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

APPENDIX IV
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le voulloyr ouyr et croyre de tout ce quil vous en remonstrera
de nostre dicte part, comme vous feriez nous mesmes. A tant
prions Dieu, tressainct Pere, voulloyr icelle vostre dicte Sainctete
longuement maintenyr, preservyr et garder au bon regime et
gouvernement de sa Saincte Eglise.
Escript a Villers costeretz, le ije d’Octobre, 1555.
Vostre devote fille la Royne descosse.
I Signed] Marie.
Countersigned] Degrantrye.
Addressed] A nostre tressainct Pere le Pappe.
[Most Holy Father,—[x] We formerly supplicated and requested
their late Holinesses of good memory. Popes Julius n. and Marcellus,
that it should be their good pleasure at our supplication, prayer and
request to grant us permission to raise upon our clergy, by form of grant
and free gift, two tenths, such as were raised by the late King of Scotland,
of happy memory, our very dear and honoured father. But the death
of both has intervened, and my request cannot be gratified and granted.
[2] And inasmuch as our uncle. Monseigneur the Cardinal of Lorraine,
is now going to you on the business of the King [of France], we have
heartily begged him to make anew on the same occasion [? repeated, due]
and humble request to your Holiness on our behalf, and to inform you
hereupon of the causes and reasons which constrain us to make it.
Humbly praying you, most Holy Father, to do us the favour to hear our
uncle, and to deign to listen to him as you would to ourselves, and to
believe all he shall show to you on our behalf, we pray God, long to
maintain, preserve and guard your Holiness, for the good rule and
government of His holy Church.
Written at Villers-Cotterets, the 2nd of October, 1555.
Your devout daughter the Queen of Scotland.
[Signed] Marie.
[Countersigned] Degrantrye. ]
No. 2
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS TO POPE PAUL IV.
Barberini Library, xliii. 162, fol. 1. Original, sealed with royal arms of Scotland,
and written broadside.
[Blois, 27 December, 1555]
Tressainct Pere.—[1] Vostre Sainctete aura peu entendre
combien, depuis quil a pleu a Dieu appeller a sa part nostre trescher
et treshonore seigneur et pere le roy descosse dernier mort, que
Dieu absolve, nostre royaume a este travaille, moleste, et afflige
des guerres, au moin de quoy et de la negligente aministration de
ceulx qui ont eu charge pendant nostre minorite de nostredict
royaume, il se trouve grandement apouury et en necessite de
beaucoup de choses requises a la seurete dun tel estat, et restab-