In the morning, all those who were in the house with the Earl of Murray
and John Knox were early afoot, and after prayers had been said, they
went out to meet the Queen at her place of landing from the castle,
which stands on an islet at some distance from the shore; but, before
they reached the spot, she was already mounted on her jennet and the
hawks unhooded, so that they were obligated to follow her Highness to
the ground, the Reformer leaning on the Earl, who proffered him his left
arm as they walked up the steep bank together from the brim of the lake.
The Queen was on the upland when they drew near to the field, and on
seeing them approach she came ambling towards them, moving in her
beauty, as my grandfather often delighted to say, like a fair rose
caressed by the soft gales of the summer. A smile was in her eye, and it
brightened on her countenance like the beam of something more lovely
than light; the glow, as it were, of a spirit conscious of its power,
and which had graced itself with all its enchantments to conquer some
stubborn heart. Even the Earl of Murray was struck with the unwonted
splendour of her that was ever deemed so surpassing fair; and John Knox
said, with a sigh, "THE MAKER had indeed taken gracious pains with the
goodly fashion of such perishable clay."
When she had come within a few paces of where they were advancing
uncovered, she suddenly checked her jennet, and made him dance proudly
round till she was nigh to John Knox, where, seeming in alarm, she
feigned as if she would have slipped from the saddle, laying her hand
on his shoulder for support; and while he, with more gallantry than it
was thought in him, helped her to recover her seat, she said, with a
ravishing look, "The Queen thanks you, Master Knox, for this upholding,"
dwelling on the word this in a special manner; which my grandfather
noticed the more, as he as well as others of the retinue observed, that
she was playing as it were in dalliance.
She then inquired kindly for his health, grieving she had not given
orders for him to bed in the castle; and turning to the Earl of Murray,
she chided his Lordship with a gentleness that was more winning than
praise, why he had not come to her with Master Knox, saying, "We should
then perhaps have not been so sharp in our controversy." But, before the
Earl had time to make answer, she noticed divers gentlemen by name, and
taking off her glove, made a most sweet salutation with her lily hand to
the general concourse of those who had by this time gathered around.
In that gracious gesture, it was plain, my grandfather said, that she
was still scattering her feminine spells; for she kept her hand for some
time bare, and though enjoying the pleasure which her beautiful presence
diffused, like a delicious warmth into the air, she was evidently
self-collected, and had something more in mind than only the triumph of
her marvellous beauty.
Having turned her horse's head, she moved him a few paces, saying,
"Master Knox, I would speak with you." At which he went towards her, and
the rest of the spectators retired and stood aloof.
They appeared for some time to be in an easy and somewhat gay discourse
on her part; but she grew more and more earnest, till Mr Knox made his
reverence and was coming away, when she said to him aloud, "Well, do as
you will, but that man is a dangerous man."
Their discourse was concerning the titular Bishop of Athens, a brother
of the Earl of Huntly, who had been put in nomination for a
superintendent of the church in the West Country, and of whose bad
character her Highness, as it afterwards proved, had received a just
account.
But scarcely had the Reformer retired two steps when she called him
back, and holding out to him her hand, with which, when he approached to
do his homage, she familiarly took hold of his and held it, playing with
his fingers as if she had been placing on a ring, saying, loud enough
to be heard by many on the field,--
"I have one of the greatest matters that have touched me since I came
into this realm to open to you, and I must have your help in it."
Then, still holding him earnestly by the hand, she entered into a long
discourse concerning, as he afterwards told the Earl of Murray, a
difference subsisting between the Earl and Countess of Argyle.
"Her Ladyship," said the Queen, for my grandfather heard him repeat what
passed, "has not perhaps been so circumspect in everything as one could
have wished, but her lord has dealt harshly with her."
Master Knox having once before reconciled the debates of that honourable
couple, told her Highness he had done so, and that not having since
heard anything to the contrary, he had hoped all things went well with
them.
"It is worse," replied the Queen, "than ye believe. But, kind sir, do
this much for my sake, as once again to put them at amity, and if the
Countess behave not herself as she ought to do, she shall find no favour
of me; but in no wise let Argyle know that I have requested you in this
matter."
Then she returned to the subject of their contest the preceding evening,
and said, with her sweetest looks and most musical accents, "I promise
to do as ye required. I shall order all offenders to be summoned, and
you shall see that I shall minister justice."
To which he replied, "I am assured then, madam, that you shall please
God, and enjoy rest and tranquillity within your realm, which to your
Majesty is more profitable than all the Pope's power can be." And having
said this much he made his reverence, evidently in great pleasure with
her Highness.
Afterwards, in speaking to the Earl of Murray, as they returned to
Kinross, my grandfather noted that he employed many terms of soft
courtliness, saying of her that she was a lady who might, he thought,
with a little pains, be won to grace and godliness, could she be
preserved from the taint of evil counsellors; so much had the winning
sorceries of her exceeding beauty and her blandishments worked even upon
his stern honesty and enchanted his jealousy asleep.
When Master Knox had, with the Earl, partaken of some repast, he
requested that he might be conveyed back to Edinburgh, for that it
suited not with his nature to remain sorning about the skirts of the
court; and his Lordship bade my grandfather be of his company, and to
bid Sir Alexander Douglas, the master of his horse, choose for him the
gentlest steed in his stable.
But it happened before the Reformer was ready to depart, that Queen Mary
had finished her morning pastime, and was returning to her barge to
embark for the castle, which the Earl hearing, went down to the brim of
the loch to assist at her embarkation. My grandfather, with others, also
hastened to the spot.
On seeing his Lordship, she inquired for "her friend," as she then
called John Knox, and signified her regret that he had been so list to
leave her, expressing her surprise that one so infirm should think so
soon of a second journey; whereby the good Earl being minded to cement
their happy reconciliation, from which he augured a great increase of
benefits both to the realm and the cause of religion, was led to speak
of his concern thereat likewise, and of his sorrow that all his own
horses at Kinross being for the chase and road, he had none well-fitting
to carry a person so aged, and but little used to the toil of riding.
Her Highness smiled at the hidden counselling of this remark, for she
was possessed of a sharp spirit; and she said, with a look which told
the Earl and all about her that she discerned the pith of his Lordship's
discourse, she would order one of her own palfreys to be forthwith
prepared for him.
When the Earl returned from the shore and informed Master Knox of the
Queen's gracious condescension, he made no reply, but bowed his head in
token of his sense of her kindness; and soon after, when the palfrey was
brought saddled with the other horses to the door, he said, in my
grandfather's hearing, to his Lordship, "It needs, you see, my Lord,
must be so; for were I not to accept this grace, it might be thought I
refused from a vain bravery of caring nothing for her Majesty's favour;"
and he added, with a smile of jocularity, "whereas I am right well
content to receive the very smallest boon from so fair and blooming a
lady."
Nothing of any particularity occurred in the course of the journey; for
the main part of which Master Knox was thoughtful and knit up in his own
cogitations, and when from time to time he did enter into discourse with
my grandfather, he spoke chiefly of certain usages and customs that he
had observed in other lands, and of things of indifferent import; but
nevertheless there was a flavour of holiness in all he said, and my
grandfather treasured many of his sweet sentences as pearls of great
price.