QUEEN MARY AND HER FIRST PARLIAMENT Letter from Randolph to the Earl of Rutland 10th June 1563 at Edinburgh:— “Her Grace has now held her Parliament, the solemnity whereof hath been very great. On the 26th May her Grace rode to the Parliament House in this order:—gentlemen, barons, lords, and earls in their order; after these the trumpeters and such other music as they had; next the heralds; then the Earl of Moray, who carried the sword, the Earl of Argyll the sceptre, and the Duke the regalia. Then followed the Queen in her Parliament robes and a very fair rich crown upon her head. There followed Her Grace the noblemen's wives as these were in dignity, twelve in number; after them the four Maries, demoiselles of honour, or the Queen's minions, call them as pleases your honour, but a fairer sight was never seen. These being the principals, sixteen, there followed them as many more so wonderful in beauty that I know not what court may be compared to them. The choice, I assure your lordship, that day was there of the whole realm. Having taken her place in Parliament, and silence being commanded, the Queen delivered, with a singular good grace, an oration short and very pretty, of which I send your lordship a copy. I am sure she made it herself, and she deserved great praise for delivering the same. I had that day the honour to escort Her Grace to the Parliament House and to be present at the whole solemnities during the time she was there. That day there was little done.” QUEEN MARY'S PROCLAMATION ANENT RELIGION, EDINBURGH, _25th August 1561_