Correspondance between England and Scotland

Sir,

I wudst consider it great honour to stomp upon his heart for all the harm I know he hath inflicted upon you. I wudst consider it my own personal duty.

However, if thou liketh thine brothers head to be firmly placed upon his shoulders I am not the best care to entrust him into. If he vexes me I may cast him into the Tower and chop off his fine head.

Bess.

And Elizabeth *Gives you the falsest, fakest smile you've ever seen, and BOY does that say a lot*, why on Earth doth my mother scare you?

Bess,

If my Brother remains here long with his roving eyes upon my furture wife I may take his head myself!


Your Jealous friend,

Nicholas

*Grins from ear to ear about a man loving me so much, he'd kill for me*.

Nicholas,

If your brother be in search of gold I wudst have him set sail to find it himself (aboard the Spainish ships).

I keep a tight rein upon my accounts and would miss a mere penny the moment it didst it go astray.

Bess. x

P.S. Please inform Marie that her mother would have put the fear of God in anyone and that I am well pleased she were raised away from her where she couldn't learn any of the tricks of how to be a powerful Queen.

Nicholas,

that doth sound most exciting!

Please do keep thine brother there in that case, I doth love a scandal and news of it would entertain me greatly imbetween signing the morning's death warrants.

Bess.

Why are you adding a postscript? Nicholas reads everything I receive and vice versa.

And your right about my mother, she was a wonderful woman ...


... now that I think on it ... she reminds me of you ... *shivers*.

Bess,

I will then, but only if thou promises to advise me on the proper ediquite for choping off heads! I hear thou art the best

Word hath reached me that Philip of Spain ist mounting great armies against my land. He hath long been pilaging Spain's forests to create a vast armada of ships to set sail to England with the Spanish Inquisition in tow.

The time hath come.

Wudst thou stand with me or against me?

Eliz R.

I ... I ... *Marie is in a true Quandry. If Philip loses and she supported Philip, Elizabeth and the English will never forgive her. However Elizabeth has been nothing but cruel and false to Marie, and deserves no mercy. Not to even mention that if Philip conquers England Marie might never inherit it.*.

I will stand behind you Elizabeth. Even after your imprisonment and despite my faith. My conscience will not let me allow Philip to dethrone you, a crowned and anointed Queen. You are my cousin, my fellow Royal and, despite our differences, a truly fantastic woman.

The Auld Alliance that I have renewed with the French means that I must come to their aid though, and the Spanish are supporting my family in the civil wars that grip my beloved France. It will break my heart, but I will support thee.

Your Highness Marie of Scotland,

I thank you for thine wise decision. I expect you feel full well the threat also made to your own lands if Philip doth take England.

Mine ministers are working hard upon arrangements to defend our realms. I wilt send thee word as soon as I hath further news. I wudst send thee a member of my court to attend thee as emisary. I wudst also wish a well trusted gentleman of thine in the English court to ease both our plans. Who wudst thou see fit to send me and who from my court would be made welcome in Scotland?

To increase the speed of any alert to attack we hath been installing a system of beacons across the land, high upon the hills. Upon any sighting of Spanish ships the beacons will be lit and the fire alighting from each will warn the surrounding areas. Beacons being lit across the land will alert the whole realm to our peril at great speed. We think this far more efficient than use of riders carrying correspondance. I know my whole realm ist behind me in keeping out invaders as I expect the Scots also would be. Perhaps a similar arrangement of beacons wudst serve thee too?

I know not of thine sea fairing subjects Marie but I hath Sir Walt and Sir Francis ready to lead mine fleets into battle. How I wish the Lord High Admiral Tom Seymour were still around to assist me, but alas he ist long gone. Happily mine childhood infatuation with mine old guardian inspired a love of sailing within me and I know well how to conduct mine fleet at war.

...as regards our hopeful defeat of Spain's great Armada. If God sees fit to alleviate us of this danger I see not reason to insite war upon Spain. If the defence of my relam is complete and mine subjects safe I wish not to press the matter further abroad. Is this also thine wish?

Your cousin and dear friend in arms,
Eliz R.

