‘MY LORD,--The malice of our enemies is the more increased against us, that they have seen us rendered in the Queen’s Majesty’s will, and now to seek refuge at her highness’s hands. And, therefore, we doubt not but they will go about by all means possible to procure mischief; yea, that their cruel minds shall lead them to that impudency to crave our bloods at her Majesty’s hands. But whatsoever their malice be, we cannot fear that it shall take success; knowing with how gracious a Princess we have to do, which hath given so many good proofs to the world of her clemency and mild nature, that we cannot mistrust that the first example of the contrary shall be shewn upon us. We take this to be her very natural, _Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos_. ‘We have rendered ourselves to her Majesty, which to our own countrymen we would never have done, for no extremity that might have come. We trust her Majesty will not put us out of her hands to make any others, especially our mortal enemy, our masters. If it will please her Majesty to extend her most gracious clemency towards us, she may be as assured to have us as perpetually at her devotion as any of this nation, yea, as any subject of her own; for now with honour we may oblige ourselves to her Majesty farther than before we might, and her Majesty’s benefit will bind us perpetually. In the case we are in, we must confess we are of small value; yet may her Majesty put us in ease, that perhaps hereafter we will be able to serve her Majesty’s turn, which occasion being offered, assuredly there shall be no inlack of good-will. Your Lordship knoweth already what our request is; we pray your Lordship to further it. There was never time wherein your Lordship’s friendship might stand us in such stead. As we have oftentimes heretofore tasted thereof, so we humbly pray you let it not inlack us now, in time of this our great misery, when we have more need than ever we had. Whatsoever our deservings have been, forget not your own good natural. If, by your Lordship’s mediation, her Majesty conserve us, your Lordship shall have us perpetually bound to do you service. ‘Let not the misreports of our enemies prevail against us. When we are in her Majesty’s hands she may make us what pleaseth her. ‘From Edinburgh, the 1st June 1573.’ The petition was unheeded. A few days later Drury was instructed to hand over his prisoners to the Regent. In the meantime Maitland had died,--it is difficult to determine whether it was from natural causes or ‘after the old Roman fashion, to prevent his coming to the shambles’--and Grange was left to bear the brunt of Morton’s revenge.