Randolph himself was not in the secret of the English intrigue, which was to slip Darnley at Mary.  He came (February 1565):  Cecil and Leicester had “used earnest means” to ensure his coming.  On March 17 Mary was informed that she would never be recognised as Elizabeth’s successor till events should occur which never could occur.  On receiving this news Mary wept; she also was indignant at the long and humiliating series of Elizabeth’s treacheries.  Her patience broke down; she turned to Darnley, thereby, as the English intriguers designed, breaking up the concord of her nobles.  To marry Darnley involved the feud of the Hamiltons, and the return of Murray (whom Darnley had offended), of Chatelherault, Argyll, and many other nobles to the party of Knox and the preachers.  Leicester would have been welcome to Knox; Darnley was a Catholic, if anything, and a weak passionate young fool.  Mary, in the clash of interests, was a lost woman, as Randolph truly said, with sincere pity.  Her long endurance, her attempts to “run the English course,” were wasted.

David Riccio, who came to Scotland as a musician in 1561, was now high in her and in Darnley’s favour.  Murray was accused of a conspiracy to seize Darnley and Lennox; the godly began to organise an armed force (June 1565); Mary summoned from exile Bothwell, a man of the sword.  On July 29th she married Darnley, and on August 6th Murray, who had refused to appear to answer the charges of treason brought against him, though a safe-conduct was offered, was outlawed and proclaimed a rebel, while Huntly’s son, Lord George, was to be restored to his estates.  Thus everything seemed to indicate that Mary had been exasperated into breaking with the party of moderation, the party of Murray and Lethington, and been driven into courses where her support, if any, must come from France and Rome.  Yet she married without waiting for the necessary dispensation from the Pope.  Her policy was henceforth influenced by her favour to Riccio, and by the jealous and arrogant temper of her husband.  Mary well knew that Elizabeth had sent money to her rebels, whom she now pursued all through the south of Scotland; they fled from Edinburgh, where the valiant Brethren, brave enough in throwing stones at pilloried priests, refused to join them; and despite the feuds in her own camp, where Bothwell and Darnley were already on the worst terms, Mary drove the rebel lords across the Border at Carlisle on October 8.

Mary seemed triumphant, but the men with her—­Lethington, and Morton the Chancellor—­were disaffected; Darnley was mutinous:  he thought himself neglected; he and his father resented Mary’s leniency to Chatelherault, who had submitted and been sent to France; all parties hated Riccio.  There was to be a Parliament early in March 1566.  In February Mary sent the Bishop of Dunblane to Rome to ask for a subsidy; she intended to reintroduce the Spiritual Estate into the House as electors of the Lords of