with child, in her presence, had such an first of all on account of his voice. He was drawn in (says Melvil) to sing sometimes with the rest, and afterwards, when the queen's French secretary retired himself to France, he obtained the said office. And as he thereby entered in greater credit, so he had not the prudence how to manage the same rightly. For frequently, in presence of the nobility, he would be publickly speaking to her, even when there were the greatest conventions of the states. Which made him to be much envied and hated, especially when he became so great, that he presented all signatours to be subscribed by her majesty. So that some of the nobility would frown upon him, others would shoulder him and shut him by, when they entered the queen's chamber, and found him always speaking with her. For those who had great actions of law, new infestments to be taken, or who desired to prevail against their enemies at court, or in law-suits before the session, addressed themselves to him, and depended upon him, whereby in short time he became very rich." Here was great familiarity we see, and such as could not be much to the credit of a sovereign princess. For 'tis expected that such a one should maintain her rank, and scorn to stoop to those who have neither birth nor breeding. But Mary gave herself up to David, and was advised by him in things of the utmost importance. This appears from Melvil, who knew them well, and likewise from Spotswood. For both these assure us, he was the person, the only a Memoirs of Sir James Melvil, p. 54. fol. Lond. 1683. See likewise the History of the Church of Scotland by archbp. Spotswood, p. 189, 193. edit. 3d. fol. Lond. 1668. effect on this her son, that even through his person who prevailed on the queen to marry Henry Lord Darnley. She at first disrelished the proposal, but thro' means of Rixio, "she took ay the longer the better liking of him, and at length determined to marry him." No wonder then common fame was not favourable in her reports of Mary, and that the envious and ill-natured hinted things reproachful to her virtue, I prétend not to say any thing criminal passed between the queen and her secretary (though her affair, after her husband's death, with Bothwell, would induce one to suspect her not incapable of a familiarity so dishonourable); but I think, all men must allow that things were not so decently managed between them as they ought. Persons of an elevated rank, should strive not only to be good, but to appear so ; and careful to act in so pure and unexceptionable a manner, that envy itself may not be able to blast their reputation.However Mary had little regard to what the world said. She continued her favour to her fiddling secretary, 'till a violent death put an end to it, to her great horror and amazement. Rixio, though he had procured the queen for Darnley, could not long continue in this favour; suspicions being put into his head, he consented to his murther, which was perpetrated in the following manner: "At six o'clock at night, when the queen was at supper in her closet, a number of armed men entered within the court, and going up into the closet (where the king was leaning on the queen's chair) overthrew the table, candles, meat and dishes. Rixio took the queen about the waste, crying for mercy, but George Dowglas, plucked life he could not bear the sight of a drawn out the king's dagger, and struck Rixio first with it, leaving it sticking in him. He making great shrieks and cries, was rudely snatched from the queen, who could not prevail either with threats or entreaties to save him. But he was forcibly drawn forth of the closet, and slain in the outer hall, and her majesty kept as a captive"."But they had no commandment from the contrivers so to kill him, but to bring him to public execution. "And good it had been for them so to have done, or then to have taken him in another place, and at another time than in the queen's presence. For besides the great peril of abortion which her fear might have caused, the false aspersions cast upon her fame and honour by that occasion, were such as she could never digest, and drew on all the pitiful accidents that afterwards ensued"." The fright and terror the queen was in at the sight of the drawn sword, so far influenced the child in her womb, that, "Sir Kenelm Digby assures us, he had such an aversion to a naked sword all his life-time, that he could not see one without a great emotion of spirits; and though otherwise couragious enough, he could not over-master his passions in this particular. I remem ber, adds he, when he dub'd me knight, in the cere mony of putting a naked sword upon my shoulder, he could not endure to look upon it, but turned his face another way; insomuch that in lieu of touching my shoulder, he had almost thrust the point into my eyes, had not the duke of Buckingham guided his hand aright." ■ Melvil, p. 64. b Spotswood, p. 195. Digby of the Power of Sympathy, p. 188. at the end of his Discourse on Bodies. 4to. Lond. 1669. sword. He was placed in the throne after his mother's forced resignation, July 25, 1567, being but little above a year old. He had the famous George Buchanan for his tutor, by whom he seems to have profited little, and towards whose memory he had a great aversion. During his minority the king The famous George Buchanan for his tutor, by whom he seems to have profited little, and towards whose memory he had a great aversion.] Buchanan's merit needs not to be celebrated by me. His fame as a polite writer, and a man of deep learning and solid judgment, is established on the most lasting foundations. Even those who dislike most of all his principles, refuse not to give him his due praise. And I need not be afraid to assert that his writings will be read and admired as long as learning in this part of the world shall live. Melvil says, "he was a man of notable endowments for his learning and knowledge in Latin poesie, much honoured in other countries, pleasant in conversation, rehearsing at all occasions moralities short and instructive, whereof he had abundance, inventing where he wanted"." A tutor this, worthy a great prince, and fit to form the mind to virtue and politeness! for I doubt not but he discharged with honour the duty of his trust, and did what in him lay to inspire his pupil with just opinions, and elegant sentiments. But his labour was in vain. For it does not appear that James improved any thing by his master, or studied at all to copy after him, for his writings are wholly pedantic; his style low and mean; his arguments taken from those barbarians the school See Thuanus's judgment of him in Bayle's Dictionary, article Bus chanan, note (H). ⚫ Melvil, p. 125. See also Spotswood, p. 325. dom had several regents, viz. his uncle men; and his method of treating his adversaries was after the manner of your country controvertists, inspired with the most fervent zeal. Abundant proof of these assertions will be found in the extracts I shall give of some of his writings in the ensuing notes. However, not contented to disgrace his tutor by his want of improvement, he treated him with contempt also and reproach. Thus for instance, when the authority of Buchanan, for resisting kings, was alleged by cardinal Perron, James replies, " Buchanan I reckon and rank among poets, not among divines, classical or common. If the man hath burst out here and there into some terms of excess, or speech of bad temper; that must be imputed to the violence of his humour, and heat of his spirit."What a contemptible way of speaking of a tutor is this, more especially of so great a man as Buchanan? Had Buchanan been ever so wrong in his opinion, the least sense of decency or gratitude should have restrained his pupil from speaking of him after such a manner. Next to parents, tutors (if they have discharged their parts well) have always been thought to have deserved honour*; and *Dii majorum umbris tenuem & sine pondere terram, Qui præceptorem sancti voluere parentis Juv. Sat. VII. v. 207. In peace, ye shades of our great grandsires rest, Who pious reverence to their tutors paid, CHARLES DRyden. a The Works of the most high and mighty prince James by the grace of God, &c. published by James bishop of Winton, 1616. Lond. fol. p. 480. |