matters  of  State  is  from  corresponding  with  their  zeal  in  religion ;
and  it  will  be  necessary,  therefore,  to  keep  them  well  and  frequently
instructed,  as  to  how  they  are  to  conduct  themselves  in  all  that
concerns  State  affairs,  for  these  good  people  may  blunder  seriously
unless  they  have  wise  counsel  and  advice.  You  may  judge  of  this
by  the  proposal  they  make  to  me  to  send  Lord  Seton's  two  sons
as  commissioners,  in  the  form  of  ambassadors,  both  of  them  being
so  young  and  quite  inexperienced  in  matters  of  such  importance
as  this.  It  is  quite  out  of  the  question  that  they  could  be  entrusted
with  such  a  negotiation,  in  which,  if  they  were  discovered,  my
own  life  and  the  whole  future  of  my  son  would  be  imperilled.
Besides  this,  it  is  my  intention  that  these  negotiations  shall  be
conducted  in  such  a  way  that  it  shall  never  be  discovered  that
they  were  undertaken  with  my  authority ;  but  if  it  should  be
necessary  for  me  to  intervene,  I  have  ready  very  much  more  fitting
means  of  doing  so  than  this.
You  may  tlierefore  inform  these  Jesuits  that  I  will,  on  no
account,  allow  that  anything  concerning  this  matter  shall  be  done
in  my  name,  or  with  my  authority,  unless  necessity  should
demand  it.  For  this  reason  I  do  not  approve  of  sending  any-
one on  my  behalf  to  negotiate  with  his  Holiness  and  the
King  your  master,  especially  before  I  am.  assured  of  their
co-operation.
