Salutem in Christo.  
GOod men and evil delight in contraries. The good in seeking for truth, and maintenance thereof: Evil, in hiding of Truth, and oppressing thereof: And so consequently to publish Truth, is to please the good, and to displease the evil. Wherefore, hearing the amongst the common sorts of men at this time: it is not certainly known what is the cause that the Duke of Norfolk is newly committed to the Tower and sundry others: And knowing that good men will be well satisfied to understand the truth, which evil men would cover and oppress: I could not but in conscience to satisfy the good, and bridle or stop the lying and open slanderous mouths of the evil and seditious, notify thus much to you, whereby you may also communicate the same to others, for that it is likely that false and slanderous reports will be readily made hereof to serve the appetites of the evil disposed.  
First, it is not unknown that the Duke of Norfolk did of late years secretly practise to have married with the Scottish queen without the knowledge of the queens Majesty our Sovereign Lady.  
It is not also unknown that the said Scottish Queen hath been the most dangerous enemy against the queens Majesty our Sovereign Lady, that lived, in that she sought to have the Crown of England from her Majesty, immediately after Queen mary's death.  
It is also well known that when she could not get it, neither by force nor cunning, she solemnly promised to acknowledge her error, and to recognize the very true right to be justly in the queens Majesty our sovereign Lady to whom the same belongeth, as lawful Daughter and Heir to king Henry the eight her Father, and so also by the Laws of the Realm perfectly established, to succeed king Edward the sixth her Brother, and Queen mary her Elder Sister, and by the Homage of all her Nobles, Prelates, and People as duly acknowledged at her Coronation, as ever any king of England was in any former time: And in very deed, as worthy a Prince for this Realm for her Clemency and goodness in government as ever reigned  
It is also known that the Scottish Queen hath not yet performed her promise, but with frivolous answers hath delayed it, Neither is it of any force to be demanded, or worth the having, if she would yield too perform it. For neither can she that could not get this Realm when she sought it wrongfully, nor keep her own when she had it quietly, amend the queens majesties estate: which is fully perfect: nor yet is any thing that she should promise', to be holden firm and durable: but as time shall give her cause to keep it or break it.  
It is also said and credibly avowed that the Scottish Queen, was the greatest cause of the Rebellion lately in the North, whereby some noble Houses that had served this Realm, partly by themselves, & specially by their Ancestors valiantly against the Scots, were now by cunning practice of this Scottish Lady being deprived of her Kingdom, enticed to overthrow them selves and their Houses, with a multitude of more English Subjects than she could have done by Arms in the Field, if she had been in possession of her Kingdom.  
It is also known, notwithstanding this, that the queens Majesty being void of a revenging Nature, (as in all Acts hath so appeared, that some sort of wise men have noted it a fault for a Prince) did labour to have restored her to her Country (as in deed the queens Majesty was the cause of saving of her life, after the murder of her husband) with composition betwixt her and her son the king, and that States & people of that Realm, thereby to put some good end to the Civil wars in the same.  
It is also known, that the Queen of Scots did upon the first apprehension of the Duke of Norfolk by writings to the queens Majesty, utterly renounce the Duke of Norfolk and his Marriage, with some Note that she did not of herself first move it, nor yet like it. And so did the Duke himself, after his first apprehension: by many messages, and by special writing directed to the queens Majesty, humbly and penitently acknowledge his offence in seeking to marry with the Scottish Queen, and did firmly under his hand and Seal promise never to deal therein any further, or in any other matter with that Queen.  
And now it is certainly found, that the former practice betwixt that Queen and the Duke, notwithstanding their several renunciations and firm promises to the contrary, hath had continuance without interruption by secret means of sundry evil parsons, both all the time that the Duke was first in Prison in the Tower: and also ever since, when he was committed to his own House, until he was now newly committed to the Tower.  
But how dangerous soever this attempt may be judged in them to continue the secret practice and intention to marry against the queens majesties will, and the expectation of all that be known dutiful Subjects to her Majesty, and true friends to the Duke: That may best appear by the dangerous practices that have accompanied and followed this attempt, which Almighty God hath marvelously discovered, to the safety of her majesties person & preservation of the Realm.  
