mary stuart-第2章

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flowery　of　their　perfumes；　by　banishing　young　girls　from　all　but

domestic　cares。　　One　can　imagine　in　what　manner　a　future　queen；

sustaining　such　a　thesis；　was　likely　to　be　welcomed　in　the　most

lettered　and　pedantic　court　in　Europe。　　Between　the　literature　of

Rabelais　and　Marot　verging　on　their　decline；　and　that　of　Ronsard　and

Montaigne　reaching　their　zenith；　Mary　became　a　queen　of　poetry；　only

too　happy　never　to　have　to　wear　another　crown　than　that　which

Ronsard；　Dubellay；　Maison…Fleur；　arid　Brantome　placed　daily　on　her

head。　　But　she　was　predestined。　　In　the　midst　of　those　fetes　which　a

waning　chivalry　was　trying　to　revive　came　the　fatal　joust　of

Tournelles：　Henry　II；　struck　by　a　splinter　of　a　lance　for　want　of　a

visor；　slept　before　his　time　with　his　ancestors；　and　Mary　Stuart

ascended　the　throne　of　France；　where；　from　mourning　for　Henry；　she

passed　to　that　for　her　mother；　and　from　mourning　for　her　mother　to

that　for　her　husband。　　Mary　felt　this　last　loss　both　as　woman　and　as

poet；　her　heart　burst　forth　into　bitter　tears　and　plaintive

harmonies。　　Here　are　some　lines　that　she　composed　at　this　time：



〃Into　my　song　of　woe；

Sung　to　a　low　sad　air；

My　cruel　grief　I　throw；

For　loss　beyond　compare；

In　bitter　sighs　and　tears

Go　by　my　fairest　years。



Was　ever　grief　like　mine

Imposed　by　destiny？

Did　ever　lady　pine；

In　high　estate；　like　me；

Of　whom　both　heart　and　eye

Within　the　coffin　lie？



Who；　in　the　tender　spring

And　blossom　of　my　youth；

Taste　all　the　sorrowing

Of　life's　extremest　ruth；

And　take　delight　in　nought

Save　in　regretful　thought。



All　that　was　sweet　and　gay

Is　now　a　pain　to　see；

The　sunniness　of　day

Is　black　as　night　to　me；

All　that　was　my　delight

Is　hidden　from　my　sight。



My　heart　and　eye；　indeed；

One　face；　one　image　know；

The　which　this　morrnful　weed

On　my　sad　face　doth　show；

Dyed　with　the　violet's　tone

That　is　the　lover's　own。



Tormented　by　my　ill；

I　go　from　place　to　place；

But　wander　as　I　will

My　woes　can　nought　efface；

My　most　of　bad　and　good

I　find　in　solitude。



But　wheresoe'er　I　stay；

In　meadow　or　in　copse；

Whether　at　break　of　day

Or　when　the　twilight　drops；

My　heart　goes　sighing　on；

Desiring　one　that's　gone。



If　sometimes　to　the　skies

My　weary　gaze　I　lift；

His　gently　shining　eyes

Look　from　the　cloudy　drift；

Or　stooping　o'er　the　wave

I　see　him　in　the　grave。



Or　when　my　bed　I　seek；

And…sleep　begins　to　steal；

Again　I　hear　him　speak；

Again　his　touch　I　feel；

In　work　or　leisure；　he

Is　ever　near　to　me。



No　other　thing　I　see；

However　fair　displayed；

By　which　my　heart　will　be

A　tributary　made；

Not　having　the　perfection

Of　that；　my　lost　affection。



Here　make　an　end；　my　verse；

Of　this　thy　sad　lament；

Whose　burden　shall　rehearse

Pure　love　of　true　intent；

Which　separation's　stress

Will　never　render　less。〃





〃It　was　then；〃　says　Brantorne；　〃that　it　was　delightful　to　see　her；

for　the　whiteness　of　her　countenance　and　of　her　veil　contended

together；　but　finally　the　artificial　white　yielded；　and　the　snow…like

pallor　of　her　face　vanquished　the　other。　　For　it　was　thus；〃　he　adds；

〃that　from　the　moment　she　became　a　widow；　I　always　saw　her　with　her

pale　hue；　as　long　as　I　had　the　honour　of　seeing　her　in　France；　and

Scotland；　where　she　had　to　go　in　eighteen　months'　time；　to　her　very

great　regret；　after　her　widowhood；　to　pacify　her　kingdom；　greatly

divided　by　religious　troubles。　　Alas！　she　had　neither　the　wish　nor

the　will　for　it；　and　I　have　often　heard　her　say　so；　with　a　fear　of

this　journey　like　death；　for　she　preferred　a　hundred　times　to　dwell

in　France　as　a　dowager　queen；　and　to　content　herself　with　Touraine

and　Poitou　for　her　jointure；　than　to　go　and　reign　over　there　in　her

wild　country；　but　her　uncles；　at　least　some　of　them；　not　all；　advised

her；　and　even　urged　her　to　it；　and　deeply　repented　their　error。〃



Mary　was　obedient；　as　we　have　seen；　and　she　began　her　journey　under

such　auspices　that　when　she　lost　sight　of　land　she　was　like　to　die。

Then　it　was　that　the　poetry　of　her　soul　found　expression　in　these

famous　lines：



〃Farewell；　delightful　land　of　France；

　　　　　My　motherland；

　　　　　The　best　beloved！

Foster…nurse　of　my　young　years！

Farewell；　France；　and　farewell　my　happy　days！

The　ship　that　separates　our　loves

Has　borne　away　but　half　of　me；

One　part　is　left　thee　and　is　throe；

And　I　confide　it　to　thy　tenderness；

That　thou　may'st　hold　in　mind　the　other　part。〃'



