II. BOOK antipathy to the Guises, occasioned these noblemen to leave the court and form combinations against her; while she publicly attached herself to the patrons and cause of the French reformation,121 and was meditating an alliance with the Protestant princes elsewhere.122 The queen of Scotland sank by the death of her young husband into a state of insignificance. Catherine greatly disliked her. She considered herself to have been contumeliously treated by Mary, while she was the reigning queen; and displayed towards her such rigorous and vengeable dealing,' that she was compelled to withdraw herself from the court, and was advised by those who had been in Scotland, to return thither, with the hope of succeeding to the English crown. The lord prior visited her in France, and assured her that he would serve her 123 governor to the young king and country; but he gave over his place, and was content to be but his lieutenant.' ib. There was no formal appointment by the states, of Catherine to the regency; but Navarre declined it, and recommended the government to be left under her care. Castel. 66. On 8 December a letter was written in the king's name, that he had requested her to undertake the administration with the aid of Navarre. Henault, 412. 121 Melville, whom the queen sent back to the prince elector with a reward of a thousand crowns for himself, affirms, The queen mother appeared to be a gaitwart, to profess publicly the reformed religion, thinking it the meetest way to retain the government and guiding of the king of Navarre; and the meetest faction to gainstand the house of Guise, who were banded with the pope and the king of Spain.' p. 87. 122 The said queen had in her head to band with the princes Protestant of Dutchland (Germany,) and with the queen of England and with count of Egmont, prince Orange, count of Horn, and such as had in the low countries embraced the religion reformed.' ib. 87. 123 Melv. 88. They advised her to accommodate herself with her own subjects; to be most familiar with her James; to use the secretary Leddington and lord Grange in all her affairs, and to repose most upon those of the reformed religion.' ib. These sagacious counsellors were D'Oysell, Martigues, the bishop of Amiens, and other Frenchmen who had lately come from Scotland. ib. XIX. faithfully; 124 and she resolved to pass into her CHAP. native country, and reign there as its acknowleged and rightful queen. On this determination she sent M. D'Oysell to obtain a passport for her free passage thro England. As her presence there or in Scotland would increase the danger of her pretensions to the English throne, unless she confirmed the treaty which abandoned them, it was promised her on the condition that she ratified this compact. On hearing this provisional caution, she expressed to the English ambassador strongly her resentment, that the safe conduct had not been instantaneously granted.126 She censured the queen for allying with the Scottish lords; 127 intimated 125 124 Melville went to meet her from Nancy, with a letter from the duke Casimer, the second son of the elector palatine, offering to march to her 10,000 men, in case any in France would do her wrong or injury. p. 89. He then wanted Melville to go and propose him to Elizabeth for her husband. p. 90. 125 See Throckmorton's letter of 26 July 1561, in Cabala, p. 345. She rose from her chair when he was introduced to her at the cardinal Lorraine's, and dismissed D'Oysell, whom she had been talking to, made him sit down by her, and bad all others retire farther off. ib. 346. He told her, 'If you can like to ratify the treaty, as you are in honor bound to do, her majesty will not only give you and yours free passage, but also will be most glad to see you pass thro her realm, that you may be accommodated with the pleasure thereof, and such friendly conference had betwixt you, as all unkindness may be quenched.' ib. 346. 126 She said, 'Mons. l'Ambassadeur, I know not well my own infirmity, nor how far I may with my passion be transported; but I like not to have so many witnesses of my passions as the queen your mistress was content to have, when she talked with M. D'Oysell. There is nothing doth more grieve me, than that I did so forget myself as to require of the queen that favor which I had no need to ask. I needed no more to have made her privy to my journey, than she doth me of hers. I may pass well enough home into my own realm, I think, without her passport or license, for though the late king, your master, used all the impeachment he could to stay me, and to catch me when I came hither, yet you know Monsieur l'Ambassadeur! I came hither safely; and Í may have as good means to help me home again, as I had to come hither, if I would employ my friends.' ib. 346. II. 129 BOOK that she could do the same in England against Elizabeth,128 and uttered some warm personal feelings," but persisted in not confirming the compact until she had consulted her own council in Scotland.130 In this conference she exhibited no deficiency of ready ability and copious elocution, and obviously took some pleasure in displaying both. It was a lecture of her excited sensibility to the absent queen, which, from her own experience, she could not doubt would be fully reported to the personage it was aimed at.131 The dient subjects, than she doth of me their sovereign, who am her equal in degree, tho inferior in wisdom and experience. Let your mistress think that it will be thought very strange amongst all princes and countries, that she should first animate my subjects against me; and now, being widow, impeach my going into my own country.' Cabala, p. 346. 