universally standing at her Majesty's arrival in this her realm, under the pain of death, … Attour, her Majesty, by the advice of the Lords of her Secret Council, commands and charges all her lieges, that none of them take upon hand to molest or trouble any of her domestic servants or persons whomsoever come forth of France, in her Grace's company, at this time, in word, deed, or countenance … under the said pain of death. …
AN UNRULY PEOPLE
1561.—November 1. The Queen's first High Mass.
Thomas Randolph to Cecil. Wright's Elizabeth, vol. i. p. 83.
Upon All Hallow Day the Queen had a song mass. That night one of her priests was well beaten for his reward by a servant of the Lord Robert's. We look to have it proclaimed again that no man, under pain of confiscation of goods and lands here, say or come unto her own mass, saving her own household, that came out of France. …
It is now called in question whether that the Princess being an idolater may be obeyed in all civil and politic{al} actions. I think marvellously of the wisdom of God that gave this unruly, inconstant, and cumbersome people no more substance than they have, for then would they run wild.
THE HUNT IS UP
Popular Songs.
[The stanzas which follow are selected from the popular songs of the period. They date from a year or two before Mary's arrival in Scotland, but will serve to illustrate the extreme difficulty experienced by a Roman Catholic queen in dealing with such a people.]
The Gude and Godly Ballates. Reprint of 1868, p. 153.
The hunt is up, the hunt is up,[10] It is now perfect day, Jesus, our King, is gone in hunting, Who likes to speed, they may.
A cursed fox lay hid in rocks
This long and many a day,
Devouring sheep, while he might creep,
None might him scare away.
It did him good to lap the blood
Of young and tender lambs;
None could he miss, for all was his,
The young ones with their dams.
The hunter is Christ, that huntis in haste,
The hounds are Peter and Paul;
The Pope is the fox, Rome is the rocks,
That rubs us on the gall.
THE POPE, THAT PAGAN FULL OF PRIDE
Ibid.
The Pope, that pagan full of pride,
He has us blinded long;
For where the blind the blind does guide,
No wonder they go wrong;
Like prince and king, he led the ring
Of all iniquity;
"Hay trix, tryme go trix,"
Under the greenwood tree.
But his abomination
The Lord has brought to light;
His Popish pride, and threefold crown,
Almost have lost their might.
His plack pardons are but lardouns[11] Of new found vanity; "Hay trix, tryme go trix," Under the greenwood tree.
Of late I saw these limmers[12] stand Like mad men at mischief, Thinking to get the upper hand, They look after relief; But all in vain, go tell them plain That day will never be; "Hay trix, tryme go trix," Under the greenwood tree.
O Jesus! if they thought great glee
To see God's word down smorit,[13] The Congregation made to flee, Hypocrisy restorit; With masses sung, and bellis rung, To their idolatry; Marry, God thank you, we shall gar brank[14] you, Before that time truly.
MURRAY, LETHINGTON, AND KNOX
The Conduct of Affairs in the Early Years of the Reign—Randolph on Mary's Ministers.
Randolph to Cecil, October 24, 1561. Keith's History, vol. i. pp. 98–99.
I receive of her Grace at all times very good words. I am borne in hand {assured} by such as are nearest about her, as the Lord James and the Laird of Lethington, that they are meant as they are spoken; I see them above all others in credit, and find in them no alteration, though there be that complain that they yield too much unto her appetite; which yet I see not. The Lord James dealeth according to his nature, rudely, homely, and bluntly; the Laird of Lethington more delicately and finely, yet nothing swerveth from the other in mind and effect. She is patient to hear, and beareth much. The Earl Marischal is wary, but speaketh sometimes to good purpose. … Mr. Knox cannot be otherwise persuaded, but many men are deceived in this woman; he feareth yet that posteriora sunt pejora primis; his severity keepeth us in marvellous order. I commend better the success of his doings and preachings than the manner thereof, tho' I acknowledged his doctrine to be sound: His prayer is daily for her—"That God will turn her obstinate heart against God and His truth; or, if the Holy Will be otherwise, to strengthen the hearts and hands of His chosen and elect, stoutly to withstand the rage of all tyrants," &c., in words terrible enough.
PROTESTANT RULE
Cecil to Challoner (English Ambassador in Spain). Foreign Calendar, 1562, June 8, 1562.
In Scotland … the Earl of Huntly is in no credit with the Queen. The whole governance rests in Lord James, being Earl of Mar, and the Laird of Lethington. The others that have credit are the Earls Marshal, Argyll, Morton, and Glencairn, all Protestants. The Queen quietly tolerates the reformed religion throughout the realm, who is thought to be no more devout towards Rome than for the contentation of her uncles.
[Cecil's suspicion was quite unfounded. Throughout her reign Mary was always in correspondence with the Pope, to whom she appealed for money to help her in her efforts for the restoration of Catholicism in Scotland.]
Mary on the Treaty of Edinburgh.
