‘The Earl of Bedford, accompanied with forty horsemen, Englishmen, come
as ambassador frae the queen’s majesty of England, to nominate ane
woman in Scotland, to be _cummer_ to our sovereigns, to the baptising
of our prince, their son, to the burgh of Edinburgh, and was lodgit
in my lord duke’s lodging at the Kirk of Field. In his coming in
Edinburgh, he was honourably convoyit by the gentlemen of Lothian,
but for the maist part by them of the Religion, because the said earl
favourit the same greatumly. The said earl brought ane font, frae the
queen’s grace of England, of twa stane wecht, to be presentit to our
sovereigns, in the whilk their son and our prince should be baptisit;
the same was of fine gold. And he brought ane ring with ane stane,
to be delivered to the said woman wha should occupy the place of the
queen’s grace of England in the time of the said baptising.’--_D. O._
The young prince was baptised at Stirling Castle, and named Charles
James. The preparations in apparel and decorations were magnificent
beyond everything of the kind hitherto known. ‘The said prince was
borne out of his chalmer to the chapel by the French ambassador, my
Lady of Argyle, _cummer_ for the Queen of England by commission, and
Monsieur La Croc for the Duke of Savoy. All the barons and gentlemen
bore prickets of wax, wha stood in rank on ilk side, frae the prince’s
chalmer door to the said chapel. Next the French ambassador, ane
great serge of wax by the Earl of Athole, the salt-vat by the Earl of
Eglintoun, the cude by the Lord Semple, the basin and laver by the Lord
Ross; and at the chapel door, the prince was receivit by my Lord Sanct
Androis, wha was _executor officii in pontificalibus_, with staff,
mitre, cross, and the rest. Collaterals to him were the Bishops of
Dunkeld [and] Dumblane, with their rochets and hoods; and also assistit
with rochets and hoods the Bishop of Ross, the Prior of Whithorn, and
sundry others with serpclaiths and hoods, and the hale college of the
chapel royal, with their habits and u[p]maist copes[?]. The prince was
baptisit in the said font, and thir solemnities endit by near five
hours afternoon, with singing and playing on organs.’--_D. O._
It appears that at these festivities the skeleton was not wanting.
‘There was sitting in the entry of the Castle a poor man asking
alms, having a young child upon his knee, whose head was so great
[hydrocephalus?] that the body of the child could scarce bear it up. A
certain gentleman perceiving it, could scarce refrain from tears, for
fear of the evils he judged to be portended.’--_Knox._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1566-7.