Mary Queen of Scots 1542-1587 Part 19

THE CASKET LETTERS.

[The following eight letters are the princ.i.p.al contents of the famous Silver Casket (_cf._ pp. 125 and 132-161). A long and bitter controversy has been waged in connection with the question of their authenticity. Every recorded production of them has been the subject of debate. Their discovery is related on pp. 203-207. Their appearance at York is described in the letter to Queen Elizabeth on pp. 138-143. It is evident that, at York, they were produced in Scots, and there has been considerable controversy as to whether they were there stated to be originals or translations. At Westminster, they were shown to the Commissioners in French. Within a few years after the Westminster Conference, we lose all trace of the original doc.u.ments. Translations of them into Scots, English, and Latin and French versions, which we now know (at least in the case of some of the Letters) not to have been those produced at Westminster, were published soon after the Conference closed. In 1571, Latin translations of Nos. I., II., and IV. were printed in the Latin edition of Buchanan's "Detectio," and, in the same year, a Scots translation was published in London, containing the sonnets in French and Scots (reprinted in Anderson's "Collections," Vol.

II.). Prefixed to each of the Scots versions was the first sentence of each letter, in French (_see_ pp. 194-5). In 1572 another Scots version was published at St. Andrews, and, in 1573, a French translation of the "Detectio" appeared, with the imprimatur "Edinburgh." To it, French versions of all the letters, except No.

III., were appended, with a version of the sonnets, varying considerably from that in the Scots "Detection." Research has revealed the existence of English translations of Nos. I. and II.

and French versions of Nos. III. and V. in the Record Office; and of English translations and French versions of Nos. IV. and VI. at Hatfield. All these various versions will be found printed, in careful and scholarly fashion, in Appendix C. of Mr. T. F.

Henderson's "Casket Letters and Mary Queen of Scots."

The method adopted in the present work has been to print the Scots version of all the letters, with a glossary of unusual words. It is the only complete version, and the published French and Latin letters are probably derived from it. Variations both in these and in such English and French versions of the letters as are at Hatfield or the Record Office, are indicated in notes appended to each letter. Care should be taken to distinguish between these Hatfield or Record Office French versions and the "Published French," _i.e._ the French of the edition of 1573.

References to the literature of the question will be found in an Appendix. For the guidance of the reader, it may be added that one section of the discussion turns upon the question whether French originals of Nos. I., II., VII., and VIII. ever existed; and the Scots and English have been carefully examined to discover if they bear traces of derivation from a French source.

Of the other contents of the Casket, the Sonnets, and the important clauses of the marriage contracts will be found immediately after the letters.]

The following Scots words, which appear frequently in the text of the letters, may be unknown to English readers:--

Abaschit = surprised.

Aganis = against.

Allanerly = only.

Awin = own.

Beseik = beseech.

Chereis = cherish.

Conqueis = conquest.

Cordounis = cords.

Dreddouris = fears.

Eir = ear.

Eis = ease.

Fane = anxious (wald verray fane, wished very much).

Fascherie, fascheous = trouble, troublesome.

Fenze, fenzeingly = feign, feigningly.

Fulische = foolish.

Gangand = going.

Gar = force, compel.

Gude = good.

Haillely = wholly.

Impesche = hinder, prevent.

Incontinent = immediately.

Inlack = fail.

Inragis = becomes angry.

Irkit = tired, wearied.

Irksome = troublesome, disagreeable.

Journey = day's work.

Luif, luifar = love, lover.

Mekle, meikle = much.

Playn, plenzeit = complain, complained.

Quha = who.

Quhair = where.

Quhen = when.

Quhilk = which.

Quhill = while, till.

Regiment = rule.

Schaw = show.

Schort = short.

Schuillis = schools.

Seik = sick.

Sic, siclyke = such, similarly.

Sone = son.

Speik = speak.

Suld = should.

Travell = take pains, try.

Thrist.i.t = nudged.

Tuichit = touched.

Tyne = lose.

Unsay = contradict.

Wald = would.

Waryit = cured.

Wod = mad, angry.

Ze, zow = ye, you.

Zisternicht = yesternight.

Zit = yet.

Letter I.

_Goodall_, vol. ii. p. 1, _et seq._

It appeiris, that with zour absence thair is alswa joynit forzetfulnes, seand yat at zour departing ze promysit to mak me advertis.e.m.e.nt of zour newis from tyme to tyme. The waitting upon yame zisterday causit me to be almaist in sic joy as I will be at zour returning, quhilk ze have delayit langer than zour promeis was.

As to me, howbeit I have na farther newis from zow according to my commission, I bring the man with me to Craigmillar upon Monounday, quhair he will be all Wednisday; and I will gang to Edinburgh to draw blude of me, gif in the meane tyme I get na newis in ye contrary fra zow.

He is mair gay than ever ze saw him; he puttis me in remembrance of all thingis yat may mak me beleve he luifis me. Summa, ye will say yat he makis lufe to me; of ye quhilk I tak sa greit pleasure, yat I enter never where he is, bot incontinent I tak ye seiknes of my sair syde, I am sa troubillit with it. Gif Paris bringis me that quhilk I send him for, I traist it sall amend me.

I pray zow, advertise me of zour newis at lenth, and quhat I sall do in cace ze be not returnit quhen I am c.u.m thair; for, in cace ze wirk not wysely, I se that the haill burding of this will fall upon my schoulderis. Provide for all thing, and discourse upon it first with zourself. I send this be Betoun, quha gais to ane day of law of the Laird of Balfouris.

I will say na farther, saifing that I pray zow to send me gude newis of zour voyage. From Glasgow this Setterday in the morning.

There are no important variations in the published Latin and French translations.

An English version of Letter I., preserved in the Record Office (State Papers relating to Mary Queen of Scots, vol. ii. p. 66), quoted by Mr. Henderson in his "Casket Letters," pp. 124-5:--

It seemyth that with your absence forgetfulness is joynid consydering that at your departure you promised me to send me newes from you. Nevertheless I can learn none. And yet did I yesterday looke for that that shuld make me meryer than I shall be. I think you doo the lyke for your return, prolonging it more than you have promised.

As for me, if I hear no other matter of you, according to my commission, I bring the man Monday to Craigmillar, where he shall be upon Wednisday. And I go to Edinborough to be lett blud, if I hear no word to the contrary.

He is the meryest that ever you sawe and doth remember unto me all that he can, to make me believe that he loveth me. To conclude, you wold say that he maketh love to me, wherein I take so much pleasure, that I have never com in there, but the payne of my syde doth take me. I have it sore to-day. If Paris doth bring back unto me that for which I have sent, it suld much amend me.

I pray you, send me word from you at large, and what I shall doo if you be not returned, when I shall be there. For if you be not wyse I see a.s.suredly all the whole burden falling upon my shoulders.

Provide for all and consyder well first of all. I send this present to Ledington to be delivered to you by Beton, who goeth to one day a law of Lord Balfour. I will say no more unto you, but that I pray G.o.d send me goode newes of your voyage.

From Glasco this Sat.u.r.day morning.