QUEEN MARY & JOHN KNOX
John Knox the champion of the Reformation in Scotland he was at the head of the 'Preachers', his History of the Reformation in Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots returned from France to Scotland in 1561. She found the government of the country in the hands of the Protestant or Reforming party, at whose head were her half-brother Lord James Stewart, afterwards famous as the Regent Murray, and .John Knox the leader of the Scottish Reformation. Knox records an interview between himself and the queen, his judgments of men and events are honest but biased.
Whether it was by counsel of others, or the queen's own desire, we know not ; but the queen spake with John Knox, and had long reasoning with him, none being present, except the lord James- two gentlemen stood iii the other end of the house
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At these words, the queen stood as it were amazed, more than a quarter of an hour ; her countenance altered, so that lord James began to entreat her, and to demand, " what has offended you, madam ? " At length she said, "Well, then, I perceive, that my subjects shall obey you, and not me ; and shall do what they list, and not what I command and so must I be subject to them, and not they to me." " God forbid," answered he [Knox], "that ever I take upon me to command any to obey me, or yet to set subjects at liberty to do what pleases them. But my travail is, that both princes and subjects obey God. And think not," said he, " madam, that wrong is done unto you, when you are willed to be subject unto God for, it is he that subjects the people under princes, and causes obedience to be given unto them ; yea, God craves of kings, that they be, as it were, foster-fathers to his kirk, and commands queens to be nurses unto his people. And this subjection, madam, unto God, and unto his troubled kirk, is the greatest dignity that flesh can get upon the face of the earth, for it shall carry them to everlasting glory." |
" My conscience," said she "is not so." My Conscience, madam," said he, " requires
knowledge and I fear that right knowledge you have none." "But," said she, "I have both heard
and read " " So madam," said he, "did the Jews who crucified Christ Jesus, read both the law
and the prophets and heard the same interpreted after their manner. Have ye heard," said he, "any teach,
but such as the pope and the cardinals have allowed? And ye may be assured, that such will speak nothing to offend
their own estate." "Ye interpret the scriptures," said she, "in one manner, and they in another
whom shall I believe and who shall be judge?" "You shall believe God," said he, "that plainly
speaketh in his word and further than the word teacheth you, you n either shall believe the one nor the other.
The word of God is plain ; and if there appear any obscurity in any place, the Holy Ghost, who is never contrarious
to himself, explains the same more clearly in other places so that there can remain no doubt, but unto such as
will remain obstinately ignorant."
"You are oversore for me," said the queen, "but and if they were here whom I have heard, they would answer you. "Madam," said the other, "would to God that the most learned papist in Europe, and he that you would best believe, were present with your grace to sustain the argument and that ye would abide patiently to hear the matter reasoned to the end ; for then, I doubt not, madam, that ye should hear the vanity of the papistical religion, and how little ground it hath within the word of God." " Well," said she, "ye may perchance get that sooner than ye believe." " Assuredly,'' said the other, "if ever I get that in my life, I get it sooner than I believe for the ignorant papist cannot patiently reason, and the learned and crafty papist will never come into your audience, madam, to have the ground of their religion searched out; for they know that they are never able to sustain an argument, except fire and sword, and their own laws be judges." "So say you," said the queen; "but I believe that it hath been so to this day." Said he, "For how often have the papists, in this and other realms, been required to come to conference, and yet could it never be obtained, unless themselves were admitted for judges. And, therefore, madam, I must yet say again, that they dare never dispute, but where themselves are both judge and party. And when so ever ye shall let me see the contrary, I shall grant myself to have been deceived in that point."
And with that the queen was called upon to dinner, for it was afternoon. At departing, John Knox said unto her,
"I pray God, madam, that ye may be as blessed within the commonwealth of Scotland - if it be the pleasure
of God - as ever Deborah was in the commonwealth of Israel."
John Knox his own judgment, being by some of his familiars demanded what he thought of the queen, "If there
be not in her," said he, "a proud mind, a crafty wit, and au indurate heart against God and his truth,
my judgment faileth me."
THE MARRIAGE OF QUEEN MARY - THE VISIT TO QUEEN ELIZABETH
(1564) [Sir JAMES MELVILE Memoirs]
In 1564 the question
who should marry the Queen of Scots was exciting both Scotland and England. Mary herself was inclined to her cousin
Lord Darnley and Elizabeth had suggested that she should marry Lord Robert Dudley, the Leicester of Sir Walter
Scott's Kenilworth. James Melvile in the service of Mary Queen of Scots, was sent as her envoy to Queen Elizabeth.
His impressions of the Queen of England are recorded in his Memoirs.
