Douglas book > Angus memoirs

352 ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS, EIGHTH EARL OF ANGUS, ETC.
Meanwhile the affairs of Angus and his friends became the central point
of a long course of diplomacy between the English and Scottish Courts.
The first Lennox-Arran administration, after Morton's death, had favoured
France rather than England, but since the form of church-government in
the northern kingdom had been so far assimilated to that in the south, Arran
now made overtures for an alliance with England, where the true interest
of James now seemed to lie.
The first step in this new line of negotiation was made by Arran himself
in person, who met the confidential servant of Elizabeth, Lord Hunsdon, at
Foulden, in August 1584. At their interview, and in the papers which
passed between them, the association with Queen Mary already referred to
was altogether repudiated, as also all Eoman Catholic agencies or influences.
Besides these necessary preliminaries to any practical alliance with England,
there was a demand, somewhat veiled, but perfectly emphatic, that the
banished lords should be given up, so strongly did Arran feel that his power
was insecure while Angus and the others resided near the Border, aud might
at any moment return to Scotland backed by English aid. It was probably
this which caused his change of policy. He evidently hoped that if he could
show Elizabeth the possibility of securing a firm union between the two king-
doms by other agency than that of the banished lords, she might be induced
to desert their cause.
Above the other exiles, Angus was specially obnoxious to Arran, who
used every argument to prejudice Hunsdon against him, and led the English-
man to report that King James was persuaded that because of Morton's
death Angus and the rest of the Douglases had conceived a mortal hatred
against him and Arran, and that if liberated they would conspire the death
graceful act of kindness. Knowing that some few years, and insisted on paying the
Erskine would not accept a gift of money, amount without discharge or reckoning,
the Earl told him that the rent of certain [MS. at Hamilton Palace, Part II. p. 249.]
tithes held by him hadj not been paid for