Chapter XVI: Reign of Queen Mary

⭘ France declined to confirm the Treaty of Edinburgh――Death of
Francis II.――State of Parties in Scotland――Arrival of Mary;
Interest of her reign――Difficulty of her Position; the Nobles
and the Preachers

⭘ A Royal Proclamation――Position of the Reformed Church――Mary’s
first Interview with Knox――Parliament declined to ratify the
Book of Discipline――Disposal of the Revenue of the Church; Knox
denounced it

⭘ Proceedings against the Earl of Huntly

⭘ The Court and the Preachers; Interview between the Queen and Knox
――Precarious State of the Protestant Party

⭘ Earl of Lennox; Lord Darnley――The Queen preparing for her
Marriage; the Earl of Moray opposed it――Intolerance――Energy of
the Queen; she married Darnley――Movement of the disloyal Nobles;
their Flight

⭘ Character of Darnley――He becomes the tool of the Nobles――A Plot
to murder Riccio, and restore the banished Nobles――Murder of
Riccio――Return of the banished Lords――Escape of the Queen

⭘ An Army rallied round the Queen, and the Disloyal Nobles
dispersed――Birth of James VI.――Moray restored――A Series of
Stirring Events

⭘ Origin of the Plot to murder Darnley――He was removed to Edinburgh
――Preparations of the Conspirators――Murder of Darnley――The
Chief Actor in the Crime――Was the Queen in any way guilty of
the Murder?

⭘ Trial of Bothwell――Parliament; many Acts granting Lands to the
Nobles――Many of the Nobles recommended Bothwell as a husband for
the Queen――Bothwell conveyed the Queen to Dunbar Castle, thence
to the Castle of Edinburgh, and their Marriage was celebrated at
Holyrood

⭘ A Royal Proclamation――Difficulties rapidly encompassed the
Queen――A party of the Nobles seized Edinburgh and assumed the
Government――Mary and Bothwell mustered an Army, but the Nobles
faced it――Mary surrendered and Bothwell fled――The Nobles
imprisoned the Queen

⭘ The Nobles soon developed their Plot――They deposed the Queen
and appointed the Earl of Moray Regent――Meetings of the General
Assembly――Coronation of the Infant King