Douglas book > Angus memoirs

THE KING'S OBJECTION TO A PARLIAMENT. 343
Angus was a special favourite. At one of these meetings the custody of
Arran was dealt with. 1
The Earl was also present in Holyrood when a deputation from the clergy
waited upon the king to remonstrate as to the visit of the French ambassadors.
Their presence in Scotland and the Eoman Catholic worship which they
maintained, as well as the doubtful character of their mission, were matters
of much anxiety to the ministers, who urged the dismissal of the envoys. 2
The king acted diplomatically in the matter, but the long stay of one of the
Frenchmen doubtless had its effect on future events. Angus expressed his
views on the subject by refusing to attend a banquet given by the town of
Edinburgh to one of the ambassadors, M. de la Mothe Fenelon, who was
leaving for France. This conduct of the Earl, it is said, offended the king. 3
Angus apparently remained in Edinburgh during the early part of 1583.
He was more or less in communication with the English Court, 4 which con-
tinued to urge upon James the complete restoration of the Earl. This could
only be done by a decree of Parliament rescinding his forfeiture, and at a
Convention of Estates in April it was proposed to hold a Parliament. The
king strongly objected ; he even " burst out in teares," and only when Angus
begged for a Parliament for his own full restitution did the king consent, on
condition that it should not meet till October. Ere that date he hoped, in
the exercise of that " king-craft " on which he prided himself, to bring about
1 Calderwood, vol. iii. p. 693. to the king, who was imprisoned in the
2 Ibid . p. 697 ; vol. viii. p. 233. 22d Janu- abbey, and likely to be carried to England,
ary 1582-3. Upon the back of this document a gibbet
3 Ibid. pp. 699, 700. An incident which was drawn, for the benefit of Angus, Mar,
occurred a day or two previous [30th Janu- and Dunfermline. A reward of £500 was
ary] shows that Angus was considered a chief offered for discovery of the writer of this
mover in the events of the day. A pasquil pasquil. [Register of Privy Council, vol. iii.
was found in the church of St. Giles, written pp. 549, 550, and note.]
in the name of Huntly, Argyll, and other 4 Thorpe's Calendar of State Papers, Scot-
nobles, bidding the town of Edinburgh look land, vol. i. pp. 432, 437.