Abbotsford Club > Historical memoirs of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a portion of the reign of King James the Sixth

110 HISTORIE OF THE REIGNE OF a.d. 1568.
which (if he liad lived untill the King's majoritie) was lyke to have been
interpret treafone. But, howfomever, the Queen of England fends to
the Queen's Advocats, and commands them to anfwer, both to thefe
accufations given in by the Regent, and lykwayes to accufe the Regent
with what they had to fay againft him. Unto which the Queen's Advo-
cats anfwered as formerlie, that they could not acknowledge Queen
Elifabcth a judge over them nor the aftions of Scotland; that they w^ere
onlie to defyre aid and affillance to there Queen againfl her rebellious
fubjedls, according to commone interefl of Kings. The Queen of Eng-
land (in the mean tyme) deferred to give any judgment for the prefent,
or to proceed any further in the matter; not from any affection to the
Queen of Scotland, but that flie flood in fear of both Spain and France,
whoe, file heard, had alreddie engadged themfelves in her quarrell ; but
refolved to detain her perfone fecure, for her owen advantadge, in cafe
the fliould have to doe with either of thofe Kings.
In the mean tyme, the Queen and her friends, both in Scotland and
France, were not idle. Thofe in Scotland made divers ryfings, upon new
coniniiffiona from the Queen, although with fmall fucces in end; and in
France, they advyfe to fend home the old Duke of Chaufterault (who
had now, for a good tyme, reteared himfelfe thither), to take the top of
the Queen's partie in Scotland ; and, as nearefl in kin to the King, to claim
the government. The Duke undertooke the bufines, and was well fupplied
with money from the King. He cam through England, and, by the way,
faluts Queen Elifabeth. Heer, by advyfe of his friends, he acquents her that
he is to goe to Scotland, and that he is to challenge the government of the
kingdome, as due to him by the lawes of the land, as neareft kinfman to the
King, wherof he brings divers precedents : How that, in the abfence of King
James the firft, Robert Duke of Albanie was made Governor, whoe was the
King's uncle; and after his death, his fone Duke Murdoch receaved the
fame place: How, of late, John Duke of Albanie, grandchyld to King
James the fecond, by his fone Alexander, was made Governor of Scot-
land, in the minoritie of King James the fyfth : How himfelfe had the
government of the kingdome in this Queen Marie's minoritie ; and that
he was not fecluded from the government, at this tyme, by any legal ordor,