plainly answer and declare as follows: First, at my coming to Bolton from Scotland, which was about the '18th day of September, 1568, the Queen my mistress 'told me that "the Conference at York was appointed to 'make the Earl of Murray, and others, her disobedient subjects, to answer before the Queen of England's Commissioners, for their unnatural and unjust proceedings against her; so that, after they had acknowledged their 'offences towards the Queen their sovereign, they should, 'for the Queen of England's pleasure, be remitted and ' received into favour again, and so all matters compounded." To this I answered then to my mistress, that "I was sorry she had agreed to any Conference wherein they should be accused; for I was assured in that case they would utter all that they could for their defences, although it were to her dishonour, and of the whole 'realm: for they would be loth to confess openly that they were evil subjects, and she a good Princess; and therefore I wished that the whole matter might be 'treated by way of concord and agreement before we 'should enter to any accusations: and to that end I 'counselled her to travail with her friends at court or "York." To this the Queen replied "that there was no 'such danger in the matter as I supposed; for she ' trusted I would find the Judges favourable, principally the Duke of Norfolk, who was first in Commission; and 'doubted not but the Earl of Sussex would be ruled by him as his tender friend, and Sir Ralph Sadler would 'not gainstand their advices; and she told me that Liggons had been at Bolton, by whose message told by ' him to the Lady Scroope, she understood of the Duke's good-will toward her; and the bruit was elsewhere spread 'abroad of a marriage between the Duke and her; and besides this she had many good friends in the country 'that did favour her and stick to her; such as the Earl ' of Northumberland and his lady, by whom she had many intelligences and messages; the Nortons, Markenfield and others, (for at that time I heard nothing of Westmoreland,) who would all be with the Duke at York, and would persuade him to favour her cause." In the mean time, before our passing to York, Robert Melvill came to Bolton with letters sent by Ledington to

the Queen my mistress, to advertise her, that the Earl of Murray was wholly bent to utter all that he could against her, and to that effect had carried with him all the ' letters which he had to produce against her, for proof of 'the murder, whereof he had recovered the copy, which 'he sent to the Queen; and that he had not come into England in the Earl Murray's company, unless it had 'been to do her service, and to travail for mitigation of 'those rigours intended, desiring to be certified by Robert Melvill at York what service she would employ him 'unto, for he would do the same diligently. To this she answered by Robert Melvill that she wished him to stay 'these rigorous accusations, and, because he was well acquainted with the Duke of Norfolk, desired him to travail with the Duke in her favour; and that he would * confer with the Bishop of Rosse, by whom he should ' understand her whole mind particularly from time to time. After this at York, Robert Melvill did bring me to Ledington's lodgings, where we talked almost a whole 'night; and he told me that he had conferred with the Duke, who seemed to bear great goodwill to the Queen my mistress, and had willed him to counsel the Earl of Murray and others to abstain from uttering any dis⚫ honest matter against the Queen, but to come to some compromise amongst themselves: so that Ledington said, it appeared to him, that the Duke had some intention of marriage with the Queen, as the bruit was; and that their party did wholly suspect some such like matter; and that he did verily believe that if it were followed, the marriage would take effect, which would be most of all other things for the Queen's honour and 'weal: and willed me to speak to the Duke secretly alone, without the Commissioners; and Ledington should ' advertise the Duke to appoint the time convenient, as he * did one day in the morning by seven of the clock, before 'the meeting the Commissioners. I talked with the Duke alone in a gallery, where he uttered to me that 'he bore good will to the Queen my mistress, and that he had talked with the Earl of Murray at length, and had seen the letters which they had to produce against the Queen my mistress, and other defences, whereby there would such matter be proved against her that

