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Mary
Stuart, 1542-1587, Queen of Scotland and Dowager Queen of France.
Daughter of James V of Scotland and Marie de Guise. Eventually, after an eventful time, Mary was executed at Fotheringay Castle, Northampton on the orders of Queen Elizabeth. It is said that she died with dignity and great courage.
He arrived at Hermitage Castle about the same time as Mary arrived in Jedburgh to attend court and deal with wrongdoers. She arrived in Jedburgh 9th October 1566 Bothwell initially met with some success. He apprehended the Armstrong lairds of Mangerton and of Whithaugh who were known to be active reivers. While searching for other miscreants he came upon one named Little Jock Elliot who was wanted for many offences. Bothwell had, at that moment, become separated from his men but nevertheless challenged Elliot alone and succeeded in shooting him in the leg. Bothwell dismounted and approached Elliot thinking him completely disabled but Jock was very much alive and, making huge effort, rose up and struck Bothwell a mighty blow with his two handed sword. Bothwell's men found him severely injured and bore him to nearby Hermitage. However, when they arrived, they found that their prisoners at Hermitage, mainly Armstrongs, had overpowered their guards and taken over the castle. They refused to allow the injured Bothwell to enter. Led by Robert Elliot of the Shaws, the reivers negotiated with Bothwell who agreed to free all the prisoners and to grant them amnesty. Lying injured without medical help, Bothwell was probably past caring. His party were allowed into the castle where his wounds were attended to. While attending to her civic duties in Jedburgh, news reached Mary that Bothwell had been seriously hut during an encounter with the reivers and lay helpless at Hermitage. She decided to go to Hermitage there and then to attend to him.
The route
took the party over huge tracts of open moorland and bog. It was
difficult terrain and the weather was foul. Mary was only able to stay briefly as the party had to return to Jedburgh that same day.
Mary was executed at Fotheringay Castle in 1587. |