presented unto us yesternight, perceived the causes which you allege for your abode and assemblies there, with the excuse for the staying there of Sir William Peter, one of our secretaries; and finally, what opinion you have conceived of our dearest uncle, the Lord Protector. For answer whereunto, we let you to wit that, as far as our age can understand, the rather moved by the visages that we see of our said uncle and councillor, and others our servants present here with us, we do lament our present estate being in such an imminent danger as, unless God put it into the hearts of you there to be careful to bring those uproars into a quiet, as we see our said uncle and councillor to be here, we shall have cause to think you forget your duties towards us, and the great benefits which the king my lord and father, of most famous memory, hath employed upon every one of you. For, howsoever you charge our said uncle with wilfulness in your said letter, we and our council here find him so tractable, as (if you fall not into the same fault wherewith you burthen him) we trust that both you and he may continue in such sort and surety without suspicions, by a friendly determination and agreement among yourselves, as may be to our surety and to the quiet of you and the rest of our good subjects.

Wherefore, good cousins and councillors, we pray you to consider, as in times past, you have every of you in

strance of the king, and his assertion that whatever sentence they might doom him to submit to, he could at once grant a free pardon, being of little apparent avail. It will be observed that this letter is dated on 8th October, the third year of Edward's reign, but this must clearly be an error, as that date would be 1550 instead of 1549.

of

his degree served us honestly at sundry times, so hath our uncle done, as you all know; and by God's grace may by your good advices serve us full well hereafter. Each man hath his faults, he his, and you yours; and, if we shall hereafter as rigorously weigh yours, as we hear that you intend with cruelty to purge his, which you all shall be able to stand before us? To our person we verily believe, and so do you, we dare say, he meaneth no hurt. If in government he hath not so discreetly used himself as in your opinions he might have done, we think the extremity in such a case is not to be required at his hands, yet lieth in us to remit it; for he is our uncle, whom you know we love, and therefore somewhat the more to be considered at your hands. And if he were another person, yet, though he had offended, if the offence tended not directly to our person, (as we be credibly informed it doth not) you would we think in no wise counsel us to proceed to extremities against him, for fear of any respect that might particularly seem hereafter to touch any of you; like as, partly by certain articles exhibited unto us by our said uncle, which herewith we send unto you, signed with our hand, and partly by our trusty and right well beloved councillor, Sir Philip Hoby, may appear unto you, unto whom we require you to give credence, and to return him again unto us with your answer accordingly, without failing hereof, as you tender our preservation and the weal of our realm.

Given under our signet, at our Castle of Windsor, the 8th of October, the third year of our reign.

An Instruction, given by the King's Majesty to the Lord Russell, Lord Privy Seal, the Lord Paget of Beaudesart, Sir William Peter Knight, one of His Highness' Principal Secretaries, and Sir John Mason Knight, His Majesty's Secretary for the French tongue; sent to treat and conclude upon a Peace, and also to contract for the rendering of Boulogne, &c. to the French; and to have the young Queen of Scots delivered to the King as his wife, according to a former Treaty; rejecting the offer made of the French King's daughter, &c. Dated the [18th] of January,

1549-50.1

Edward-First, as touching the place of their meeting, the same to be at Calais or Boulogne, if it may be so brought to pass; otherwise to be at such convenient place either within our dominion, or the French, or sometime in the one, sometime in the other, as may be best agreed upon. In the appointing whereof, we would no ceremony to be so much sticked upon, as the same should be any occasion of hindrance to the good success looked for at this meeting.

Second,-If the French Commissioners shall require Boulogne, with the members, and all such grounds and lands as was of late conquered by our late father, of most noble memory, to be restored to the French King; we be pleased our commissioners shall, on our name, agree and assent thereunto, so as the said French commissioners do and will likewise covenant and agree in the name of the said French king to any our requests hereafter ensuing.

1 MS. Sloane, 4149, art. 5. The peace was finally determined upon, but on terms so favourable to the French, that the blustering of Edward's council exhibits itself in somewhat a ridiculous manner. The way in which the commissioners are told to "cut off that talk is very amusing.

First, Our said commissioners shall demand in recompense for Boulogne and the members and grounds as aforesaid, that the treaties last made between our said father, of famous memory,and the realm of Scotland, may in all things be performed, and the person of the young Scottish queen delivered to us, to the intent the marriage, then covenanted between us and her, may be performed. They shall also demand that the fortifications at Newhaven and Blanknesse may be utterly ruinated, and no fortifications made, from henceforth, at any of those places.

They shall also require the continuance of the payment of our perpetual pension, and all the debts due unto us, by force of any former treaties, before the commencement of these last wars; and this for the first degree: which, if it were not to be obtained, then for the second degree, we be pleased to accept for a recompense, if they will covenant for performance of the said treaties with Scotland, and deliver the Scottish queen, and continue, from henceforth, the payment of the perpetual pension.

But if that shall also be refused, then, for the third degree, our said commissioners shall require the continuance of payment of our pension, the arrearages due by any former treaties between our said father and the late French king, and that the forts of Newhaven, also Hambleton and Blacknesse, may be utterly ruinated, and no new fortifications commenced at any of the said places hereafter.

And if this may not be obtained, then for the fourth and last degree, our pleasure is, that our said commissioners shall require the continuance of payment of our

said pension, and all such debts as were due unto our late said father before the commencement of his last wars. In the debating and discoursing whereof, we will that our said commissioners shall employ themselves to their uttermost to make as good and honourable a bargain for us, and to attain all or as much of the premises as they may, remembering unto the French commissioners our great charges sustained in these last wars commenced by them, contrary to the former treaties.

Touching the place, day, time, and other circumstances to be used as well in the delivery of Boulogne, the base1 town, the old man, the young man, with the ground, territories, and members to the same pieces,2 or any of them belonging, as also of payment of such sums of money as shall be agreed upon for the same, our said commissioners shall by their good discretion devise with the said French commissioners all such means as they can or may think most for our honour and surety; and such overtures or discourses as shall be made by the said French commissioners, shall advertise unto us or our council.

And, if any motion shall be made to have Scotland comprehended in this peace, our said commissioners shall say, that forasmuch as the Scots be common enemies to us and the emperor, we may not assent to the comprehension of them without the emperor's consent, or at the least, without such respect to our treaties with the emperor and his subjects, as the amity between us requireth. Aud therefore, if the states shall covenant to I Lower part of the town.

2 Portions of land.