A Short History of Scotland by Andrew Lang
page 107 of 267 (40%)
page 107 of 267 (40%)
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breaking with the party of moderation, the party of Murray and
Lethington, and been driven into courses where her support, if any, must come from France and Rome. Yet she married without waiting for the necessary dispensation from the Pope. Her policy was henceforth influenced by her favour to Riccio, and by the jealous and arrogant temper of her husband. Mary well knew that Elizabeth had sent money to her rebels, whom she now pursued all through the south of Scotland; they fled from Edinburgh, where the valiant Brethren, brave enough in throwing stones at pilloried priests, refused to join them; and despite the feuds in her own camp, where Bothwell and Darnley were already on the worst terms, Mary drove the rebel lords across the Border at Carlisle on October 8. Mary seemed triumphant, but the men with her--Lethington, and Morton the Chancellor--were disaffected; Darnley was mutinous: he thought himself neglected; he and his father resented Mary's leniency to Chatelherault, who had submitted and been sent to France; all parties hated Riccio. There was to be a Parliament early in March 1566. In February Mary sent the Bishop of Dunblane to Rome to ask for a subsidy; she intended to reintroduce the Spiritual Estate into the House as electors of the Lords of the Articles, "tending to have done some good anent the restoring of the old religion." The Nuncio who was to have brought the Pope's money later insisted that Mary should take the heads of Murray, Argyle, Morton, and Lethington! Whether she aimed at securing more than tolerance for Catholics is uncertain; but the Parliament, in which the exiled Lords were to be forfeited, was never held. The other nobles would never permit such a measure. George Douglas, a stirring cadet of the great House was exciting Darnley's jealousy of Riccio, but already Randolph (February 5, 1566) had |
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