The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

By the brute hereof coming to our ears, our dolour was doubled, not so much for loss of the Money, as for the loss of the Gentlemen whom we suspected to have been slain, or at the least, that he should be delivered to the Queen hands. And so upon the sudden the Earle of Arran, the Lord James, the Master of Maxwell, with the most part of the Horse-men, took purpose to pursue the said Earle Bothwell, if they might apprehend him in Crichton or Morhan, whitherto (as they were informed) he had retired himself after his treasonable act: We call his act treasonable, because that three days before he had sent his especial servant, Master Michael Balfour, to us to ⟨p. 202⟩Edinburgh, to purchase of the Lords of the Council License to come and speak with us, which we granted, after that he had promised, That in the mean time he should neither hurt us,¹ nor yet any to us appertaining, till that he should write his answer again, Whether that he would join with us or not. He gave us farther to understand, That he would discharge himself of the Queen, and thereafter would assist us. And yet in this mean time he cruelly and traitorously hurt and spoiled the Noble-man aforesaid. Albeit that the departure and counsel of the Earle of Arran and Lord James, with their company aforesaid, was very sudden and secret, yet was the Earle Bothwell, then being in Crichton, advertised, and so escaped with the money which he took with himself, as the Captain of his house John Somerwaile (which was taken without long pursuit) confessed and affirmed;² Because that the Noble-men that sought redress, sought rather his safety and reconciliation, then destruction and hatred. They committed his house to the custody of a Captain, to wit, Captain Forbesse. To whom, and to all Soldiers there left, was given a sharp commandment, That all things found within the said house of Crichton (which were put in inventory, in presence of the Lords) should be kept till that the Earle Bothwell should give answer, Whether he would make restitution or not: time of advertisement was granted unto him, the whole day subsequent, till going down of the sun.

By the brute hereof coming to our eares, our dolour was doubled, not so much for losse of the Money, as for the losse of the Gentlemen whom we suspected to have been slain, or at the least, that he should be delivered to the Queene hands. And so upon the sudden the Earle of Arrane, the Lord Iames, the Master of Maxwell, with the most part of the Horse-men, tooke purpose to pursue the said Earle Bothwell, if they might apprehend him in Crychton or Morhan, whitherto (as they were informed) he had retired himselfe after his treasonable act: We call his act treasonable, because that three dayes before he had sent his especiall servant, Master Michael Balfore, to us to