Scotland/Scots > History of Mary Queen of Scots

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Mary Queen of Scots. [1555
Queen Catharine. Her character. Embroidery.
of Queen Catharine, the wife of the King of
France and the mother of the little Francis to
whom she was to be married. Mary and Queen
Catharine did not, however, like each other very
well. Catharine was a woman of strong mind
and of an imperious disposition; and it is sup¬
posed by some that she was jealous of Mary
because she was more beautiful and accom¬
plished and more generally beloved than her
own daughters, the princesses of France. At
any rate, she treated Mary in rather a stern
and haughty manner, and it was thought that
she would finally oppose her marriage to Fran¬
cis her son.
And yet Mary was at first very much pleas¬
ed with Queen Catharine, and was accustomed
to look up to her with great admiration, and to
feel for her a very sincere regard. She often
went into the queen’s apartments, where they
sat together and talked, or worked upon their
embroidery, which was a famous amusement
for ladies of exalted rank in those days. Mary
herself at one time worked a large piece, which
she sent as a present to the nuns in the con¬
vent where she had resided; and afterward, in
Scotland, she worked a great many things,
some of which still remain, and may be seen in