II. and pacific resolutions which they had so lately BOOK formed. War was determined, and orders instantly given for raising a numerous army. But before 1555. They 1556. their forces could assemble, the ardour of their in- While the Scots persisted in their inactivity, D'Oysel, the commander of the French troops, who possessed entirely the confidence of the Queen Regent, endeavoured, with her connivance, to engage the two nations in hostilities. Contrary to the orders of the Scottish general, he marched over the Tweed with his own soldiers, and invested Werk Castle, a garrison of the English. The Scots, instead of seconding his attempt, were enraged at his presumption. The Queen's partiality towards France had long been suspected; but it was now visible that she wantonly sacrificed the peace and safety of Scotland to the interest of that ambitious and assuming ally. Under the feudal governments, it was in camps that subjects were accustomed to address the boldest remonstrances to their sovereigns. While arms were in their hands, they felt their own strength; and at that time all their representations of grievances carried the authority of commands. On this occa II. 1556. BOOK sion, the resentment of the nobles broke out with such violence, that the Queen, perceiving all attempts to engage them in action to be vain, abruptly dismissed her army, and retired with the utmost shame and disgust; having discovered the impotence of her own authority, without effecting any thing which could be of advantage to France'. The Queen's marriage with the Dauphin. It is observable, that this first instance of contempt for the Regent's authority can, in no degree, be imputed to the influence of the new opinions in religion. As the Queen's pretensions to the Regency had been principally supported by those who favoured the Reformation, and as she still needed them for a counterpoise to the Archbishop of St. Andrew's, and the partisans of the house of Hamilton; she continued to treat them with great respect, and admitted them to no inconsiderable share in her favour and confidence. Kirkaldy of Grange, and the other surviving conspirators against Cardinal Beatoun were about this time recalled by her from banishment; and, through her connivance, the Protestant preachers enjoyed an interval of tranquillity, which was of great advantage to their cause. Soothed by these instances of the Queen's moderation and humanity, the Protestants left to others the office of remonstrating; and the leaders of the opposite factions set them the first example of disputing the will of their sovereign. As the Queen Regent felt how limited and precarious her authority was, while it depended on the poise of these contrary factions, she endeavoured to i Strype's Memor. iii. Append. 274. Lesly,-196. II. 1556. establish it on a broader and more secure foundation, в O O K by hastening the conclusion of her daughter's marriage with the Dauphin. Amiable as the Queen of Scots then was, in the bloom of youth, and considerable as the territories were, which she would have added to the French monarchy; reasons were not wanting to dissuade Henry from completing his first plan of marrying her to his son. The Constable Montmorency had employed all his interest to defeat an alliance which reflected so much lustre on the Princes of Lorrain. He had represented the impossibility of maintaining order and tranquillity among a turbulent people, during the absence of their sovereign; and for that reason had advised Henry to bestow the young Queen upon one of the Princes of the blood, who, by residing in Scotland, might preserve that kingdom an useful ally to France, which, by a nearer union to the crown, would become a mutinous and ungovernable province. But at this time the Constable was a prisoner in the hands of the Spaniards; the Princes of Lorrain were at the height of their power; and their influence, seconded by the charms of the young Queen, triumphed over the prudent but envious remonstrances of their rival. The French King accordingly applied to the Par- Dec. 14. liament of Scotland, which appointed eight of its 1557. members to represent the whole body of the nation, k Melv. Mem. 15. ! Viz. The Archbishop of Glasgow, the Bishop of Ross, the Bishop of Orkney, the Earls of Rothes and Cassils, Lord Fleming, Lord Seton, the Prior of St. Andrew's, and John Erskine of Dun. II. 1557. BOO K at the marriage of the Queen. Among the persons 'on whom the public choice conferred this honourable character, were some of the most avowed and zealous advocates for the Reformation; by which may be estimated the degree of respect and popu larity which that party had now attained in the kingdom. The instructions of the parliament to those commissioners still remain, and do honour to the wisdom and integrity of that assembly. At the same time that they manifested, with respect to the articles of marriage, a laudable concern for the dignity and interest of their sovereign, they employed every precaution which prudence could dictate, for preserving the liberty and independence of the nation, and for securing the succession of the crown in the house of Hamilton. Artifices of in the treaty. With regard to each of these, the Scots obtained the French whatever satisfaction their fear or jealousy could de marriage mand. The young Queen, the Dauphin, and the King of France, ratified every article with the most solemn oaths, and confirmed them by deeds in form under their hands and seals. But on the part of France, all this was one continued scene of studied and elaborate deceit. Previous to these public transactions with the Scottish deputies, Mary had been persuaded to subscribe privately three deeds, equally unjust and invalid; by which, failing the heirs of her own body, she conferred the kingdom of Scotland, with whatever inheritance or succession might accrue to it, in free gift upon the crown of France, declaring all promises to the contrary, which the Keith, Append. 13. II. 1557. necessity of her affairs, and the solicitations of her B O O K subjects, had extorted, or might extort from her, to be void and of no obligation". As it gives us a proper idea of the character of the French court under Henry II., we may observe that the King himself, the keeper of the great seals, the Duke of Guise, and the Cardinal of Lorrain, were the persons engaged in conducting this perfidious and dishonourable project. The Queen of Scots was the only innocent actor in that scene of iniquity. Her youth, her inexperience, her education in a foreign country, and her deference to the will of her uncles, must go far towards vindicating her, in the judgment of every impartial person, from any imputation of blame on that account. This grant, by which Mary bestowed the inheritance of her kingdom upon strangers, was concealed with the utmost care from her subjects. They seem, however, not to have been unacquainted with the intention of the French to overturn the settlement of the succession in favour of the Duke of Chatelherault. The zeal with which the Archbishop of St. Andrew's opposed all the measures of the Queen Regent, evidently proceeded from the fears and suspicions of that prudent prelate on this head. 1559. The marriage, however, was celebrated with great April 14. pomp; and the French, who had hitherto affected to draw a veil over their designs upon Scotland, be n Corps Diplomat. tom. v. 21. Keith, 73. • About this time the French seem to have had some design of reviving the Earl of Lennox's pretensions to the succession, in order to intimidate and alarm the Duke of Chatelherault. Haynes, 215. 219 Forbes's Collect. vol. i. 189. |
