely it was no ways against the meaning of the text; for I doubt not you are wise enough to consider, that the words of friends should be taken according to the loving meaning of the utterer, and not nakedly by the literal sense only. And, indeed, I am greatly encouraged and obliged to account you my most special friend at this time, not only for the strait proclamations and order given against my avowed traitors, but likewise for the kind and loving speeches it pleased you to use to my servant Foulis, the bearer of my last; for surely I cannot yet weary to hear him oft repeat your kind and loving speeches of me.

But now, madam, since my last despatch unto you, divers great accidents have fallen out here, wherein I am at this present to crave your friendly advice and princely assistance, and especially in this last confirmation, that our Spanish lords here have given upon their own forfaltors; for now their own actions have made their detestable trade of bringing in strangers so clear, as they are not able to deny it themselves; but, seeing these their presumptions durst not appear without their expecting of a back hastily to follow, it is full time that we both concur for preventing the same. As for my part, I will, on the honour of a prince, assure you, that I have resolved and vowed never to be enchanted any longer with their siren excuses; but, by the contrary, never to think myself at rest, while either my country be made void of them, or else their persons be apprehended and punished for their just deserts. But,

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