Of the Monstrous Regiment

Am looking forward very much to our next meeting - Poetry Reading and Afternoon Tea at historic Carberry House Hotel on 17th. March. Full details will be e-mailed to members or will in the post within the next 48 hours.

 Meantime thought it very appropriate that this week's "Poem of the Week" in the Scotsman Magazine should be  "On the Monstrous Regiment"  by Henry Marsh

Henry Marsh has written  quite a few poems on Mary and John Knox and will be reciting a number of them  at the Scottish Poetry Library off the Canongate  (above) on Wednesday evening at 6.30 - just sorry I am not going to manage along.

 The poem:

Were you fed by ravens

Master Knox? At the least,

your zealous brethern

obliged with a wilderness,

where you could approve,

crows nodding

amongst shards and ashes.

 

Jezebel- how convenient

the heft of the old stories

a stolen vineyard,

 Naboth stoned,

and Yahweh harrying,

your captive souls,

 half demented.

 

How neat to cast

 our mischievous Marys

in one image

a painted whore.

Did you ever catch

in the mirror your own

soul's darker strands?

 

Thou shall die the death-

even Calvin winced

at regicide. Were not all

equal in the sight of God?

But who dares walk

that perilous ridge

between iniquities.

 

 Find it a thought provoking if somewhat dark poem.

 Probably a bit unfair to suggest Knox preached regicide - not aware that he ever did so and why in the third verse is Mary(mischievous) in the plural (was he purporting to refer to the four Marys or perhaps including Mary Tudor - or a simple typo?)

 

 

Marie Stuart News

Marie Stuart News

by Anne Gwynn

Being a keen member of the Marie Stuart Society I would like to share some interesting facts about the Queen of Scots which have come to my notice this week.

1.       As Valentine’s Day approaches, it appears that Marie met her 2^nd. husband at Wemyss Castle   in Fife on the 14^th. of February, 1565.  Not a lucky day for her as it transpired.  This little gem was found in the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute magazine.

2.   The next two discoveries were contained in the Scots Heritage Magazine.  This is an excellent, quarterly publication which is printed in Australia. It has the most beautiful photographs and well written articles on all things Scottish. It states that in 1566 Marie spent a night at Langton Castle near Duns in the Borders. The house was built in the 1100s and was demolished in 1950.

 

3.    The other reference to Marie in this publication is that whilst staying at Blair Castle in 1563 she shot a wolf on a hunt in the Forest of Atholl.

 

 4.    Innerpeffary Library, (above) near Crieff, founded by David, Lord Madderty, is Scotland’s oldest lending library. An exhibition there which will run for a year from March 1^st. is entitled ‘Crime and Punishment’. On show will be commentaries from ancient books in the Library’s collection of famous trials such as those of Mary, Queen of Scots and James Stewart of the Glen (the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s 'Kidnapped') , as well as Archbishop Laud’s sermon from the scaffold which opens with the line ”This is an uncomfortable time to preach….” 

 5.   Lastly the National Museum of Scotland will mount an exhibition opening on 28^th. June,  providing  an opportunity to revisit much that has been written and speculated about one of our most charismatic monarchs: Mary, Queen of Scots.  It will take a fresh approach using jewels, textiles, furniture, documents and portraits. Marie’s dramatic story and this fascinating period of Scottish history will be explored in detail.    Don’t miss it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Four Marys

The Four Marys

 

 

A most enjoyable visit to Linlithgow on Thursday catching up with some other members of the Society, including two our London members in Scotland for the New Year celebrations.

 After walking round and admiring (yet again) the splendour of the Palace where Mary was born, a meal in the 'Four Marys' restaurant in the High Street which much enjoyed.

 
Needless to say some discussion as to the identity of the four Marys and what became of them. Agreed these were;

 1. Mary Seton who never married  and the only one of the four to accompany Mary into captivity. Because of declining health she was released from service in 1583 and retired to France  living in the convent of St. Pierre at Rhiems. Nevertheless she survived until at least 1615

 2. Mary Beaton daughter of Robert Beaton of Creich and nephew of Cardinal Beaton. Regarded as the most classically beautiful of the four. Married Lord Ogilvie of Boyne and died sometime before 1599.

 

3. Mary Livingston - known as 'Lusty' - married John Semple of Belries son of Lord Semple. May be buried in Linlithgow Churchyard.

