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The Queen's Caprice (World Cultural Heritage Library)
The Queen's Caprice - World Cultural Heritage Library Author:Marjorie Bowen AUTHOR'S NOTE: The foregoing novel contains what the author believes to be the essence of the truth of the reign and character of Mary, Queen of Scotland. It is, however, to be read as a work of fiction, since it is an imaginary reconstruction of events and characters which must always remain perplexing, debated, and o... more »bscure. There is no invented person in the tale, and the sequence of historical events is strictly followed. When the author first decided on this subject for a work of fiction, she found the familiar story she had selected so mysterious, confused, and incredible, related so often with such passion and prejudice, and so disfigured by spite, sentimentality, and political bias, that she resolved to turn to all the original documents concerning the Queen of Scotland and discover for herself, if possible, the facts on which so much fiction has been based, and to make her own deductions therefrom. Whatever, therefore, this tale may be, it is not a superficial fantasy but the result of an earnest attempt to come at the solution of a very curious historical puzzle. Period covered by "THE QUEEN'S CAPRICE" February 1565-June 1567, Detailed as follows: The Queen's first meeting with Lord Darnley, Wemyss Castle 16th February 1565 Private marriage of the Queen and Lord Darnley, Stirling Castle March 1565 Public marriage, Holyrood 29th July 1565 Murder of David Rizzio 9th March 1566 Birth of the Prince 19th June 1566 Murder of King Henry (Lord Darnley) 10th February 1567 Marriage of the Queen and Bothwell 15th May 1567 Carberry Hill 5th June 1567 The Queen sent to Lochleven 16th June 1567 * * *
CONTENTS:
Author's Note 1. The Crimson Wedding Ring
2. The Violet-Brown Bed
3. The Rose Tree at Loch Leven * * * "Bloody Bothwell hath brought our King to death From flattering Fraud with double Dallilay."
--Lampoon, 1567 "You live in a rank pasture, here i' the Court There is a kind of honeydew that's deadly. Twill poison your fame; look to 't, be not cunning For they whose faces do belie their hearts Are witches ere they arrive at twenty years Ay, and give the Devil suck."