act.  The  fact  that  the  Queen  has  given  a  passport  to  M.  de  la
Mothe,  after  she  had  from  the  first  declared  she  would  not  do
so,  appears  to  have  been  caused  by  a  letter  written  to  her  by
Oobham,  saying  that  the  King  had  sent  another  man  by  sea*  and
it  was  therefore  of  little  moment  whether  she  detained  La  Mothe  or
not.  Her  partizans  in  Scotland  also  told  her  that  it  would  be  as
well  to  let  him  pass,  as,  if  he  did  not  agree  to  what  tliey  wanted,
they  would  take  up  aims,  which  would  give  Iier  an  opportunity  of
coming  to  their  aid,  and  she  could  settle  matters  to  her  liking
before  a  single  man  could  come  from  France,  Notwithstanding  all
tliis,  experienced  men  assert  that  the  Queen  will  still  find  some
pretext  for  stopping  La  Mothe  on  the  road.  He  came  to  London
on  the  23rd  with  his  passport,  saying  that  he  would  start  after  the
holidays.  The  reason  he  had  not  done  so,  I  am  informed,  is  that  he
is  awaiting  a  reply  from  the  queen  of  Scotland,  to  whom  he  and
the  ambassador  secretly  wrote  as  soon  as  he  got  the  passport.
From  the  fickleness  with  which  these  people  (the  French)  are
proceeding,  it  is  difficult  to  believe  that  they  will  do  anything  until
they  see  it  effected  by  someone  else,  and  no  doubt  the  Queen  will
still  try  to  entertain  La  Mothe  until  she  gets  a  reply  to  the  courier
she  sent  to  Scotland  as  soon  as  La  Mothe  came.  I'be  instructions
taken  by  the  courier  were  that  the  King,  and  an  Earl  whose  name
I  am  unable  to  discover,  were  to  be  poisoned.  This  confirms  what
I  wrote  to  your  Majesty  had  been  said  by  Lord  Hunsdor.
