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 1570.] EXCOMMUNICATION OF ELIZABETH. 26? had provided for some time to come for the quiet of the English Marches. 1 How the pride of Scotland would bear such a touch of the English lash was another question : there were few differences among themselves which the Scots would not forget till a blow from England had been paid back with interest ; and Morton, and Morton's friends, were not likely to incur the reproach of being traitors to their country for the thankless service of Elizabeth. Had they been willing, they were powerless, for they had ruined their fortunes in maintaining Murray's Regency, and Morton, Ruthven, and Lindsay together could scarcely keep on foot two hundred men. 2 On hearing of the foray they sent to Berwick to say, that they neither would nor could continue their present attitude. Elizabeth must speak out plainly, or they would make terms with the Hamiltons. 'Ye think/ wrote Grange to Randolph, ' ye think by the division that is among us, ye will be judge and party ; ye have wrecked Teviotdale, your mistress's honour is repaired, and I pray you seek to do us no more harm, for in the end you will lose more than you can gain. The Queen your mistress shall spend mickle silver, and tyne our hearts in the end ; for whatever you do to any Scotch- man the haill nation will think their own interest/ 3 1 Notes of the raids made into Scotland by the Earl of Sussex, April, 1570 : Conway MSS. Huns- don to Cecil, April 23 : MSS. Bor- der. Scrope to Sussex, April 21 : MSS. Scotland. 2 Lennox to Cecil, April 27 : MSS. Scotland. 3 Grange to Randolph, April 20. Grange had been a fellow-student with Randolph at a French univer- sity, and still wrote to him, half in irony, as ' Brother Thomas '