THE Queenes Maiestie of this Realme of Englande, vnderstanding that there are publicshed sundry matters lately in Scotlande, contrary to all trueth and meaning of the sayde Queene, as it appeareth maliciously deuised to blemishe the honour and sinceritie of her Maiestie, and to bryng Therle of Murrey in hatred with his owne friendes beyng natiue good Scottishe men: hath thought it good to let it be openly notified to all persons, both Englishe and Scottishe that are disposed to heare the trueth, that howsoeuer it be sayde or written by any person of what state soeuer the same be, that any secrete prac­tise hath ben made betwixt her Maiestie & Therle of Murrey, wherby it should be conuented & accorded that the Queene of Scottes sonne shoulde be deliuered into her Maiesties handes, to be nourished in Englande as she should thinke good, and that the Castels of Edenburgh and Stryueling shoulde be in Englishe mens keping, and that the Castell of Dūbretton shoulde be besieged and taken, and rendred to her Maiesties behoofe, and that Therle of Murrey should be declared legittime to succeede to the crowne of Scotlande after the deceasse of the young prince or kyng without barnes, and in that case Therle of Murrey should acknowledge to holde the Realme of Scotland in fee of her Maiestie as Queene of Eng­lande: Her Maiestie as she is and by Gods grace intendeth during her lyfe to be a prince of honour, and a maintayner of trueth, doth in the worde of a Queene, let all persons to know, that all and euery these fore­sayde thinges aboue specified, are altogether false and vntrue, and are deuised by persons of inere malice and rancour, beyng disposed to nourishe factions and discordes, and hating the good quietnes and concorde betwixt the two Realmes of Englande and Scotlande. For this her Maiestie likewise assureth all per­sons, that as of these vntruethes and falshoods there was neuer conuention nor accorde betwixt her Ma­iestie and the saide Earle, nor betwixt him and any her ministers to her Maiesties knowledge: So was there not at all any conuention or pact, eyther by worde or wrytyng, made betwixt her Maiestie and the sayde Earle, for any thing, since his last comming into this Realme, although it is true that some motions haue ben made, aswell by Therle of Lennox and the Ladie his wyfe, beyng, as it is knowen, parentes to the late murthered father of the prince, as by others, that if hereafter it shoulde be scene that the sayde prince could not continue in safetie in Scotlande from thattemptes of the murtherers of his father, and other his mortall enemies, that then he might be nourished in Englande vnder the custodie of such as nowe haue the charge of hym, and are knowen to haue most tender care of hym. But hereof was there neuer any ma­ner of conuention or accorde, neither yet was there heard by her Maiestie any worde of the Earle of Mur­rey, or of any in his company, to alowe of any remouing of the same prince out of Scotlande, or out of the charge of them that nowe haue the custodie of hym. And likewise her Maiestie assureth all maner of per­sons, that she esteemeth all other reportes false, that are sayd also to be made of any league and intelligence betwixt the Earle of Murrey and the Earle of Hertforde, with other such like improbable false deuises and slaunders. All whiche her Maiestie woulde haue to be of all honest persons both Englishe and Scottishe that loue trueth and hate falshood, to be esteemed for false, and to haue ben sediciously and maliciously in­uented, deuised, and publisshed. Finally, this her Maiestie willeth all persons to vnderstande, that in this cause betweene the Queene of Scottes and her sonne, there hath lacked no good meaning, nor yet doth, to haue had the same well ended with quietnes for the whole nation of Scotlande, and without any preiu­dice to the crowne of Scotlande, or to the dignitie thereof: The let and impediment of whiche good ende, her Maiestie woulde all persons to vnderstande, not to haue come of her or her counsell, as hereafter shall more manifestly appeare.

Gyuen at Hampton Court the xxii. of Ianuary. 1568. the xi. yere of her maiesties raigne.

God saue the Queene.