Randolph himself was not in the secret of the English intrigue, which was
to slip Darnley at Mary. He came (February 1565): Cecil and Leicester
had "used earnest means" to ensure his coming. On March 17 Mary was
informed that she would never be recognised as Elizabeth's successor till
events should occur which never could occur. On receiving this news Mary
wept; she also was indignant at the long and humiliating series of
Elizabeth's treacheries. Her patience broke down; she turned to Darnley,
thereby, as the English intriguers designed, breaking up the concord of
her nobles. To marry Darnley involved the feud of the Hamiltons, and the
return of Murray (whom Darnley had offended), of Chatelherault, Argyll,
and many other nobles to the party of Knox and the preachers. Leicester
would have been welcome to Knox; Darnley was a Catholic, if anything, and
a weak passionate young fool. Mary, in the clash of interests, was a
lost woman, as Randolph truly said, with sincere pity. Her long
endurance, her attempts to "run the English course," were wasted.
David Riccio, who came to Scotland as a musician in 1561, was now high in
her and in Darnley's favour. Murray was accused of a conspiracy to seize
Darnley and Lennox; the godly began to organise an armed force (June
1565); Mary summoned from exile Bothwell, a man of the sword. On July
29th she married Darnley, and on August 6th Murray, who had refused to
appear to answer the charges of treason brought against him, though a
safe-conduct was offered, was outlawed and proclaimed a rebel, while
Huntly's son, Lord George, was to be restored to his estates. Thus
everything seemed to indicate that Mary had been exasperated into
breaking with the party of moderation, the party of Murray and
Lethington, and been driven into courses where her support, if any, must
come from France and Rome. Yet she married without waiting for the
necessary dispensation from the Pope. Her policy was henceforth
influenced by her favour to Riccio, and by the jealous and arrogant
temper of her husband. Mary well knew that Elizabeth had sent money to
her rebels, whom she now pursued all through the south of Scotland; they
fled from Edinburgh, where the valiant Brethren, brave enough in throwing
stones at pilloried priests, refused to join them; and despite the feuds
in her own camp, where Bothwell and Darnley were already on the worst
terms, Mary drove the rebel lords across the Border at Carlisle on
October 8.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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