On June 19, in Edinburgh Castle, she bore her child, later James VI.; on her recovery Darnley was insolent, and was the more detested, while Bothwell was high in favour.  In October most of the Lords signed, with Murray, a band for setting Darnley aside—­not for his murder.  He is said to have denounced Mary to Spain, France, and Rome for neglecting Catholic interests.  In mid-October Mary was seriously ill at Jedburgh, where Bothwell, wounded in an encounter with a Border reiver, was welcomed, while Darnley, coldly received, went to his father’s house on the Forth.  On her recovery Mary resided in the last days of November at Craigmillar Castle, near Edinburgh.  Here Murray, Argyll, Bothwell, Huntly, and Lethington held counsel with her as to Darnley.  Lethington said that “a way would be found,” a way that Parliament would approve, while Murray would “look through his fingers.”  Lennox believed that the plan was to arrest Darnley on some charge, and slay him if he resisted.

At Stirling (December 17), when the young prince was baptised with Catholic rites, Darnley did not appear; he sulked in his own rooms.  A week later, the exiles guilty of Riccio’s murder were recalled, among them Morton; and Darnley, finding all his enemies about to be united, went to Glasgow, where he fell ill of smallpox.  Mary offered a visit (she had had the malady as a child), and was rudely rebuffed (January 1- 13, 1567), but she was with him by January 21.  From Glasgow, at this time, was written the long and fatal letter to Bothwell, which places Mary’s guilt in luring Darnley to his death beyond doubt, if we accept the letters as authentic. {129}

Darnley was carried in a litter to the lonely house of Kirk o’ Field, on the south wall of Edinburgh.  Here Mary attended him in his sickness.  On Sunday morning, February 9, Murray left Edinburgh for Fife.  In the night of Sunday 9-Monday 10, the house where Darnley lay was blown up by gunpowder, and he, with an attendant, was found dead in the garden:  how he was slain is not known.

That Bothwell, in accordance with a band signed by himself, Huntly, Argyll, and Lethington, and aided by some Border ruffians, laid and exploded the powder is certain.  Morton was apprised by Lethington and Bothwell of the plot, but refused to join it without Mary’s written commission, which he did not obtain.  Against the queen there is no trustworthy direct evidence (if we distrust her alleged letters to Bothwell), but her conduct in protecting and marrying Bothwell (who was really in love with his wife) shows that she did not disapprove.  The trial of Bothwell was a farce; Mary’s abduction by him (April 24) and retreat with him to Dunbar was collusive.  She married Bothwell on May 15.  Her nobles, many of whom had signed a document urging her to marry Bothwell, rose against her; on June 15, 1567, she surrendered to them at Carberry Hill, while they, several of them deep in the murder plot, were not sorry to let Bothwell escape to Dunbar.  After some piratical adventures, being pursued by Kirkcaldy he made his way to Denmark, where he died a prisoner.