Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 35.djvu/386

Maitland took no personal part in the arrangements. On the night of the murder he occupied rooms in the palace, along with several lords of the queen's party, but the same night was permitted by the conspirators to depart, along with the Earl of Atholl (, Memoirs, p. 149). Denounced by Darnley and hated and feared by Bothwell, who also coveted his lands, his life was for some time in serious danger, but the strong representations of Atholl and Moray, coupled with Mary's own partiality for him, prevented matters proceeding to extremities, and ultimately, in September, he was reconciled to Bothwell and restored to favour (Cal. State Papers, For. Ser. 1566-8, entries 723-6). Mary was desirous of again securing his invaluable services in her negotiations with England, but it cannot be doubted that his recall indicated, both on her part and the part of Bothwell, the contemplation of some scheme for getting rid of Darnley. As Darnley had imperilled Maitland's life and fortunes, it would probably not be hard to convince him of the advisability of such a step. Clearly he had no interest in saving Darnley. On 24 Oct. he wrote to Beaton that he saw between Mary and Darnley 'no agreement, nor appearance that they will agree well thereafter' (, ii. 72). The aim of this letter was probably to suggest the necessity of a divorce, should it be possible without 'prejudice to the young prince.' Mary, in her account of the Craigmillar conference, which was held in December to consider her relations with Darnley, practically affirmed that it was Maitland who first suggested the plot against Darnley's life. He was also mentioned by the subordinate agents of the murder as one of the five who immediately after the conference signed a band for putting forth 'the young fool and proud tyrant' by 'one way or other.' On 6 Jan. 1567 he married Mary Fleming, and shortly after his marriage he accompanied Bothwell to Whittinghame, when the latter proposed to Morton to undertake the murder. As Maitland had secured Morton's recall on a promise that means should be found to rid the queen of Darnley, it is impossible to suppose him ignorant of Bothwell's proposals to Morton, even if no weight is to be attached to the statement of Archibald Douglas (fl. 1568) [q. v.] that he was in communication with the queen in reference to the proposal (Morton's confession in Memorials, 317-32; Archibald Douglas to the Queen of Scots in  Hist. 6th ed. ii. 432]). Darnley's murder followed on 10 Feb.

Maitland accompanied the queen to Seton after the murder, and being in constant attendance on her was probably chiefly responsible for the tenor of her letters to Lennox and others. He prevented the deliverance of Elizabeth's letter to her on the morning of Bothwell's trial, on the plea that the queen was asleep, but the falsehood of the plea was almost immediately shown by the appearance of her and Maitland's wife at a window of the palace (Drury to Cecil, 15 April, Cal. State Papers, For. Ser. 1566-8, entry 1100; Drury, undated, ib. entry 1199). He did not sign the bond for the marriage to Bothwell, and was entirely averse to it, but he early saw that interference with Bothwell's purpose would be worse than useless. When Melville showed the queen a letter of Thomas Bishop in reference to Bothwell's intentions, Maitland privately informed him that he had done 'more honestly than wisely' (, Memoirs, p. 176). He was in the queen's train when she was intercepted by Bothwell, and was carried with her to Dunbar. According to his own account he would have been slain that night but for the queen's interference, and henceforth determined to escape to the lords at Stirling at the first opportunity (Drury, 6 May, Cal. State Papers, For. Ser., entry 1175). He, however, accompanied the queen from Dunbar to Edinburgh, was present at the marriage to Bothwell (Diurnal, p. 111), and remained at court on good terms with her, 'though hated by the duke' (Drury, May, Cal. State Papers, For. Ser. entry 1244), until dread of his life from the latter's violence compelled him at last, on 6 June, to make his escape (Drury, 7 June, ib. entry 1275;, p. 178; Diurnal, p. 112). He went first to Callendar (ib.), and thence to the Earl of Atholl (, p. 178), with whom on the 14th he returned to Edinburgh and joined the lords (Diurnal, p. 113). Possibly he did so with the greatest reluctance, and, apart from considerations of personal safety, his main purpose seems to have been to save the queen from the ruinous consequences of her so-called marriage.

Mary, when lodged in the provost's house after Carberry, called Maitland to her window and remonstrated against the wrong done her in separating her from her husband. She proposed that they should be permitted to leave Scotland together in a ship to go where 'fortune might conduct them,' and Maitland seems to have thought the proposal feasible, provided they avoided France (Du Croc, 17 June,, ii. 811). At the same time he informed her that if she would abandon Bothwell all might yet be well. According to Morton's 'Declaration' Maitland was dining with Morton in Edinburgh on 19 June when word was