IAMES be the grace of God King of Scottis, To our Louittis William Bryson Masar, Messingeris our Schireffis in that part coniunetly and seuerallie speciallie constitute greting. Forsamekle as it is not vnknawin to all the gude subiectis of this our Realme, quhat greit gude will and freindschip our dearest sister the Quene of Ingland (being Princesse in the warld neirest to vs baith be blude and habitatioun) hes declarit not onlie towarris vs and the preseruatioū of our Innocent persoun euer sen our birth. Bot als quhat cair, trauellis, and charges our said dearest sister hes takin, borne, and sustenit for the saistie and preseruatioun of this our Realme in the auld ancient libertie, far aboue the custome of ony hir predecessouris. For it is not to be forgottin bot thankfullie to be rememberit how euin with the beginning of hir Regne (were than stāding betuix thir twa Realmes) first of all a godlie peace was maid and concludit, quhilk to this tyme hes happely continewit to the pleasure of God and greit commoditie of this countrie. As alswa how schortlie thairefter this our Realme being in danger of the Frenche conqueist, and Christiane Religioun thairin likly to haue bene vtterly suppressit, be our said dearest sisteris forces and ayd send to the assege of Leyth, the strangeris wer expellit and the stait of Religioun and libertie of the coūtrie preseruit, in the quhilk actioun neither hir treasure nor the blude and lyfis of hir pepill wer spairit. The lyke cair weill appeirit in hir quhen be hir forces direct in this our Realme in the Mo­neth of Maij, the ȝeir of God ane thousand fyue hundreth thre scoir and ten ȝeiris, the conspiratouris quhilkis pretendit our depositioun from our Royall Crowne and to erect ane vther authoritie, wer profligat and disaponitit, and our Castell of Glas gow than assegit be thame succourit and releuit. Our said dearest sister neuer taking or occupying ony strenth, hald, or fute of ground in Scotland, bot that quhilk scho hes bene alwayis willing to rander to the awneris, vpon na vther conditioū saulf­fing thair returning to our obedience and suretie for continewance thairat. And sen that tyme it is weill knawin quhat tra­uellis and cair scho hes takin be hir Ambassadouris letteris and Messages to haue our haill Realme quyetit to our obediēce. Quhairin hir laubouris and mediatioun hes at Goddis pleasure takin gude successe, our haill Realme in effect being reducit to the acknawledgeing of our Authoritie, and in the place of the lang ciuile and intestine weir, gude peace restorit ouer all the countrie: our Castell of Edinburgh only exceptit. Quhilk being put in the trust and custodie of Williame Kirkcaldy sumtyme of Grange Knight to our vse and behufe be vmquhyle our dearest Cousing Iames Erle of Murray our Regent for the time of worthy memorie, the said Williame vnmyndfull of his trenth and promysit allevgeance, hes be the space of twa ȝeiris with the mair now bypast be the meanis of the same Castell raisit and contine wit the said ciuile and Intestine weir aganis our Royall estait & Authoritie. To the disturbance of Christiane Religioun, the Lawis, policie, and haill commoun weill of our Realme, and reiecting the godlie pacificatioun quhilkis the cheif Nobill men and vtheris returning to our obedience hes res­sauit, procedis in contempteous Rebellioun and weir, greitly annoying our Burgh of Edinburgh being the cheif sait of Iu­stice, and doing besydis quhat in him lyis to procure and draw strangeris in this our Realme for suppressing of Religioun, our estait, and troubling the quyetnes of this haill Ile. And seing our principall Ordinance, Powder, Bullettis, and muni­tionnis ar detenit within our said Castell, and vsit and spent aganis vs and our gude subiectis, our said dearest sister hes bene ernistly requyrit be our richt traist Cousing Iames Erle of Mortoun Lord Dalkeith Regent to vs our Realme and lie­gis, and Nobilitie of this our Realme, for ayd and succouris of men, ordinance, and munitioun, to the expugnatioun, assege, and recouerie of our said Castell. Quhilk scho hes fauourabillie and liberallie grātit, efter all gude meanis vsit to haue brocht the persounis being within our said Castell to our obedience be treatie. Bot the same contempnit be thame and reiectit, hes now preparit and causit put hir forces in full reddynes to enter in this our Realme, to be fully employed for the mantenance and furthsetting of our Authoritie, in assegeing of our said Castell, that the same being recouerit, may Immediatlie and indi­laitlie be delyuerit (with the ordinance, munitioun, Royall place, Iowellis, Wardrop, and houshald stuf, and with the Regi­steris and recordis belanging to vs and our Crown) to vs and our said Regent in our name & to our behufe. And swa thairby peace restorit to our said Burgh of Edinburgh and our haill Realme in our obedience, without ony vther pretense, meaning, or Intentioun in our said dearest sister, or in Schir Williame Drurie Knicht, Generall of hir saidis forces. ¶ OVR will is heirfoir, and we charge ȝow straitlie and commandis, that Incontinent thir our letteris sene ȝe pas and in our Name and Authoritie mak publicatioun heirof at the mercat Croce of our Burgh of Edinburgh, and all vther places neidfull, that nane pretend Ignorance of the same, or sinisterlie depraue and misreport of our said dearest sisteris freindly and fauourabill Inten­tioun. And that ȝe command and charge all and sindrie our liegis, that thay and euerie ane of thame thankfully ressaue the Generall of hir forces, and haill persounis being vnder his charge, and to schaw and gif to thame all fauour and gude intreat­ment in ludgeing, meit, drink, and vtheris thair necessaris vpon thair ressonabill charges, vnrasand the present prices in ony thing. And that nane tak vpon hand to do to thame or ony of thame harme, greif, Iniurie, or vncurtesie in bodyis or gudis be word, deid, or countenance, vnder the pane of deid. Certifying thame that failȝeis, thay salbe repute and estemit as seditious and wickit Instrumentis, hinderaris of our seruice and obedience, fauouraris and pertakaris with the declarit Tratour is and Rebellis being within our said Castell, and the pane of deid salbe execute vpon thame with all Rigour in exempill of v­theris. The quhilk to do we commit to ȝow coniunetlie and seuerallie our full power, be thir our letteris delyuering thame be ȝow dewlie execute and Indorsat agane to the berare.

Geuin vnder our Signet at Halyruidhous the xiij. day of Apryle, and of our Regne the sext ȝeir. 1573.

Per Actum Secreti Consilij. CVM PRIVILEGIO REGIS.