Series 3 > Scottish correspondence of Mary of Lorraine

242 THE SCOTTISH CORRESPONDENCE OF
army, and our greit haist but ordour. Madem, best is all
gud wayis and gud dress be maid in dew tym that be
apperance ma put feyr fra the legis and mak unyte and
concurrans. Madem, I besek your graice, as ye luf the
weill of our soverane lady your self and the common weill
of this realm, to tak tent herto and to be avysit wyth the
ambassadour and monsieur la Schappell;1 and gif it
pies your grace, to schaw to tham ilk part herof. Madem,
alswa conform to my promes of trew service I man ad-
vertice your grace of all utheris thinkis that apperandlie
is to be don : The lordis that is greit men and uther lordis
and barronis to be cherisit fawvorable wyth your graic
and wyth all the prynsipall men of gud quhay that cummis
out of France heyr, for the nater of this pepill is of this
realm ; first to be gentillie don to, and that tha persaif
luf and all gudnes in the kingis graice of France. And als
this realm is pwyr and the greit men can na way beyr
greit exspens of thar awn levin g. All greit men in this
realm has, and utheris efter thair greis has, folkis to sarve
tham in thair awn bowndis but ony mone bot allanerly
gud tretyng and greit houss to be haldin of daly exspens
ordynar of meyt and drynk ; bot to remayn lang out of
thair awn boundis apon thair awn exspenssis thai ma na
way do the samyn wythout tha be suppleyit and helpit
be substance. I traist tha ma abid wyth thar vittellis
brocht wyth tham for schort tym ; and fra that be gayn
and spendit tha may nocht tary but help.
Madem, as to my self your graice kennis the greit service
I maid to the kingis heynes umquhill your spous, quhay
has rewardit me gif he had levit, and sen his deces, to your
grace and my lord governour, and ther throw super-
exspendit greitly ; and how I half an sobir leving and als
how I am subject to sum infermyte of gravaill, and dolour
over-precipitancy of the Governor in forcing an engagement; whereas, if they
had followed his advice to temporise a little, a sure victory was within their
grasp. (Selve, 218.)
1 M. de la Chapelle, treasurer of the French troops. He had arrived with
the expeditionary force in the previous December. (C.S.P. i. 271; Selve, 249,