defraud the said King of Scotland of the
claim he can put forward, but to render doubtful even that which he has
to his own crown. I do not know in what condition the affairs of my said
sister-in-law will be when you receive this letter; but I will tell
you that in every case I wish you to rouse strongly the said King of
Scotland, with remonstrances, and everything else which may bear on this
subject, to embrace the defence and protection of his said mother, and
to express to him, on my part, that as this will be a matter for which
he will be greatly praised by all the other kings and sovereign princes,
he must be assured that if he fails in it there will be great
censure for him, and perhaps notable injury to himself in particular.
Furthermore, as to the state of my own affairs, you know that the queen,
madam and mother, is about to see very soon the King of Navarre, and
to confer with him on the matter of the pacification of the troubles of
this kingdom, to which, if he bear as much good affection as I do for
my part, I hope that things may come to a good conclusion, and that my
subjects will have some respite from the great evils and calamities that
the war occasions them: supplicating the Creator, Courcelles, that He
may have you in His holy keeping.

"Written at St. Germain-en-Laye, the 21st day of November 1586.

"(Signed) HENRI,

"And below, BRULART."

This letter finally decided James VI. to make a kind of demonstration in
his mother's favour: he sent Gray, Robert Melville, and Keith to Queen
Elizabeth. But although London was nearer Edinburgh than was Paris, the
French envoys reached it before the Scotch.

It is true that on reaching Calais, the 27th of November, M. de
Bellievre had found a special messenger there to tell him not to lose an
instant, from M. de Chateauneuf, who, to provide for every difficulty,
had chartered a vessel ready in the harbour. But however great the speed
these noble lords wished to make, they were obliged to await the wind's
good-will, which did not allow them to put to sea till Friday 28th at
midnight; next day also, on reaching Dover at nine o'clock, they were so
shaken by sea-sickness that they were forced to stay a whole day in
the town to recover, so that it was not till Sunday 30th that M. de
Bellievre was able to set out in the coach that M. Chateauneuf sent him
by M. de Brancaleon, and take the road to London, accompanied by the
gentlemen of his suite, who rode on post-h