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

128 HISTORIE OF THE REIGNE OF a.d. 1570.
Edinburgh, and tooke the oaths of the magiftrats ; whoe declared them-
felves for tlie Khig. Then they march to Glafgow. In there way they
fackt and fpoyled the houfes and lands that belonged either to the Ham-
miltouns or any of the Queen's partie ; they laid feedge to the caftle of
Hamniiltoune, that was mantained with a garrifone for the Queen, and
fent to the caftle of Stirlin for cannon to batter it. In this tyme a mutine
fell amongft the foldyers for want of pay, but thereafter money was
borrowed and the foldyers fatiffied. They kept on a feedge untill the
caftle rendered, upon fight of the cannon ; wherupon the hous was plun-
dered, and the rich furnitor, that had belonged to King James the Fifth,
was made a prey to the foldyers. The caftle was ruined, the toune was
burnt, and the Duk's pallace was by the furie of the foldyers made levell
with the ground. It is commended for a princelie edifice. This done,
they return to Edinburgh.
The garrifone of the caftle had conditions to march out with armes.
They were fiftie ftrong, and Andro Hamniiltoune of Merrintoune was
captain ; whoe the verie night after that he rendred, furpryfed and tooke
the Lord Semple prifoner and delyvered him to the Duke, whoe kept him
a year in prifone heerafter.
Mr Robert Pitcairne had been in this tyme fent up again to the
Queen of England, whoe returned a little after this. He brought letters
from the Queen, direct to the Chancellor and the reft of the King's
friends ; wherby flie declared that flie was much folicited by the AmbaflJa-
dors of France and Spain in Queen Marie's favours ; that flie had harkned
to a Treatie, in which tyme flie had proniifed hoftilitie fliould ceafe ;
flie therefore defyred them that a ceflation might be for a tyme from all
a6ls of warr, and that they wold fufpend the eledlion of a Regent a little,
untill flie faw what might be the ifilie of the Treatie ; which continuation
(flie faid) might pofiTible redound to the common good of the kingdome.
This letter did a little ftumble them ; but they durft not difobey.
Wherupon they continued the ele6lion ; but in the mean tyme they made
the Earle of Lennox Leutenant, or Interegent, upon the nineteenth day
of Junij ; which was fcarflie done when other letters come again from the