Mary remained a prisoner in Lochleven Castle for ten months, while
Moray, as Regent, maintained a good understanding with England, and did
much to enforce internal peace and order. At length (May 1568), the
unhappy Queen made her escape, and threw herself into the arms of the
powerful family of Hamilton, who had continued unreconciled to the new
government. They raised for her a considerable body of retainers, and
for a few days she seemed to have a chance of recovering her authority;
but her army was overthrown at Langside by the Regent, and she had
then no resource but to pass into England, and ask refuge with Queen
Elizabeth. By her she was received with a show of civility, but was
in reality treated as a prisoner, and even subjected to the indignity
of a kind of trial, where her brother Moray acted as her accuser.
The proofs brought forward for her guilt were such as not to allow
of any judgment being passed against her by Elizabeth, and it cannot
be said that they have secured a decidedly unfavourable verdict from
posterity. The series of circumstances is, no doubt, calculated to
excite suspicion; yet they are not incompatible with the theory; that
she was trained into them by others; and it must be admitted that one
who had previously lived so blamelessly--rejecting the suit of Bothwell
when they were both free persons--and who afterwards made so noble an
appearance when adjudged to a cruel death for offences of which she
was innocent, was not the kind of person likely to have assisted in
murdering a husband, or to have deliberately united herself to one whom
she believed to be his murderer.
Under a protestant Regent, with the friendship and aid of Elizabeth,
whose interest it was to keep popery out of the whole island, Scotland
might have enjoyed some years of tranquillity. Moray, whatever opinion
may be entertained of his conduct towards his sister, proved a vigorous
and just ruler, insomuch as to gain the title of the _Good Regent_; but
he was early cut off in his course, falling a victim to private revenge
at Linlithgow (January 23, 1569-70).
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1567.