Mary Stuart in Scotland

Mary Stuart reached Scotland on August 19, 1561. Her position was not an easy one. She had refused to ratify the treaty of Edinburgh, and Elizabeth distrusted her. She had to face the implacable John Knox, to place herself under the control of the Scottish Protestants, and, in consequence, to see her priests insulted and her faith scorned. Yet for four years she governed with shrewdness and skill. Her advisers were her half-brother, James Stuart, Earl of Moray, and William Maitland of Lethington, favorite secretary of Mary of Guise. She adopted a policy of reconciliation with the moderate Protestants, who desired to see her succeed Elizabeth and eventually unite the crowns of England and Scotland. At the same time she tried to be friendly to Elizabeth, seeking, but in vain, some recognition of herself as heir to the English throne.

HOLYROOD PALACE, EDINBURGH.

Residence of Mary Queen of Scots, from 1561 to 1567.

During these years, 1561-1565, when peace prevailed in Scotland, important events were taking place abroad. Civil war had broken out in France because of the massacre by the Guises of a number of Huguenots at Vassy, March 1, 1562. The Dutch were gathering their forces for a revolt from Spain. Cecil continued his policy of aiding the Protestants in France in order to destroy the power of the Catholic party and to isolate Mary in Scotland. He persuaded Elizabeth, rather against her will, to send money and troops to the Protestant leader Conde, receiving in return the city of Havre. He continued the attack on the Catholics at home and disgraced the Spanish minister. Meanwhile parliament increased the penalties for refusing to take the oath of supremacy; and convocation, taking up at last the doctrinal question, reduced the Forty-two Articles of Edward VI to Thirty-nine, adopted the catechism and homilies, and so completed the establishment of the Anglican church (1563).

At this point Cecil's policy received a check. At Amboise, in France, a treaty was arranged between Catherine de' Medici, the queen-mother, and Charles IX, the successor of Francis II, on one side, and the Huguenots on the other. Elizabeth seemed to be left in the lurch. Then Cecil, without breaking off relations with France, assumed his old attitude of friendship for Spain. He dropped the proposed marriage with the Archduke Ferdinand, who had proved unsatisfactory, and suggested the Archduke Charles, his elder brother, as a suitor for Elizabeth's hand. At the same time he allowed Catherine to propose that Elizabeth should marry her son, Charles IX. During 1565 Elizabeth dallied with both proposals, holding off France and Spain, and at the same time encouraging the earl of Leicester at home.

Catherine de' Medici's compact with the Huguenots seems to have made Mary Queen of Scots believe that she could no longer count on the aid of France, and she now let it be known openly that she desired to unite the Catholics of Europe and to claim the crown of England. She appealed to the Catholic nobles of England, to the pope, who promised her regular instalments of money, and to Philip, who tried to aid her. Cecil, who knew of all Mary's efforts, met them by sending aid to the Protestants of Scotland and encouraging the marriage of Elizabeth to Eric of Sweden. At the same time, by reviving the project of marriage with Archduke Ferdinand, Philip's cousin, he attempted to draw Philip away from France and a Catholic league.