LETTERS OF JOHN, EARL OF GOWRYE.'

PLEASE 30ur Majefte, Gif the beftouing of great benefites fould moue the receauers theroff to be thankfull to the giueris, I haue mony and extraordinar occafionis to be thankfull to 3our Majefte; not only being fauored with the benefite of 30ur Majesteis gude countenance at all tymes, bot also that it hath pleafit zour Majefte to accept fo weill of me as to honour me with 3our Majefteis moft louing letter, as with ane certane figne and viue teftimonie of 3our Majefteis gude fauour and graciousnes touartis me, wheroff I efteme fo much, that I wald think my felff very hapie if it fould please zour Majefte to comand me in any thing, that thereby 30ur Majefte might haue ane tryall of my prompt and fathfull obedience; for 3our Majefteis worthines and valor, attour the particular courtefis schauin to me, merits whatsomeuer I am able to do, and ane hun

1 These letters of John Earl of Gowrye, are the only remains known to be extant of that noble and unfortunate youth, who was involved in a fate which still remains a contraverted point in Scottish history. The original of the above letter to King James VI. was presented to the College of Edinburgh, by Drummond of Hawthornden, in 1626, but it has unfortunately been either mislaid or lost, (with other autograph letters in the same collection,) subsequent to the year 1757, about which time it had been transcribed and printed by Sir David Dalrymple, in a little tract intended to serve as a specimen of Collections relating to the Gowrye Conspiracy. The other letter is preserved in a volume of original papers, collected by David Calderwood the historian, who was a fellow-student, under Principal Rollok, with the Earl of Gowrye, at the College of Edinburgh, where they took the degree of Master of Arts, in 1594. At the time of writing these letters, the Earl was in his 17th year, prosecuting his studies at Padua,

dreth thousand tymes more. In end, I pray 3our Majefte to haue me excused that I haue taine the audacitie to wrett againe to zour Majefte, for not hauing the comfort of 3our Majefteis presence, could not declare my willing mynd better then be vfing of the nixt remede. In the meane tyme, I fall repofe my felff ftill on 3our Majesteis constant fauor quhill God of his mercie grant that I se zour Majeste in fuche ane gude eftate as I wishe, whilk will give me the greteft contentment of all.

Sua crauing earnestly of that Creator of all thingis to blifs zour Majefte with all felicitie and fatisfactione in health, with ane increas of mony profperous dayis, I kifs moft deuotly 3our Majefteis

hands.

Your Majesteis

Moft humble Subiect and

Obedient Seruitor in all deuotione,

GOWRYE.

Att Padua, the 24th of

November 1595.

Ευλογητον εξω το όνομα τ8 θε8 εις αιώνα.

BELOVED brother,2 hauing taken occasione to wret to Scotland, wald nocht omitt my deutie to zou, in vifiting zou with this letter,

2 Mr John Malcolm, one of the Regents, and afterwards principal of St Leonard's College, St Andrews, was ordained minister of Perth, 4th November 1591. He was the author of a Latin Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, a work of considerable learning, printed at Middleburgh, 1615, 4to. He died at an advanced age, at Perth, 3d October, 1634.

that therby ze myght vnderstand of my present estate, quhilk continues as of before, praifing God from my hairt, that of the riche abundance of his gude grace and mere mercie hes maid the beames and licht of his countenance, to fhine vpon me most fauorably; to be ane guide to conduct me saiflie per hunc Auernum, quherin mony here, (quorum oculi denfa caligine et nebulis obfuscati funt,) ô miserum Spectaculum! are drouned in his iustice; I meane nocht all, abfit for I am acquainted with diuers heir, qui etiam inter has paludes stigias, hes neuer boued ther kne to Baal: Quhat ane meruell is this? and quha can beleue it? and zit it is certanly true; glorificetur igitur Deus in operibus fuis, ac eo magis quo funt mirabiliora et Tagα Tи quo. There wes ane notable exemple of constancie not long ago, in ane Silefian minister of fome threscore yeares and mair, quha, efter he had beine deteined in prisone about nyne yeares, and the Jefuites had trauailed with him to recant; bot persaiffing that thei could preuaile nothing at his handis caused bring him to the fyre lyke bludie dogges; quhere, efter he had maid ane excellent discours and harang to the people, fhauing them the gret honour he wes callit to in fuffering for Chriftes fake, and exhorting them to conuersione, abode most patiently, without ony fhrinking all tormentis, magnifeing Godis holy name, and praying that ther finnes mycht be forgiuen them. Efter he wes brunt, not being zit fatiffied of the crueltie that they had vfit against him, quhen he wes liuing, did caft ane gret heap of ftones vpon his afhes, multo fauiores quam erant Judei aduerfus Stephanum. There were vtheris, quha for feare of death at that same tyme, maid filthie apoftacie fra the true Religione to that damnable idolatrie, and at that inftant

that ane of them begane to deny Christ, in making defectione, there iffhued blude out of his nose in suche gret abundance, that all did fee him thocht he fould have dyed presentlie; this wes ane vifibill signe of the hand of God, that chopped on him quha had done such ane villanie aganist his confcience for to purchase his auin lyffe, quhilk he wes not worthie to bruik, be the lofs of his soule. Bot thir renegates not the les escaped not their auin punishment, for they all were send ad triremes, vbi non vnius hore fpatio vitam finituri, fed morientes femper, nec tamen morientur. Laitlie, efter these thingis, ane certane Inglishe man being moued on zele to caft ther facra hoftia (as thai moft falflie callis it) out of the priestis handis, that wes careing it in proceffione, to the grund, and to ftramp on it with his fete, wes apprehendit and denudit of his clothes, therefter ane hude putt on his heade, quheron wes painted the deuils image, and some with bleafis, quha brunt him continually in the backe and brest as he walked forduart; bot he, in the meane tyme wes occupiet in fchauing the people how thai were fchamfullie abused be thefe mifcent idolaters, quha were leading them to their auin damnatione. In end, he fpake with fuche ane vehemencie, that the enymies caufed knett his toung, fearing fome vprore to enfeu if he had gottin ony forder libertie to fpeke; so he wes brought to the place of executione, quhere, lifting vp his eyes to heauen, and on his knees kissing the chaine he wes bund with, they caused first cut of his hand for the fact he had committed, and nixt burne him quicke. All thir thingis were done in Rome, that mother of all vyce, and hoorishe fynagog of deuils. I am sory that my abfence will not permitt me to kyth my mynd and gudwill in helping to

fett furth Godis glorie there, cui totus ex animo incumberem, bot quhen, at his gude pleasure I returne, sall with his grace, indeuore my selff to amend quhatsomeuer is omitted for laike of my presens. I thank zou moft hartfully, of 3our rememberance of me in 30ur prayeris, desyring zou earnestlie to contineu according to the loue ze cary to the saluatioune of my soule. Thus remembering my very loving commendationis to 3our felff, with the haill nychtbouris of the toune, Committis zou with them all to the protectione of the Omnipotent.

At Padoua the 28 of Nouember 1595.

I dout nocht bot ze haue hard long since of the Papes benedictione given to the King of France, quhilk hes turned to ane maledictione. No vther neuis occurris heir for the prefent, bot nou againe laitly there is fome Inglishmen put in the hous of inquifitione in Rome.