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12-18

FROM THE

XVth to the XVIIIth CENTURY

PART II

1143 MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS. BUCHANAN (George). ANE DETECTIOUN OF THE DUINGES OF MARIE QUENE OF SCOTTES, touchand the murder of hir husband, and hir conspiracie, adulterie, and pretensed mariage with the Erle Bothwell, And ane defence of the trew Lordis, mainteineris of the Kingis graces actioun and authoritie. Translatit out of the Latine quhilke was written by G. B.

With oval portrait of Mary Queen of Scots by G. Vertue, inserted and laid down.

FIRST EDITION IN SCOTTISH DIALECT.
BLACK LETTER. Small 8vo.

gilt, g. e.

Contemporary red morocco

No place or date.

(1570.)

£42

Bound with the above are the following very rare contemporary pieces on Mary Queen of Scots:

Buchanan (G.) Ane Admonition direct to the trew Lordis mantenaris of the Kingis Graces Authoritie. M.G.B. Imprinted at London by John Daye, accordyng to the Scotish copie Printed at Striuilyng by Robert Lekpreuik. Anno. Do. M.D.LXXI.

A discourse touching the pretended match between the Duke of. Norfolke, and the Queene of Scots. N.D. (c. 1571).

The effect of the declaration made in the Guildhall by M. Recorder of London, concerning the late attemptes of the Quenes Maiesties evill, seditious, and disobedient subiectes. Imprinted at London by John Daye dwelling over Åldersgate. N.D. (c. 1571). Etc.

Buchanan's 'Detection' was first published in London in Latin and then in the Scottish dialect. In it the charges against Mary Queen of Scots in the 'Book of Articles,' in the form of a judicial paper, are reiterated and adapted to the purposes of a polemic. After all allowance for party spirit and the well-founded belief of the reformers that Mary was a subtle and dangerous enemy, the 'Detection' must be deemed a caluminous work, which not only sought out doubtful and trivial incidents to blacken her character, but invented others for which there was no warrant. Buchanan charges Mary with an attempt to make Darnley and Moray quarrel, in the hope of ridding herself of both. For this and similar charges there is no evidence, and they have been silently dropped even by historians who believe her capable of any wickedness. We cannot wonder that she describes this work, when Elizabeth, with peculiar spite, sent her a copy of the 'Detection' instead of the priest she asked for, as a defamatory book by an atheist, Buchanan, the knowledge of whose impiety had made her request a year before that he should not be left near her son, to whom she heard he had been given as preceptor!

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS-continued.

FROM THE LIBRARY OF PATRICK RUTHVEN, 3RD LORD RUTHVEN (1520-1566), PRIVY COUNCILLOR OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, AND THE CHIEF INSTIGATOR IN THE MURDER OF RIZZIO.

1144 CARION (J.). LE LIURE DES CHRONICQUES DE SEIGNEUR LEHAN CARION PHILOSOPHE, ou sont comprins tous haultz actes & beaulx faictz en decent & couenable ordre, depuis le commencement du monde iusques au regne du tres chrestien Roy Francoys premier de ce nom, etc.

Tourné de Latin en Francoys par maistre Iehan le Blond.
Illustrated with 15 well-executed woodcuts.

Small 8vo. In contemporary brown calf, having on either side in gold the ROYAL CREST OF SCOTLAND (USED BY MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS), NAMELY, THE LION OF ST. ANDREWS.

Paris, 1546.

£105

A BOOK OF THE HIGHEST INTEREST FROM THE LIBRARY OF LORD RUTHVEN, PROBABLY A PRESENTATION COPY FROM MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS TO HER CELEBRATED PRIVY COUNCILLOR. ON FLY-LEAF AT COMMENCEMENT IS THE FOLLOWING INTERESTING NOTE OF OWNER

SHIP:

Fatricii domini Ruthvene, superioris terrarum et barroniarum de Dirletoun
Libellus pulcherrimus,'

and in a different handwriting are the words:

"et maintenant d'Alexandre-" indicating a subsequent French owner. Patrick Ruthven, in 1552, was appointed to the command of the footmen of the army sent to France: He succeeded his father before 15 December of the same year, when the Queen conceded to him and his wife, Janet Douglas, a third part of the lands of Dirleton, Haliburton, and Hassindean, Berwickshire.

