e, and by the influence which her brothers had acquired
over her. When Mary commenced hostilities against that kingdom, Henry
required the queen regent to take part in the quarrel; and she summoned
a convention of states at Newbottle, and requested them to concur in a
declaration of war against England. The Scottish nobles, who were become
as jealous of French as the English were of Spanish influence, refused
their assent; and the queen was obliged to have recourse to stratagem
in order to effect her purpose. She ordered D'Oisel to begin some
fortifications at Eyemouth, a place which had been dismantled by the
last treaty with Edward; and when the garrison of Berwick, as she
foresaw, made an inroad to prevent the undertaking, she effectually
employed this pretence to inflame the Scottish nation, and to engage
them in hostilities against England.[****]

* 12th April, 1554.

** Knox, p. 89.

*** Keith, p. 70. Buchanan, lib. xvi.

**** Buchanan, lib. xvi. Thuan. lib. xix. c. 7.

The enterprises however, of the Scots proceeded no farther than some
inroads on the borders: when D'Oisel of himself conducted artillery
and troops to besiege the Castle of Werke, he was recalled, and sharply
rebuked by the council.[*]

* Knox. p. 93.

In order to connect Scotland more closely with France, and to increase
the influence of the latter kingdom, it was thought proper by Henry to
celebrate the marriage between the young queen and the dauphin; and
a deputation was sent by the Scottish parliament to assist at the
ceremony, and to settle the terms of the contract.

The close alliance between France and Scotland threatened very nearly
the repose and security of Mary; and it was foreseen, that though the
factions and disorders which might naturally be expected in the Scottish
government during the absence of the sovereign, would make its power
less formidable, that kingdom would at least afford to the French a
means of invading England. The queen, therefore, found it necessary
to summon a parliament, and to demand of them some supplies to her
exhausted exchequer. As such an emergency usually gives great advantage
to the people; and as the parliaments during this reign had shown that,
where the liberty and independency of the kingdom were menaced with
imminent danger, they were not entirely overawed by the court; we shall
naturally expect that the late arbitrary methods of extorting money
should at least be