Mary Queen of Scots 1542-1587 Part 3

To Edinburgh your syttie princ.i.p.all.

Whereas your people with harts both one and all Doth here{in} offer to your excellence Two proper volumes[2] in memoriall As gyfte most gainand[3] to a G.o.dlie 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.de'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} G.o.dwill[8] consether[9]

Accepte their harts and take it pacientlie That may be done, seing all is yours together.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Spleen.

[2] The volumes were a Bible and a Psalter "coverit with fine purpour velvet." _Cf._ the _Diurnal of Occurrents_, September 2, 1561, which gives some additional details, and mentions that the child "delivered also to her hieness three writings, the tenour whereof is uncertain."

[3] Gainful.

[4] Could.

[5] Which.

[6] MS. to them.

[7] Beseeching.

[8] Goodwill.

[9] Consider.

_A TOLERANT PROCLAMATION_

Ill.u.s.trations 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.dly 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 Ma.s.s.

_Thomas Randolph to Cecil. Wright's Elizabeth_, vol. i. p. 83.

Upon All Hallow Day the Queen had a song ma.s.s. 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 ma.s.s, 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 G.o.d that gave this unruly, inconstant, and c.u.mbersome 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 ill.u.s.trate the extreme difficulty experienced by a Roman Catholic queen in dealing with such a people.]

_The Gude and G.o.dly 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 G.o.d's word down smorit,[13]

The Congregation made to flee, Hypocrisy restorit; With ma.s.ses sung, and bellis rung, To their idolatry; Marry, G.o.d thank you, we shall gar brank[14] you, Before that time truly.

------------------------------------------------------------- [10] _Original reads_, With huntis up.

[11] Lumps.

[12] Worthless persons.

[13] Smothered.

[14] Put the barnacles on you, as on a restive horse.