The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 06 - Reviews, Political Tracts, and Lives of Eminent Persons by Samuel Johnson
page 96 of 624 (15%)
page 96 of 624 (15%)
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The last is an historical collection of the direct or positive evidence
still on record, tending to show what part the earls of Murray and Morton, and secretary Lethington, had in the murder of the lord Darnley. The author apologizes for the length of this book, by observing, that it necessarily comprises a great number of particulars, which could not easily be contracted: the same plea may be made for the imperfection of our extract, which will naturally fall below the force of the book, because we can only select parts of that evidence, which owes its strength to its concatenation, and which will be weakened, whenever it is disjoined. The account of the seizure of these controverted letters is thus given by the queen's enemies. "That in the castell of Edinburgh, thair was left be the erle of Bothwell, before his fleeing away, and was send for be ane George Dalgleish, his servand, who was taken be the erle of Mortoun, ane small gylt coffer, not fully ane fute lang, garnisht in sindrie places with the roman letter F. under ane king's crowne; wharin were certane letteris and writings weel knawin, and be aithis to be affirmit to have been written with the quene of Scottis awn hand to the erle." The papers in the box were said to be eight letters, in French, some love-sonnets in French also, and a promise of marriage by the queen to Bothwell. To the reality of these letters our author makes some considerable objections, from the nature of things; but, as such arguments do not always convince, we will pass to the evidence of facts. |
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