128 I ask her nothing but friendship; I do not trouble her state, nor practise with her subjects; and yet I know there be in her realm that be inclined enough to hear offers. I know also, they be not of the mind she is, neither in religion nor other things.' ib. 129 The queen your mistress doth say that I am young and do lack experience. I confess I am younger than she is, and want experience. But I have age and experience enough to use myself toward my friends and kinsfolks friendly and uprightly; and I trust my discretion shall not so fail me, as that my passion shall move me to use other language of her than it becometh of a queen and my next kinswoman. Well! Monsieur l'Ambassadeur! I could tell you that I am as she is, a queen, allied and friended; and I tell you also that my heart is not inferior to her's, so that an equal respect would be had betwixt us on both parts; but I will not contend in comparisons.' ib. 346. 130Here are none of the council of my own realm, nor none such as is thought meet I should be counselled by. The matter is great: it toucheth both them and me; and is so great a matter, it were meet to use the advice of the wisest of them.' ib. 346. 131 In the latter part of her remarks she rather kindled into some warmth. The queen your mistress saith, that I am young. She might as well say that I were as foolish as young, if I would, in the state and country that I am in, proceed to such a matter of myself without any counsel. What was done by the king, my late lord and husband, must not be taken to be my act. Neither in honor nor in conscience am I bound, as you say I am, to perform all that I was commanded by my lord and husband to do. And yet I will truly say unto you, I did never mean otherwise unto her than becometh me to my good sister and cousin; nor meant her no more harm than to myself. What is the matter, pray you, that doth so offend the queen, your mistress, to make XIX. ambassador answered her guardedly,132 till, upon CHAP. her again implying that she had never wronged Elizabeth, and therefore wondered at her coolness, he felt himself bound to put it to her own feeling, if it could be true that she had given no cause of offence, when by assuming the English queen's arms and title, she had made public pretensions of her own right to be on that throne, which Elizabeth was thereby represented as unjustly possessing. 134 But the request of Mary for this passport had not been refused from any desire or plan to intercept her. In addition to the uneasiness from her retaining her claims to the immediate crown, the English council sought also to avoid any misconstruction from it by the nobility of Scotland, that Elizabeth was sending or upholding Mary against them.135 It her thus evil affected to me? I never did her wrong; nether in deed nor speech. It would the less grieve me if I had deserved otherwise than well.' Cabala, 346. 132 I answered, Madam! I have declared unto you my charge, commanded by the queen my mistress; and have no more to say to you on her behalf, but to know your answer for the ratification of the treaty.' ib. 347. 133 But I pray you, tell me how riseth this strange affection in the queen toward me? I desire to know it; to the intent that I may reform myself if I have failed.' p. 347. 134 Madam! I have by the commandment of the queen declared unto you the cause of her miscontention already; but seeing you so desirous to hear how you may be charged with any deserving, as one that speaketh of mine own mind, without instruction, I will be so bold, Madam! by way of discourse, to tell you.' He then mentioned her taking the arms and title, which she had never done in the reign of the preceding queen; adding, If any thing can be more prejudicial to a prince than to usurp the title and interest belonging to them, Madam! do refer it to your own judgment.' ib. 347. 135 This is the obvious meaning of Cecil's letter of 14th July 1561: O'Doysell hath been well and gently used; yet so many reasons have induced us to deny the principal request [the safe conduct] that I think it shall be both of the wise allowed, and of our friends in Scotland BOOK II. was thought better to let her sail unmolested, but without the direct approbation of the English government. Accompanied by her six uncles and most of the great personages of the court, she went to Calais in August 1561, where two galleys waited to convey her and her noble train. After resting a few days at this town, she took a regretting leave of all her splendid company, except her relations, and embarked. But as the oars of the galley-slaves began to sweep the waters, she saw a ship founder on the coast, from mistaking the current, and most of the mariners drowning in the waves: O heavens !' she exclaimed, what an augury for my voyage is this! A wind soon arising, the sails were spread, and the rowers reposed. Then leaning her arms on the poop of the vessel, near its helm, she burst into a flood of tears; looking earnestly at the port, and exclaiming in a doleful tone, Adieu! France! farewell! farewell!' She repeated these words at many intervals for several hours, till night came on, when she was intreated to retire and take her refreshments and rest.136 excited Bothwell, Huntly, and others of Mary's party, that it could not be agreeable for us to feed them in their humors; and by this our denial, our friends in Scotland shall find us to be of their disposition, and to stop them in their humors.' Hardw. State Papers, 1, p. 172, 3. 136 Brantome. His further picture is interesting and authentic, because he was then with her: At these words her tears redoubled. Yes, at this hour, my dear France! I am losing the sight of you, since the darkening night, jealous of my pleasure in looking at you as long as I could, is now spreading a black veil before my eyes to deprive me of this happiness. Farewell, then, my dear France! You depart from my view; I shall never see you more.' Saying this, she turned from it, remarking that she had done the contrary to Dido. That queen, when Eneas left her, could only gaze upon the sea, but for herself she could only look towards the land. She wished to lay down without any repast, and would |