=13. Murder of Darnley.=--A new favourite soon took the place of Rizzio in the Queen's favour. This was _Bothwell_, who had lately done such good service in coming to her aid at Dunbar. The abbey-lands of _Melrose_ and _Haddington_ were given to him. He was made _Lord High Admiral_, and _Warden of the Borders_, and it was noticed that it was he and not Darnley who played the principal part at the baptism of her son, the _Prince of Scotland_. Darnley was hated by everyone; by his wife, because he had connived at the murder of her favourite, and by his accomplices for his treachery in deserting them. Shortly after this he fell ill of the small-pox, and was taken to _Glasgow_, to be tended by his father, _Lennox_. There, when he was getting better, the Queen paid him a visit, and proposed that he should be taken to _Craigmillar Castle_, in order to hasten his recovery; but this plan was afterwards changed, and he went instead to a house called the _Kirk-o'-Field_, close to _Edinburgh_. This house was blown up on the night of February 9, 1567, while the Queen was present at a ball at _Holyrood_, and the bodies of Darnley and of his page were found in a field hard by, as though they had been killed while trying to make their escape. It was commonly believed that Bothwell was guilty of the murder, and it was suspected that he had done it to please the Queen and with her consent. This suspicion was strengthened by her conduct. She made no effort to find out the murderer and to bring him to punishment, and on the day of the funeral she gave Bothwell the feudal superiority over the town of _Leith_. Lennox now came forward and demanded that Bothwell and the other persons suspected of the murder should be tried by the Estates. This was granted, and a day was fixed for the trial. But as Lennox was forbidden to bring any but his own household when he appeared as the accuser of the murderer, while Bothwell had a great following, he thought it more prudent not to appear. As no one came forward to bring evidence against Bothwell, he was acquitted, and he offered to give wager of battle to anyone who should still accuse him.