To my dear brother the king of Scotland

Greater promises, more affection, and grants of more acknowledgings of received good turns, my dear brother, none can better remember than this gentleman [James's emissary to Elisabeth, Sir John Carmicael] by your charge hath made me understand, whereby I think all my endeavors well recompensed that see them so well acknowledged, and do trust that my counsels, if they so much content you, will serve for memorials to turn your actions to serve the turn of your safe government and make the lookers-on honor your worth and reverence such a ruler. And lest fair semblance, that easily may beguile, do not breed your ignorance of such persons as either pretend religion or dissemble devotion, let me warn you that there is risen both in your realm and mine a sect of perilous consequence --such as would have no kings but a presbytery [such Scotch Presbyterians were a thorn in james's sidethis period] and take our place while they enjoy our privilege with a shade of God's Word, which none is judged to follow right without by their censure they be so deemed. Yea, look we well unto them. When they have made in our people's hearts a doubt of our religion and that we err if they say so, what perilous issue this may make I rather think than mind to write. Sapienti pauca [few words to a wise man]. I pray you stop the mouths or make shorter the tongues of such ministers as dare presume to make orison in their pulpits for the persecuted in England for the Gospel.

Suppose you, my dear brother, that l can tolerate such scandals of my sincere government? No. I hope, howsoever you be pleased to bear with their audacity towards yourself, yet you will not suffer a strange king [Elisabeth as a foreigner to the Scots] receive that indignity at such caterpillars' hand that instead of fruit I am afraid will stuff your realm with venom. Of this I have particularized more to this bearer, together with other answers to his charge, beseeching you to hear them and not to give more harbor room to vagabond traitors and seditious inventors but to return them to me or banish them your land. And thus with my many thanks for your honorable entertainments of my late embassade [the earl of Worcester had been dispatched to Scotland earlier in 1590] I commit you to God, who ever preserve you from all evil counsel and send you grace to follow the best.

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