What really happened with MQS at CARLISLE England in 1568? In May 1568 Marie Queen of Scots/MQS had escaped from Lochleven prison in Scotland. 150 of the Scots Lords, the majority of leading Scots, signed a Bond to replace her on the throne. She was enroute to sail to France via Dumbarton to gather support from her Guise family when Lord Hamilton decided, against MQS orders, to battle with the pursuing Lord Moray at Langside. Hamilton was outmaneuvered by Knight Kirkcaldy on the Moray team and the battle lost. Moray pursued his half sister no doubt to kill her and prevent another escape. MQS fled across the border to England at Marys Port-Workington, gambling on the aide promised by cousin Queen Elizabeth Tudor / QE1 through her envoy Throckmorton and guaranteed by a diamond promise ring. MQS wrote to QE1 requesting of her to fulfill her promise. The deputy governor Lowther arrived with 400 horsemen to escort MQS to Castle Carlisle. Destitute of money and clothes a merchant Fletcher had gallantly provided her with a black dress. Lowther provided her with geldings and ordered that her expenses be put on his account. Lowther was evidently genuinely puzzled as exactly how to treat this strange bird of rare plumage which had so confidently flow into the English aviary; but he was determined to err if anything on the side of courtesy, not knowing from one minute to the next whether his guest might be summoned to London and there received with every honor by Queen Elizabeth herself... In London,,, Queen Marys arrival...had caused a flutter from which the English court would take time to recover... As Elizabeths instructions of 18 May stated, Mary was to told plainly that as Elizabeth INTENDED to ASSIST HER herself, any attempt on the Scottishs Queens part to bring in the French as well would be regarded as merely renewing the old quarrel... Queen Elizabeths next move was to send her trusted counsellor Sir Francis Knollys north to treat with her guest-captive... He was.. 55 years old...a leading PURITAN... Mary made an immediately favorable impression upon this experienced courtier... Knollys ventured... she was a notable woman... showeth a disposition to speak much and to be bold and to BE PLEASANT... commending by name all approved hardy men of her country although they BE HER ENEMIES... she concealeth no cowardice ... Knollys was instructed to tell Queen Mary that she could not be received at the English court until she had been PURGED of the stain of her husbands murder and this purgation could only be achieved if she SUBMITTED herself to the judgment of Elizabeth....MQS pointed out that both Maitland and Morton had assented to the murder (they signed the Craigmillar Bond seen by MQS at Carberry) of Darnley as it could be well proved.... Knollys himself was impressed by her arguments... Knollys was under orders (from QE1) to get his captive to agree to submit herself to this process (judgment by the real Darnley murderer - QE1 at York). Marys stay within Carlisle Castle was on Knollys own admission far from luxurious... There were heavy iron gratings across Marys windows and a series of 3 antechambers packed with soldiers that led to her chamber... the Queens clothing remained a problem (there was none) Queen Elizabeth appealed to for some help out of her own copious wardrobe, responded with gifts of such mean quality - some odd pieces.. and old... that embarrassed Knollys.... Queen Mary now desperately needed the income of her French estates to provide for her and her household... Her instructions of 30 May to Lord Fleming whom she dispatched to London MADE it CLEAR that if Elizabeth did NOT agree to help her then help was to be sought immediately from FRANCE and that Mary ... would arrange to DEPART THENCE as soon as possible. Lord FLeming however was NOT ALLOWED (by QE1) to proceed from London to France; and the MQS instructions were NEVER able to be carried out. Source: Fraser MQS p.369-375 Arrived as a fugitive requesting the aide offered freely by Qe1. Placed behind bars for making the request. Ordered to stand trial in a foreign country based on no evidence for an event in a foreign country. Sent rags by QE1 when she requested some clothes. Her envoy arrested from requesting aide from her family in France. Now is there anything in this story worthy of Murdering the Scottish Queen by burning her in effigy at Carlisle?
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 18:19:10 +0000
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