[7] Gray thought of joining Philip Sidney at Vlissingen in April 1586, fighting against the Spanish with 2,000 or more Scottish recruits.
Sidney advised Thomas Mills, a diplomat in Scotland, that Gray might wait until the English force was better established.
[8] Gray was sent by James VI as Scottish Ambassador to England with William Keith of Delny, Robert Melville, and Alexander Stewart to broker with Elizabeth I over the fate of Mary, Queen of Scots.
[11] James VI forgave Patrick and allowed him to return to Scotland in 1589, restoring his offices to him, but the Master of Gray continued his scheming career implicating himself in a number of intrigues and plots.
Gray wrote to Cecil on 5 June that the Chancellor, John Maitland would be reluctant to frustrate the king's marriage plan.
In Edinburgh, supporters of the Danish marriage had protested before Lord Hamilton, who advocated that James marry Catherine de Bourbon.
[15] On 3 May 1598, the Duke of Holstein, brother of Anne of Denmark, came to Fowlis Castle for dinner during his progress, escorted by William Schaw.
He had an audience with Henry IV of France, who was waiting for James VI to send him Scottish hunting hounds.
The apparent lack of achievement was seen as an opportunity for Mar's political opponents to supplant him, and the Master of Gray attempted to gain the confidence of Robert Cecil in England.
[20] Lord Henry Howard noted that Gray had spent this time with Queen Anne and it affected the conceit in his writing style.
[24] An undated letter from the Master of Gray requested some purchases in London, including a sword and a dagger with "black guards not long", a black panache for a woman, gold and silver thread of the greatest sort, for gentlewomen to sew with, tapestry to hang two chambers, and a Venice hat for his wife.