Stuart dynasty

122 The Stuart Dynasty.
fair to emphasise the fact already mentioned that the signa-
tories were opposed to Mary Stuart long before the Casket
Letters fell into Morton's hands. Again, the adherence of
Athole — a leading member of the Eoman Catholic party — has
scarcely the significance Mr. Henderson would attribute to
it,* not only because the Lord of Blair Athole had played a
conspicuous part of antagonism to his sovereign after Car-
berry Hill, heading the subsequent procession into Edinburgh
pari passu with Morton, but because relationship to Darnley
had led the Catholic Earl into such strong partisanship
against Bothwell, as soon induced him — a proud Stuart
noble — to fly to arms.f Among the Associated Lords, none
was more enthusiastic than Athole in defending Mary's
child from the assumed machinations of the dreaded Hepburn, |
and, having been a main supporter of the match between
Mary and Darnley, he was in no philosophical mood, when,
three days after the Queen went to Lochleven, the historic
" sichting " of the letters took place in Edinburgh. John,
fourth Earl of Athole, a descendant of Jane, the widow of
James I. (James Stuart, the Black Knight of Lorn, being her
second husband), was in the first instance a zealous foe to the
Reformation, and doubtless looked askance upon the politic
tolerance which Mary adopted towards the disciples of Knox
and Buchanan. Again, Darnley's violent and mj'sterious
death had thrown Mary Stuart into the arms of the scoffer
Bothwell, who had been wont to pose as a Protestant. If,
however, it could be shown conclusively that the high-minded
Athole had judicially examined the Casket Letters, Mr. Hen-
derson's argument, forcible as it stands, might have had still
greater strength. Considering that a rooted distrust of Morton
and all his works was subsequently displayed by Athole, his
mere presence at the alleged opening of the casket cannot
fairly be held to indicate his real estimate of the letters.
Again, the loyal adherence of Mar could scarcely be
consistently counted on for Mary Stuart, since he was ready,
just before he died, to bargain with Queen Elizabeth for the
power to destroy her captive, the deposed Queen of Scotland.
Lord Seinple, notwithstanding his Catholicism, was the
partisan author of certain anti-Marian ballads, full of
Murray's praises, which are said to be more curious than
trustworthy. On authority such as this, it is vain then to
* Henderson's ' Casket Letters,' 1889, p. 94.
f Skelton's ' Maitland of Lethington,' vol. ii. p. 225.
J Douglas's ' Peerage,' yol. i. p. 141.