＇Translator's　note。…It　has　not　been　found　possible　to　make　a　rhymed

version　of　these　lines　without　sacrificing　the　simplicity　which　is

their　chief　charm。＇





This　part　of　herself　that　Mary　left　in　France　was　the　body　of　the

young　king；　who　had　taken　with　him　all　poor　Mary's　happiness　into　his

tomb。



Mary　had　but　one　hope　remaining；　that　the　sight　of　the　English　fleet

would　compel　her　little　squadron　to　turn　back；　but　she　had　to　fulfil

her　destiny。　　This　same　day；　a　fog；　a　very　unusual　occurrence　in

summer…time；　extended　all　over　the　Channel；　and　caused　her　to　escape

the　fleet；　for　it　was　such　a　dense　fog　that　one　could　not　see　from

stern　to　mast。　　It　lasted　the　whole　of　Sunday；　the　day　after　the

departure；　and　did　not　lift　till　the　following　day；　Monday；　at　eight

o'clock　in　the　morning。　　The　little　flotilla；　which　all　this　time　had

been　sailing　haphazard；　had　got　among　so　many　reefs　that　if　the　fog

had　lasted　some　minutes　longer　the　galley　would　certainly　have

grounded　on　some　rock；　and　would　have　perished　like　the　vessel　that

had　been　seen　engulfed　on　leaving　port。　　But；　thanks　to　the　fog's

clearing；　the　pilot　recognised　the　Scottish　coast；　and；　steering　his

four　boats　with　great　skill　through　ail　the　dangers；　on　the　20th

August　he　put　in　at　Leith；　where　no　preparation　had　been　made　for　the

queen's　reception。　　Nevertheless；　scarcely　had　she　arrived　there　than

the　chief　persons　of　the　town　met　together　and　came　to　felicitate

her。　　Meanwhile；　they　hastily　collected　some　wretched　nags；　with

harness　all　falling　in　pieces；　to　conduct　the　queen　to　Edinburgh。



At　sight　of　this；　Mary　could　not　help　weeping　again；　for　she　thought

of　the　splendid　palfreys　and　hackneys　of　her　French　knights　and

ladies；　and　at　this　first　view　Scotland　appeared　to…her　in　all　its

poverty。　　Next　day　it　was　to　appear　to　her　in　all　its　wildness。



After　having　passed　one　night　at　Holyrood　Palace；　〃during　which；〃

says　Brantome；　〃five　to　six　hundred　rascals　from　the　town；　instead　of

letting　her　sleep；　came　to　give　her　a　wild　morning　greeting　on

wretched　fiddles　and　little　rebecks；〃　she　expressed　a　wish　to　hear

mass。　　Unfortunately；　the　people　of　Edinburgh　belonged　almost

entirely　to　the　Reformed　religion；　so　that；　furious　at　the　queen's

giving　such　a　proof　of　papistry　at　her　first　appearance；　they　entered

the　church　by　force；　armed　with　knives；　sticks　and　stones；　with　the

intention　of　putting　to　death　the　poor　priest；　her　chaplain。　　He　left

the　altar；　and　took　refuge　near　the　queen；　while　Mary's　brother；　the

Prior　of　St。　Andrews；　who　was　more　inclined　from　this　time　forward　to

be　a　soldier　than　an　ecclesiastic；　seized　a　sword；　and；　placing

himself　between　the　people　and　the　queen；　declared　that　he　would　kill

with　his　own　hand　the　first　man　who　should　take　another　step。　　This

firmness；　combined　with　the　queen's　imposing　and　dignified　air；

checked　the　zeal　of　the　Reformers。



As　we　have　said；　Mary　had　arrived　in　the　midst　of　all　the　heat　of　the

first　religious　wars。　　A　zealous　Catholic；　like　all　her　family　on　the

maternal　side；　she　inspired　the　Huguenots　with　the　gravest　fears：

besides；　a　rumour　had　got　about　that　Mary；　instead　of　landing　at

