a long discussion
concerning the authenticity of these letters. We shall only remark
in general, that the chief objections against them are, that they are
supposed to have passed through the earl of Morton's hands, the least
scrupulous of all Mary's enemies; and that they are, to the last degree,
indecent, and even somewhat inelegant, such as it is not likely she
would write. But to these presumptions we may oppose the following
considerations: 1. Though it be not difficult to counterfeit a
subscription, it is very difficult, and almost impossible, to
counterfeit several pages, so as to resemble exactly the handwriting
of any person. These letters were examined and compared with Mary's
handwriting, by the English privy council, and by a great many of the
nobility, among whom were several partisans of that princess. They might
have been examined by the bishop of Ross, Herreis, and others of Mary's
commissioners. The regent must have expected that they would be very
critically examined by them; and had they not been able to stand that
test, he was only preparing a scene of confusion to himself. Bishop
Lesley expressly declines the comparing of the hands, which he calls
no legal proof. Goodall, vol. ii. p. 389. 2. The letters are very
long, much longer than they needed to have been, in order to serve
the purposes of Mary's enemies; a circumstance which increased the
difficulty, and exposed any forgery the more to the risk of a detection.
3. They are not so gross and palpable as forgeries commonly are, for
they still left a pretext for Mary's friends to assert that their
meaning was strained to make them appear criminal. See Goodall, vol. ii.
p. 361. 4. There is a long contract of marriage, said to be written
by the earl of Huntley, and signed by the queen, before Bothwells
acquittal. Would Morton, without any necessity, have thus doubled the
difficulties of the forgery, and the danger of detection? 5. The letters
are indiscreet; but such was apparently Mary's conduct at that time.
They are inelegant; but they have a careless, natural air, like letters
hastily written between familiar friends. 6. They contain such a variety
of particular circumstances as nobody could have thought of inventing,
especially as they must necessarily have afforded her many means of
detection. 7. We have not the originals of the letters, which were in
French. We have only a Scotch and Latin translation from the original,
and a French translation,