Mary Queen of Scots, 1542-1587. Various

Knox's account of the Châtelar affair. 7. Knox's account of the famine of 1563. 8. Knox on the opening of Parliament. 9. One of Knox's interviews with the Queen. 10. Mary's marriage-troubles. (a) References Selected from the diplomatic correspondence from March 1561 to March 1564. (b) Early suspicions of the Darnley marriage. (c) Melville's experiences in London. (d) Further diplomatic correspondence.

      SORROW, DOLOUR, AND DARKNESS

The Queen's Arrival in Scotland.

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      Laing's Edition of Knox's History of the Reformation in Scotland, vol. i. pp. 267–271.

      THE FIRST MASS

      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

Knox's Opinion of the Queen.

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      Ibid., p. 286.

      John Knox his own judgment, being by some of his familiars demanded what he thought of the Queen, said, "If there be not in her a proud mind, a crafty wit, and an indurate heart against God and His truth, my judgment faileth me."

1561.—2nd September. The Queen's Public Entry into Edinburgh.

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      Thomas Randolph to Cecil. Wright's Elizabeth, vol. i. p. 63.

      Upon Tuesday last she made her entry. She dined in the Castle. The first sight that she saw after she came out of the Castle was a boy of six years of age, that came as it were from heaven out of a round globe, that presented unto her a Bible and a Psalter, and the keys of the gates, and spake unto her the verses which I send you. Then, for the terrible significations of God upon idolatry, there were burnt Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, in the time of their sacrifice. They were minded to have a priest burned at the altar, at the elevation. The Earl of Huntly stayed {stopped} that pageant, but hath played many as wicked as that since he came hither. He bare that day the sword.

      [The following are the lines to which Randolph referred. As only the first stanza has appeared in print before, the verses are given in their original form.]

       HOLYROOD.

      A "NEEDEFULL" GIFT

A Ballad of Welcome.

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      Welcome, O Souveraine! Welcome, O natyve Quene!

       Welcome to us your subiects great and small!

       Welcome, I say, even from the verie splene,[1] To Edinburgh your syttie principall. Whereas your people with harts both one and all Doth here{in}