Mary Queen of Scots, 1542-1587. Various
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Two proper volumes[2] in memoriall As gyfte most gainand[3] to a godlie prince.
Wherein your Grace may reade to understande
The perfett waye unto the hevennes hie,
And how to Rule your subiects and your land,
And how your kingdom stablished shalbe,
Judgment and wysdome therein shall ye see.
Here shall you find your God his due commande,
And who the contrarie does wilfullie,
How them he threatens with his scurge and wand.
Ane gyfte more precious cold[4] we none present Nor yet more needefull to your Excellence, Qwylk[5] is Gode's lawes his words and testament Trewlie translate with frutefull diligence, Qwylk to accepte with humble reverence The Provist present most hartelie you exorte With the hole subiects due obedience, Together with the keyes of their porte.
In signe that they[6] and all that they possess Bodie and good shall ever reddie be To serve you as their souveraine hie mistress Both daye and {night} after thair bound dutie: Besechinge[7] your Grace in this necessitie Thair {too} shorte tyme and {their} godwill[8] consether[9] Accepte their harts and take it pacientlie That may be done, seing all is yours together.
A TOLERANT PROCLAMATION
Illustrations of the Religious Difficulty—Proclamation regarding Religion.
Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, August 26, 1561.
Forasmuch as the Queen's Majesty has understood the great inconveniences that may come through the division presently standing in this realm for the difference in matters of religion, that her Majesty is most desirous to see pacified by a good order, to the honour of God and the tranquillity of her realm, and means to take the same by the advice of her Estates as soon as conveniently may be; and that her Majesty's godly resolution therein may be greatly hindered in case any tumult or sedition be raised among the lieges, if any sudden innovation or alteration be pressed or attempted before that the order may be established. Therefore … her Majesty ordains letters to be directed to charge all and sundry, lieges, … that none of them take upon hand, privately or openly, to make any alteration or innovation of the state of religion, or attempt anything against the form which her Majesty found public and 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