She enquired several things of me relating to this
kingdom, and other countries wherein I had travelled. The Queen my mistress had instructed me to leave matters
of gravity sometimes, and cast in merry purposes, lest otherwise I should be wearied, she being well informed of
that Queen's natural temper. Therefore, in declaring my observations of the customs of Dutchland, Poland and Italy,
the buskins of the women was not forgot, and what country weed I thought best becoming gentlewomen. The Queen said
she had cloaths of every sort ; which every day thereafter, so long as I was there, she changed. One day she had
the English weed, another the French, and another the Italian, and so forth. She asked me which of then became
her' best. I answered In my judgment, the Italian dress ; which answer I found pleased her well ; for she delighted
to shew her golden coloured hair, wearing a caul and bonnet as they do in Italy. Her hair was more reddish than
yellow, curled in appearance naturally. She desired to know of me, what colour of hair was reputed best; and which
of them two was fairest. I answered, The fairness of them both was not their worst faults. But she was earnest
with me to declare which of them I judged fairest. I said, She was the fairest Queen in England, and mine the fairest
Queen in Scotland. Yet she appeared earnest. I answered, They were both the fairest ladies in their countries ;
that her Majesty was whiter, but my Queen was very lovely. She enquired which of them was of highest stature. I
said, My Queen. Then, saith she, she is too high ; for I myself am neither too high nor too low. Then she asked
what kind of exercises she used. I answered, That when I received my dispatch, the Queen was lately come from the
Highland hunting ; that when her more serious affairs permitted, she was taken up with reading of histories that
sometimes she recreated herself in playing a lute and virginals. She asked if she played well. I said, reasonably
for a Queen.
That same day after dinner my lord of Hunsdean drew me up to a quiet gallery, that I might hear some musick (but
he said that he durst not avow it) where I might hear the Queen play upon the virginals. After I had hearkened
awhile, I took by the tapistry that hung before the door of the chamber, and seeing her back was toward the door,
I entred within the chamber, and stood a pretty space hearing her play excellently well. But she left off immediately,
so soon as she turned her about and saw me. She appeared to be surprized to see me, and came forward, seeming to
strike me with her hand ; alledging she used not to play before men, but when she was solitary, to shun melancholy.
She asked how I came there. I answered, As I was walking with my lord of Hunsdean as we passed by the chamber-door,
I heard such melody as ravished me, whereby I was drawn in ere I knew how ; excusing my fault of homeliness, as
being brought up in the court of France, where such freedom was allowed ; declaring myself willing to endure what
kind of punishment her Majesty should be pleased to inflict on me for so great an offence. Then she sat down low
upon a cushion, and I upon my knees by her ; but with her own hand she gave me a cushion, to lay under my knee;
which at first I refused, but she compelled me to take it. She then called for my lady Strafford out of the next
chamber; for the Queen was alone. She enquired whether my Queen or she played best. In that I found myself obliged
to give her the praise.
She said my French was good, amid asked if I could speak Italian ; which she spoke reasonably well. I told her Majesty I had no time to learn the language perfectly, not having been above two mouths in Italy. Then she spake to me in Dutch, which was not good and would know what kind of books I most delighted in, whether theology, history, or love matters. I said, I liked well of all the sorts. Here I took occasion to press earnestly my dispatch. She said I was weary sooner of her company, than she was of mine. I told her Majesty That though I had no reason of being weary, I knew my mistress her affairs called me home yet I was stayed two days longer, till I might see her dance, as I was afterwards informed. Which being over, she enquired of me, whether she or my Queen danced best. I answered, The Queen danced not so high and disposedly as she did. Then again she wished, that she might see the Queen at some convenient place of meeting. I offered to convey her secretly to Scotland by post, clothed like a page and under this disguise she might see the Queen, as James V had gone in disguise to France with his own ambassador, to seek the duke of Vendome's sister, who should have been his wife telling her, that her chamber might be kept in her absence as though she were sick that none needed to be privy thereto, except my lady Strafford, and one of the grooms of her chamber. She appeared to like that kind of language, only answered it with a sigh, saying, Alas if I might do it thus. She used all the means she could to oblige me to persuade the Queen of the great love she did bear unto her and that she was fully minded to put away all jealousies and suspicions, and in times coming to entertain a stricter friendship than formerly. She promised that my dispatch should be delivered to me very shortly at London, by Secretary Cecil : for now she was at Hampton-Court, where she gave me my answer by mouth herself, and her secretary by writing.
[John Knox History of the Reformation]
Mary Queen of Scots, having married
Darnley, found him absolutely useless for carrying out her political designs. She distrusted all the Scottish lords,
and gave her confidence to her secretary, the Italian David Rizzio. Darnley entered into a "band" with
several of the nobles to murder the secretary.