When Ruthven, in 1559, was requested by the Queen Regent to suppress the Reformation heresy among the inhabitants of Perth, he is reported to have answered "that he would make their bodies come to her grace, and to prostrate themselves before her," but that to cause them to do against their conscience he could not promise."

In a

In February, 1563, Ruthven was chosen a privy councillor of Mary Queen of Scots. Referring to his election, Randolph affirmed that the appointment "misliked Moray "" on account of his sorcery; that "an unworthier there is not in Scotland than he," and that more might be spoken than he dared write. later letter he also mentions that the Queen "cannot abide him," and that "all men hate him." The explanation of these rumours regarding Ruthven is partly supplied by Knox, who states that the Queen in conversation referred to the

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS: CARION (J.)-continued.

"offering of a ring to her by Lord Ruthven," and declared that, though at Maitland's instance he had been made one of her privy council, she "could not love" him, for she knew him "to use enchantment."

The first wife of Ruthven having been a Douglas, and his children by her being cousins-german of Lord Darnley, Ruthven was naturally a supporter of the Darnley marriage. Randolph represents him as the "chief councillor" of those who were bent on the marriage; and Knox_states that at Mary's council at this time were only the Earls of Atholl and Lennox and Lord Ruthven. It was Ruthven and Atholi who, with three hundred horsemen, escorted the Queen safely from Perth through Fife to Callendar House, when a plot was suspected to have been formed by Moray for her capture on the journey south. During the rebellion of Moray, after the Queen's marriage to Darnley, Ruthven also joined the forces of the Queen with a command in the rearguard of the battle.

The rise of Rizzio in the favour of the Queen, accompanied as it was by the declining influence of Darnley and of the relatives and friends who had been the main supporters of the marriage, was observed by Ruthven with feelings of deep resertment. As early as 12 October, 1565, Randolph wrote that Morton and Ruthven "only spy their time, and make fair weather until it come to the pinch." It was probably at the suggestion of Morton or Ruthven that George Douglas inspired Darnley to apply to Ruthven to aid him against the "villain David.' Ruthven, although then so ill that he was scarcely able to walk twice the length of his chamber," agreed to assist him to the utmost of his power, and formally made known the proposal to Morton. It was Ruthven and Morton who agreed to undertake the management of the arrangements for seizing Rizzio. Their names are the only ones known to have been attached to the bond signed by Darnley, and probably they were attached as witnesses. Ruthven, in complete armour and pale and haggard from his long sickness, was the first of the conspirators to enter the Queen's supper chamber after Darnley had taken his seat beside the Queen. The first conjecture of the Queen and her attendants was that he was raving through the vehemency of a fever." In a stern voice Ruthven commanded Rizzio to come out from the presence of the Queen, as it was no place for him "; and as he was about to seize Rizzio, who clung to the garments of the Queen, the other conspirators broke in and hurried Rizzio to the outer chamber. When Atholl, Huntly, Bothwell, and other nobles then in attendance on the Queen in the palace, alarmed at the uproar, appeared to be meditating a rescue, Ruthven went down, and, explaining to them that harm was intended to no one except Rizzio, and that they were acting at the instance of Darnley, who was present, persuaded them to retire to their chambers. He then returned to the Queen's chamber, and, being. faint, sat down and called for a cup of wine. Then followed the remarkable conversation with_the_Queen detailed at length by Ruthven in his "Relation." After the murder, Ruthven, ill though he was, took part with the other conspirators in the deliberations as to the future government of the country. After the arrival of Moray the Queen was also persuaded to admit him and Morton into her presence and grant them a promise of pardon; but on the Queen's escape to Dunbar they fled into England. While in England Ruthven penned the description of the murder known as the "Relation"; but as it was specially intended for the perusal of Elizabeth, and as a justification of the conspiracy on the only ground that would be acceptable to Elizabeth-that Mary had been unfaithful to her husband-its statements, notwithstanding the graphic ferocity of their tone, are suspicion. The excitement of the assassination, followed by a hurried flight into England, brought about a serious reaction in Ruthven's health, and after several months of great weakness he died at Newcastle on 13 June, 1566. (D.N.B.)

open to