Sir David Foulis, 1st Baronet
Foulis (and the English ambassador Robert Bowes) heard of discussions that Anna of Denmark's sister Augusta might marry Count Maurice.
He wrote to Essex that the king had pawned his jewels for £2,000 sterling to fund this military mission, and declared that no house where the Catholic Mass has been said would remain standing.
[10] On 8 July 1595, at Falkland Palace James VI gave him a diamond ring worth 200 crowns to give to someone in London, probably the Earl of Essex.
[12] On his return to Scotland, on 27 September at Falkland, Foulis wrote a letter in French to the Earl of Essex, assuring him that James VI had a good opinion of Elizabeth.
[15] James VI received an anonymous letter criticising Foulis's abilities, and suggesting William Cecil and the Earl of Essex were working together against the king's interest.
[16] This year, Elizabeth delayed giving money to Foulis for James VI because of the offence caused by Walter Scott of Buccleuch who had rescued Kinmont Willie from Carlisle Castle.
[18] Foulis wrote to James VI on 20 July that his discussion were going well with the queen, and he used a figure of speech drawn from tennis, "I praise God the ball is yet aloft and I hope shalbe kept at the stotte.
"[19] An exchange of letters with Robert Cecil on the followings days suggests his mission was stalled, as he had said that James would not write to Elizabeth.
[21] In October David Foulis was ready to leave London with seven trunks, three with goods for the Scottish royal household, and some packs and hampers of broad cloth, kerseys, and silks.
[22] The English diplomat George Nicholson reported in February 1598 that Foulis had directed the printer Robert Waldegrave to publish a Latin succession tract written by Walter Quinn, a tutor to Prince Henry and corrected by a Flemish resident in Edinburgh, Adrian Damman.
Thomas alleged that James VI had asked him to assassinate Elizabeth, an accusation that might prejudice his succession to the English throne.
"[27] James VI wrote to Elizabeth about potential damage to his reputation which "may in some measure be obscured by murmuring surmises flowing from this filthy spring.
"[29] He was instructed to intercede in a legal case for George Bruce of Carnock, whose ship had been forced to take on a group of African and Portuguese captives.
[31] He was questioned about a Scottish embassy to the German states instructed to discuss the likely demise of Queen Elizabeth and their support for James VI's title to the English throne,[32] and instructions for negotiations with Spain and the Pope which James VI claimed were forgeries made by John Ogilvy of Powrie or other "practitioners".
[33] Foulis brought back a sapphire engraved by Cornelius Dregghe with the portrait of Elizabeth for Anne of Denmark to wear, bought by Robert Jousie for £17.
[35] In August 1599, James Sempill of Beltrees went to London instead, and gave £400 to the goldsmith George Heriot from the English annuity, for jewels delivered to Anna of Denmark.
Dudley also sent designs for warships to Foulis in 1612 and 1614, hoping by these schemes to gain advancement by means of the royal favourite, the Earl of Somerset.
He was dismissed from the council, was summoned before the Star Chamber, was ordered to pay £5,000 to the Crown and £3,000 to Wentworth, and was sent to the Fleet Prison in default (1633).
A tradition held by one Yorkshire branch of the Foulds family in Harthill, Co. York, is that Elisabeth Foulis, at the age of 16, when a maid of honour at the French Court at Lyons, 1638–40, had a son by Louis XIII.