Now the matter was stayed by a marvellous tragedy, for by the lords - upon the Saturday before, which was the ninth
of March, about supper-time - David Rizzio, the Italian, named the French Secretary, was slain in the gallery,
below stairs - the king (Darnley) staying in the room with the queen, told her, that the design was only to take
order with that villain - after that he had been taken violently from the queen's presence, who requested most
earnestly for the saving of his life ; which act was done by the earl of Morton, the lord Ruthven, the lord Lindsay,
the master of Ruthven, with divers other gentlemen. They first purposed to have hanged him, and had provided cords
for the same purpose; but the great haste which they had, moved them to despatch him with whingers or daggers,
wherewith they gave him three and fifty strokes. They sent away and put forth all such persons as they suspected.
The earls Bothwell and Huntly, hearing the noise and clamour, came suddenly to the close, intending to have made
work, if they had had a party strong enough ; but the earl Morton commanded them to pass to their chamber, or else
they should do worse at the which words they retired immediately, and so passed forth at a back window they two
alone, and with great fear came forth of the town to Edmondstone, on foot, and from there to Crichton. This David
Rizzio was so foolish, that not only he had drawn unto him the managing of all affairs, the king being set aside,
but also all his equipage and train did surpass the king's; and at the parliament that was to be, he was ordained
to be chancellor which made the lords conspire against him. They made a bond to stand to the religion and liberties
of the country and to free themselves of the slavery of the villain David Rizzio. The king and his father (The
Earl of Lennox), subscribed to the bond, for they durst not trust the king's word without his signet.
There was a French priest, called John Daniot, who advised David Rizzio to make his fortune, and begone, for the
Scots would not suffer him long. His answer was, that the Scots would brag but not fight. Then he advised him to
beware of the bastard to this he answered, that the bastard should never live in Scotland, in his time - he meant
the earl Murray - but it happened, that one George Douglas, bastard son to the earl of Angus, gave him the first
stroke. The queen, when she heard he was dead, left weeping, and declared she would study revenge, which she did.
Immediately it was noised in the town of Edinburgh, that there was murder committed within the king's palace, wherefore
the provost caused to ring the bell, or "sonner he tocsin," - as the French speak - and straightway passed
to the palace, having about four or five hundred men in warlike manner and as they stood in the outer court, the
king called to the provost, commanding him to pass home with his company saying, the queen and he were merry. But
the provost desired to hear the queen speak herself; whereunto it was answered by the king, "Provost, know
you not that I am king? I command you to pass home to your houses": and immediately they retired. The next
day - which was the second Sunday of our fast in Edinburgh - there was a proclamation made in the king's name subscribed
with his hand, that all bishops, abbots, and other papists should avoid and depart the town ; which proclamation
was indeed observed, for they had a "flea in their hose." There were letters sent forth in the king's
name, and subscribed with his hand, to the provost and bailies of Edinburgh, the bailies of Leith and Canongate,
commanding them to be ready in armour to assist the king and his company, and likewise other private writings directed
to divers lords and gentlemen, to come with all expedition. Iii the meantime, the queen, being above measure enraged,
offended, and troubled, as the issue of the matter declared, sometimes railing upon the king, and sometimes crying
out at the windows, desired her servants to set her' at liberty ; for she was highly offended and troubled.
This same tenth of March the earl of Murray, with the rest of time lords and noblemen that were with him, having
received the king's letter - for after the bond above named was subscribed, the king wrote unto the banished lords
to return into their country, being one of the articles of the said bond - came at night to the abbey, being also
convoyed by the Lord Hume, and a great company of the borderers, to the number of a thousand horses. And? first,
after he had presented himself to the king, the queen was informed of his sudden coming, and therefore sent unto
him, commanding him to come to her ; and he obeying went to her, who, with a singular gravity received him, after
that he had made his purgation, and declared the over-great affection which he bore continually to her majesty.
The earls of Athol, Caithness, and Sutherland, departed out of the town, with the bishops, upon the Monday, the
third day after the slaughter of David Rizzio. The earls of Lennox, Murray, Morton, and Rothes, lords Ruthven,
Lindsay, Boyd, and Ochiltree, sitting in council, desired the queen, that forasmuch as time thing which was done
would not be undone, that she would for avoiding of greater inconveniences, forget the same, and take it as good
service, seeing there were so many noblemen restored. The queen dissembling her displeasure and indignation, gave
good words ; nevertheless she desired, that all persons armed or otherwise - being within the palace at the time
- should remove, leaving the palace void of all, saving her domestic servants. The lords being persuaded by the
uxorious king, and the facile earl of Murray, condescended to her desire, who finally, the next morning two hours
before day, passed to Seaton, and then to Dunbar, having in her company the simple king, who was allured by her
sugared words.