Leith；　as　she　had　been　obliged　by　the　fog；　was　to　land　at　Aberdeen。

There；　it　was　said；　she　would　have　found　the　Earl　of　Huntly；　one　of

the　peers　who　had　remained　loyal　to　the　Catholic　faith；　and　who；　next

to　the　family　of　Hamilton；　was；　the　nearest　and　most　powerful　ally　of

the　royal　house。　　Seconded　by　him　and　by　twenty　thousand　soldiers

from　the　north；　she　would　then　have　marched　upon　Edinburgh；　and　have

re…established　the　Catholic　faith　throughout　Scotland。　　Events　were

not　slow　to　prove　that　this　accusation　was　false。



As　we　have　stated；　Mary　was　much　attached　to　the　Prior　of　St。

Andrews；　a　son　of　James　V　and　of　a　noble　descendant　of　the　Earls　of

Mar；　who　had　been　very　handsome　in　her　youth；　and　who；　in　spite　of

the　well…known　love　for　her　of　James　V；　and　the　child　who　had

resulted；　had　none　the　less　wedded　Lord　Douglas　of　Lochleven；　by　whom

she　had　had　two　other　sons；　the　elder　named　William　and　the　younger

George；　who　were　thus　half…brothers　of　the　regent。　　Now；　scarcely　had

she　reascended　the　throne　than　Mary　had　restored　to　the　Prior　of　St。

Andrews　the　title　of　Earl　of　Mar；　that　of　his　maternal　ancestors；　and

as　that　of　the　Earl　of　Murray　had　lapsed　since　the　death　of　the

famous　Thomas　Randolph；　Mary；　in　her　sisterly　friendship　for　James

Stuart；　hastened　to　add；　this　title　to　those　which　she　had　already

bestowed　upon　him。



But　here　difficulties　and　complications　arose；　for　the　new　Earl　of

Murray；　with　his　character；　was　not　a　man　to　content　himself　with　a

barren　title；　while　the　estates　which　were　crown　property　since　the

extinction　of　the　male　branch　of　the　old　earls；　had　been　gradually

encroached　upon　by　powerful　neighbours；　among　whom　was　the　famous

Earl　of　Huntly；　whom　we　have　already　mentioned：　the　result　was　that；

as　the　queen　judged　that　in　this　quarter　her　orders　would　probably

encounter　opposition；　under　pretext　of　visiting　her　possessions　in

the　north；　she　placed　herself　at　the　head　of　a　small　army；　commanded

by　her　brother；　the　Earl　of　Mar　and　Murray。



The　Earl　of　Huntly　was　the　less　duped　by　the　apparent　pretext　of　this

expedition；　in　that　his　son；　John　Cordon；　for　some　abuse　of　his

powers；　had　just　been　condemned　to　a　temporary　imprisonment。　　He；

notwithstanding；　made　every　possible　submission　to　the　queen；　sending

messengers　in　advance　to　invite…her　to　rest　in　his　castle；　and

following　up　the　messengers　in　person；　to　renew　his　invitation　viva

voce。　　Unfortunately；　at　the　very　moment　when　he　was　about　to　join

the　queen；　the　governor　of　Inverness；　who　was　entirely　devoted　to

him；　was　refusing　to　allow　Mary　to　enter　this　castle；　which　was　a

royal　one。　　It　is　true　that　Murray；　aware　that　it　does　not　do　to

hesitate　in　the　face　of　such　rebellions；　had　already　had　him　executed

for　high　treason。



This　new　act　of　firmness　showed　Huntly　that　the　young　queen　was　not

disposed　to　allow　the　Scottish　lords　a　resumption　of　the　almost

sovereign　power　humbled　by　her　father；　so　that；　in　spite　of　the

extremely　kind　reception　she　accorded　him；　as　he　learned　while　in

camp　that　his　son；　having　escaped　from　prison；　had　just　put　himself

at　the　head　of　his　vassals；　he　was　afraid　that　he　should　be　thought；

as　doub