It was devised & determined that a new Rebellion should be moved near London. The City should be taken by force and possessed: In the mean time, a number of Strangers men of war, should be brought by Sea from the low Countries beyond the Seas, to a notable Port of this Realm meet for the purpose, and so both forces of enemies and Rebels should join, and than proceed to further things than is expedient (as I hear) to be spoken off at this tyme.  
These devices were not only talked off, put in writing, and fully concluded, but the Messengers were also sent over Sea in Lent last, with sufficient Authority of commission and writings to testify the determination of them that should be the heads and conductors of this Rebellion, as the same being imparted on the other side the Sea, was well accepted & allowed: and there of several Letters were speedily written to the said Queen, & to the Duke of Norfolk, & specially to that ungracious Priest named the Bishop of Rosse (the Instrument of all the Duke's calamity, and the Seed man of all Treasons against this Realm) that this enterprise must be kept secret, and namely from the French, for certain respects not of small moment, as is said, until the Messenger should post to Rome to the Pope for Money, & to the king of Spain for order and direction for men and Ships. The Messenger had his Letters of Credit from the Scottish Queen, the Duke, and others, to the Pope, and the King of Spain. And so coming to Rome: he returned Letters from the Pope's gracious holiness in the beginning of May to the said Queen, and to the Duke and others. The Letter to the Duke was in Latin, beginning, dilect fili, salutem. But in deed the Duke might well say he sent not Salutem but perniciem. The Duke had them, and red them by the intercession of that aforesaid ungracious Priest. The contents in some part were, that the Pope well allowed of the enterprise: He would writ also to the king of Spain to further it, but his present business of the chargeable Wars than in preparing against the Turk, was the cause that Money could not then be had for that Summer: And yet his ungracious Holiness after his accustomed sort comforted them all not to despair: So it appeareth that God yet ordained him either to be so zealous against the Turk, which surely was a good act, or else his Holiness Coffers are not now a days so full of Money as his Bulls are of Thunder claps, so as the lack of money at that time happily stayed the prosecution to full effect of this dangerous treason: And so it is to be hoaped that by the same goodness of God, the mischief hereafter meant shall be diverted.  
It was also by the devisors of these rebellions & invasions determined that the Realm of Ireland should be assailed at the same time thereby to weaken the queens majesties Forces, or to divert them from Defence of herself and her good Subjects.  
Now were it best to leave with these former Branches, for it is credibly said, that this Tree of Treason & Rebellion hath a number of other Branches of the very like nature: That is, in devising how the Scottish Queen should have been conveyed away, sometime by disguising, sometime by plain force, and raising of Rebellion: and so put to liberty, and proclaimed Queen of England and Scotland: but to increase the error of her Style: she should have been proclaimed King and Queen of England and Scotland. It might be also reported how her Son should have been stolen out of Scotland, to be sent into Spain, with such like devices tending to move troubles in the Realm, that was and yet is (thanked be God) quiet.  
And now it may be that some will say, that many of these things are doubtful, and percase wrested in report, either by malice, or by overmuch credulity: But truly in such credible sort are all the things above mentioned, with sundry others to me reported to be very true by such as have cause to know them, and use not to report untruths, as I do boldly avow them to be true. And if they shall be found otherwise, than it is likely that some of the queens majesties Counsel will 'cause them to be reprehended, who upon this my writing shall report them, and thereupon I will patiently suffer correction for my hasty Credit: for it is most likely that such matters of estate as these are, will not be suffered to be communicated without reprehension. On the other side, if they be true, as I have reported, and yet not fully enough reported, than time will shortly enlarge and confirm them, when her Majesty shall 'cause the parties now imprisoned to answer openly thereto▪ by order of her Laws, as there is no doubt but she will observe to all manner of Subjects that course as hitherto manifestly & graciously she hath done and so God long keep her under his special protection, as hitherto he hath miraculously, to reign over us in peace.  
Since I wrote this, I am the more boldened to think all these things true, for that this present day the Lord Maior of this City of London with a number of his Brethrens were at the Star Chamber with the queens majesties Counsel, where I understand by Report of some of them that hard what was said by the Counsel to them concerning the present case of the Duke of Norfolk that the substance of all that is by me before reported, is very true, with much more.  
At London the. xiii. of October. 1571. Your loving Brother in Law. R. G.