[{91}] As to the story of forgery, see a full discussion in the author’s ‘History of Scotland,’ i. 460-467. 1900.
[{94}] There is no proof that this man was the preacher George Wishart, later burned.
[{96}] A curious controversy is constantly revived in this matter. It is urged that Knox’s mobs did not destroy the abbey churches of Kelso, Melrose, Dryburgh, Roxburgh, and Coldingham: that was done by Hertford’s army. If so, they merely deprived the Knoxian brethren of the pleasures of destruction which they enjoyed almost everywhere else. The English, if guilty, left at Melrose, Jedburgh, Coldingham, and Kelso more beautiful remains of mediæval architecture than the Reformers were wont to spare.
[{99}] This part of our history is usually and erroneously told as given by Knox, writing fifteen years later. He needs to be corrected by the letters and despatches of the day, which prove that the Reformer’s memory, though picturesque, had, in the course of fifteen years, become untrustworthy. He is the chief source of the usual version of Solway Moss.
[{106}] The dates and sequence of events are perplexing. In ‘John Knox and the Reformation’ (pp. 86-95) I have shown the difficulties.
[{111a}] The details of these proceedings and the evidence for them may be found in the author’s book, ‘John Knox and the Reformation,’ pp. 135-141. Cf. also my ‘History of Scotland,’ ii. 58-60.
[{111b}] See ‘Affaires Etrangères: Angleterre,’ xv. 131-153. MS.
[{118}] Mary’s one good portrait is that owned by Lord Leven and Melville.
[{129}] I have no longer any personal doubt that Mary wrote the lost French original of this letter, usually numbered II. in the Casket Letters (see my paper, “The Casket Letters,” in ‘The Scottish Historical Review,’ vol. v., No. 17, pp. 1-12). The arguments tending to suggest that parts of the letter are forged (see my ‘Mystery of Mary Stuart’) are (I now believe) unavailing.
[{137}] I can construe in no other sense the verbose “article.” It may be read in Dr Hay Fleming’s ‘Reformation in Scotland,’ pp. 449, 450, with sufficient commentary, pp. 450-453.