[615] This "dispersioun of Goddis people," refers to what occurred shortly after the murder of David Riccio, when besides the persons who were implicated in that outrage, many others, like Knox himself, who had rendered themselves obnoxious to the Queen, were obliged to fly from Edinburgh for safety. As Knox was employed at this time, while residing in Kyle, in continuing his History, this may serve to explain, although not to justify, the very strong language which he frequently uses in mentioning Queen Mary, and the license of the courtiers.
[616] MS. G. omits "awin."
[617] The Glasgow MS. of Book Fourth, as stated in the preface, vol. i. p. xxxiii. formed originally a separate volume, and was written apparently some years earlier than the first three Books. It contains marginal notes, so nearly verbatim with the MS. 1566, as to leave little doubt of its having been copied from it, probably about the year 1580. But to the above marginal note, after "banisshed," there is added: "Anno 1566, after Davie's slauchter."
[618] In MS. G, "The Quenis arryval from France."
[619] In MSS. A, M, and L 4, "The twentie day."
[620] The Queen arrived in Leith harbour on Tuesday the 19th August 1561, and landed on the following day.
[621] In MSS. M, and L 4, instead of the next five lines, there is substituted this sentence, which is also copied by Calderwood, (vol. ii. p. 142,) "Shee brought with her als faire Jewells, pretious stones and pearles as wer to be found in Europe. Her tapestrie, and other stuff wer brought to Leith, in October. The verie face," &c.
[622] Celebrated in Scotish Song: see "The Queen's Marie," in Sir W. Scott's Border Minstrelsy. One of the verses in this ballad of Mary Hamilton, thus names them:
Yestreen the Queen had four Maries,
The night she'll hae but three;
There was Marie Seaton, and Marie Beaton,
And Marie Carmichael, and me
Bishop Lesley in describing the persons who accompanied the young Princess in her voyage to France in 1548, (see vol. i. p. 219,) says, "Of the quhilkis thair was four in speciall, of whome everie one of thame buir the samin name of Marie, being of four syndre honourable houses, to wyt, Flemyng, Levingstoun, Setoun, and Beatoun of Creich; quho remanit all foure with the Quene in France, during her residens thair, and returned agane in Scotland with her Majestie, in the yeir of our Lorde Jm Vc lxj yeiris." (History, p. 209.) And in his account of the Queen's arrival in Scotland in 1561, he repeats that she was attended "with many ladies and gentillwemen, speciallie the four maidis of honour quha passit with hir Hienes in France, of hir awin aige, the name everie ane of Marie, as is before mentioned." (Ib. p. 297.) Buchanan, in his verses, The Pomp of the Gods at the Marriage of Queen Mary, 29th July 1565, speaks of her five Maries. When she arrived in this country she was still in her first dule or mourning dress. But on the 11th November some change was made in the dresses of her pages and maidens; and one of the entries in the Treasurer's Accounts on that day, is as follows:—"Item, be the Quenis Grace precept, to Jacques de Soulis, talliour to hir Grace, to gif the Madynnis efter following, viz. to —— Flemyng, —— Betoun, —— Sunpartew, —— Levingstoun, —— Seitoun, —— Wardlaw, to by thair secund dule, ilk ane of the said five, ix lib., and to the said Wardlaw, x lib. vij s.—Summa, £55, 7s." There was also furnished black stannyng for clokis, and black velvet to 14 dames, damosels, and maidens, "to be thair secund dule;" to the extent of £144, 18s., and £112, 16s. 3d. Also, on the 18th, £4, 10s. for gray mantill claith, to be a gown, lined with green, for hir Grace's Fule; and on the 28th, £23, for "quhite tafiteis of the cord," and "red tafiteis of the foure threidis," to the Lady Seitoun.