of Scots residence within this realme as to great libertie and ease (as
were scarce meete for so great and dangerous a prisoner,) bred secret
factions amongst her people, and made many of the nobility incline to
favour her partie (some of them desirous of innovation in the state,
others aspiring to greater fortunes by her libertie and life;) the
Queene our Sovereigne Lady, to declare that she was nothing ignorant
of those secret practices (though she had long, with great wisdom
and patience, dissembled it,) writeth that dittie, most sweet and
sententious; not hiding from all such aspiring minds the danger of their
ambition and disloyaltie, which afterwards fell out most truly by the
exemplary chastisements of sundry persons, who in favour of the said
Queen of Scots, declining from her Majestie, sought to interrupt the
quiet of the realm by many evill and undutifull practyses."

The ditty is as followeth:--

The dowbt of future foes exiles my present joy,
And Wit me warns to shun snares as threaten mine annoy;
For falshood now doth flowe, and subject faith doth ebbe,
Which would not be, if reason rul'd, or wisdom weav'd the webbe.
But clouds of tois untried do choake aspiring mindes,
Which turn'd to rain of late repent by course of changed windes.
The toppe of hope suppos'd, the root of ruth will be
And fruitless all their grafted guiles, as shortly ye shall see.
Then dazzled eyes, with pride which great ambition blindes,
Shall be unveil'd by worthy wights, whose foresight falshood finds.
The daughter of debate, that eke discord doth sowe,
Shall reape no gaine, where former rule hath taught still peace to growe.
No forreine banish'd wight shall ancre in this port;
Our realme it brooks no stranger's force, let them elsewhere resort.