SCOTLAND. 



llutory. papists in the south ; but Murray suddenly mart-ln-d 

 ""V-" ' f n ,m Ali T<|(VM, and with a few chosen troops, attacked 



and defeated 1 1 unity. 



A.D.I*',?. In tho same year, Mary dispatched Maitland to 

 London to desire a personal interview with Kli/.abeth 

 near the borders, but the conference was deelined. 

 About two years had elapsed since Mary became a 

 widow. Her subjects were desirous that she should 

 many, in order that the crown might descend in a 

 direct line from her ancestors. 



The murder of the duke of Guise disinclined the 

 queen of Scots to wed a native of France. She chose 

 for her consort Henry Stewart, lord Darnley, eldest 

 son of the earl of Lennox. Darnley was her cousin- 

 .german, and was, alter herself, next heir to the English 

 throne. On that account, Mary expected the consent of 

 Elizabeth, who had declared that nothing would so effec- 

 tually promote a permanent union between the sister 

 kingdoms, as Mary's espousing an English nobleman. 

 Yet no sooner was Elizabeth informed that the pre- 

 liminaries of the marriage were settled, than .she ex- 

 claimed against it, commanded Darnley to return to 

 England, seized his English estates, and threw his 

 mother and one of his brothers into prison. She thus 

 hoped to alarm her partisans in Scotland, and to raise 

 commotions that might afford her an opportunity to 

 become umpire between Mary and her contending 

 subjects. 



. The earl of Murray entered into a bond with several 

 protestant lords, and they formed the design, with 

 Elizabeth's concurrence, of carrying Darnley to Eng- 

 land, should they fail of frustrating the marriage. But 

 the project failed, and the queen's nuptials were cele- 

 brated with general approbation. 



The associated lords assembled their vassals, and 

 prepared for defence ; but Mary collected troops, and 

 put herself at their head. The malcontents fled to 

 England, where Elizabeth publicly disavowed all con- 

 nection with them, and banished them from her pre- 

 sence. 



The courts of France and Spain had entered into 

 the holv league, to exterminate the protestants in 

 France and the Low Countries ; and to extinguish the 

 reformed doctrines. Mary joined this confederacy, 

 summoned a parliament for attainting the exiled lords, 

 and for the establishment of the Roman catholic worship 

 in Scotland ; but an unexpected incident saved both, 

 and proved the ruin of Mary herself. 



Her marriage with Darnley had been precipitated; 

 and, having leisure to remark his weaknesses and vices, 

 she resolved to proceed with more reserve. Enraged 

 by her neglect, Darnley pointed his resentment against 

 every one whom he deemed the cause of this change. 

 The chief object of his vengeance was David Rizzio, a 

 person of mean birth, who had gained admission into the 

 queen's family by his skill in music, and was regarded 

 as her chief confidant and minister. He communi- 

 cated his resolution to the Earl of Morton, and im- 

 plored his assistance ; but the conspirators engaged him 

 to sign a paper, promising them protection from every 

 dangerous consequence. 



Murder of A messenger was despatched to the exiled lords, 

 liizeio. with an invitation from the king to return home. Mor- 

 ton seized the gates of the palace, while Mary was at 

 supper with the Countess of Argyll, Rizzio, and other 

 servants. The king entered the room by a private 

 door, and the conspirators rushed in after him. Dou- 

 glas seized Henry's dagger, and stabbed Rizzio, who 

 was dragged to the antichamber and murdered. Ap. 



VOL. XVII. PART II. 



roi 



prthcnsive of her resentment, the assailants confined 

 her a prisoner in the palace. The Earl of Murray, 

 with his exiled associates, appeared tiro days after. A 

 reconciliation with the queen was obtained. They ob- 

 tained an acquittal from parliament, and were rein- 

 stated in their honours and fortunes. 



i /a murderers applied for pardon; but Mary 

 avoided compliance, escaped to Dunbar, collected an 

 army, and marched to Edinburgh. The aasa*in fled to 

 England ; but the Karl of Bothwell interceded in their 

 behalf, and procured their pardon. 



James the Sixth was born in the castle of Edinburgh, Mirth at 

 in June l.Of.'ii. Melville was despatched to announce Jn v ' 

 the happy tidings to Elizabeth, who professed the great- 

 est regard for the queen his mistress. The birth of a 

 son to Mary gave additional courage to her partisans 

 in England, and the opposite parties began to demand 

 a settlement of the succession. Elizabeth determined 

 to oppose the discussion, and Mary's indiscretion threw 

 her from the lummit of prosperity, and finally plunged 

 her into ruin. 



James, Earl of Bothwell, had distinguished himself 

 by his attachment to the queen, and hut opposition to 

 the Earl of Murray ; whence she,in return, gratified him 

 with marks of confidence, and elevated him to offices 

 of power and trust. Surmises were, however, circu- 

 lated, disadvantageous to her character; and so strong 

 was her aversion to her husband, that he retired to 

 Glasgow. A disorder which seized him soon after 

 was ascribed to a dose of poison ; but Henry had no 

 suspicion of personal danger, and accompanied the 

 queen to Edinburgh. He was lodged in a solitary 

 house, called Kirk of Field, not far from the palace of 

 Holyroodhouse. Mary attended him assiduously ; but 

 on the 9th of February she suddenly left him, to be A.D. 1567. 

 present at the marriage of one of her servants. About 

 two o'clock next morning, the city was alarmed by a 

 tremendous explosion. The king's residence was blown JW.L rf 

 up by gunpowder, and his dead body was found in a Damkr. 

 neighbouring enclosure. The Earl of Bothwell was 

 generally considered as the author of this horrid mur- 

 der ; and suspicions were propagated that the queen 

 herself was privy to the crime. 



Her conduct evinced unaccountable apathy. Seve- 

 ral clays elapsed before any steps were taken to disco. 

 ver the murderers. She delayed to bring Bothwell 

 to a trial, permitted him to enjoy all the dignity and 

 familiarity of a favourite, committed to him the go- 

 vernment of Edinburgh castle, and thus gave him the 

 command of the south of Scotland. She was carried 

 off by him, and lived with him, and, as soon as he had 

 procured a sentence of divorce from his wife, the queen 

 publicly married him. 



The news of these transactions threw an odium on 

 the nation, and, with Bothwell's attempt to seize the 

 young prince's person, roused the Scottish nobles. A 

 considerable body of them, headed by the Earl of 

 Athol, assembled at Stirling, while, to shelter Both- 

 well and herself from the impending storm, the queen 

 issued a proclamation, requiring her subjects to assem- 

 ble round her standard, for the defence of her hus- 

 band. She likewise circulated a manifesto, vindicating 

 her government, and expressing an anxious concern 

 for the safety and happiness of the prince. But the 

 associated lords had assembled an array before the 

 queen and Bothwell were prepared. Lord Hume sud- 

 denly surrounded the castle of Borthwick, where the 

 queen was ; but she escaped to Dunbar, and speedily 

 collected such a force as to offer her enemies battle 

 4o 



