* Calig.  B 1, 232.

** Ibid.  B 2, 195.

Wolsey was not sparing in his remarks on the queen’s double-dealing, the facts of which had all been disclosed to him by spies.  He has, he says, represented to the king her brother “the folly of Queen Margaret in leaning to her enemies, and departing from her husband,” notwithstanding what Dacre has already written to her.  Dacre, by the king’s desire, is to tell her that if she persists in her dishonourable course she can expect no favour.*

* Ibid.  B 3, 106

Meanwhile the Earl of Surrey had been dispatched with an army to the Borders, and threatened to invade Scotland, unless the Duke of Albany were abandoned, and Margaret reinstated as regent.  On the 16th September 1523, he wrote two letters to the queen, one intended for her eyes alone, the other to be shown to her son’s Council.  In the first he says that the King of England would approve of her son’s “coming forth,” and shaking off all tutelage but his mother’s, for Surrey is about to waste Scotland, and the young king’s plea for emancipating himself should be that he cannot suffer his realm to be laid waste.  Margaret is to summon the lords to take up arms in her son’s defence, and she will then be in a position to command Surrey to retire.  She will thus form a party for her son, and be enabled to send Albany and his Frenchmen back to France.  Then Surrey will turn his arms against her enemies.

If Margaret keeps her promise, money will be forthcoming.  In the event of her causing James V, to “come forth” to Edinburgh, he has no doubt that if the king will command his subjects on their allegiance to take his part, the most of them will do so, especially the Commons, who must be roused to drive the French to Dunbar.  The Earl of Surrey will be ready to give assistance.*

* Calig.  B 4, 196.

The second letter was to the same effect, though more cautiously worded.  The King of England would be glad to hear of his nephew’s prosperous estate, but would certainly be dissatisfied that his nobles suffered their monarch and themselves to be kept in subjection by Albany.  Surrey was ready to help with men and money all who would come forward to protect their natural sovereign; but peace could never be between the two realms, if the Scots did not give up the duke.  As for Margaret’s hope that Henry would be a better friend to Scotland on her account, Surrey had been ordered to desist from doing any more hurt at her request.  He had now waited along time, he wrote, hoping that the Scottish lords would have shown themselves more natural loving subjects than they now appeared, seeing that the day appointed for the Duke of Albany’s arrival had passed, and that their king was in no greater safety than he was before.  All the world would see that the fault was not Henry’s, but that of the Scots, who refused to put him out of the realm who meant to destroy the king and usurp the crown.  Henry would never refrain from making war upon Scotland until they forsook.  Albany, and sued to him for peace.  On their doing this, Surrey had full authority to treat with them, and to assist them with money and troops.*