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Compare 1587 edition: 1 No man ought to maruaile, I perceyue, king Achaius, if many of this our Nation be deſirous to haue this league concluded with the French men, as they that are perſwaded howe nothing can be better, nothing more profitable, more ho|nourable, or more pleaſant to almightie god, than to ioyne in league and friendſhip with a Nation of greateſt power and wealth in theſe dayes, of all other within the boundes of Europe:Due conſide|ratins. for by that meane ſhoulde the Scottiſh name be highly renowmed & ſpoken of through the whole world. But truly theſe conſiderations contenting ſo wel at the firſt, are not ſo much to be regarded as the euils which hereafter may grow therevpon: For ſurely a naughtie and pernicious ende fo this de|termination ſhall manifeſtly teach vs (though to late) howe farre we haue gone beſide the way of reaſon in eſtabliſhing this league, if we once con|ſent to conclude the ſame. Is it any other thing (I beſeech you) to make a league, and to ioyne in ſocietie with the French men agaynſt our neigh|bours the Engliſhmen (whoſe friendſhip might be moſt expedient for vs) then euen to haue from henceforth a nere and in maner a domeſtical eni|mie at hand,An enemy at hand. Friendes farre off. wheras our ſuppoſed friends ſhall be farre of from vs, and ſeperate from our countrey by a great and large ſea, at whoſe pleaſure alſo we muſt make warres agaynſt our neighbours, and fight for other mens ſafegardes, putting our bodies in hazard of death and wounding for their cauſe, which dwell nothing neare vs: yea and in their quarell to commit our kingdome, goods and liues vnto extreeme perill of vtter deſtruction. [...] [...]ſell of [...]. I ſhoulde thinke it good therefore to take better ad|uiſement and deliberation herein, leaſt whileſt we ſeeke for vainglorie and counterfeyte honour, we do not through prouoking the Engliſh men out next neighbors, loſe our owne liberties goe with ſo much trauaile by our elders, for the which they ſo often fought with the Brytaynes, Romaines, Picts, and finally with the Saxõs. Can there be any thing more pernicious vnto a free natiõ and people borne in libertie, than to meaſure lawes of peace, chances of warre, and in fine, libertie it [...]el [...], by the luſt and pleaſure of another nation, and ſo to enter (as it were) into bondage? for the auoy|ding whereof, not onely men but alſo all other lyuing things are readie to fight, euen to the vttermoſte. If the Frenche menne in the chie|feſt heate and moſte earneſt brunt of the warre EEBO page image 161 (which we ſhall fake in hand [...] for theyr ſake, ac|cording to the articles of the league) ſhall chance in forſake vs, and conclude ſome maner of peace or league with oure enimies, leauing vs in all the whole daunger, ſhal we haue any iudge afore whome wee maye bring them to anſwere for theyr default, and by whoſe authoritie they may bee conſtrayned to ſee vs ſatiſfyed for ſuch loſſe and iniuryes as wee ſhall happely ſuſtayne at the Engliſhe mennes handes? Are we of that force and power to reuenge our wronges vppon them, after wee are vanquiſhed and in manner brought to vtter cõfuſion by thoſe warres which wee ſhall enter into for theyr cauſe? If euer wee bee brought vnto that poynte (as God forbyd we ſhoulde) that through want of ſubſtance and decay of force, the Frenche men ſhall alſo vtter|ly forſake vs; and that thereby we ſhall not be able to reſiſt the Engliſhe puiſſance: afore whome (I beſeech you) ſhall we accuſe them for breaking of this league? We ſhall dayly haue to doe wyth our enimies after the concluſion of the league (if it bee concluded at all) and but ſeldome tymes wyth our friendes. In the middeſt of our enimies we ſhall be ſtill occaſioned to practiſe for our de|fence, where we haue a long way both by ſea and land to paſſe ouer to our friends, in caſe any neede ſhall inforce vs thervnto: cõmodities are brought to vs out of Spaine, Fraunce and Germanie, not ſuch as we deſire, but onely ſuch as the Engliſhe men doe permit. Againe when our Marchants ſhall paſſe into Fraunce, what hauens ſhall wee leaue them to reſort vnto in time of daungerous tempeſts which often chaunce to all ſuche as vſe ſayling? Either muſt they periſh and bee caſt a|waye through rage of ſeas, eyther elſe fall into the handes of our enimies togither, with all theyr goodes and fraught. What diſcommodities here|of ſhal riſe, your grace moſt prudetn Prince) and you right circumſpect Counſaylers doe well y|nough perceyue. I therefore would thinke it ex|pedient that we ſhould continue in y^e former peace concluded with the Brytaines, Saxons & Picts, according to the cuſtome of our late predeceſſors, who ſawe well ynough what was moſt benefici|all for the wealth of the Scottiſh nation, and not to couet a newe amitie with an vnknowne peo|ple, hauing deſerued little or nothing as yet at our handes (whoſe intent I cannot but haue in ſuſ|pition, ſithe they ſeeke for amitie ſo farre of) ex|cept wee ſhall manifeſtly reſolue wyth our ſelues to employe and leoparde doth life and libertie for the ſafegarde of the French men, without regarde of our owne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Colmans coũ|ſel is miſliked.Many in that aſſemblie ſhewed themſelues ſore offended with Colmans wordes, ſupporting the league with the French men to be both hono|rable and neceſſarie.