ST. ANDREW SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 23325, 22 July 1939, Page 10

ST. ANDREW SOCIETY

LITERARY SECTION The literary section of the St. Andrew Society of Otago met in Wilson Hall on Tuesday, when the Rev. Mr Pringle gave an interesting talk on ‘ Mary Queen of Scots.’ He divided the story of her life into four parts. During 1542-48. six years of her childhood in Scotland, Henry VIII. of England tried to arrange a marriage between Mary and his son Edward. This proposal, however, did not meet with the approval of those in charge of Mary, and she was sent to France.

The next period, 1548-61, was spent in France, where she wvas educated. After finishing her education she was married to Francis, the Dauphin of France. For a few months she ruled with him as his queen. Upon his death, when she was 19 years, she returned to Scotland. The next seven years, 1561-68, were thj period of her turbulent reign in Scotland. This was occasioned by religious strife and because she alienated her subjects by her marriages to Darnley and Bothwell and her proven comnlicitv in the murder of the former. Tn 1568 her army was defeated at Langside. and she fled to England to seek' the help and protection of Queen Elizabeth.

During the next 19 years, 1568-87, Mary was a prisoner in England. At this time she was the centre of serious conspiracies for the assassination of Queen Elizabeth and for the destruction of the Protestants of England and Scotland. Her participation in such plots was proven by intercepted letters, and in 1587 she was executed at Fotheringay Castle.