Mary Queen of Scots 1542-1587 Part 9

_TREATMENT OF THE QUEEN_

All that night we were detained in captivity within our chamber, not permitting us to have intercommuned scarcely with our servant-women nor domestic servitors. Upon the morn hereafter proclamation was made in our husband's name, by {without} our advice, commanding all Prelates and other Lords convened to Parliament to retire themselves of our burgh of Edinburgh. That whole day we were kept in that firmance {custody}, our familiar servitors and guard being debarred from our service, and we watched by the committers of these crimes, to whom a part of the community of Edinburgh, to the number of four score persons, a.s.sisted.

The Earl of Murray that same day at even, accompanied with the Earl of Rothes, Pitarrow, Grange, tutor of Pitcur, and others who were with him in England, came to them, and seeing our state and entertainment, was moved with natural affection toward us. Upon the morn he a.s.sembled the enterprisers of their late crime, and such of our rebels as came with him. In their Council they thought it most expedient we should be warded in our castle of Stirling, there to remain while {till} we had approved in Parliament all their wicked enterprises, established their religion, and given the King the crown matrimonial and the whole government of our realm; or else, by all appearance, firmly prepared to have put us to death, or detained us in perpetual captivity. To avoid them of our Palace, with their guard and a.s.sisters, the King promised to keep us that night in sure guard, and that but {without} compulsion he should cause us in Parliament approve all their conspiracies. By this means he caused them to retire them of our Palace.

_MARY WINS DARNLEY TO HER SIDE_

_DARNLEY PROTESTS INNOCENCE_

This being granted, ... we declared our state to the King our husband, certifying him how miserably he would be handled, in case he permitted these Lords to prevail in our contrare {against us}, and how unacceptable it would be to other Princes, our confederates, in case he altered the religion. By this persuasion he was induced to condescend to the purpose taken by us, and to retire in our company to Dunbar, which we did under night, accompanied with the captain of our guard, Arthur Erskine, and two others only.... Soon after our coming to Dunbar, sundry of our n.o.bility, zealous of our weal, such as the Earls of Huntly, Bothwell, Marshal, Athole, Caithness; Bishop of St. Andrews, with his kin and friends; Lords Hume, Sempill, and infinite others a.s.sembled to us.... The Earl of Moray and Argyll sent diverse messages to procure our favour, to whom in likewise, for certain respects, by advice of our n.o.bility and Council being with us, we have granted remission, under condition they nowise apply themselves to these last conspirators, and retire themselves in Argyle during our will.... We remained in Dunbar five days, and after returned to Edinburgh well accompanied with our subjects. The last conspirators, with their a.s.sisters, have removed themselves forth of the same before, and being presently fugitive from our laws, we have caused by our charges their whole fortunes, strength, and houses to be rendered to us; have caused make inventory of their goods and gear, and intend further to pursue them with all vigour.

Whereunto we are a.s.sured to have the a.s.sistance of our husband, who hath declared to us, and in presence of the Lords of our Privy Council, his innocence of this last conspiracy, how he never counselled, commanded, consented, a.s.sisted, nor approved the same. Thus far only he ever saw himself, that at the enticement and persuasion of the late conspirators he, without our advice or knowledge, consented to the bringing home forth of England of the Earls of Moray, Glencairn, Rothes, and other persons with whom we were offended. This ye will consider by his declaration made hereupon, which at his desire hath been published at the market crosses of this our Realm ... of Edinburgh, the second day of April 1566.

SECTION IV

MURDER OF RIZZIO TO MURDER OF DARNLEY

_CONTENTS_

1. Murray's plea for the Rizzio rebels.

2. The relations between Mary and Darnley.

(_a_) Mary's Will.

(_b_) The Birth of Prince James.

3. Mary to Elizabeth anent her support of the rebels.

4. Mary's treatment of Darnley, and Darnley's conduct towards Mary.

(_a_) As reported by M. le Croc, the French Amba.s.sador.

(_b_) As reported by Buchanan, with the Alloa story.

(_c_) Nau's account of the Alloa story, and a letter of Mary's from Alloa.

5. The Ride to Hermitage.

(_a_) As reported in the Diurnal of Occurrents.

(_b_) As reported by Nau.

(_c_) As reported by Buchanan.

6. The Queen's illness at Jedburgh.

7. The Craigmillar Conference.

(_a_) As reported by Buchanan.

(_b_) In the Protestation of Huntly and Argyll.

8. The events immediately before the Darnley murder.

(_a_) Letter from Du Croc.

(_b_) The Baptism of the Prince.

(_c_) Restoration of the consistorial jurisdiction.

(_d_) Mary on Darnley's conduct.

(_e_) Beaton's warning.

9. The visit to Glasgow and the murder.

(_a_) As reported by Buchanan in the _Detection_.

(_b_) As described by Mary.

(_c_) As described by Nau.

(_d_) As described by Buchanan in his _History_.

Relations between Mary and Darnley.

_Bedford and Randolph to Cecil, from Berwick_, March 27, 1566. _Wright's Elizabeth_, vol. i. p. 235.

My Lord of Murray by a special servant sent unto us desireth your Honour's favour to these n.o.blemen {the fugitives}, as his dear friends, and such as for his sake hath given this adventure.

"_TO THE KING WHO GAVE IT ME_"

Bequests to the King.

_Robertson's Inventories._

Before the birth of her son, Mary made a will, of which no copy is extant. But Mr. Joseph Robertson found an inventory of her jewels, made at the same time, with marginal notes, in the Queen's own handwriting, indicating their disposition. There are fifteen entries "Au Roy," from which we quote the most interesting marginal note:--

It was with this that I was married, to the King, who A diamond ring enamelled gave it me. in red.

There are also bequests to the Crown of Scotland, the Earl and Countess of Lennox, and the Earl of Murray, also a jewel with the marginal note:--

"To Joseph {Riccio}, which his brother gave me."

At the end of the first section of the inventory, there is the following note in Mary's hand:--

"I wish that these provisions be carried out in case that the child does not survive me, but if it live, it is to inherit everything. MARIE R."

Ill.u.s.tration: QUEEN MARY'S SIGNET-RING AND MONOGRAM.

Mary's Will as described in the "Book of Articles" (cf. p. 144).

_Hosack's Mary_, vol. i. p. 525.

This her rooted disdain still continuing a little before her deliverance of her birth in May or June 1566, in making of her latter will and testament, she named and appointed Bothwell among others to the tutele {guardianship} of her birth {child} and issue, and government of the realm in case of her decease, and unnaturally excluded the father from all kind of cure and regiment over his own child, advancing Bothwell above all others to be lieutenant-general.... She disponit also her whole moveables to others beside her husband.

_ELIZABETH'S RECEPTION OF THE NEWS_

The Birth of Prince James.