One Sunday morning in 1543 a pretty, helpless little girl baby less
than a year old was seated on a throne in the spacious chapel of
Stirling Castle in Scotland, surrounded by fierce, mailed men. A
cardinal held a crown over her head; the tiny fingers were clasped for
a moment about a scepter; a huge, unwieldy sword was buckled round the
little waist; and a noble spoke the words that created Mary Stuart
queen of Scotland. Forty-four years later the stroke of a sword in
the headsman’s hands ended the life of this queen--one of the most
beautiful and tragic figures in all history.
Besides the coronation of Mary Queen of Scots, Stirling Castle has seen
many historic events. This old stronghold is situated on the Firth of
Forth, some thirty-five miles above Edinburgh. It stands on a hill high
above the town of Stirling. No one knows exactly how long ago it was
built; but it is very, very old.
Away back in the time of the Romans these invaders of Britain had a
station in the town of Stirling. Alexander II, king of Scotland, gave
the town its first charter in 1226, and he made Stirling Castle the
royal residence. During the wars of Scottish Independence the castle
was besieged many times. Edward I of England captured it in 1304. For
ten years after that it was held by the English; but Robert Bruce
besieged it fiercely in 1314. Edward II, who was king of England at
that time, was a weak ruler, and he knew that if the Scots captured
Stirling Castle they would probably win their freedom. So he gathered
an army and marched north. But he was so badly beaten by Bruce at the
battle of Bannockburn that the Scots won their independence, and Bruce
became their king. On the esplanade before Stirling Castle stands a
statue of this great man.
The tragic story of the execution of Mary Stuart, who was crowned at
Stirling, is one of the most pathetic episodes in history. Condemned
on an unjust charge, she was sentenced to death by Elizabeth, queen of
England. The final scene in the life of the beautiful queen of Scotland
took place in Fotheringay Castle in England. As Mary approached the
block, the melancholy sweetness of her beauty touched every heart. Even
her executioners knelt and begged her to forgive them for the sad duty
that they were forced to perform.
“I forgive you with all my heart,” sadly replied Mary.
She knelt down and laid her head upon the block amid a tense silence,
broken only by an occasional sob. A moment later the chief executioner
held up her head, exclaiming, “So perish all the enemies of Queen
Elizabeth.”
PREPARED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF OF THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION
ILLUSTRATION FOR THE MENTOR, VOL. 1, No. 10, SERIAL No. 10
COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION, INC.
[Illustration: FINGALS CAVE, SCOTLAND]
_SCOTLAND_
_Fingals Cave_