Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 54.djvu/305

 in fact begin with conceding that Lord James had become as strenuous a Calvinist as Knox himself. His faith seems to have fitted him like a glove. It was conjoined probably with a powerful secular ambition, but this rather strengthened than impaired it. How far this ambition was an inheritance from his royal ancestors, and how far it was imposed on him by circumstances and the instinct of self-preservation, are questions which can be answered, if at all, only after a very careful sifting of facts. Frank and even bluff of speech, he possessed marvellous self-control, and no one was less dominated by impulse. Thus there is no statesman of his time who reveals to us less of his personality. He is ever outwardly calm, passionless, imperturbable. Moreover, with all his bluntness, he is not only peculiarly reticent, he seems to delight in self-effacement. If he contrives it is mainly through others. His favourite rôle is that of the national delegate, responding at the last, and merely at the call of duty, to save his religion or his country from disaster when all other help has failed.

In November 1558 the Scottish crown matrimonial was voted by parliament to the dauphin (Acta Parl. Scot. ii. 506–7). Knox asserts that Lord James favoured the proposal, and that it was through him that the act of parliament was passed (Works, i. 294); but be this as it may, though nominated by the queen to bring over the sword, sceptre, and crown of Scotland to the dauphin, he did not do so; and Lord Herries states that he had determined in no case to proceed to France, and delayed setting out under various pretexts (Memoirs of Mary, p. 38). Other events also occurred to hinder his journey, for the dispute with the queen regent on religious matters was rapidly nearing a crisis. From the time of the meeting of parliament in November it was foreseen that a conflict of some kind was at hand; but Lord James had at first determined to appear rather as a supporter than an opponent of the queen regent. When in May, after the spoiling of the monasteries at Perth and elsewhere, the queen regent gathered a force to prevent further excesses, Lord James joined her, and, undertaking the office of mediator, was sent by her as commissioner to the protestants who had assembled to defend Perth (, i. 337), and on the 28th succeeded in effecting an agreement between the two parties (ib. p. 343), but he secretly left her on discovering that she did not mean to keep the agreement.

Immediately afterwards Lord James stepped to the front as the leader of the lords of the congregation. Not merely his birth, but his abilities and education, ensured him a certain predominance over the unlettered Scottish nobles; and henceforth, until his death, whether acting avowedly as leader or remaining carefully in the background, he was the dominant political personality in Scotland. Along with Argyll, though summoned by the queen regent to return to allegiance, he openly defied her, and proceeded to St. Andrews, whither they invited the gentlemen of Fife and Forfar to meet them to concert measures for defence (ib. p. 347). How far he was directly responsible for the destruction of the cathedral of St. Andrews which followed the preaching of Knox cannot be ascertained; but there is at least no evidence that he interposed to prevent it; and since prompt and stern opposition on his part could scarce have failed to be effectual, it is probable that if he did not incite or countenance the vandalism, he was not averse to it, and realised its sensational value in impressing the popular imagination. When the queen regent resolved to march on St. Andrews to revenge the outrage, he and Argyll with great celerity gathered a powerful force, with which they barred her approach in a strong position on Cupar Muir (ib. i. 351–2). Baulked of her purpose, she agreed to a truce of eight days; but it being discovered that she was now taking advantage of the truce to strengthen her forces, it was resolved to march on Perth and drive the French garrison from the city, which was accomplished on 25 June (ib. p. 359). This was followed by an attack on the palace and church of Scone, which Lord James and Argyll for that day succeeded in saving from the fury of the multitude (ib. p. 360), but being at nightfall compelled to make a forced march, so as to anticipate the French in holding the passes of the Forth at Stirling, they were unable to prevent the multitude from working their will on the morrow.

As to this forced march, not only was it successful in its special object, but the promptitude of Lord James and Argyll so alarmed the queen regent that she hastily evacuated Edinburgh and fled to Dunbar, the reformers, with Lord James at their head, entering Edinburgh in triumph on 29 June. The inevitable result of such a bold and decisive step was to put Lord James forward as the rival of the queen regent. Indeed, as soon as the reformers took up arms the queen regent seems to have taken for granted that the main purpose of Lord James was to seize the crown for himself (, Memoirs, i. 78). On account of his