THE MURDER
OF DARNLEY
[John Knox: History o the Reformation]
Mary never forgave Darnley for his share in the murder of Rizzio. Some twelve months later there was another conspiracy among the nobles to murder Darnley himself. How far Mary was in the plot is a question as to which the evidence is indecisive. The murder was carried out as recorded by Knox.
Soon after the queen came to Edinburgh, where she remained a few days. In the month of January, she was informed
that the king was recovered of the poison given him at Stirling, and therefore she passed to Glasgow to visit him,
and there tarried with him six days, using him wonderfully kindly, with many gracious and good words ; and likewise,
his father, the earl of Lennox in so much that all men marvelled whereto it should turn, considering the great
contempt and dryness that had been before so long together. The queen, notwithstanding all the contempt that was
given him, with a known design to take away his life, yet, by her sweet words, gains so far upon the uxurious husband,
and his facile father, that he went in company with her to Edinburgh, where she had caused to lodge him at the
Kirk of Field, in a lodging lately bought by Mr. James Balfour, clerk register - truly, very unmeet for a king.
The queen resorted often to visit him, although her lodging was in the palace of Holyrood-house. Every man marvelled
at this reconciliation and sudden change. The ninth of February, the king was murdered, and the house where he
lay burned with powder, about twelve o'clock at night his body was cast forth into a yard, without the town wall,
adjoining close by. There was a servant likewise murdered beside him, who had been also in the chamber with him.
The people ran to behold this spectacle; and wondering thereat some judged one thing, some another. Shortly thereafter
Bothwell came from the abbey with a company of men of war, and caused the body of the king to be carried to the
next house; where after a little, the chirurgeons being convened at the queen's command, to view and consider the
manner of his death, most part gave out, to please the queen, that he was blown in the air, albeit he had no mark
of fire ; and truly he was strangled. Soon after, he was carried to the abbey, and there buried.
This tragical end had Henry Stewart after he had been king eighteen months. A prince of great lineage, both by
mother and father. He was of a comely stature, and none was like unto him within this island. He died under the
age of one and twenty years ; prompt and ready for all games and sports, much given to hawking and hunting, and
running of horses, and likewise to playing on the lute, and also to Venus' chamber. He was liberal enough ; he
could write and dictate well but he was somewhat given to wine, and much feeding, and likewise to inconstancy;
and proud beyond measure, and therefore contemned all others. He had learned to dissemble well enough, being from
his youth misled up in popery. Thus, within two years after his arriving in this realm, he was highly by the queen
alone extolled and finally, had this unfortunate end by her procurement and consent. To lay all other proofs aside,
her marriage with Bothwell, who was the main executioner of the king, notwithstanding all the advices and counsels
that the king of France, and queen of England, did earnestly and carefully give her, as other friends, did likewise
witness anent their guilt. Those that laid hands on the king to kill him, by Bothwell's direction, were Sir James
Balfour, Gilbert Balfour, David Chalmers, black John Spense, Francis Sebastian, John de Bourdeau, and Joseph, the
brother of David Rizzio these last four were the queen's domestics and strangers. The reason why the king's death
was so hastened was because the affection or passion of the earl Bothwell could not bear so long a delay as the
procurement of a bill of divorce required, although the Romish clergy offered their service willingly to the business,
namely, bishop Hamilton, and so he came great again at court; and he, for the advancement of the business, did
good offices to increase the hatred betwixt the king and queen ; yea, some that had been the chief instruments
of the marriage of the king and queen, offered the service for the divorce, seeing how the queen's inclination
lay so unhappy are princes, that men for their own ends further them in all their inclinations and undertakings,
be they never so bad or destructive to themselves.
The earl of Lennox in the meantime wrote to the queen, to cause to Bothwell, with his other accomplices, for murdering
the king. The queen, not daring openly to reject the earl of Lennox's solicitation, did appoint a day for the trial
of Bothwell by an assize; the members whereof, were the earl of Caithness, president, the earl of Cassils - who,
at the first refused, but thereafter being threatened to be put in prison, and under the pain of treason, was present
by the queen's command - John Hamilton, comnmendator of Aberbrothick, lord Ross, lord Semple, lord Boyd, lord Herris,
lord Oliphant; the master of Forbes, the lairds of Lochinvar, Langton, Cambuskenneth, Barnbougel, and Boyne. They,
to please the queen, and for fear, did pronounce Bothwell not guilty, notwithstanding the manifest evidence of
the cruel fact committed by Bothwell; who, before the trial, did make himself strong by divers means ; namely,
by the possession of the castle of Edinburgh, so that the accusers durst not appear, not being strong enough. The
earl of Mar did retire to Stirling, and had committed to his charge the young prince. All this was done in February.