 

4 Mary Fleming  - married William Maitland of Lethington. On his death following the fall of Edinburgh Castle in 1573 she married George Melrum of Fyvie.

 Needless to say we then tried to make sense of the traditional Scots ballad the  "Four Marys".

 

"Yestreen the Queen had Four Maries

The nicht she'll have but three

There was Marie Seton and Marie Beaton

and Marie Carmichael and me"

 

  While there was a Mary Carmichael, daughter of John Carmichael of that ilk who was for a while warden of the west marches there is no record of her ever serving  at Court.

 Who then is the "Me?

 It is believed that this may refer to a Mary Hamilton who has absolutely no connection with Mary or her period. but a Mary Hamilton who was executed by Czar Peter the Great in Russia in 1719. This Mary Hamilton was lady in waiting to the Czar's second wife the Empress Catherine (with whom it is recorded she insulted over  her looks) was a favourite of the Czar and was married to a Minister of State. She had an affair with an officer of the guard and a babe was found wrapped in a Court napkin. Under torture Mary admitted not only to the murder of this child but also previously of another two and was condemned to death. After the execution the Czar picked up the severed head and kissed the still quivering lips.

A ballad was written in Russia about the death and it is believed this found its way to Scotland and adapted to suit a Scottish audience

 

 

Quern

An absolutely splendid Christmas Dinner on Saturday in every respect. The MacDonald Hotel, Holyrood did us proud - an excellent meal with many trimmings well served and well presented.

Highlight of the day though without doubt the rendition earlier by the group 'Quern'  (above) of a recital  entitled "The Return of Mary Queen of Scot", being music rendered 'in the Scottish idiom' relating to Mary and her period, from her birth in 1542 to her return to Scotland in 1561 obviously encompassing her early years in Scotland  and her childhood in France and her marriage to the Dauphin.

Fair to say, I think, that this much exceeded our expectations and we really most impressed by the professionalism and enthusiasm of a very talented group ably led by Amy Donaldson. The music moved from being toe-tapping to thought provoking and poignant evoking so vividly images of Mary's early life and combined the gaiety of her life at Court with the difficulties and choices which she had to face even in these early days of her life.

We appreciated though no only the music but also the well researched narration of her story, written by Wallace Lochhart, incorporating her own words, and the words of others in prose and poetry and even enjoying viewing some dance steps of the period.

Our sincerest thanks to all who made this possible including our own Gabrielle Kuhn on fiddle.

The programme of musical items comprised;

• Overture
• Gaberlunzie Man
• Ballade a la Lune
• O Lusty May
• The Queen's Maries
• Pavane de Thoinot Arbeau
• Reel du Forgeron et Bouree
• Religious music
• Ile Estoil une Fillette
• Il est bel at bon.

• Songs of the Revolution
• The Royal Lament
• L'adieu de Marie Stuart
• How nature hanged her mantle green
• The royal Captive
• L'adieu

 The group was formed in 1984with the twin objectives of promoting the music and culture of Scotland. In this they are certainly succeeding. Others musical journeys include;

• The life Poetry and Songs of Robert Burns
• Hogg the Ettrick Shepherd
• The Life of Robert Service
• Robert Louis Stevenson - a musical journey
• Royal Mile
• Oats and fishing
• Violet Jacob - a tribute
• The Linlithgow Story
• The Auld Alliance.

Keep a weather - eye open - they are thoroughly recommended and given the opportunity I shall certainly make a  point of attending future performances.

Ronald Morrison

Stirling Castle

At Stirling Castle over the week-end - a wet miserable day and looking out from the ramparts over the Carse of Stirling a great deal of flooding evident - see picture above.

Still though quite a number of tourists about which befits a site recently voted the best Heritage  attraction in Britain by 'Which' members.

The picture was taken from the spot where in 1507 one John Damian, convinced he would be able to fly, jumped from the ramparts only to land ignominiously on to tree tops below, miraculously it would appear surviving with only a few broken bones. He later claimed his mistake was to use hen rather than eagle feathers.

