12. Mary Queen of Scotland.

MARY STUART, sole Daugh∣ter and Heir to her Father James the fifth King of Scotland, born on the 7th. day of December, An∣no Domini One thousand five hundred forty two, whilst as yet an Infant was proclaimed Queen of Scotland, and James Earl of Arran constituted Go∣vernour during her minority: But up∣on the unfortunate loss of the day at that fatal Battle of Mussleburgh, An∣no Domini One thousand five hundred forty seven, she was conveyed into France, (to prevent her falling into the hands of the English) where after some time she was married to the Dau∣phin, Page  85 afterwards King, by the name of Francis the second, both of them being crowned King and Queen of France and Scotland, Anno Domini One thousand five hundred fifty nine, and laying claim to the Crown of England, quartered the Arms thereof, (which Fact was never forgiven her by Queen Elizabeth, altho' she disused them af∣terwards:) But King Francis dying the year following without Issue, gave her the Freedom of returning to her own Countrey, where she consumma∣ted her second Nuptials with the Lord Henry Darnley her Cousin-german, el∣dest Son of Matthew Stuart Earl of Lenor, that had been Governour, and Margaret Douglas his Wife, (Daugh∣ter and sole Heir of Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus, by Margaret Queen of Scots his Wife, eldest Daughter to King Henry the seventh of England.) He was the Son of John Stuart Earl of Le∣nor, and Brother to Robert that was Bishop of Cathuess & Earl of March, & John Stuart Lord d' Aubigny; which Page  86 John Earl of Lenor was Son of another Matthew Earl of Lenor, (who married the Daughter of James Hamilton Earl of Arran, which he had by the Lady Marion Daughter to King James the second.) He was the Son of John Stu∣art Earl of Lenor, that was elder Bro∣ther to Robert Stuart, (Captain of those Scotch-men who made themselves so renowned under the French-King Charles the sixth, both in his Wars in Italy and else-where, and in recom∣pence whereof the said King bestowed on him such large possessions in France, and gave him the Seigniory or Lord∣ship of d'Audigny in Avergne, whose Successor Robert Stuart Lord d'Aubig∣ny, (and Marshal of France in the time of King Lewis XI.) in comme∣moration thereof bare the Royal Arms of France with Buckles; or in a Bor∣dure Gules, and quartered them with his paternal Coat, viz. or a fes cheque Ar. & B. within a Bordure ingrailed Gules, and which the House of Lenor have ever since continued.) This John Page  87 and Robert were the Sons of Allan, (the first of the sirname of Stuart) Earl of Lenor, who having married one of the Daughters of Duncan Earl of Le∣nor, (who lost his head in the time of King James the first) had that Earldom bestowed on him; which Allan was descended from that Robert Stuart who married the Daughter and Heir of Cross or Crux, younger Brother to Alexander Stuart of Pascley, Great-grand-father to Robert the second King of Scots.

Henry Lord Darnley, and King of Scotland in right of his Wife, enjoy'd not that Title long, being most barba∣rously murthered, his Body flung out at a window, and the House blown up with Gun-powder, by the practice and contrivance of James Stuart Earl of Murray, the Queens base Brother, and of James Hepburn Earl of Both∣well, whom the Queen out of fear was forced afterwards to marry; up∣on which a defection of her Subjects immediately followed, and an open Rebellion commenced; Bothwel flies Page  88 the Kingdom, and she endeavours to pacifie the Mutineers, but all in vain: they growing so powerful and strong, that nothing less than the life of their Queen, or the resignation of the Go∣vernment, will quiet them: Having got her young Son (which she had by the Lord Darnley) into their power, they proclaim, crown and declare him King, depose the Queen, and drive her by force to seek protection in Eng∣land; where, alas! she became the sport of Fortune, by changing her Di∣adem for a nauceous Prison, and was made a Sacrifice to the Ambition and Revenge of One who would never ad∣mit a Competitor, or forget so as to for∣give an imagin'd Injury; and there∣fore, after she had undergone the se∣verity of an eighteen years Confine∣ment, her Royal Head was seperated from her Body by the stroak of an Ax, on the 8th. day of February, Anno Do∣mini One thousand five hundred eigh∣ty seven, at Fotheringay-Castle in Northamptonshire, to the great dis∣honour Page  89 of the English, and her Corps (out of a Policy of State, that the odi∣um of so inhospitable a fact might be blown off from the Authors, as being done by surprize) were conveyed with all the outward solemnity befitting the Funeral of so great a Queen, to the Ca∣thedral-Church of Peterborough, where she was buried; Afterwards, when her Son King James came to the Crown of England, he commanded that her Body should be removed, and carried to the Abbey-Church of St. Pe∣ters Westminster, where it was deposited in a new Vault on the South-side the Chappel of the B. Virgin, under a most Magnificent and Splendid Monument.