The Love Letters of Mary Queen of Scots to James Earl of Bothwell; With Her Love Sonnets and Marriage Contracts (Being the Long-Missing Originals from the Gilt Casket) Explained by State Papers and the Writings of Buchanan, Goodall, (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1825 edition. Excerpt: ...the Queen had no previous attachment to Bothwell, nothing can appear more chimerical than a scheme to persuade her to marry a man, whose wife was still alive, and who was not only suspected, but accused, of murdering her former husband. But that such a scheme should really succeed, is still more extraordinary. If Murray had instigated Both-well to commit the crime, or had himself been accessary to the commission of it, what hopes were there that Bothwell would silently bear from a fellow criminal all the persecutions which he suffered, without ever retorting upon him the accusation, or revealing the whole scene of iniquity? An antient and deadly feud had subsisted between Murray and Bothwell; the Queen with difficulty had brought them to some terms of agreement. But is it probable that Murray would chuse an enemy, to whom he had been so lately reconciled, for his confidant in the commission of such an atrocious crime? Or, on the other hand, would it ever enter into the imagination of a wise man, first to raise his rival to supreme power, in hopes that afterwards he should find some opportunity of depriving him of that power? The most adventurous politician never hazarded such a dangerous experiment. The most credulous folly never trusted such an uncertain chance. But however strong these general reasonings may be, we must decide according to the particular evidence produced. This we now proceed to examine. That Bothwell was guilty of the King's murder appears, 1. From the concurring testimony of all the cotemporary historians. 2. From the confession of those persons who suffered for assisting at the commission of the crime, and who enter into a minute detail of all its circumstances. Anders, v. 2.165. 3. From the acknowledgment of Mary's own...