Series 1 > Papal negotiations with Mary Queen of Scots during her reign in Scotland, 1561-1567

494 PAPAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH MARY
della Regina in Francia, et la liberalita del detto vescovo oltra le suoi
forze, li portera grande pregiuditio, se Iddio non gli provegga, ma
tanto lo veggho gittato nel Signore, che per certo credo che non li
manchera. Ho dato ordine a un Francese costa, chiamato Domenico,
che sta col Sig® la Voippiere Francese sollicitatore, che gli affitti un
palazzo et gli furnisca d'ogni cosa, et provedi di cuochi spenditori.
V. R. de charita facci adiutar’ il detto Domenico col suo consiglio
nelle premesse. E col vescovo Mro Stefano, Scoto, chi venne nel
mezzo de febraio fuora di Scotia, mandato al vescovo con questa
ambasciata. [5] Et alhora il stato della religione era cotale che il
Re veniva alia messa quasi ogni giorno, la Regina ordino alcuni pre-
dicatori de predichare nella sua capella dove concorsero tutti gli
Catholic! de sentirli, et anche continnorono, ma uno di loro e stato
ferito caminando de notte, et altri hanno poco patientia de sentir et
patir le biasteme delli heretici. La Regina vorebbe esser servita de
predicatori et a grande pena li trova. Gli vescovi dicono messa ne
alcuni loro monasterii senza persecution!, ma per tutto anche predi-
chono gli heretici, pero la buona volonta della Regina non manchi
che non siano scacciati; ma molti sono anchora heretici in authorita,
chi intertengono la Regina, et gli Catholici sono de vita licentiosa et
pero freddi. Gli sbanditti Hugonotti chi erano in Ingliterra morirono
di fame la, et cosi nascostamente sono ritornati in Scotia, et robbonno
in quelle bande lontane della corte verso Hybernia. Iddio adiuti
la povera Regina et la consoli, come merita bene. Assai di Scotia
afflitta . . .
[ [l] Three days ago the very reverend Bishop of Dunblane arrived
in this city, sent by the Queen and King of Scotland to congratulate
his Holiness on his election, and to make the accustomed profession
of obedience usual for such princes to him and to the Apostolic See.
He remains here, partly to prepare himself to discharge his office there,
partly because he awaits some of his people who fell out on the way,
as he could not get them to ride post. I have given his lordship a
room in our college, where he also has his meals, to his great content.
Otherwise I should have had to go to the inn every day to see him,
which would not have been fitting, or his lordship would have had
to come to me every day, which was not becoming. He says Mass
daily in our chapel. The queen has commissioned him to discharge
the embassy as honourably as he could, and has written to her
treasurer in France to provide him with whatever money he wishes
for this purpose. [2] But when he came to court, he found that the
Cardinal of Lorraine, who is in authority over the said treasurer, had
heard sad news from the [Scottish] court: that is, that the king
is leagued with the heretics, who will crown him king of the realm,
and that the Lord James, bastard of King James of pious memory,
is made the second person of the kingdom, failing the heirs of the
.said king, that the holy queen would not consent to this impiety.