History of the Fife Pitcairns

LORD ROBERT PITCAIRN. 105
Having heard that Queen Elizabeth was dissatisfied, the
Regent and Council made amends by more distinct state-
ments of their policy, and by appointing one of the ablest
of their own number, Robert Pitcairn, Commendator of
Dunfermline, as an envoy to the English Court, for due
explanations, &C. 1 Pitcairn cannot have started before the
beginning or after the middle of September, events in
England being favourable to his embassy. He was de-
spatched with the consent of a General Convention of
Nobles, with the approval of the Privy Council. On the
29th of Nov. he had an interview with Queen Elizabeth.
The Queen of England wrote to the Regent as follows : —
"The quene of England do schew fair countenance to
either partie, as by her answer given to the Commendator
of Dunfermling (Pitcairn), who was send befoir, and his
owin letter short before send to the Regent, may
appeir. . . ."
Then she wrote a long letter to Robert Pitcairn touching
the Restitution of Mary Queen of Scots, ending with :
"And considering the guid opinione hir Majestie hath
conceaved of the discretion and sinceritie of the said
Abbot Pitcairn, she wished him to be present with such
as come for that purpose. Elizabeth R.
7 Dec. 1570."
And in Bannatyne's Memorials Queen Elizabeth says :
" Observe the peace betwixt the realms of England and
Scotland in tyme cuming, &c, agried upon by the queine's
maiestie her counsall and officiaris on that ane pairt, and
Robert Pitcairn, Commendator of Dunfermling, Ambassador
for the King's Maiestie in Scotland, on that ither pairt."
The following are the entries from the Dunfermline
Register : —
July 4, Stirling. " Earl of Morton to Sir Frances Walsyngham "
(one of Elizabeth's statesmen). Sorry for his absence from Court.
Thanks him for certain advice to their ambassador, my Lord (the
Abbot) of Dunfermline.
1 Buchanan's Hist, of Scot.