CHAP. XXII. MARY'S CONDUCT TOWARDS HER HUSBAND-BOTHWELL'S XXII. ACCEPTING the submission of Murray and Argyle CHAP. on the condition of their detaching themselves from their violent confederates,' who were proscribed, and who fled to England for their personal safety,2 Mary made Huntley, Bothwell, and Athol, her leading ministers; but Murray, Argyle, and Glencairn were soon added to her state council. The differences of ambitious or selfish men are never irreconcileable, because power and booty may usually be divided: but the quarrels of the heart seldom end but with the grave; and depreciation for misconduct is rarely redeemed. The king experienced this evil to its full extent. Neither his queen, nor his people, esteemed, honored, or trusted him any more; while Murray and Bothwell became great 'Mary, ib. and Ruthv. 129. The act of council, of 19th March, at Edinburgh, charged sixty-seven other persons, besides Morton, Ruthven, and Lyndsay. ib. 130. Another act, of May, ordered the prosecution of all that had been concerned in the late heinous attempt. ib. 131. The king chose to deny all knowledge of the conspiracy. Mary, p. 333. They appear in the cabinet council of 5 April 1566. Mary, 335. The other members were, William, earl marshal; the earls of Crawfurd, Caithness, and Mar; sir John Maxwell, the bishop of Whitehouse, John of Lindoirs, and sir James Balfour. Keith, 335. Keith, 336. In less than a month after the catastrophe, Randolph wrote to Cecil: The king is not loved by the queen, on account of the said murther. The people hate him, because he hath broken his oath to II. 8 BOOK friends." Elizabeth refused to intercede for the fugitive nobles on such a transaction; but the king, recovering from his brief fascination, as Mary changed her behaviour to him, inquired after them, and regretted that he had been induced to desert them. It was settled that the queen should await the period of her maternal confinement in the castle of Edinburgh: from whence she took occasional excursions to Stirling 10 and some neighbouring seats, but with no increase" of kindness to her husband. Her government remonstrated with the English cabinet, against Morton, Ruthven, and Lyndsay being allowed to remain at Newcastle. Elizabeth despatched Killigrew into Scotland, with a promise of attention to the application," and sent a warning to the obnoxious nobles to leave her dominions before midsummer." But the envoy the conspirators.' Lett. in Cecil's abstract, p. 167. Melville describes her as lamenting to see the king's folly, unthankfulness, and misbehaviour. I excused the best I might, but I could perceive nothing but a great grudge that she had in her heart.' 6 Lett. 1 May, ib. 168. 7 Lett. 13 May, ib. Melv. 153. Finding the queen's favor but cold.' ib. Her aversion to him became now so fixed, that we find by Randolph's letter of 25th April, that I. Thornton was gone to Rome, to sue for a divorce.' Lett. in Rob. app. 584. 9 Council act of the 5th April. Keith, 335. 10 Keith, 336. "Melville remarks: Some thought she fled from his company. I travailed earnestly to help matters between them, and was so importune, that her majesty desired my lord of Murray to reprove me; and forbade me to be familiar with the king, who passed up and down alone, and few durst bear him company. He was misliked by the queen, and by all them that favored secretly the late banished lords. It was a great pity to see that good young prince cast off, who failed rather for lack of good counsel and experience, than of evil will.' Mem. p. 153. 12 Hollingshead. Sir Robert Melville, her ambassador in London, expostulated on the subject. Mel. 155. is On 31st May, earl Morton complained to Randolph, that she, Elizabeth, would not allow him and his associates to remain in Eng. land. Cecil's abst. 168. XXII. reminded the Scotch government, that it was then CHAP. harbouring an English rebel; and that its queen was also practising with the revolting O'Neil in Ireland, and entertaining his ambassador in Edinburgh.14 Bothwell continued to rise in Mary's estimation.15 In June, the queen, feeling symptoms of an approaching delivery, wrote to her principal noblemen to be with her at Edinburgh. The king, Argyle, Athol, Murray, and Mar, took their stations near her in the castle; while Huntley, Bothwell, and others lodged themselves in the city. They were not long in expectancy. On the forenoon of the 19th June 1566, her son and heir, and the eventual successor of Elizabeth, the Scottish James VI. and our James I. was born, to the delight of his immediate countrymen, and to the benefit, viewing all the accompanying results on an enlarged and impartial scale, of our England; to whose sceptre he acceded, at a time when no one better fitted to 16 "Melv. 155, 6. The person alluded to as the rebel, either was or became purchased to be a spy of sir W. Cecil, and was used to watch and sound the purposes of Mary. Keith, 337. His letters to Cecil, of 2d July, seem to imply not au original mission as a spy, but a subsequent conversion to that treacherous office, and that his hope of pardon was actuating him to undertake it. I desire God may be no gladder of my soul than I would be to have favor of my prince and country again, and would willingly spend my life therein. And I, in hope of that good will I ever looked for from your hand, will hazard my life in following your advice.' He seems also by the following request to have been only employed in July, as he asks for directions. 