When  he  was  given  some  of  the  money  for  this  pension  he
replied  to  the  earl  of  Leicester,  who  first  spoke  to  him  upon  the
matter,  that  he  would  on  no  account  take  up  arms  against  his
King,  but  would  serve  the  Queen  against  anyone  else.  She  herself
spoke  to  him  afterwai'ds  and  had  long  conversations  with  him,  as
she  was  informed  that  both  he  and  his  younger  brother  in  France
were  strongly  attached  to  the  queen  of  Scotland.  The  Queen  told
him  that  the  enmity  of  the  English  would  injure  the  king  of
Scotland  much  more  than  the  king  of  Spain's  money  would
benefit  him,  whereupon  he  replied  that,  as  he  was  an  exile  from
his  country  he  could  give  no  opinion  about  it.  Walsinghani  after-
wards told  him  to  send  word  to  Scotland  that  if  the  King  had  any
communication  with  your  Majesty  he  would  lose  all  chance  of
succeeding  to  the  crown  of  England,  as  the  Parliament  would
immediately  declare  him  not  the  heir.  Before  Hamilton  returned
to  the  border,  where  he  lives,  he  pointed  out  to  the  Queen  that  for
many  years  past  she  had  promised  him  and  his  brothers  that  she
would  cause  them  to  be  reinstated  in  the  possession  of  their
property  in  Scotland,  which  had  been  confiscated  ;  which  promise
originated  in  the  following  circumstances.  It  will  be  necessary  for
me  to  be  somewhat  diffuse  as  I  have  to  go  back  for  some  time.  The
Hamiltons  are  three  brothers,  the  first  being  tlie  earl  of  Arran,
the  second  this  Lewis,  the  third  brother  being  in  France.  They
have  all  followed  the  queen  of  Scotland's  cause,  and  when  she  left
the  country  they  went  to  France.
