The which day the said Bishop of Ross, Lord Herries, and Abbot of Kilwinning, passed to the presence of the Queen's Majesty of England, her Highness's council being also present, and declared, that they had presently received writings from the Queen's Majesty of Scotland, their sovereign, by the which they were of new commanded to signify unto her Majesty, that she would answer to the calumnious accusation of her subjects, and also would accuse them as principal authors, inventors, and executors of that deid for the which she was falsely accused by them, conform to the writings presented of before in her name, and therefore desired the writings produced by her inobedient subjects, or, at the least, the copies thereof, to be delivered unto thame, that their mistress might fully answer thereto as was desired. And the Queen's Majesty of England took to be advised therewith, and promised to give answer within two or three days. _ELIZABETH'S DECISION_ 1569.--January 10. At Hampton Court. _Ibid._ (p. 305). The which day the said Earl of Murray, and his complices, came before the Queen's Majesty of England, where Sir William Cecil, secretary, at the Queen's Majesty's command, and her Highness's council, gave them such answer in effect as follows:-- Whereas the Earl of Murray, and his adherents, come into this realm, at the desire of the Queen's Majesty of England, to answer to such things as the Queen their sovereign objected against them, and their allegiances; for so much as there has been nothing deduced against them, as yet, that may impair their honour or allegiances; and, on the other part, there had been nothing sufficiently produced nor shown by them against the Queen, their sovereign, whereby the Queen of England should conceive or take any evil opinion of the Queen, her good sister, for anything yet seen; and there being alleged by the Earl of Murray the unquiet state and disorder of the realm of Scotland, now in his absence, her Majesty thinketh meet not to restrain any farther the said Earl and his adherents' liberty; but suffer him and them, at their pleasure to depart, relinquishing them in the same estate in the which they were of before their coming within this realm, till she hear farther of their Queen of Scotland's answer, to such things as have been alleged against her. _MARY'S PROTEST_