■will  also  have  told  you  of  the  trouble  which  has  occurred  amongst
our  subjects  in  consequence  of  my  having,  in  accordance  with  my
duty  and  your  advice,  undertaken  the  defence  of  the  cause  and
honour  of  my  much  revered  and  dear  mother,  and  abandoned  the
English  faction.  I  now  perceive  that  the  strength  of  my  enemies
■  and  rebels  is  growing  daily,  with  so  many  means  and  aims  of
the  queen  of  England  for  the  subversion  of  my  State,  and  the
deprivation  of  my  own  life,  or  at  least  my  honour  and  liberty,
which  I  prize  more  than  my  life,  and  that  it  will  be  impossible  for
me  to  resist  for  long  without  the  aid  of  God  and  my  good  friends
and  allies.  I  therefore  beg  you,  my  dear  cousin,  to  use  all  your
influence  with  the  princes  who  are  your  friends,  and  even  with  our
holy  father,  to  whom  I  am  writing,  with  the  object  of  obtaining
prompt  and  speedy  help,  otherwise  I  fear  I  shall  soon  be  forced
either  to  be  ruined  or  to  throw  myself  into  their  arms  and  accede
to  all  their  unhappy  designs  and  appetites.  If  by  your  means  I
can  obtain  some  succour  I  hope,  God  helping,  that,  with  the  support
of  a  good  number  of  adherents  that  I  have,  both  in  Scotland  and
in  England,  I  shall  soon  be  out  of  these  difficulties,  and  I  shall  be
more  free  to  follow  your  advice  in  all  things,  both  in  religion  and
State  affairs,  as  I  wish  to  do  in  all  things  reasonahle.
From  our  palace  of  Holyrood,  19th  February  1584.
Your  affectionate  cousin,  JAQUES  R.
19  Feb.      371.  The  King  of  Scotland  to  the  Pope.
