Compare 1577 edition: 1 There were sent therefore from Charles vnto A|chaius certeine ambassadors to bring this matter Ambassadors sent into Scotland. to passe, who arriuing in Scotland, and comming to the kings presence, declared effectuallie the summe of their message, shewing that the conclusion of such a league should bee no lesse to the wealth of the Frenchmen, than of the Scots (considering Eng|lishmen to be a people most desirous of all other to get into their hands other mens goods and possessi|ons) for thereby they might be somewhat restreined from such bold and iniurious enterprises, as they dai|lie tooke in hand against their christian neighbors: but it should make most of all (say they) for the ad|uancement of the whole christian common-wealth, whereas otherwise through their insolent dooings, such force as was alreadie prepared against the Sa|racens (the common enimies of the christians) should be called backe, therewith to kéepe off the said Eng|lishmen, to the great danger of those parts of chri|stendome, vpon which the Saracens then bordered as neighbors.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 This message being heard with good deliberation The ambassa|dors are hono|rablie inter|teined. by such as were present, the ambassadors themselues being honorable personages, and graue of counte|nance, were receiued most louinglie of the king, and lodged in his owne palace, hauing all the cheere and honorable interteinment that might be deuised: but touching their message, there were sundrie disputa|tions amongst the nobles, whether the concluding of such a league as they required, were expedient for the Scotish common-wealth or not. And for that the matter seemed to be doutfull, the king thought it ne|cessarie to haue the aduise of his councell: and there|vpon calling them togither, and appointing diuerse of them to go with the ambassadors on hunting, to shew them some sport, whilest he consulted with the residue (bicause he would not haue them present) he commanded one Colman, gouernor of Mar (a man of great authoritie amongst the Scotishmen for his approoued wisedome) to say first his mind touching the request of those French ambassadors, who there|vpon standing foorth, began as followeth.
No man ought to maruell, I perceiue, king A|chaius, if manie of this our nation be desirous to haue this league concluded with the Frenchmen, as they that are persuaded how nothing can be better, nothing more profitable, more honorable, or more EEBO page image 121 pleasant to almightie God, than to ioine in league and friendship with a nation of greatest power and wealth in these daies, of all other within the bounds of Europe: for by that meanes should the Scotish name be highlie renowmed and spoken of through Due conside|rations. the whole world. But trulie these considerations con|tenting so well at the first, are not so much to be re|garded as the euils which hereafter may grow there|vpon: for suerlie a naughtie and pernicious end of this determination shall euidentlie teach vs (though too late) how farre we haue gone beside the way of reason in establishing this league, if we once con|sent to conclude the same. Is it anie other thing (I beséech you) to make a league, and to ioine in socie|tie with the Frenchmen against our neighbors the Englishmen (whose friendship might be most expe|dient An [...] at hand. Friends [...]arre off. for vs) than euen to haue from hencefoorth a néere and in maner a domesticall enimie at hand, whereas our supposed friends shall be farre off from vs, and separated from our countrie by a great and large sea, at whose plesure also we must make wars against our neighbors, and fight for other mens safe|gards, putting our bodies in hazard of death and wounding for their cause, which dwell nothing néere vs; yea & in their quarell to commit our kingdome, goods and liues vnto extreme perill of vtter destruc|tion? I would thinke it good therefore to take better aduisement and deliberation herein, least whilest we Good counsell of Colman. séeke for vaine glorie and counterfeit honor, we doo not, through prouoking the Englishmen our next neighbors, lose our owne liberti [...] got with much trauell by our elders, for the which they so often fought with the Britains, Romans, Picts, and final|lie with the Saxons. Can there be anie thing more pernicious vnto a frée nation, and people borne in li|bertie, than to measure lawes of peace, chances of warre, and in fine libertie it selfe, by the lust and plea|sure of another nation, and so to enter (as it were) into bondage? For the auoiding whereof, not onelie men, but also all other liuing things are readie to fight, euen to the vttermost. If the Frenchmen in the chiefest heat and most earnest brunt of the warre (which we shall take in hand for their sake, according to the articles of the league) shall chance to forsake vs, and conclude some manner of peace or league with our enimies, leauing vs in all the whole dan|ger; shall we haue anie iudge afore whome we maie bring them to answer for their default, and by whose authoritie they may be constreined to see vs satisfied for such losse and iniuries as we shall happily susteine at the Englishmens hands? Are we of that force and power to reuenge our wrongs vpon them, after we are vanquished and in maner brought to vtter confusion by those warres which we shall enter into for their cause? If euer we be brought vnto that point (as God forbid we should) that through want of substance, and decaie of force, the Frenchmen shall also vtterlie forsake vs, & that thereby we shall not bée able to resist the English puissance: afore whome (I beséech you) shall we accuse them for brea|king of this league? We shall dailie haue to doo with our enimies after the conclusion of the league (if it be concluded at all) and but seldome times with our friends. In the midst of our enimies we shall be still occasioned to practise for our defense, where we haue a long way both by sea and land to passe ouer to our friends, in case anie néed shall inforce vs there|vnto: commodities are brought vs out of Spaine, France, and Germanie, not such as we desire, but onelie such as the Englishmen doo permit. Againe, when our merchants shall passe into France, what hauens shall we leaue them to resort vnto in time of dangerous tempests, which often chance to all such as vse sailing? Either must they perish and be cast a|way through rage of seas, either else fall into the hands of our enimies togither, with all their goods and fraught. What discommodities hereof shall rise, your grace (most prudent prince) and you right cir|cumspect councellors, doo well inough perceiue. I therefore would thinke it expedient, that we should continue in the former peace concluded with the Britains, Saxons, and Picts, according to the cu|stome of our late predecessors, who saw well inough what was most beneficiall for the wealth of the Sco|tish nation, and not to couet a new amitie with an vnknowne people, hauing deserued little or nothing as yet at our hands (whose intent I cannot but haue in suspicion, sith they séeke for amitie so farre off) ex|cept we shall manifestlie resolue with our selues to imploie and ieopard both life and libertie for the safe|gard of the French, without regard of our owne. ¶ Manie in that assemblie shewed themselues sore Colmans counsell is misliked. offended with Colmans woords, supposing the league with the Frenchmen to be both honorable and necessarie.