Series 3 > Scottish correspondence of Mary of Lorraine

MARY OF LORRAINE
373
the Scots nobility to see foreigners in general preferred
before them.
In this regard the disgrace of Huntly would not be
reassuring. The Regent, indeed, may have considered
this as a test case to try her strength. Although it is
perhaps now impossible to ascertain all the facts, it is at
least certain that the eclipse of the powerful Chancellor
was an event of no mean significance. Mary of Lorraine
had climbed to power largely by the support of the Gordon
influence, and it would seem that in the day of her success
she was not unwilling to cast aside the ladder as no
longer needful. She expressed ‘ ane ewyll opponzeone ’
of Huntly’s service. [No. CCLXIIL] Girvanmains sus¬
pected him [No. CCLXI], and he had many other enemies.
But although he himself acknowledged a ‘ fait,’ he
declared that it ‘ hes nocht beyne say greit bot hyr grace
may assay me agane.’ [No. CCLXIIL]
D’Oysel seems to suggest that Huntly was a masterful
oppressor whose sentence would have a salutary deterrent
effect upon other exalted offenders. His record was indeed
not stainless ; but if the Regent had regard to the advice
‘ at maisterfull opresseone be punest bayth be takyng
of geir and wardyng of ther bodeis in strait wardis ’ [No.
CCLIII], then the issue was to show that she was not
strong enough to enforce rigorous justice, irrespective of
persons. Huntly was certainly mulcted of much ‘ geir ’
and deprived of divers perquisites, yet the sentence of
exile was not only remitted but within a few weeks he
was himself exercising judicial functions. [No. CCLXVL]
The suspicion lurks that his ‘ fait hes nocht beyne say greit ’
as his power was excessive. His alleged crime afforded a
pretext to pluck the feathers of ‘ the Cock o’ the North.’ 1
1 In October 1559 the Lords of the Congregation insinuated that Huntly, ‘ one
of the principal friends of the Duke,’ was imprisoned out of animosity against
the Hamiltons ; but they do not substantiate the charge. {Calendar of Foreign
Papers, i. 45 (4).)