Knox to Sir James Croft
1559.
KNOX TO SIR JAMES CROFT.
som knowlege of tlie Greate Seale, which you lately willed ns^ to inquyr of that shoulde be sent out Fraunce into Scotland.
And now you shall perceyve what the saide Knox writeth of the same, which, as he termeth it in his said lettres, he calleth a Jewell, and by the thinges ingraved in the staff he writeth of, sent to the Eegent from her son and doughter of Fraunce, he meaneth the armes of England, Fraunce, and Scotlande.
XL.
Knox to Sir James Croft.
SuCHE is our estate, ryght Worshipfull, that onless present support be provided for us, you and we will both lament.
We / first, I confess, but what shall ensew experience may teache you.
It was ones determined that Leyht should have been assaulted, and yet the mater standeth in debate.
For some fear the interprise yf we be ones repulsed, others persuaid to putt all in the handes of God.
Trew it is the nomber of our soldiers is few to so great an interprise, and it war no small disconfort to hasard our nobilitie, barrens, and gentilmen, upon their walles and wyle soldiours.
Proclamation is made by the drum for lifting of mo men of warr, but partlie for lacke of money, and partlie becaus men have no will to hasard, we can mack no nomber, and therfor as ye tender the weall and furtheraunce of this cause, provide that both men and money com unto us with all possible expedition.
It may appear that my demand is unreasonable, but when all reassons which may be laid in contrar of my petition slialbe ryghtlie examined, our present estate and 1 In a letter to Sir Ealph Sadler, land, and with a stile for the French dated 27th of September, Sir William King and Quene, naming them K. and Cecill had made the following request :
Q. of Fraunce, England, Scotland.
" I doo daylye looke for some intelliWherof I beseche you to inquire as gence presently.
There, wherof I doo circumspectly as ye may possibly ; for much muse, that the French have sent the manner of those proceedings be to a great seale into Scotland, graven with sharpo to be long endured." th'armes of Fraunce, England, and Scot-
LETTERS, ETC.
1559. inconvenience which may ensew our overthrow shall swallo and devour thame all.
Yf ye fear to offend Fraunce, in hart it is allready att defiaunce with you, and abideth onlie the opportunitie and advantaige.
If you list to craft with thame, the sending of a thousand or mo men to us can breake no league nor point of peace contracted betwix you and Fraunce
For it is free for your subjects to serve in warr any prence or nation for thare wages.
And yf ye fear that such excusses shall not prevaile, you may declayr thame rebells to your Realme when ye shalbe assured that thei be in our companye.^
Ye pay thame wages whare thei ly presentlie, and yet thei be ydill, but heir thei wold mor proffet us, if we myght have thame within 6 dales, then five thousand will do within 40 dales heirafter.
My reasson is, that our nomber shall dayly diminish, so that in process we shalbe compelled to disseuer and skaile, and then never look I (onless that now we obtein our purposse) to se so many nobilmen of this Eealme assemble togetther for that purpose.
I speak my judgement frielie; judge you as God shall move your hart.
I wraite befor for som support to such us without the sam ar not able to serve, but receaved of you no ansuer.
I can do no more Init declap' my opinion, which I pray God be not found trew in the end.
The lord of Ormeston assisteth us not in this our daunger.
The cause I leave to your judgment.
I fear that mo shall schortlie follow onless remeady be provided.
I cease further to trouble you, who do yit write not what truble.
From Edinburgh, the 2.5 of October 1559.
Yours to his power, John Sinclear.
Postscriptc.—It is here bruted (whether it procead of craft, or yf any such thing be indead, I know not) that Fraunce * This political " casuistry," as it lias find the Reformer recommending disbeen called, is the only instance, as simulation.— (LifeofKnox, vol.i.p.202.) Knox's biograplicr remarks, in wliicli we
Croft's answer (p. 92) is worthy of notice.
1559.
SIR JAMES CROFT TO KNOX.
laubouretli with the highest to iiterlie refuse us, and in verrey dread the Quen Dowager hath plainlie spoken that she knoweth the meanes how to frustrate our expectatioun of your support, by promess, said she, to deliver Calice.-^
Sir, our simplicitie shall apjjear befor God and man.
This I advertyse you, for such rumors discurage many.
Ansuer thame, etc.
I opened the letter my selfe for scribling these few lynes.
I am charged to tack the paines, by the Lordes, to visitt you, and farther above, lett me have your judgement in that case.
To the worshipfull Sir James Crofts knycht, Capitane of the Quens Majesties toun and castell of Barwick.
Deliver these in haiste.
XLI.
Sir James Croft to Knox.
I nA\':E receyved your lettres of the 25, for answer whereunto, albeit, for myn own part, I coulde be well content to satisfie your hole requests with as good will as you seme to desyre it; yet can I not but mervaile, that you, being a wise man, woll require of us such present ayde of men, money, and amunycion, as we cannot minister unto you without an open shew and manifestacion of our selfs to l^e as open enemyes, where as you know, by leag and treatie, we be bounde to be ; prayeug you to consider how we may, without touche frends of honour and hurte of our commenwealth, being now in good peax and amytie, enter sodenly into open warre and hostylitie, being no cause of breche, no manyfest injury offred unto us.
And how I, being but a servaunt and mynister here, may presume to do that you desyre, tending to a playne breche of amji^^ie betwen so greate princes whom it toucheth, I referre > See end of the following letter, p 92.