Series 3 > Scottish correspondence of Mary of Lorraine

222 THE SCOTTISH CORRESPONDENCE OF
Thar was ane greit brut and word in Berwek that the
prences off Scotland vas deid,1 and swm pwir folkis was
weill content and uderis vas werray sorye. *Swm vald
say that weir vald ceis and swa var ; and uderis said that
scho vas nocht deid hot vas send in France and this
speiking was off hyr deid.*
Als, pleisyd your lordschipe to wyt I was informyt wyth
ane Ynglis man that thar vas ane post cumyt fra London
to caus all the schippis quhilkis lyis at Donde and Brochtye
to pas swthwartis and cwm away ; and swa this man
schew me that he trowyt that Brochtye Crag swld be lost,
bot I thynk the sam nocht lyk to be trew.2 Nocht theles
becaus it was schawin me qwietlye I thocht best to ad¬
vertise your lordschipe theroff. Thar is na uder newis
at this tyme noder in Berweik nor Yarkwyth. My lord
Gray prayt me, as I culd se occasione and tyme, to cum to
Anweik to my lord vardane off the myddyll marche 3 and
advertise his lordschipe gyff the Frenche schippis vas
cumyt. I tuk all thyng in hand, and my lord Gray gaiff
me iij scoir off grottis 4 and disyrit me to pas to Scotland
agane ; and this as yeit I remane in credit and traist,
quhylk efterwart wyth the grace off God sail redound to
your lordschippis pleisour and to the governouris honour.
I sail swm tyme, God wylling, draw ane drawcht. And
this I pray eternall God to kep your maist venerable
lordschipe in lang and prosperus heill. Off Edinburcht,
the xv off Marche at all powar and service induring ... 5
1 This rumour was widespread about the time of writing. ,(Cf. C.S.P. i. 195,
196 ; Selve, 315 ; Hay Fleming, Mary Queen of Scots, 14.)
* * Some maintained that war would cease, if it were so [i.e. that the Queen
was dead]. Others said that she was not dead, but was sent into France ; and
the report of her departure had been converted into a rumour of her death.
2 The Englishman’s fear was ill-founded : Broughty was not abandoned.
But six ships arrived from Berwick at Warkworth on 24th March. (C.S.P. i.
219.)
* Sir Robert Bowes.
4 ‘The English groat coined in 1351-2 was made equal to four pence.
This ratio between the groat and the penny continued to be maintained ; but
owing to the progressive debasement of both coins, the “old groats” which
remained in circulation were valued at a higher rate. ’ (New English Dictionary.)
5 None of the documentary sources has been found to reveal the identity of