The Scots were now "Proddies": Mary---RC.1
The weather was "dreich", unlike gay Paree.
John Knox ranted on---she asked him to tea,2
He told her "No thanks": caused such a melee.
Henry her cousin she chose for her groom,3
A Catholic too, increasing the gloom4
Cous Henry turned out to be such a Ned,5
That Mary played cards and scrabble instead
With "Seigneur Davie", aide de French affairs6
Henry's "heid bangers" crept up the back stairs7
Connecting his rooms to Mary's abode,
Though unwelcome guests they purposely strode,8
Stabbed Dave in front of the poor pregnant Queen,9
And Darnley from then became a "has-been".
Son James was born soon after the murder,
Superfluous Darnley useful no longer;
The killers were found---sent into exile,10
And reckless Jim Hepburn topped the new pile11
Mary played checkers with ruthless Bothwell,
And gently in time came under his spell.
Darnley in Glasgow at this time lay ill,12
But sent for by Mary---plotting to kill
Hubbie who died when the house blew sky high,
And he was found strangled, not burned, nearby?13
Scholars say "No!"---though'ts plain as a pikestaff,14
Jim was involved and he had the last laugh,
When he wed the Queen in Holyrood House,15
Became Duke of Orkney, as the Queen's spouse;
Short-lived his laugh, the honeymoon over,
Nobles ended his living in clover.
Atholl and Morton the rebel Lords led,16
And to River Esk they purposely sped,
Faced Mary's army on Carberry Hill,17
When the hot summer sun sapped all their will,
Queen's soldiers in droves decided to flee,
And Bothwell to exiled death oversea.
Mary restrained in Lochleven Castle,18
Gave up her crown without any hassle19
Son Jamie was crowned about a year old,20
And Mary was livid when she was told.
Escaping by night from Castle Leven,
Her crown to retrieve and to get even,
But failed and fled south, sure shelter she'd get21
From English first cousin, Elizabet22
Lizzie was scared to grant Mary's request,
As Catholic Europe eager to test
If she were Henry's legitimate heir,23
Or as Boleyn's lass---a bastard? So there!24
In the provenance stakes Mary would win,
Her royal credentials due to her kin;
As great-granddaughter of Henry Tudor25
Heirs-rightful all dead suddenly stood her26
In line to be monarch of England too,
Queen of the British, a dynastic coup.
Cath'lics in England were all in favour,
Protestants, though, unable to savour.
Notes
1 Mary returned to Scotland after the death of her husband Francis II, King of France, in 1560.
2 John Knox,(c.1512-72).
3 Henry Darnley, (1546-67). Darnley was an English subject of royal blood, with a claim to the
English throne.
4 Married 29 July 1565.
5 Spoilt as a child, he was arrogant, wilful and narcissistic.
6 Musician turned Secretary, Turin-born David Rizzio, (c.1533-66).
7 Lord Ruthven and an accomplice.
8 Mary was entertaing some friends including Rizzio in her private apartments.
9 James Douglas, Earl Morton and his men were also found guilty of Rizzio's murder.
10 Ruthven died in Newcastle a few months later. Morton and many of his kin subsequently
returned to Scotland and were pardoned at the devious behest of William Cecil, Lord Burghley,
Queen Elizabeth's chief minister and spy-master who had always been antagonistic to Mary.
11 Earl of Bothwell, (c.1538-78).
12 He was recovering from syphilis.
13 At Kirk o' Field, 10 Feb. 1567. His death meant the end of amity between Elizabeth I and Mary.
14 Professor J. Guy, "My Heart is my Own".
15 May 1567.
16 John Stuart, 4th Earl of Atholl and James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton
17 Near Inveresk.
18 17 June 1567.
19 24 July. Her half brother, James, Earl of Moray, was made Regent.
20 James VI, (r.1567-1625).
21 Battle of Langside, 13 May 1568.
22 Elizabeth I, (r.1558-1603).
23 Elizabeth was declared illegitimate by a 1536 English Act of Parliament which was never repealed.
24 Ann Boleyn, Henry VIII's 2nd wife.
25 Henry VII. The relationship on which Mary's dynastic claim to the English throne was based. Mary
now had a strong case as Elizabeth's heir although Henry VIII's will precluded her.
26 Edward VI and Mary I of England the other children of Henry VIII.
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