The 19th day of August 1561, betwixt seven and eight hours before noon,
arrived Mary, Queen of Scotland, then widow, with two galleys out of
France. In her company (besides her gentlewomen, called the Maries) were
her uncles, the Duc d'Aumale, the Grand Prior, the Marquess d'Elbeuf.
There accompanied her also D'Amville, son to the Constable of France,
with other gentlemen of inferior condition, besides servants and
officers. The very face of the heaven at the time of her arrival did
manifestly speak what comfort was brought into this country with her (to
wit) sorrow, dolour, darkness, and all impiety; for in the memory of man
that day of the year was never seen a more dolorous face of the heaven,
than was at her arrival, which two days after did so continue: For
besides the surface wet, and corruption of the air, the mist was so
thick and dark that scarce might any man espy another the length of two
pair of butts; the sun was not seen to shine two days before nor two
days after. That forewarning, God gave unto us; but alas! the most part
were blind.... Fires of joy were set forth at night, and a company of
most honest men with instruments of music, and with musicians, gave
their salutations at her chamber window: The melody (as she alleged)
liked her well; and she willed the same to be continued some nights
after with great diligence. The Lords repaired to her from all quarters,
and so was nothing understood but mirth and quietness, till the next
Sunday, which was the 24th of August, when preparations began to be made
for that Idol of the Mass to be said in the Chapel; which pierced the
hearts of all. The Godly began to bolden, and then began openly to
speak, _Shall that Idol be suffered again to take place within this
Realm? It shall not._ The Lord Lindsay (then but Master) with the
Gentlemen of Fife, and others, plainly cried in the close or yard, _The
idolatrous Priests should die the death, according to God's Law_. One
that carried in the candle was evil afraid; but then began flesh and
blood fully to show itself. There durst no Papist, neither yet any that
came out of France, whisper: But the Lord James, the man whom all the
Godly did most reverence, took upon him to keep the Chapel-door. His
best excuse was, that he would stop all Scotsmen to enter in to the
Mass; but it was and is sufficiently known, that the door was kept that
none should have entry to trouble the Priest, who, after the Mass was
ended, was committed to the protection of the Lord John of Coldingham
and the Lord Robert of Holyrood House, who then were both Protestants,
and had communicate at the Table of the Lord. Betwixt them both was the
Priest conveyed to his chamber. And so the Godly departed with grief of
heart, and after noon repaired to the Abbey in great companies, and gave
plain signification, that they could not abide that the land, which God
by His power had purged from Idolatry, should in their eyes be polluted
again.
_A PROUD MIND AND A CRAFTY WIT_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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