In July 1565, Mary married her youthful cousin, Henry Lord Darnley,
son of the Earl of Lennox. This was a match not without its politic
aspect, as things stood at that time, for, by accepting Darnley as her
husband, the Scottish queen took a rival out of her way to the English
throne, and added his pretensions to her own. As Darnley, however, was
a Catholic, the union was disrelished by Queen Elizabeth, as well as by
all the leaders of the Protestant interest in Scotland. A still greater
objection to it lay in the weak and childish character of the young
king.
Moray and his friends were thrown by the event into a rebellion; which,
however, quickly ended in his defeat and exile. The queen then ruled
for some time with the assistance of her husband and of her Italian
secretary, David Riccio. In such circumstances, it was unavoidable that
the confidence of her Protestant people should abate. Darnley soon
proved to be little worth the sacrifice she had made for his sake. By a
freak of youthful folly, prompted by jealousy of Riccio’s influence, he
associated in a conspiracy with the banished Moray and his associates,
for putting the Italian away from the queen; thinking he might then
bear undivided sway. Riccio was assassinated at Holyroodhouse, in the
queen’s presence (March 9, 1566), and the Protestant lords immediately
returned. The horrible outrage took a strong hold of Mary’s feelings,
and was allowed too much to sway her subsequent actions. She seemed,
however, to be reconciled to her husband; and not long after, her son,
who afterwards became James VI., was born (June 19, 1566).
The childishness and low habits of Darnley completely unfitted him to
become an adviser and help to the queen; he proved, on the contrary, a
source of great trouble and vexation. Indignant as she was at Moray,
Morton, and other Protestant lords who had been concerned in the Riccio
assassination, she was little inclined to lean upon them as before. As
the only remaining resource, she began to give her confidence to the
Earl of Bothwell and the Earl of Huntly, two nobles of great power,
but whose administration could not bring her so much popularity.
Bothwell was a man of coarse character, fully as much disposed as any
man in that age to gain his ambitious ends by violence. As early as
March 1561-2, he had formed a plan for seizing the queen’s person,
and carrying her to the castle of Dumbarton, that he and the Duke of
Chatelherault might enjoy the government between them. He had since
then been restored to favour; but, so far from the queen having ever
appeared to regard him as a lover, she had, so lately as February
1565-6, promoted and sanctioned his marriage to a friend of her own,
a sister of the Earl of Huntly. He seems now to have thought that an
opportunity was presented for his acquiring a mastery in Scotland. He
caused the wretched Darnley to be murdered at his lodging in the Kirk
of Field, near Edinburgh (March 12, 1567). Being suspected and accused
of this act, he submitted to a trial, but was able to overbear justice,
and to maintain his place in the queen’s councils.
Mary, consequently, suffered in reputation, though whether she was
aware of Bothwell’s guilt is to this day a matter of doubt; much less
is it certain that she had, as has been suspected, a guilty knowledge
of her husband’s death.
Having procured the countenance of some of the nobility to his
plans, Bothwell seized the queen at the river Almond (April 24), and
conducted her to his castle of Dunbar, where he kept her a prisoner,
as was generally believed, by her own consent. His wife being hastily
divorced, he married the queen (May 15), and thus seemed to have fully
attained the object of his ambition; but the Protestant leaders rose
in arms, took the queen away from him, and drove him into banishment.
Mary, as one suspected of horrible crimes, was imprisoned in Lochleven
Castle (June 17), and forced to sign a deed of abdication in favour of
her infant son, who was consequently crowned as James VI., with the
Earl of Moray as regent during his minority (July 29).
* * * * *
‘Ane guid summer and har’est.’--_C. F._
[Sidenote: 1565.