State Papers Scotland Series I, Henry VIII

Correspondence of a diplomatic nature between Henry VIII and James IV and James V, and Queens Margaret and Mary in Scotland, devised by Henry's Secretaries of State (Wolsey, Cromwell and Paget in particular), whose correspondence with the regents for Scotland, envoys sent to the Scottish court, royal guardians in the Borders, and dissident members of the Scots aristocracy, is also present.

Some rough drafts of documents by the Secretaries of State are included in the series.

The arrangement is chronological.

Many papers which would otherwise have formed part of this series are in the the Cotton mss (especially Cott Caligula B) in the British Library.

Topics

Litigation

The marriage of Henry VIII's elder sister Margaret to James IV of Scotland had been intended to substitute amicable for the traditionally hostile relations between England and Scotland, but this proved impracticable. James IV fell on Flodden Field in 1513 and John Stuart, Duke of Albany, while Regent for his heir James V also invaded England.

The marriage between Henry VIII's son and heir Edward and Mary Queen of Scots seemed likely to achieve the English policy objectives of the exclusion of French influence and the destabilising of the Scottish Kingdom by dividing its aristocracy, but the overthrow of the Earl of Arran's regency in favour of the Queen Mother Mary of Guise, restored the French influence, to the fury of Henry, and the two countries were once more in collision for the remainder of Henry's reign.