s Collections, vol. ii. p. 38; vol. iv. p. 167,
168. Spotswood, p. 200. Keith, p. 374.

**** Keith, p. 372. Anderson, vol. ii. p. 3.

[Illustration: 1-467-mary_stuart.jpg MARY STUART]

Mary took his demand of speedy justice in a very literal sense, and
allowing only fifteen days for the examination of this important affair,
she sent a citation to Lenox, requiring him to appear in court, and
prove his charge against Bothwell.[*] This nobleman, meanwhile, and
all the other persons accused by Lenox, enjoyed their full liberty;[**]
Bothwell himself was continually surrounded with armed men; [***] took
his place in council;[****] lived during some time in the house with
Mary;[v] and seemed to possess all his wonted confidence and familiarity
with her. Even the Castle of Edinburgh, a place of great consequence
in this critical time, was intrusted to him, and under him, to his
creature, Sir James Balfour, who had himself been publicly charged as
an accomplice in the king's murder.[v*] Lenox, who had come as far as
Stirling with a view of appearing at the trial, was informed of all
these circumstances; and reflecting on the small train which attended
him, he began to entertain very just apprehensions from the power,
insolence, and temerity of his enemy. He wrote to Mary, desiring that
the day of trial might be prorogued; and conjured her, by all the regard
which she bore to her own honor, to employ more leisure and deliberation
in determining a question of such extreme moment.[v**] No regard was
paid to his application: the jury was enclosed, of which the earl
of Caithness was chancellor; and though Lenox, foreseeing this
precipitation, had ordered Cunningham, one of his retinue, to appear in
court, and protest in his name against the acquittal of the criminal,
the jury proceeded to a verdict.[v***] The verdict was such as it
behoved them to give, where neither accuser nor witness appeared;
and Bothwell was absolved from the king's murder. The jury, however,
apprehensive that their verdict would give great scandal, and perhaps
expose them afterwards to some danger, entered a protest, in which they
represented the necessity of their proceedings.[v****]

* Keith, p. 373.

** Keith, p. 374, 375.

*** Keith, p. 405.

**** Anderson, vol. i. p. 38, 40, 50, 52.

v Anderson, vol. ii. p. 274.

v* Spotswood, p. 201.

v** Keith, p. 375. Anderson, vol. i. p. 52.

v*** Ke