Series 3 > Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington plot

Ixxxii MARY STUART AND THE BABINGTON PLOT
understand if the Lords of Scotland meant to stand out;
and he understood by Boste that, if the Lords of Scotland had
not aid, they were not able to hold out, and that the Lords of
Scotland found great fault with the English Catholics, that they
did not hold out as they did. For if they did, and joined to¬
gether, they might the better attain to liberty of religion. And
the Scottish Lords looked for aid out of France, but they were
prevented by the broils. And this answer of Boste the said
Ballard returned to Edward Windsor and David Ingleby.’1
Even here there is nothing really reprehensible, perhaps
nothing of any importance whatever. But ‘ in the end
of Christmas 1585,’ or, as we should say, early in 1586,
Ballard undertook a negotiation which involved politics
of an emphatic type. He went to Scotland to consult
with Lord Claude Hamilton ‘ about aid for an invasion
of England.’ We learn this from Dunne’s confession.
‘ Dunne confesseth that Ballard in the end of Christmas
last, told him he would go into Scotland ; and at his return
thence before Lent, he told him, he had been with the Lord
Claude, about aid for an invasion against England.’2
Lord Claude Hamilton was the most important of ‘ the
Queen’s Lords ’ in Scotland. He had led the van of her
army at Langside, and was in many ways one of her ablest
supporters. He was also, next after his brother J[ohn, the
nearest heir to the throne of Scotland. He had just
returned home after exile, and had been well received by
King James. We do not know what passed between Lord
Claude and the English priest. Lord Claude had no great
power, and probably could not give Ballard promises of
any value. In any case Ballard was not discouraged.
He returned to London ‘ before Lent ’ (Ash Wednesday
in that year fell on the 16th of February) and he then
became acquainted with Savage’s plot, and thereupon
Scottish Calendar, Boyd, p. 695.
2 Ibid. p. 692.