Randolph to Queen Elizabeth, from Edinburgh, February 5, 1565. Chalmers's Queen Mary, vol. ii. pp. 123-127.

Her grace lodged in a merchant's house; her train were very few; and there was small repair from any part. Her will was, that for the time that I did tarry, I should dine and sup with her. Your Majesty was oftentimes dranken unto, by her, at dinners and suppers. Having, in this sort, continued with her grace, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, I thought it time to take occasion to utter unto her grace, that which last I received in command, from your Majesty, by Mr. Secretary's letter, which was to know her grace's resolution touching those matters propounded, at Berwick, by my Lord of Bedford, and me, to my Lord of Murray and Lord of Lethington. I had no sooner spoken these words, but she saith, "I see now well that you are weary of this company and treatment. I sent for you to be merry and to see how like a Bourgeois-wife I live, with my little troop; and you will interrupt our pastime, with your great and grave matters. I pray you, Sir, if you be weary here, return home to Edinburgh, and keep your gravity and great ambassage until the Queen come thither; for I assure you, you shall not get her here, nor I know not myself where she is become. You see neither cloth of estate, nor such appearances, that you may think that there is a Queen here; nor I would not that you should think that I am she, at St. Andrews, that I was at Edinburgh." I said that I was very sorry for that, for that at Edinburgh, she said that she did love my mistress, the Queen's majesty, better than any other, and now I marvelled how her mind was altered. It pleased her at this to be very merry, and called me by more names than were given me in my christendom. At these merry conceits much good sport was made. "But well, Sir," saith she, "that which then I spoke in words shall be confirmed in writing.... You know how willing I am to follow her advice ... and yet I can find in her no resolution nor determination. For nothing, I cannot be bound unto her ... and therefore, this I say, and trust me I mean it, if your mistress will, as she hath said, use me as her natural born sister or daughter, I will take myself either as one or the other as she please, and will show no less readiness to oblige her, and honour her, than my mother, or eldest sister; but, if she will repute me always but as her neighbour Queen of Scots, how willing soever I be to live in amity and to maintain peace, yet she must not look for that at my hands, that otherwise I would, or she desireth." ... I requested her Grace, humbly ... to let her mind be known, how well she liked of the suit of my Lord Robert, Earl of Leicester, that might be able somewhat to say or write touching that matter, unto your Majesty. "My mind towards him is such as it ought to be of a very noble man, as I hear say by very many, and such one as the Queen, your mistress, my good sister, doth so well like to be her husband, if he were not her subject, ought not to mislike me to be mine. Marry, what I shall do, it lieth in your mistress's will, who shall wholly guide me and rule me." I made myself not well to understand these words, because I would have the better hold of them. She repeated the self same words again.