Spottiswoode Society > History of the affairs of the Church and State of Scotland from the beginning of the reformation to the year 1568 > Volume 2

G40 THE HISTORY OF THE AFFAIRS [1507.
cried out to all gentlemen and others who passed up and
down the streets, declaring how that she was their native
Princess, and that she doubted not but all honest subjects
would respect her as they ought to do, and not suffer her
to be abused. Next morning some people evidenced still their
malice by setting up a white banner,^ on which was painted
the effigies of the late King lying dead at the root of a
green tree, and the young Prince upon his knees uttering
these words — " Judge and revenge my cause^ Lord .'" At
this sight the Queen was greatly grieved, and burst forth
into many tears and exclamations against those Lords who
detained her a captive,^ crying to the people, for God's
cause to relieve her from the hands of these tyrants.3 The
people of the town hereupon convened to her in great
numbers, and perceiving her so afflicted in mind, had pity
and compassion upon her estate. Which, when the Lords
perceived, they came to her with dissimulate countenances,
The Queen was mightily overtaken with griefe and anger at these con-
temptible words and spectacle. She could not contain herself from
tears." After INIary was lodged in the Provost's house of the Black
Turnpike — " within a little she was observed to look out at a window upon
the street, and the people flocked to see, many pitying her sad calamitie ;
but presentlie the ensigne spoken of was brought out and spread before
her eyes." — Ilistorie of the Reigne of Marie Queen of Scots, by Lord
Herries, printed for the Abbotsford Club, p. 95. — E.]
1 [This was evidently the banner prepared by the unfeeling Captain
Lammie, mentioned by Birrel in his Diary, p. 10. — E.]
'^ " She now considering and perceiving to what end these matters
tended, most pitifully cried and called upon them to remember their late
promise ; or at the least, that she might be brought before the Council,
offering to stand to the order and direction of the States of the Realm.
But, God knoweth, all in vain ; for now had they the prey whereon they
intended to whet their bloody teeth." — Leslie's Defence.
^ [Mary is reported to have exclaimed from the window to the people
who were gazing at her in the streets — " Good people, either satisfy your
cruelty and hatred by taking away my miserable life, or release me from
the hands of such inhuman tyrants." The first object which was presented
to the Queen in the morning was the dreadful banner, Avhich the populace
had cruelly displayed directly opposite the window of the apartment she
occupied in the Blade Tuminke. The sight threw her into an agony of
despair, in the midst of which she tore the dress from her person, forget-
ting that she was almost naked, and made the above appeal to the crowd.
—John Beaton to his brother, 17th June 1567. This induced some of
them to relent, and they were about to take arms in defence of the
Queen, when the Confederates removed her to the Palace of Holyrood,
appeasing the citizens by promising her liberty, though they had deter-
mined to immure her next day in Lochleven Castle. — E.J