*sometimes I think my daughter is too trusting*

*alas Elizabeth knows not truly how to trust, only to allow people the chance to prove themselves while at the same time covering her own back*

Your Majesty Queen I of England

Her Highness Queen of Scots shall reply fortwith to your missive but I would thank thee for your wise council myself as well. I shall see to the construction to the beacons at once.

And I on my part, as the Marquis of Pembroke find it appropriate that I might fill the role as a trusted emmisary for this land. Both realms can rest assure I have each of their best intrests at heart.

This offer wudst of course depend on the agreement of Marie Queen of Scots and yourself. And it wudst also depend that my services could not be better served elsewhere. As I am new to this realm I am unware as the staus of our fleet or the capabilites of our captians. If the need is present I wudst probally be of more use amoung them. You know well my skill as a Captain.

My hopes it that the day never comes that the Spanish Armada appears on the horizon but be sure if that day dawns, we shall be ready.

Yours,
Nicholas
Marquis of Pembroke

Thank you, Elizabeth. I agree with thee about the beacons, I shall implement them forthwith!

However, I will tolerate no preemptive strikes against Philip, my loyal friend. Whilst I am not quite as naive and stupid as you and your mother think and doth not wish for the Spaniards to come to my very back door, Philip and I are brother and sister in faith, and too be fair he has been a better friend to me than thee.

My lord of Pembroke,

I darest not commit current schemes to writing lest our battle plans be found out by our enemies.

However I wudst suggest that thine usual immunity from peril upon the sea wilt not save thee this time. Therefore I wudst have thee stay inland.

I wudst find thee a most welcome emisary if Marie permits such. And I wud suggest that thine brother be sent to sea to prove his worth in your stead. Tis the usual form in my Kingdom that previous enobled wrongdoers prove their newfound loyalty to their monarch by leading their battles abroad.

Mine sweet Robyn didst do as such in the reign of my Sister Mary, and in doing so didst ensure both his own life and the upkeep of mine own household.

Eliz R.

Marie,

it pleases me greatly to hear this! We fellow Queens see little need in sacrificing the lives or wealth of our lands to make petty war with other Princes as do Kings.

I wish naught but to protect mine kingdom and mine subjects.

(Sir Walt doth of course see things quite differently but he ist most sweet on me and will do as I say)

Eliz R.

I shall ask my French family for help. The Guises hath always heartily hated the Spaniards, however I cannot be sure how much they will wish to topple fellow Catholics for a hereti ... for a woman of different convictions.

Also, could you tell your mother to watch her mouth? She hath gone from being sharp and amusing to being a total bitch goddess.

Alas Marie, tis most impossible to silence Anne Boleyn, even in death.

However, I am told she doth respond a little better following great praise and respect..

Else all I canst reccomend ist the diversions of poets and musicians. Hath thou any great poets or musicians in Scotland?

Your Majesty Queen Elizabeth I of England


I am not afraid to die for Queen Marie's realm or yours. As sea-fairers go you know me to be amoung the best. But I can not deny my brothers skill. Perhaps my place is on dry land and he should be given a chance to prove his worth. I will speak to him.

Yours,

Marquis of Pembroke

Earl of Moray
Earl of Bothwell
Duke of Chaterhault
Earl of Lethington

Why yes, I have .... err ... uhhh


Well, I just have to ask my good brother Charles IX to send me some from France. Doth thee not get tired of thine mothers running mouth?

Mine dear maman ist forever in defence of my royal person and doth defend me with such fire and vigour as mine own father would. Hence I can never tire of her. Your mother *shivers* would do much the same for you I think.

I wudst occasionally wish Maman could portray herself in a better light with a little holding of her tongue, but tis not her true way and I love her as she is. I also find her words most entertaining and would suggest you do as my father did in their early years together and enjoy them in the same manner.

My lord of... um, well, just about everything by the looks of it!

May you live long sir for twud now ruin Maries kingdom had they to pay for a headstone to list all thine titles!

I know well your seafairing abilities my lord, however tis not the sea water I fear as being your end, tis something quite different that I know you not immune to.

You have more to risk in death than any of us, and so I wudst wish you well and alive in our good care.

Eliz R.

I see. Why art thee so afraid of my dearest mother?