04 - Celebrated Crimes - Mary Stuart by Alexandre Dumas

Celebrated Crimes is a unique series of historical narratives by a young, rising Alexandre Dumas, before he became renowned as the author of DArtagnan or Monte Cristo. The third volume focuses on the tumultuous life and tragic end of Mary Queen of Scots. Dumas meticulously delves into the controversial aspects of her reign, yet maintains a sympathetic perspective towards her. Remembered for her strong ties to France through education and marriage, Marys fate has been a subject of unending debate, especially in light of the role Elizabeth played in her downfall.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter four of Celebrated Crimes, Volume three by Alexandre Duma,
translated by George Burnham Ives. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Chapter four. Meanwhile, Bothwell had levied some
troops and thought himself in a position to hold the country. Accordingly,
he set out with his army without even waiting for

(00:20):
the Hamiltons, who were assembling their vassals, and June fifteenth,
fifteen sixty seven, the two opposed forces were face to face. Mary,
who desired to try to avoid bloodshed, immediately sent the
French ambassador to the confederate lords to exhort them to
lay aside their arms. But they replied that the Queen
deceived herself in taking them for rebels, that they were
marching not against her, but against Bothwell. Then the king's

(00:43):
friends did what they could to break off the negotiations
and give battle. It was already too late. The soldiers
knew that they were defending the cause of one man,
and that they were going to fight for a woman's
caprice and not for the good of the country. They
cried aloud then that since Bothwell alone was aimed at,
it for Bothwell to defend his cause and he vain
and blustering as usual, gave out that he was ready

(01:05):
to prove his innocence in person against whom ever would
dare to maintain that he was guilty. Immediately, everyone with
any claim to nobility in the rival camp accepted the challenge,
and as the honor was given to the bravest, Kirkcaldy
of Grange, Murray of Tillibardin, and Lord Lindsay of Byrus
defied him successively. Butbeit that courage failed himbeit that in

(01:27):
the moment of danger he did not find himself believe
in the justice of his cause, he to escape the
combat sought such strange pretexts that the Queen herself was
ashamed and his most devoted friends murmured. Then Mary, perceiving
the fatal humor of men's minds, decided not to run
the risk of a battle. She sent a herald to
Kirkaldy of Grange, who was commanding an outpost, and, as

(01:48):
he was advancing without distrust to converse with the Queen, bothwell.
Enraged at his own cowardice, ordered a soldier to fire
upon him, But this time Mary herself interposed forbidding him
under pain of death, to offer the least violence. In
the meanwhile, as the imprudent order given by Bothwell spread
through the army, such murmurs burst forth that he clearly

(02:09):
saw that his cause was forever lost, and that is
what the Queen thought also, for the result of her
conference with Lord Kirkcaldy was that she should abandon Bothwell's
cause and pass over into the camp of the Confederates,
on condition that they would lay down their arms before
her and bring her as queen to Edinburgh. Kirkcaldy left
her to take these conditions to the nobles and promised
to return next day with a satisfactory answer. But at

(02:32):
the moment of leaving Bothwell, Mary was seized again with
that fatal love for him that she was never able
to surmount, and felt herself overcome with such weakness that,
weeping bitterly and before everyone, she wanted Kirkcaldy to be
told that she broke off all negotiations. However, as Bothwell
had understood that he was no longer safe in camp,
it was he who insisted that things should remain as

(02:52):
they were, and, leaving Mary in tears, he mounted and
setting off at full speed. He did not stop till
he reached Dunbar day at the time appointed. The arrival
of Lord Kirkcaldy of Grange was announced by the trumpeters
preceding him. Mary mounted directly and went to meet him. Then,
as he alighted to greet her, my Lord said she,
I surrender to you on the conditions that you have

(03:14):
proposed to me on the part of the nobles, and
here is my hand as a sign of entire confidence.
Kirkcaldy then knelt down, kissed the Queen's hand respectfully, and rising,
he took her horse by the bridle and led it
toward the Confederate's camp. Every one of any rank in
the army received her with such marks of respect as
entirely to satisfy her. But it was not so at
all with the soldiers and common people. Hardly had the

(03:36):
queen reached the second line formed by them, than great
murmurs arose, and several voices cried to the stake the adulteress,
to the stake the parricide. However, Mary bore these outrages
stoically enough, But a more terrible trial yet was in
store for her. Suddenly she saw rise before her a
banner on which was depicted on one side the king

(03:57):
dead and stretched out in the fatal garden, and on
the other the young Prince kneeling, his hands joined and
his eyes raised to Heaven, with this inscription, O Lord, judge,
and revenge my cause. Mary reined in her horse abruptly
at this sight, and wanted to turn back, but she
had scarcely moved a few paces when the accusing banner
again blocked her passage. Wherever she went she met this

(04:19):
dreadful apparition. For two hours, she had incessantly under her eyes,
the king's corpse asking vengeance, and the young prince her son,
praying God to punish the murderers. At last, she could
endure it no longer. In crying out, she threw herself back,
having completely lost consciousness, and would have fallen if some
one had not caught hold of her. In the evening,
she entered Edinburgh, always preceded by the cruel banner, and

(04:41):
she already had rather the air of a prisoner than
of a queen, for not having had a moment during
the day to attend to her toilet. Her hair was
falling in disorder about her shoulders, her face was pale
and showed traces of tears, and finally her clothes were
covered with dust and mud. As she proceeded through the town,
the hootings of the people and the curses of the
crowd followed her. Last half dead with fatigue, worn out,

