a teacher of music, himself
a musician; and finding it difficult to subsist by his art in his own
country, he had followed into Scotland an ambassador, whom the duke of
Savoy sent thither to pay his compliments to Mary, some time after her
first arrival. He possessed a good ear, and a tolerable voice; and
as that princess found him useful to complete her band of music, she
retained him in her service after the departure of his master. Her
secretary for French despatches having some time after incurred her
displeasure, she promoted Rizzio to that office, which gave him frequent
opportunities of approaching her person, and insinuating himself into
her favor. He was shrewd and sensible, as well as aspiring, much beyond
his rank and education; and he made so good use of the access which
fortune had procured him, that he was soon regarded as the chief
confidant, and even minister of the queen. He was consulted on all
occasions; no favors could be obtained but by his intercession; all
suitors were obliged to gain him by presents and flattery; and the
man, insolent from his new exaltation, as well as rapacious in his
acquisitions, soon drew on himself the hatred of the nobility and of
the whole kingdom.[*] He had at first employed his credit to promote
Darnley's marriage; and a firm friendship seemed to be established
between them; but on the subsequent change of the queen's sentiments,
it was easy for Henry's friends to persuade him that Rizzio was the real
author of her indifference, and even to rouse in his mind jealousies of
a more dangerous nature. The favorite was of a disagreeable figure, but
was not past his youth;[**] [8] and though the opinion of his criminal
correspondence with Mary might seem of itself unreasonable, if not
absurd, a suspicious husband could find no other means of accounting for
that lavish and imprudent kindness with which she honored him.

* Keith, p. 282, 302, Crawford's Memoirs, p. 5. Spotswood,
p. 193.

** See note H, at the end of the volume.

The rigid austerity of the ecclesiastics, who could admit of no
freedoms, contributed to spread this opinion among the people; and as
Rizzio was universally believed to be a pensionary of the pope's, and to
be deeply engaged in all schemes against the Protestants, any story to
his and Mary's disadvantage received an easy credit among the zealots of
that communion. Rizzio, who had connected his interests with the
Roman Catholics, was th