'I dare not speak with Mr. Killigrew. In the meantime, make notes of instructions of all things wherein you would have my labor used, and I will satisfy your expectations.' This is not like the language of a person sent from England for such purposes, as he would in that case have taken his orders with him. The same letter states that on the preceding day he had received Cecil's letters, who answers as if his new engagement was then beginning. Keith, 338. 15 Now the earl of Bothwell's favor increased, which miscontented many.' Melv. 154. 16 Melv. 158. Keith, 338. BOOK hold it more usefully, had any right or kinship to its important throne. II. The tidings of this birth sir James Melville, within two hours after its occurrence, set off to communicate to Elizabeth, who had been dangerously unwell about this period." He reached London on the fourth day; the English queen was on that evening at Greenwich, amusing herself with a dance after supper. Her secretary whispered to her the event. Her joyousness vanished; she sat down, with her cheek resting on her hand, in meditative silence: all present were surprised at the change, till she revealed the emotions that were oppressing her heart to the ladies near her, by a sudden exclamation, that the queen of Scots was mother of a fair son, while she was a barren stock!'18 a natural and highly interesting effusion -a volume of female sensibilities in one short sentence. Her feelings were the more likely to be nervously affected at that time, for tho partaking in the mirth of her court, by a dance, she was but just recovering from the debility of a fifteen days illness. The next day she recovered her spirits ; welcomed Melville' with a merry volt,' and thanked him for the diligence he had used in bringing her the intelligence.19 6 The king and Mary had remained in public so 17About this time the queen of England was so sore visited with a hot fever, that no man believed any other but death to be the end of it; all England being therethro in great perplexity.' p. 153. 18 Melv. 158, 9. 19 Melv. 159. 'Then I requested her majesty to be a gossip to our queen; for our com-meres are called gossips in England, which she granted gladly to her.' ib. XXII. ciety together, for the three months which preceded CHAP. the birth of the prince; but the resenting feelings of the queen, are described by her friends as still brooding in her bosom.20 At the end of July she went to earl Mar's pleasant seat at Alloa," where Maitland was permitted to see her, and was pardoned.22 She was then at variance with her mortified husband,23 tho within a week afterwards they exhibited a temporary reconciliation." But Bothwell began to assume the manners, as well as the influence of Rizzio, and with similar unpopularity; and was perceived to predominate in the direction of the government. 25 As we advance to that catastrophe, which shaded the life of Mary to her death with gloom, unhap 20 Melville's portraiture of her is impressive: She was still sad and pensive, for the late foul forfeit committed in her presence so unreverently, she being their born queen, and then in such danger as to have lost the fruit she bore. So many great sighs she would give, that it was pity to hear her, and too few were careful to comfort her. Sometimes she would declare part of her griefs unto me, which I essayed to put out of her mind by all possible persuasions.' He reminded her, how seemly it is to a queen to be pitiful, and to a woman to be wanting in vengeance!' This communing began at the entry of her supper, in her ear in French, when she was casting great sighs, and would not eat for no persuasion that my lords of Murray and Mar could make to her. The supper being ended, her majesty took me by the hand, and passed down thro the park of Stirling, and came up thro the town, ever reasoning with me upon these purposes.' Melv. p. 169. This kind of vindictive melancholy has somewhat of the appearance of nervous indisposition. 23 On 3 August, Bedford's report was, 'the queen and her husband agree worse.' Cecil's abst. 169. 24 Lett. 9 Aug. ib. 25 On 2 August 1566, earl Bedford reported to Cecil, Bothwell is generally hated, and is more insolent than ever David Rizzio was.' Cecil's abst. 169; and on 9th, Bothwell is still in favor, and has a great hand in the management of affairs.' ib. On 12th Aug. the earl added, I have heard that there is a device working for the earl of Bothwell, the particulars whereof I have not heard. But because such dealings like me not, I desire to hear no further thereof.' MS. Cal. B. 10. p. 380; Goodall, v. 1. p. 306. |