110 SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



that some of the nobility would frown upon him ; others would shoulder and 

 shoot by him when they entered the queen's chamber and found him always 

 speaking with her." 



From this time the ruin of the favourite became inevitable; and Melvil, availing 

 himself of the queen's former command, to " forewarn her of any circumstance 

 in her carriage which he thought might tend to her prejudice," took occasion 

 to enter on the subject. " I represented to her," says he, " in the most 

 humble manner, what, upon rational consideration, I did conjecture would be 

 the consequences of the too public demonstrations of favour she gave to Rizzio, 

 a stranger, and one suspected by her subjects to be a pensioner of the Pope's. . ." 

 " For the nobiUty would most certainly take it as a high affront upon them to see 

 her so visibly more countenance a stranger than them. I told her majesty the 

 advice I had given to Rizzio : I reminded her what displeasure had been 

 procured to her by the rash misbehaviour of a French gentleman named Chatellier 

 (Chatellar).* I told her majesty that a grave and comely demeanour towards 

 strangers, not admitting them to too much familiarity, would bring them to a 

 more circumspect and reverent carriage ; and how necessary it was that she per- 

 fectly noticed all her actions, seeing those of her subjects who were not of her 

 religion were easily alarmed wdth any thing that could be therein misrepresented. 

 She answered me, that Rizzio meddled no further than in her French writings 

 and affairs, as her other secretaries had done ; and that whoever found fault 

 therewith, she would not be so far restrained, T)ut that she might dispense her 

 favours to whom she pleased. . . ." " "With regard to the rest, she thanked 

 me for my continual care evinced in this free advice, and engaged to take such 

 order in reference thereto as the case required." But, notwithstanding this 

 frank and conscientious performance of the duty with VFhich the queen had 



• Chatellar was a gentleman of family in Dauphiny, and a relation of the Chevalier de Bayard. He had 

 been presented to the queen by the Sieur Domville, heir of the house of Montmorency. Polished man- 

 ners, vivacity, attention to please, the talent of composing gallant verses, and an agreeable figure, were his 

 recommendations to court favour. These accomplishments made him necessary to all parties of pleasure 

 in the palace, and so far drew upon him the notice of the queen, that he was repeatedly selected for her 

 partner in the dance. He entertained her with his wit and good humour — made verses upon her beauty and 

 accomplishments, till the indulgence with which he was listened to, converted the respect and reverence of 

 a subject into the fatal enterprise of a suitor. Impelled by frantic passion, he intruded himself by stealth 

 into the queen's chamber, and there secreting himself, was discovered at an unseasonable hour, and 

 dismissed with severe censure. The same attempt, however, was repeated with still greater assurance, so 

 tliat his offence could not he again overlooked, and Chatellar was condemned to lose his head. His last 

 moments were in strict cliaractcr with his past life; be declined all ghostly consolation, and, fortifying his 

 mind with stanzas from bis gay compatriot, the poet Ronsard, 'aid bis liead on the block, with these words 

 — " Farewell to the most beautiful and most cruel queen that ever lived !"—//«/. Seal. yirl. in Vila Rons. 