(05:02):
with grief, bowed down by shame, she reached the house
of the Lord Provost, But scarcely had she got there
when the entire population of Edinburgh crowded into the square
with cries that, from time to time assumed a tone
of terrifying menace. Several times then Mary wished to go
to the window, hoping that the sight of her of
which she had so often proved the influence, would disarm

(05:23):
this multitude. But each time she saw this banner unfurling
itself like a bloody curtain between herself and the people,
a terrible rendering of their feelings. However, all this hatred
was meant still more for Bothwell than for her. They
were pursuing Bothwell and Darnley's widow. The curses were for Bothwell.
Bothwell was the adulterer, Bothwell was the murderer. Bothwell was

(05:46):
the coward, while Mary was the weak, fascinated woman who
that same evening gave a fresh proof of her folly.
In fact, directly the falling night had scattered the crowd,
and a little quiet was regained. Mary, ceasing to be
uneasy on her own account, turned immediately to Bothwell, whom
she had been obliged to abandon, and who was now
proscribed and fleeing, while she, as she believed, was about

(06:08):
to reassume her title and station of queen. With that
eternal confidence of the woman in her own love by
which she invariably measures the love of another, she thought
that Bothwell's greatest distress was to have lost not wealth
and power, but to have lost herself. So she wrote
him a long letter, in which, forgetful of herself, she
promised him, with the most tender expressions of love, never

(06:28):
to desert him, and to recall him to her directly.
The breaking up of the Confederate lords should give her
power to do so. Then this letter written, she called
a soldier, gave him a purse of gold, and charged
him to take this letter to Dunbar, where Bothwell ought
to be, and if he were already gone, to follow
him until he came up with him. Then she went
to bed and slept more calmly, for unhappy as she was,

(06:50):
she believed she had just sweetened misfortunes still greater than hers.
Next day, the Queen was awakened by the step of
an armed man who entered her room. Both astonished and
frightened at this negli the propriety, which could augur nothing good,
Mary sat up in bed and parting the curtains, saw
standing before her Lord Lindsey, of Buyers. She knew he
was one of her oldest friends, so she asked him,

(07:11):
in a voice which she vainly tried to make confident,
what he wanted of her at such a time. Do
you know this writing, madame? Lord Lindsey asked, in a
rough voice, presenting to the Queen the letter she had
written to bothwell at night, which the soldier had carried
to the Confederate lords instead of taking to its address. Yes, doubtless,
my lord, the Queen answered, But am I already a

(07:34):
prisoner then that my correspondence is intercepted? Or is it
no longer allowed to a wife to write to her
husband when the husband is a traitor? Replied Lindsey, No, Madame,
it is no longer allowed to a wife to write
to her husband at least, however, if his wife have
a part in his treason, which seems to me besides,
quite proved by the promise you make to this wretch

(07:55):
to recall him to you. My Lord, cried Mary, interrupting Lindsey,
do you forget that you are speaking to your queen.
There was a time, Madame, Lindsey replied, when I should
have spoken to you in a more gentle voice and
bending the knee. Although it is not in the nature
of us old Scotch to model ourselves on your French courtiers.

(08:16):
But for some time, thanks to your changing gloves, you
have kept us so often in the field and harness,
that our voices are hoarse from the cold night air,
and our stiff knees can no longer bend in our armor.
You must then take me just as I am, Madame,
since to day, for the welfare of Scotland, you are
no longer at liberty to choose your favorites. Mary grew

(08:37):
frightfully pale at this want of respect to which she
was not yet accustomed, but quickly containing her anger as
far as possible. But still, my Lord said she, however disposed,
I may be to take you as you are. I
must at least know by what right you have come here.
That letter which you are holding in your hand would
lead me to think it is as a spy. If

(08:57):
the ease with which you enter my room without being
asked not make me believe it is as a jailer,
have the goodness then to inform me by which of
these two names I must call you? Neither by one
nor the other, Madame, For I am simply your fellow traveler,
chef of the escort which is to take you to
Locklaven Castle, your future residence. And yes, scarcely have I

(09:19):
arrived there, than I shall be obliged to leave you
to go and assist the Confederate lords choose a regent
for the kingdom. So said Mary, it was as prisoner,
and not as queen, that I surrendered to Lord Kirkaldy.
It seems to me that things were agreed upon otherwise.
But I am glad to see how much time Scotch
noblemen need to betray their sworn undertakings. Your grace forgets

(09:42):
that these engagements were made on one condition, Lindsey answered,
on which Mary asked that you should separate forever from
your husband's murderer. And there's the proof, he added, showing
the letter that you had forgotten your promise before we
thought of revoking. And at what o'clock is my departure fixed,

(10:04):
said Mary, whom this discussion was beginning to fatigue at
eleven o'clock. Madame, it is well, my lord, as I
have no desire to make your lordship wait, you will
have the goodness in withdrawing to send me some one
to help me dress, unless I am reduced to wait
upon myself. And in pronouncing these words, Mary made a
gesture so imperious that whatever may have been Lindsey's wish

(10:27):
to reply, he bowed and went out. Behind him entered
Mary Seaton. End of Chapter four recording by John Vanstan Savannah, Georgia,