"The time had come for Jane Kennedy to bind the queen's eyes with the white cloth embroidered in gold which Mary had herself chosen for the purpose the night before. Jane Kennedy first kissed the cloth and then wrapped it gently round her mistress's eyes, and over her head so that her hair was covered as by a white turban and only the neck left completely bare. The two women then withdrew from the stage. The queen without even now the faintest sign of fear, knelt down once more on the cushion in front of the block. She recited aloud in Latin the Psalm In to Domino confido, non confundat in aeternum - ‘In you Lord is my trust, let me never be confounded' - and then feeling for the block, she laid her head down upon it, placing her chin carefully with both her hands, so that if one of the executioners had not moved them back they too would have lain in the direct line of the axe. The queen, stretched out her arms and legs and cried: 'In manus taus, Doninie, confide spiritum meum' - 'Into your hands O Lord I commend my spirit' three or four times. When the queen was lying there quite motionless, Bull's assistant put his hand on her body to steady it for the blow. Even so, the first blow, as it fell, missed the neck and cut into the back of the head. The queen's lips moved, and her servants thought they heard the whispered words: 'Sweet Jesus.' The second blow severed the neck, all but the smallest sinew and this was severed by using the axe as a saw. It was about ten o'clock in the morning of Wednesday 8 February, the queen of Scots being then aged forty-four years old, and in the nineteenth year of her English captivity."

So ends the life of Mary Queen of Scots. What brought this women from her Sterling castle coronation as Scotland's Queen at the age of nine months to this ending is the subject of many books. The book considered the most renowned resource on the life of this women surrounded by mystery and speculation is Antonia Fraser's book, "Mary Queen of Scots." This biography reads like a mystery and adventure novel. It needs to be read carefully as it contains multitudinous views and insights into this remarkable woman.

The story begins with the death of James V. Scotland was so split by controversy the young queen is sent by her Mother, Mary of Guise, to France to live when she is four ½ years. It was a natural choice since Mary Guise had a son by a previous marriage and relatives in France to look after the young girl. Mary spent the next fourteen years in the French court. Mary's favorite companion was the dauphin, Frances, who was a year younger than she. From this childhood fascination developed a relationship which led to Francis and Mary being married at the cathedral of Notre Dame. Their fairy tale marriage is brought to a quick and tragic end with the death of Francis one month before he was to turn 15. Mary was heart broken and genuinely mourned the lost of her friend and husband. The people around her immediately began to scheme for her next marriage. A Queen's first considerations must be good political ties. The prominent choice for her second husband was Don Carlo of Spain. In the midst of these matrimonial negotiations the young Queen decided is to return to Scotland before she would consider marriage again. She asked Queen Elizabeth for a passport to Scotland. Elizabeth denied Mary's request. Mary's strength of character related to returning to Scotland is shown in the following quote from the book.

"The day of embarkation dawned dull and misty, despite the fact that it was high August. Mary's wavering spirits were not lifted by the fact that a fishing boat in the harbour foundered and went down before the eyes of her watching party, with all its hands drowned. What a sad augury for a journey!' She exclaimed aloud. On Wednesday 14 August about noon, the servant of ambassador Throckmorton, passing by Calais, saw a stirring spectacle 'haling' out of the haven: two great galleys and two ships. He hastened to give the news to his master. It was news which Throckmorton had been expecting to hear and it cannot have been unwelcome to him. It was a brave sight which the English servant glimpsed at Calais: for it was the queen of Scotland setting forth across the North Sea on the 600-mile journey to her kingdom, unblessed by any passport or safe-conduct from the English queen, whose ships patrolled these seas. As the ambassador faithfully commenced the despatch which would break this piece of news to England, he imagined only the bravado of the gesture which he must have applauded. Even if his watchful eyes had been able to spy into the great white galley and discern the tragic weeping figure on its poop, he might scarcely have recognized this tormented being for his modest self-controlled young queen.

Up till this moment Mary had shown admirable courage and resolution both in her dealings with Throckmorton, and more profoundly in her decision to 'to hazard all she had' by returning to Scotland. But now that the die was cast, now that the ships were actually lying in the harbour of Calais, ready to take her away from all she had known and loved and held dear for that last thirteen years of what seemed to her like her whole life Mary Stuart's steadfast spirit temporarily deserted her. There was now no great challenge to call forth the resources of her nature, only the prospect of bidding farewell as it might be forever, to her family, her friends and above all France- France the beloved land of her adoption".

Mary's arrived safely in Scotland even without Elizabeth's passport. She found a very different country from France. Even her Catholic religion was a problem since a religious reformation had taken place. The nobles were constantly bickering among themselves. These selfish Scottish leaders caused problems for Mary the rest of her reign. Once she was settled in Scotland the dilemma again was who should she marry. Two serious complications made that selection difficult. One was her religion and the other she was a Queen. Mary's choice remained Don Carlo of Spain not only for his prestige but his money and troops. Mary begged Queen Elizabeth's for support for that union. Mary Stuart as an potential heir to the English throne found Elizabeth's blessing essential. Elizabeth's choice was her own favorite Lord Robert Dudley. Mary continued to hope for Don Carlo until the King of France, Phillip II, forbid it. The marriage negotiations went on for over two years before the arrival of Lord Darnley from England who confused the issue even more. He had always been a minor consideration for Mary's husband since he was related to royal blood both in Scotland and England. Mary did not seriously consider Lord Darnley until he fell ill and she became his nurse. During that illness Mary fell in love with him. Loving Darnley and their marriage was the beginning of tragedy for Mary Queen of Scots. The marriage lasted just long enough for Mary to give birth to a son named James. He became James I the King of England. The birth of James brought a new problem in the decline of Mary's health from which she never recovered.

The most controversial and mysterious part of Mary's story involved the death of her husband Darnley and her relationship with the Earl of Bothwell who became her third husband. The mystery is still unsolved. Scholars differ on what really happened. It is with this mystery I will leave you to read the book. What happened which led Mary to seek sanctuary in England and but instead she found years of captivity. Why did James turns against her. It is a story you will not soon forget.

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