¶ A proclamation declaring the queens majesties purpose, to keep peace with france and Scotlande, and to provide for the surety of hir kingdoms.  
ALthough it is evidently sene and judged vpon, not onely by the natural born subiectes of the crown of england: but also by many strangers in all partes of christendom, howe many and great occasions haue ben given now of late time, and so continued by the french, as well to doubt and fear their invasion of this realm, chiefly by the way of Scotlande, as also to apply with all speed, convenient power to withstand the same. specially to wards Scotlande: yet the queens most excellent majesty, considering that there may be diversity of opinions conceived of hir proceadynges in this behalf, hath thought meet briefly and plainly to notify hir majesties certain purpose and intent, with the just occasions given ●herof.  
first hir majesty of hir good and gracious nature is content to think that the injurious pretence made by the queen of Scotlande to this realm so many maner of ways, hath ben bread and issued onely out of the hartes of ●he principals of the house of Guise, to whom the chief governance of the crown of france now of late hath ●appened, and that nether the french king, being by reason of his young yeares not so capable of such an enter●ryse, nor the queen of Scottes his wife being also in hir minority, nor yet the princes of the blood royal, and ●ther e●tates of france( to whom heretofore in ancient time, the governance of thaffayres of that realm in ●he kings minority hath belonged) haue imagined and intended of themselves such an vniuste, unprobable, and ●o daungerous an enterprise and attempt as this is, and appeareth to be to all indifferent men.  
And considering the said house of Guise, for their own private aduancement, having no other mean to practise the same, but by exaltyng of their niece the queen of Scottes, in whose respect they intermeddle with the governance of france at this present, haue thus injuriously and insolently set forth, and in time of peace conti●ued in public places, the arms and claim of these kingdoms of england and ireland, in the name of their ●ece the queen, beside other notable reproaches, and that( as it is by diverse, and so very likely reported) without ●haduice of the princes of the kings blood, and other great personages, or of the sage and long experimented ●ouncellours of that kingdom: and for the prosecution of this their unjust and ambitious purpose, haue also used ●he authority of the king and queen their niece( being unnatural for hir) to enterprise the eviction of the crown of Scotlande, out of the power of the natural people of the land, and thereby to proceed with such force, as under that colour they haue already partly, and partly hereafter mean to send thither to invade this kingdom of england: which although they haue caused to be unjustly and dishonourablye claimed so many ways by their ●ece: yet they well know that otherwise than by the way of Scotlande they can never effectually, according to their desires offend with any evident danger. Therfore hir majesty having had the taste in many calamities of Gods singular goodness, and knowing the justice of hir cause, and the natural obeisance and love of hir true ●ubiectes, and taking these insolent attempts to be but thabuse of the said house of Guise, during the minority of the king and queen, without any consent of the greater states of france, and being most desirous of hir own nature and iudgement to keep peace with all Princes, and( even in this hard time of dealing) also with the kingdom of france and Scotlande, and with all the subiectes therof: Doth give to understand to all maner of people, that although hir majesty hath ben forced to put in order to hir great charges, certain force both by sea and ●ande, for the safeguard of hir kingdom, being thus impeached and challenged by words, and so approached with ●orce, & manassed with much greater from day to day: yet hir majesty meaneth not, nor intendeth any maner cruelty, hostility or war, but onely seeketh and wysheth, and so hath dyvers times plainly and friendly required of the cardinal of Lorrayn and his brother, & by means of them, of the French king also, that these insolent titles and claims might cease & be revoked, and that there might be such a quiet and natural governance granted to the people of Scotland, that they might 〈◇〉 in their due obedience to their sovereign Lady( which they offer) without further oppression and fear of conquest, and consequently that the men of war of france in Scotland might be revoked, being by reason of the former proceadynges of france, in their claims against this kingdom over daungerous to be suffered so nigh england. And for the more speed therein, it hath ben offered that they should also haue safeconducte by water or by land, or by both, with all favour and surety that might be shewed or devised for their departure, and according to their ceasing from arms, hir majesties power by sea and land, should also at one instant accordingly cease and be ceased, and thereby all unkindness to be buried and forgotten, and a stable peace made.  
To which godly, reasonable, and honourable sundry requests: hir majesty can by no means get any sufficient answer, although much time hath been herein spent, to hir majesties excessive charges, and to the manifest delay of concord.  
And finally hir majesty declareth, that she doth and will keep, and continue good peace with the kingdom of france, and the kingdom of Scotlande as long as no plain invasion shalbe made by any of them vpon hyr countries, dominions or people, and will procure by all good and faire means that concord may be had in Scotlande, and the frenchmen of war that will withstand the same, may depart thence without harm, and in surety, and if they will not, then hir majesty must of necessity after al these other good means used, and after al these delays made by france, attempt to compel them to depart thence, and otherwise to show no extremity nor violence to any maner person of france or Scotlande.  
And therfore hir majesty straightly chargeth al maner hir subiectes, of what estate so ever they be, that they shall use with favour and friendship, all the french kings subiectes, and shal permit them to traffic al trades of merchandise within this realm, in such sort as in times of best peace hath ben, & ought to be used, except they shalbe provoked by any hostility of any of the part of france to defend themselves, or their country, And like wise that all hir majesties subiectes shall use good and honourable speech of the kingdom and nation of france, and although these late intolerable injuries, haue been committed in france against this crown of England: yet to judge therof no otherwise then hir majesty of hir good nature is pleased to think and judge.  
And finally they shal make no other preparations to war but only such as may serve for the defence of such wrongs or attempts, as percase shall be made contrary to hir majesties expectation vpon this realm by the french vpon the further instigation of the said house of Guise, having in their hands the principal governance of the king and queen, until it shall further appear whether the said kingdom and nation of france shall mean any further plain invasion of this realm, and so hir majesties present opinion be misconceyued. whereof although hir majesty would be very sorry for the hindrance of common peace in christendom which she most favoureth: yet it is not to be doubted, but almighty god shall assist the power of this kingdom to escape all such danger, and honourably as case shall require to avenge itself.  
And for better intelligence hereof to al maner of persons: Her majesty hath willed this to be proclaimed in english & french, that although the same haue been specially declared to the french king and to the said princypalles of Guise in france, and also to the dowagre queen in Scotlande, and to all the ambassadors of france here resident( whereunto no sufficient answer can be obtained): yet it should not be hide from others that percase might be induced otherwise to think or judge than the very truth is.  
given at hir majesties palace of Westminster the. xxiiii. day of March. M. D. Lix. the second year of hir majesties reign.  
God save the queen.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Powles churchyard by richard Jugge and John Cawood printers to the queens majesty.  

¶ Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.