'would dishonour her for ever; and if it were once published, the Queen of England would get counsel by such as loved not my mistress, to publish the same to the 'world, and to send Ambassadors to all other Christian • Princes to make the same known to them; so that they 'would make no further suit for her delivery, and perhaps greater rigour might ensue to her person: there'fore he advised me to confer with Ledington; and 'that betwixt him and me we might find some means to stay the rigour intended; and promised all that he could 'do to that effect he would do. In this conference the 'Duke did oftentimes insinuate the goodwill that he did bear to the Queen my mistress, but spoke nothing to me particularly of the marriage at that time; but referred 'all to Ledington. Upon this I did confer with Leding'ton divers times, by whose advice I rode to Bolton, to speak with the Queen my mistress, in the time of my conference; and during my remaining there, the Conference was broken up, and the whole Commissioners 'for our part came to Bolton. And so my Lord Harris and I were sent to London. In the mean time, Robert 'Melvill came to Bolton to the Queen, with message of Ledington's of such conference as he had with the Duke at the hunting in the fields, where I believe Ledington did well encourage the Duke to attempt the marriage, as he told me afterwards; declaring her properties, and 'the honour and commodities that might ensue to them both thereby; and that the Duke did give good ear thereto, wishing to the Queen to follow that course. In the meanwhile, the Duke had Liggons and others going 'betwixt him and my Lady Scroope, who did entertain 'the matter between them. After this, at the Duke's coming to Hampton Court, Ledington made the mean ' with the Duke to cause him to send Liggons to deal 'with me upon his behalf, and to give me some favour'able advertisements for the weal of our cause. And 'likewise the Duke caused the Lord Lumley sometime to 'speak with me, to advise me what was best to be done, and especially when the Spanish Ambassador had spoken to me of the marriage of one of the house of Austria; the Duke, by my Lord Lumley, counselled me to open the matter to the Queen's Majesty, by my Lord

❝ of Arundel, which might be an occasion to move her to like better of the match with him, than with any foreigner. And then he sent me word by Liggons, that 'the Queen's Majesty was informed of such a like bruit of his marriage with the Queen of Scots; but he had 'satisfied her Majesty well enough, and so still did follow the matter, and did treat thereupon with the Earl of 'Murray and Ledington at Hampton Court, by whose advice Robert Melvill was sent to the Queen my mis'tress at Rippon, to move the matter upon the Earl of 'Murray's behalf, with a full declaration that the Earl of Murray liked well of it; and so after this, the matter hath been entertained betwixt the Queen and Duke from 'time to time.'

Duke. What if all this be true? What is this to the matter? That I dealt at all with the Scottish Queen by my sister Scroope's means, I utterly deny. As for Ledington, and the Bishop of Rosse, I care not what their speeches were; I am to answer but for mine own speeches.

Serjeant. The Bishop of Rosse accuseth you of your own speeches; and this he doth, being examined freely, and without any compulsion.

Duke. At my being at York in Commission, Ledington broke with me himself to have the matter compounded between the Scottish Queen and the Earl of Murray. I told him that our Commission was only to hear indifferently what should be alleged on both parts, and truly to make report thereof. What harm is this? The Bishop of Rosse afterwards sent for me, that he might speak with me. When we met, he moved me for the compounding of the matter, as Ledington had done. I told him that our Commission was but to hear and report, as I had told Ledington before; and therefore if they would compound, I willed them to devise the means themselves, and to make offers, and that we would advertise the Queen's Majesty thereof, as we would of all the matters alleged. If the Bishop of Rosse, for fear or for malice, have spoken untruly; if, being a Scot, he care not how many Englishmen he bring to destruction by his false testimony, I beseech you let not that hurt me. Serjeant. You made the first motion of compounding

the matter to Ledington yourself; and another time to the Bishop of Rosse you offered to further it as much as you could.

Duke. I never saw the Bishop of Rosse before I came to York; and do you think I would deal so dangerously with a Scot, whom I never saw before? Besides, I signified by my letters to the Queen's Majesty our proceeding, and my misliking of the Scottish Queen's case. Let those letters be seen: they were written after my talk with Ledington.

Serjeant. The writing of those letters to the Queen, though they were written after your conference with Ledington and the Bishop of Rosse, is no proof that you did not deal partially for the Scottish Queen; for those letters were written by others as well as yourself, namely, by my Lord of Sussex and Mr. Chancellor of the Duchy*; and you could not do otherwise than so signify, notwithstanding your partial secret dealing, for else you should have too openly betrayed your intention.

Duke. When Ledington moved me of the marriage of the Scottish Queen, I utterly refused it.

Serjeant. That is not so; and for proof, as well of your partial dealing in the Commission as for the marriage, there shall be brought forth sufficient evidence.

Here was alleged by the Queen's Counsel how a letter had been written to the Earl of Murray, requiring to be advertised by him of so much as he knew concerning the doings of the Duke of Norfolk, both for the matter of the Commission, and the practice of his marriage with the Scottish Queen. And the Earl of Murray's answer to the same letter was produced and read; it stated a conversation between the Duke and Murray during the Conferences at York, in which the former endeavoured to prevail upon Murray to withhold the evidence against the Queen of Scots; and also a discourse at Hampton Court, in which the Duke fully admitted his design to marry her; and Murray expressed his approbation of it, "but merely," he says, from fear of assassination, and in order to conciliate the Duke."

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Then a letter from the Bishop of Rosse to the Queen

*Sir Ralph Sadler.

VOL. I.

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