VII. J584. She is treated with greater rigour. BOOK and suspected her of carrying on a dangerous correspondence with the English Catholics, both within and without the kingdom. Nor were her suspicions altogether void of foundation. Mary had, about this time, written a letter to Sir Francis Inglefield, urging him to hasten the execution of what she calls the Great Plot or Designment, without hesitating on account of any danger in which it might involve her life, which she would most willingly part with, if by that sacrifice, she could procure relief for so great a number of the oppressed children of the church. Instead, therefore, of hearkening to the overtures which the Scottish Queen made, or granting any mitigation of the hardships of which she complained, Elizabeth resolved to take her out of the hands of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and to appoint Sir Amias Paulet and Sir Drue Drury to be her keepers. Shrewsbury had discharged his trust with great fidelity, during fifteen years, but, at the same time, had treated Mary with gentleness and respect, and had always sweetened harsh commands by the humanity with which he put them in execution. The same politeness was not to be expected from men of an inferior rank, whose severe vigilance perhaps was their chief recommendation to that employment, and the only merit by which they could pretend to gain favour or preferment.' Gray, a new fa As James was no less eager than ever to deprive the banished nobles of Elizabeth's protection, the King's. he appointed the Master of Gray his ambas vourite of VII. 1584. sador to the court of England, and intrusted him BOOK with the conduct of a negociation for that purpose. For this honour he was indebted to the envy and jealousy of the Earl of Arran. Gray possessed all the talents of a courtier; a graceful person, an insinuating address, boundless ambition, and a restless and intriguing spirit. During his residence in France, he had been admitted into the most intimate familiarity with the Duke of Guise, and, in order to gain his favour, had renounced the Protestant religion, and professed the utmost zeal for the captive Queen, who carried on a secret correspondence with him, from which she expected great advantages. On his return into Scotland, he paid court to James with extraordinary assiduity, and his accomplishments did not fail to make their usual impression on the King's heart. Arran, who had introduced him, began quickly to dread his growing favour; and flattering himself, that absence would efface any sentiments of tenderness, which were forming in the mind of a young Prince, pointed him out by his malicious praises, as the most proper person in the kingdom for an embassy of such importance; and contributed to raise him to that high dignity, in order to hasten his fall. Elizabeth, who had an admirable dexterity in discovering the proper instruments for carrying on her designs, endeavoured, by caresses, and by presents, to secure Gray to her interest. The former flattered his vanity, which was great; the latter supplied his profuseness, which was still greater. He VII. BOOK direction, and not only undertook to retain the King under the influence of England, but acted as a spy upon the Scottish Queen, and betrayed to her rival every secret that he could draw from her by his high pretensions of zeal in her service." 1584. His interest with the court of England. GRAY'S credit with the English court was extremely galling to the banished nobles. Elizabeth no longer thought of employing her power to restore them; she found it easier to govern Scotland by corrupting the King's favourites; and, in comDec. 31. pliance with Gray's solicitations, she commanded. the exiles to leave the north of England, and to remove into the heart of the kingdom. This rendered it difficult for them to hold any correspondence with their partisans in Scotland, and almost impossible to return thither without her permission. Gray, by gaining a point which James had so much at heart, rivetted himself more firmly than ever in his favour; and, by acquiring greater reputation, became capable of serving Elizabeth with greater success." 1585. Arran's ARRAN had now possessed for some time all the corruption power, the riches, and the honours, that his imand inso- moderate ambition could desire, or the fondness of lence. a Prince, who set no limits to his liberality towards his favourites, could bestow. The office of lord chancellor, the highest and most important in the kingdom, was conferred upon him, even during the life of the Earl of Argyll, who succeeded Athol in that dignity; and the public beheld, m Strype, iii. 302. Melv. 316. n Cald. iii. 643. VII. 1585. with astonishment and indignation, a man edu- BOOK cated as a soldier of fortune, ignorant of law, and a contemner of justice, appointed to preside in parliament, in the privy council, in the court of session, and entrusted with the supreme disposal of the property of his fellow-subjects. He was, at the same time, governor of the castles of Stirling and Edinburgh, the two principal forts in Scotland; provost of the city of Edinburgh; and as if by all these accumulated dignities his merits were not sufficiently recompensed, he had been created lieutenant-general over the whole kingdom. No person was admitted into the King's presence without his permission; no favour could be obtained but by his mediation. James, occupied with youthful amusements, devolved upon him the whole regal authority. Such unmerited elevation increased his natural arrogance, and rendered it intolerable. He was no longer content with the condition of a subject, but pretended to derive his pedigree from Murdo Duke of Albany; and boasted openly, that his title to the crown was preferable to that of the King himself. But, together with these thoughts of royalty, he retained the meanness suitable to his primitive indigence. His venality as a judge was scandalous, and was exceeded only by that of his wife, who, in defiance of decency, made herself a party in almost every suit which came to be decided, employed her influence to corrupt or overawe the judges, and almost openly dictated their decisions. His rapaciousness as a VII. 1585. BOOK minister was insatiable. Not satisfied with the revenues of so many offices; with the estate and honours which belonged to the family of Hamilton; or with the greater part of Gowrie's lands, which had fallen to his share; he grasped at the possessions of several of the nobles. He required Lord Maxwell to exchange part of his estate, for the forfeited lands of Kinneil; and because he was unwilling to quit an ancient inheritance for a possession so precarious, he stirred up against him his hereditary rival, the Laird of Johnston, and involved that corner of the kingdom in a civil war. He committed to prison the Earl of Athol, Lord Home, and the Master of Cassils; the first, because he would not divorce his wife, the daughter of the Earl of Gowrie, and entail his estate on him; the second, because he was unwilling to part with some lands adjacent to one of Arran's estates; and the third, for refusing to lend him money. His spies and informers filled the whole country, and intruded themselves into every company. The nearest neighbours distrusted and feared each other. All familiar society was at an end. Even the common intercourses of humanity were interrupted, no man knowing in whom to confide or where to utter his complaints. There is not perhaps in history an example of a minister so universally detestable to a nation, or who more justly deserved its detestation." ARRAN, notwithstanding, regardless of the sentiments and despising the murmurs of the people, Spotsw. 337, 338. |