Stuarts

14 THE STUARTS
inquiring by name for those who had evinced most attachment to the ancient
faith ; if the English still harrased her dear native country, whether divine
worship had been preserved in uncontaminated purity ; whether the prelates
and the priests attended to their respective duties, expressing detestation for
all who had forsaken the faith of their fathers." That clerical influence is not
far to seek in such a speech as this is obvious enough, particularly in the last
sentence, and when we consider that the speaker was but eight years old ;
it is language which such a child would never use naturally, but, says Sir
John Skelton, " there was a mystical vein in her nature . . . she was an apt
and willing scholar, and seems indeed to have had that love of learning for
its own sake which is by no means common. The ascetic life which she led
while with her grandmother does not appear to have been distasteful to her.
Her juvenile exercises which have been preserved show considerable force and
facility of expression, and the devotional feeling which they manifest is obviously
unborrowed. She spoke fluently and readily, she had mastered more than
one language, her poetry was praised without reserve by Brantome and
Ronsard, who were critics as well as courtiers ; the Latin oration which she
made before the King and nobles of France when she was barely ten was
delivered with a spirit and animation which delighted the Court. She was
by nature courteous and considerate, as well as frank [and sincere, and she
won all hearts by her charm of manner and the grace of her address. Even
strangers were captivated by the bright, lively, intelligent child, who could
yet be so grave and reserved."
In a letter written by the Cardinal of Lorraine to his sister in Scotland
in 1553 we get another glimpse of the precocious and attractive girl: "I told
you, Madam," the Cardinal writes, "your daughter has grown much taller,
and she daily improves in goodness and virtue, in beauty and intelligence.
She could not possibly make greater progress than she does in all that is
excellent and of good reputation ; never have I seen her equal in this realm,
among high or low. I must not fail to tell you that so much does the King
enjoy her society that he frequently spends an hour in conversing with her,
and this is a great pleasure to him, for she talks as well and sensibly as if
she was a woman of five and twenty. You may be assured that in her you
have a daughter who will be the greatest of comforts to you. In the
settlement of her establishment it is my opinion there should not be anything
which is either superfluous or mean, for meanness is the thing which of all
others she hates most in this world. Be assured that already her spirit is