Page:Life and history of Mary, Queen of Scots.pdf/5

Rh married to the Dauphin, or eldest son of the French King. The old King soon after died, and Mary became Queen of France.

This period seems to have been the brightest portion of Mary’s life. But it did not continue long; for, little more then a year after his accession to the throne of France, her husband died, and Mary was left a widow at the age of eighteen.

This melancholy change in her fortunes was, in some measure, alleviated by the pressing entreaties of her own subjects in Scotland that she would return to her native country, and take the government into her own hands. This she consented to do, and set sail for Scotland on the 15th of August, 1561 She lingered long on the deck of the galley which was conveying her home, her eye fixed on the coast of France; and when they vanished from her eyes, she exclaimed in sorrow,—"Farewell, farewell, happy France; I shall never see thee more!"

On the 20th of August Mary arrived in Leith; but little or no preparation had been made to receive her. Horses were sent to bring her and her train to Edinburgh, but they were wretched ponies, and had such tattered furniture and accoutrements, that poor Mary, when she thought of the splendid palfreys and rich apartments at the court of France, could not forbear shedding tears. The people were, however, in their way, glad to see her and about two hundred citizens