Sunday, January 16, 2022

Mary, Queen of Scots, Presides Over Her First Parliament.

Mary, Queen of Scots, was queen of Scotland from several days after her birth. The Scottish Earl of Arran managed to wrest the regency of the kingdom from various competitors until her mother, Mary of Guise, and her allies, manage to wrest it from him. For six years, until she died in 1560, Mary of Guise managed to maintain power in the face of Protestant resistance.

Mary’s mother sent her to France where she was safe with dependable allies and would be properly brought up as a French girl. While there, she married Francis II, the heir to the French throne. Also too young and too chronically ill, to rule, the Guise family also ruled through regency.

Francis and Mary, then, were king and queen during numerous parliaments but physically present for none. They were represented through their regents. After the death of Mary’s mother, she selected a representative for one further parliament that she was not able to attend.

The following highly descriptive letter from Thomas Randolph, William Cecil’s English agent in Scotland (and later English ambassador), describes the first parliament over which Mary personally presided, especially her Royal procession and opening speech. He also describes the presentation in that august house of the dead body of the traitor, the Earl of Huntley.  

Thomas Randolph to the Earl Of Rutland, K.G., Lord President in the North.

 

1563, June 10. Edinburgh.— The Quene herself is in very good healthe, her ladies lustie, fayer, and brave. We have nowe cleene cast of our sorrowefull garments and m[o]urnynge we[e]des, as well for the late Kynge her grace's howsbonde as also for the deathe of her two uncles, the Duke and [the] Grande Prior. Her grace is 'well obbeyed, well served, and honored of as maynie of her subjectes as e[i]ther knowe their deutie to God, or what reverence the[y] oughte unto their sovereigne. Her Grace nowe lastlye [both] helde her Parlemente, the solemnitie whearof hathe byne verie greate The xxvi of May, her grace roode unto the Parlemente howse in thys order—Gentlemen, barons, lordes and erles in their arraye and place. After them the trompettes and suche other musike as the[y] had. Next the herauldes, then the Erle of Murraye that caried the sworde, the Erle of Argile the septer, and the Duke the crowne regall. Then followed herself in her Parlement roobes and a ver[y] fayer riche crowne upon her heade. Ther followed her grace fyrste the noble mens wyves as the[y] were in dignitie, 12 in number, after them the four virgins, maydes, Maries, damoyselles of honor, or the Quen's mignions, cawle them as please your honor, but a fayerrer syghte was never seen. These beinge nowe of the principals 16, ther followed them as maynie more so wonderfull in beautie that I knowe not what courte maye be compared unto them. The choyce, I assure your Lordship, that daye was ther of the whole realme. Havinge receaved her pla[c]e in Parliment, silence beinge commaunded unto th'assistance, she pronouncethe with a singular good grace an oration shorte, and verie prettie, whearof I sende your honor the coppie, as I am sure she made yt herself and deserved great prayse in utteringe of the same. I had that daye the honor to convoye her grace to the Parlemente howse, and to be presente at the whole solemnities and tyme of her beinge ther. Thys daye ther was lyttle done. The Fridaye after she commethe agayne to the same place. Maynie matters were then de[b]ated. Th'erles of Huntlye and Sotherlande were condemned for treason. The maner of the Erle of Huntlie's condemnation was thys. Hys dedde corps (keapte of purpose untyll thys tyme) was broughte into the Parlemente howse in a coffin, and sette uprighte as thoughe he had sloode upon his feete, and upon that a peece of good blacke clothe with his armes faste pynned. Hys accus[a]tion beinge redde his proctor answeringe for hym as hymself had byne alyve, the inqueste was impanelde. The verdict was geven that he was founde giltie, and judgement given therupon as by the lawe is accustomed. Immediatlye here upon the good clothe that honge over the coffin was taken awaye, and in place of that a wor[s]e hanged on, the armes torne in peeces in the sighte of the people, and lykewyse stroken owte of the herauldes booke.

* * *

Other actes there are dyvers towchynge the common welthe not yet publishede. One in speciall is thys which I wryte for the most notable, that advouterie [adultery] shalbe punyshed with deathe. Thus grevous and sore are our preachers agaynste us that with m[u]che adoe have [wrung] this lawe owte of the lordes handes full sore agaynste maynie of their wylles. The nexte nyghte after thys lawe was concluded upon, on[e] of the Quens chaplans was taken at mydnyghte with another man's wyf. . . . What execution wylbe done hereupon I knowe not. The [sic] of thys instant the Parlement ended, her graces self beinge at the concludinge of yt in like arraye and sorte as she was the fyrste daye.

* * *

The acts of Parliament are not yet published. Divers acts were revived. A law of oblivion was granted for all offences committed in the troublesome time of the Congregation. An act has been passed for the coinage; an act against the destroyers of young fish, in fresh water and salt; an act against swearers and adulterers. Divers gentlemen, as the Laird of [Grange], have been restored to their lands. The Earl of Huntley's wife was condemned as participant in her husbands treason, but pardoned by the Queen.

 

Source: The Manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of Rutland (1888), I. 84-7.



Also at Virtual Grub Street:

  • Ledger of Queen Elizabeth’s Jewel House, New Year’s 1571-2. January 2, 2022. “In this booke are contained all suche Juells as are delyvered to Maistres Katherine Howarde, one of the Gentlewomen of her Majestie's Privy Chamber, from time to time to her Highnes use.”
  • To Where Did Queen Elizabeth I Disappear in August 1564? July 18, 2021. “Leicestershire was in the opposite direction from London. Nichols could discover no more.”
  • Excerpts from Reports Following a Year of Royal Deaths (1536). September 19, 2021. “Chapuys speaks of a reconciliation between Henry and the Princess Mary.”
  • Queen Mary I to Henry Bedingfeld, 21 May 1554. Instructions for care of Princess Elizabeth at Woodstock. February 28, 2021. “On the morning of May 21, 1554, Princess Elizabeth embarked from the royal palace at Richmond,...”
  • Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
  • Check out the English Renaissance Letter Index for many letters from this fascinating time, some related to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
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