Unlike recent visits with the Society, a family occasion with youngsters in tow. Very impressed indeed with all there is for children (young and old) which had previously passed me by - dressing up in period clothes, interactive educational games, learning about the jesters, meeting with ladies of the Court and generally learning what life was like in the Castle in Mary's time and immediately before. Always more to see and experience every visit

Lots of events coming up over the Christmas period - see

Ronald

Mary Queen of Scots Tour

Society member Jamie Sempill has recently embarked on a series of Marie Stuart tours and has submitted the following report on the first such tour. For further particulars:

 

The Inaugural Mary Queen of Scots tour.

 

 

Jamie can be seen extreme left while Society member Roy Johnstone who gave a fine talk to the Society earlier this month can be seen second right

 

The inaugural tour was a great success, with the notable exception of the weather, which decided in memory of Mary to replicate her arrival in Leith some 450 years ago; grey, misty and wet.

In fact, so bad was the weather that we arrived at Edinburgh Castle to find it closed on account of the conditions. Fortunately, the Museum of Scotland is close by, and provides  a wonderful insight into her reign plus allowing sufficient time for the Castle to re-open.  Bad weather, however, is good for team spirit, and adds to the sense of adventure. So by the time we toured Holyrood Palace and had been told the tale of Rizzio’s bloody murder, the dark rain filled sky had provided  the perfect backdrop.

The following day saw us in the Borders, where the dreek weather had decided to park itself for the day. The Mary Queen of Scots' House in Jedburgh is a real gem. It is dedicated to her memory and has been open to the public since 1930. One of the rooms has painted panels of all the key players in her reign, which helps in putting faces to the names which crop up throughout the tour. It is also a great example of a 16^th. century tower house, which stands as a good contrast to the castles and palaces where she lived.

 It is incredible to think that during her very short reign she travelled over 1200 miles and stayed in 80 different properties, one of which, Traquair House, was our lunch time destination. This house is still lived in by the Maxwell-Stuarts, whose ancestor was the Captain of Queen Mary’s Royal Guard. The group, by now enjoying a rapidly clearing sky, was met by Catherine, the current Mistress of Traquair. It is Scotland’s oldest inhabited house and boasts its own brewery and chapel.

Craigmillar Castle sits on the outskirts of Edinburgh in a district known as Little France, on account of the number of French who lived in the area at the time of her reign. It was here that a group of her advisors decided that Darnley, by now a major political embarrassment, had to be removed. The Craigmillar bond is said to have been agreed to by Mary, but the document has never been found. The castle is a well maintained ruin and has a great view of both the city and the coastline. It is also very close to the Sheep’s Heid , Scotland’s oldest inn, and the perfect place to end the second day.

The final day started with a 10 minute boat trip on one of the country’s largest bird sanctuaries. We were blessed with clear blue skies and no wind. Loch Leven is probably more closely associated with Mary, than all the other properties bar Holyrood. She was held captive here for nearly a year during which time she had a miscarriage and was forced to abdicate her throne.

Falkland Palace is by contrast a far more inviting location. We had the great advantage of being guided by Lindsey Fowell, a member of the Marie Stuart Society. She was dressed as Mary and plays the role to perfection. The chapel is very special, and is still open to the local community. The palace also has the advantage of being well looked after and is still lived in by the Crichton-Stuart family, the hereditary Keepers of Falkland Palace.

The group’s last visit was to Stirling Castle, which recently won the award for the most popular tourist destination in Scotland. The restoration of the castle by Historic Scotland has been a major achievement and is very much the icing on the cake as far as the tour is concerned. The great advantage is that the restoration takes us back to what it would have looked like during her reign. This helps to show the power of the Stuarts and the impact of the renaissance on Scotland, all of which is greatly enhanced by the performance of the guides dressed in contemporary costume. They are a real tour de force.

Over dinner that evening, which I hosted in my home, it was quite apparent that the tour had been a great success. Importantly, it had been entertaining whilst informative. One of the group, Pauline, who lives on the isle of Skye, had really enjoyed seeing a part of Scotland that she had only ever driven through. I believe that key to the success of the tour had been how well the group had enjoyed each other’s company.

It was the first time I had run the tour, and I really enjoyed it. The fact that my family had had been party to many of the events that occurred during her reign, enabled me to provide a personal view, albeit with a small touch of poetic licence!

So if you are interested in knowing more about sixteenth century Scotland  and the reign of Mary Queen of Scots, call at http://www.clansandcastles.com/mqs.htm, where you will find all the appropriate information about the tour.

Jamie Sempill