SCOTTISH POLICY

manner wholly burnt and desolate'. Then he wasted the country-
side, as ordered, firing every village through which he passed.
* And so ', he wrote on May 18, ' this journey is accomplished to
your Majesty's honour, in such sort as we trust your Majesty shall
hear that the like devastation hath not been made in Scotland
these many years.'

Though he read the Scots this grim lesson in the summer
Henry had not been neglecting his more diplomatic methods.
The Earls of Glencairn and Lennox were still attached to the
English interest, so Henry dangled before the latter an attractive
bait—marriage with his own niece, the Lady Margaret Douglas,
daughter of Margaret Tudor and the Earl of Angus.1 The
following extract is also of interest, in that it shows Henry as
still willing to pour out money in order to win individual Scots
nobles and achieve his aim.

xxvin.To WHARTON AND BOWES

[March 26, 1544.]

. . . And, whereas the Earl of Lennox hath lately by his
Secretary made suit unto us to have in marriage the Lady Mar-
garet our niece, in case the said Scottish Commissioners shall
renew the said suit on the behalf of the said Earl, the said Lord
Wharton and Sir Robert Bowes shall say, that albeit we for our
part, if the said Earl shall perform the said covenants which for
his part are to be performed, and in his doings and proceedings
towards us shall use himself according to our expectation, we
could be contented that the said marriage do take effect between
him and our said niece: yet forasmuch as we have promised unto
our niece never to cause her to marry any but whom she shall
find in her own heart to love, and that, they having never one
seen another, we know not how they shall like one another when
they see together: and for that also, though we were never so
well pleased with the matter, and they also like each other never
so well, yet the thing cannot be perfected with the honour of all
parties, until also it be agreed on either side, both what shall be
given with her, and also what she shall have again assured unto

1 The marriage actually took place in July, 1544, and the son born of
it was Henry Darnley, the future husband of Mary Queen of Scots.