a great number since Bothwell had been in favour. Unfortunately, Darnley,
indiscreet and imprudent as usual, confided this plan to some of his
officers, who warned Bothwell of their master's intention. Bothwell did
not seem to oppose the journey in any way; but Darnley was scarcely a
mile from Edinburgh when he felt violent pains none the less, he
continued his road, and arrived very ill at Glasgow. He immediately sent
for a celebrated doctor, called James Abrenets, who found his body
covered with pimples, and declared without any hesitation that he had
been poisoned. However, others, among them Walter Scott, state that this
illness was nothing else than smallpox.

Whatever it may have been, the queen, in the presence of the danger her
husband ran, appeared to forget her resentment, and at the risk of what
might prove troublesome to herself, she went to Darnley, after sending
her doctor in advance. It is true that if one is to believe in the
following letters, dated from Glasgow, which Mary is accused of having
written to Bothwell, she knew the illness with which he was attacked too
well to fear infection. As these letters are little known, and seem to
us very singular we transcribe them here; later we shall tell how they
fell into the power of the Confederate lords, and from their hands passed
into Elizabeth's, who, quite delighted, cried on receiving them, "God's
death, then I hold her life and honour in my hands!"
FIRST LETTER

"When I set out from the place where I had left my heart, judge in what a
condition I was, poor body without a soul: besides, during the whole of
dinner I have not spoken to anyone, and no one has dared to approach me,
for it was easy to see that there was something amiss. When I arrived
within a league of the town, the Earl of Lennox sent me one of his
gentlemen to make me his compliments, and to excuse himself for not