ations, which was to be executed in the following manner; Moray
was to be sent for, with only a few attendants, to speak with the queen
at Perth, where Lord Darnly (then in suit to her for marriage) was; they
knew that Moray would speak his mind freely, upon which they were to
quarrel with him, in the heat of which David Rizzio was to strike the
first blow, and all the rest were to follow: But of this design also he
got previous intelligence by a friend at the court, nevertheless he
resolved to go, until advised by one Patrick Ruthven; he turned aside to
his mother's house, and there staid till this storm was over also.

The earl of Moray foreseeing what would be the consequence of the
queen's marriage with Lord Darnly[28], set himself to oppose it, but
finding little attention paid to any thing he said on that subject in
the convention of estates, he chose rather to absent himself for some
time, and accordingly retired to the border, where he staid until the
queen's marriage with Darnly was over.

The remarkable tragical events which succeeded, disgusted Moray more and
more at the court; with these the public are well acquainted: The murder
of Darnly, and Mary's after-marriage with the assassin of her husband,
has occasioned too much speculation of late years, not to be known to
every one in the least acquainted with the Scottish history. Moray now
found it impossible to live at a court where his implacable enemy was so
highly honoured; Bothwel insulted him openly; whereupon he asked leave
of the queen to travel abroad, and she, being willing to get rid of him
at all events, granted his desire, upon his promise not to make any stay
in England. He went over to France, where he remained until he heard
that the queen was in custody in Lochlevin, and that Bothwel had fled to
Denmark; and then returned home. Upon his arrival he was made regent, by
the joint consent of the queen and nobles, _anno_ 1567, during the young
king's minority.

He entered on the exercise of his office as regent, in the spring
following, and resolved with himself to make a tour through the whole
kingdom to settle the courts of justice, to repair what was wrong, &c.
But his adversaries the Hamiltons, perceiving, that by the prudence and
diligence of this worthy nobleman, the interest of religion would be
revived, than which nothing could be more disagreeable to them, who were
dissipated and licentious in an extreme degree, they could not endure to