Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/244

 232 MAKY STUART St. Luke previously relates (vii. 3V, 38) that aa Jesns sat at meat in the house of Simon the Pharisee she washed his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and anointed them; but there is no evidence of their identity. The supposition has also been entertained that she is identical with Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus ; but beyond the similarity of name, the affectionate devotion to Jesus Christ which distinguished both, the fact that the sister of Martha also anointed the feet of Jesus, and the opinion of some of the early fathers, among whom is St. Gregory the Great, no foundation for it has been as- signed. Origen discusses the opinion fully, and rejects it. Mary Magdalene stood by Jesus on the cross, and was present when Joseph of Arimathaea laid him in the sepulchre. On the first day of the week she came early to the tomb, and finding it open ran and told Peter and John that they had " taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre " (John xx. 2). Eeturning to the place with these apostles, she saw "two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain" (xx. 12). Immediately after- ward Christ himself appeared to her, and an- nounced his approaching ascension. Of her subsequent life nothing is known, but it is the theme of numerous legends. The tradition that she passed the latter part of her life in penitential exercises in the desert was treated by Guido, Correggio, Canova, and many other great masters. MARY STUART, queen of Scots, born in the palace of Linlithgow in December, 1542, be- headed at Fotheringay castle, Northampton- shire, England, Feb. 8, 1587. The precise date of her birth is unknown, for though it is commonly stated Dec. 8, there seems reason to believe that the event must have occurred on the llth or 12th of that month ; and it was probably antedated on account of the 8th being one of the four great festivals of the Catholic church in honor of the Virgin. She was the daughter of James V., seventh "king of the Stuart line, and of Mary of Lorraine, daughter of Claude, duke of Guise, the founder of that family which had so conspicuous a part in the politics of France in the 16th century. Her birth took place at one of the dreariest periods of Scottish history, her father dying when she was but a few days old (Dec. 13), of mortifica- tion consequent on the defeats which the Scotch had voluntarily met with from the English at Fala Muir and Solway Moss, the nobles being opposed to his policy. The earl of Arran, head of the house of Hamilton, and heir presump- tive to the throne, was made regent by the parliament. Mary was crowned Sept. 9, 1543. Tin- tir.st two years of her life were spent at Linlithgpw, .-nnl she was then removed to Stir- ling. Henry VIII. of England demanded her iian.l for his son, the prince of Wales, after- ward Edward VI. At first he was success- ful, and a treaty was made, July 1, 1543, pro- viding that Mary should be sent to England when she should have attained the age of 10 years, and that she should marry Edward as soon thereafter as possible. In five months this treaty was broken, the French and Catho- lic party triumphing over the English and Protestant party. An alliance was made with France, Dec. 15, and Henry declared war against Scotland, which his troops invaded. After his death, the protector Somerset con- tinued his policy, and defeated the Scotch in the battle of Pinkie, Sept. 10, 1547. Mean- time the queen had lived at Stirling castle, with her governors, Lords Erskine and Living- ston; but after the battle of Pinkie she was taken to the monastery of Inchmahome, on an island in Lake Menteith. Her mother and the regent Arran betrothed her to the dauphin of France, son of Henry II., and she sailed to that country from Dumbarton in July, 1548, and arrived at Brest Aug. 14. She was ac- companied by four young ladies, Mary Living- ston, Mary Fleming, Mary Beaton, and Mary Seaton, who were called "the four Marys." She was warmly received by Henry II., who treated her as a daughter. The French court was brilliant, learned, and licentious. Mary's Latin master was George Buchanan, one of the first scholars of the 16th century ; and Ron- sard taught her poetry. At 13 she pronounced a Latin oration which was much applauded. In 1551 her hand was formally demanded of Henry II. for Edward VI., but she herself re- fused to listen to the demand. The wide- spread dominion and power of the Spanish branch of the house of Austria having in- creased the fear of the house of Valois, Henry II. determined to complete his alliance with Scotland, and the dauphin Francis and Mary were married, April 24, 1558. The open con- ditions of the marriage were honorable to Scotland ; but there were two secret acts of grave moment. By the first Mary gave Scot- land to the sovereigns of France, in reward for the services which Henry II. and his predeces- sors had rendered that country against the English ; and by the second she provided against the non-execution of the first. She also conveyed to Henry any claims that might accrue to her upon England and Ireland. Henry was to have the usufruct of Scotland until he should have repaid himself for what he had expended in her defence. These debts had never been accepted by Scotland. Mary had secretly protested in advance against the en- gagements she had entered into with her own subjects, and declared her wish to annex Scot- land to France. The Scotch bestowed the crown matrimonial on Francis, and it was pro- vided that all acts should be published in the name of Francis and Mary, king and queen of Scotland, dauphin and dauphiness of Vienne. When Mary I. of England died, November, 1558, Henry II. caused the dauphin to quarter the arms of England with those of Scotland, as he affected to believe that Mary Stuart was