Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-06-24
ISCELL A N Y .
First Nuptials of Queen Mary.

Donald Macl .eod, the editor OF the st, Louis
Leader, has written a most interesting life OF
Mary Queen of ScotS-a woman who, In hel
youth, was Queen of Beauty, and in her after
years, Queen of Sorrow CThe book is publish.
ed by Scribner) We extract the following pass.
ages:
"On the Sunday following, the solemn cere
mony was performed by the brides uncle, the
Cardinal, with all the pomp and splendor that
the beauty of the ritual and the magnificent style
of the times could allow. The chroniclers, an
cient and modern, vie with each other in the
minute description of the scene; poets poured
in their epithalamia by dozens, most eloquent
and enthusiastic among whom was Master Geo.
Buchanan.
"Mary was, of course, looking exquisitely /:
her fresh bloom of sixteen years was clad in
robe, whittier than lily, with regal mantle and
train of bluish-gray cut velvet, richly embroid
cred with silk and pearls She, like her moth
er, was considerably above the ordinary size OF
men. and exquisitely formed, particularly her
hands and feet. Her hair was very abundant,
and of rich chestnut color, her eyes large and
very dark hazel, and complexion that OF a de-
licate brunette, clear, but without much color.
So she stood at the side of her young husband,
Francis, the Dauphin, in the old pavilion, erect
ed before the doors of Notre Dame, and heard
the blessing pronounced which was to make her,
eventually, Queen of France, while the shores OF
the Seine rung with the acclanations of the de-
lighted and enthusiastic people.
"Then followed the grand dinner at the pa
lace of the Archbishop, and then the courtly
ball, which terminated mt the very reasonable
hour of five o'clock in the afternoon. After that,
back to the palace, where supper and rich pa
geants had been comman ed. hundred gen.
tlemeu served the meal a hundred more raised
on dais, 'discoursed most eloquent music,
Francis le Balaira heroic Due de Gulse, was
master of the ceremonies; the vases, tiagons and
basins, fresh from the magic chisel OF Benvenuto
Cellni, flashed on the board. Fleurs-de-lis in
gold studded the azure ceiling, and from the
walls, in statueSque repose, looked down the
heightened line of G,lic kings from Pharamond
to Henry, father of the bridegroom. The guests
bore names still wonderful in history, Conde and
princely Lorraine, and the stern constable OF
France. old Montmorenci, Angouleme and d.
Este, and Catherine de Medicis and Jeanne d.
Albert, the sanity Queen of Navarro.
''FirSt in the pageant, when the meal was
ended came the seven planets marching in sue
cession--Mars in his armor, Dian with her bow.
Then fve-and-twenty steeds, each bearing a
Young prince, defiled before the Scottish bride.
Then coaches full of pilgrims, chanting songs
then triumphal car filled with musicians, and
drawn by silver cords. Next came twelve prn-
ces, ON twelve unicorns, supported by the arms
of Scotland.
"But the finest pomp of all was after the dan
cling had been ended, when six fine galleys, with
silver masts, sailed in, each guided by prince,
who, as they passed the groups of ladies, seized
and carried off one of them, as the wild Morse
Vikings used to win their brides The Dauphin
caught his fair young wife, the King of Navarro
his pious old one, Protestant Conde won the
Duchess of Guise, head of the Oathoas party
and thus, in the regal hail. ablaze with light, the
mirth went on; while outside the heralds scat
tered money among the shouting people, and
Paris was tipsy with joy.
"Why, even in sober old Scotland, across the
sea- they were feasting and making merry in
honor of their darling young Queens nuptials
There were fyres and professions, and play
was acted in Edinburgh and even the old Mons
Meo' was fired, and prudent Sawney sent after
the bullet, and ten shillings were paid out to
somebody for bringing up the huge gun. TO be
schote, and for the finding and carrying of her
bullet, after she was schote frae Wardlc muir to
the CASTLE
1T was a very young couple, that royal pair
Francis being but fifteen, and Mary some thirteen
months his senior, in her sixteenth year. But
they had grown up together, and he. though
somewhat timid and feeble, was sincerely loved
by his girl-wife, and returned her affection with
passionate tenderness. But the marriage sports
and the feaStng ere over, and earnest lite has
begun for the Queen Dauphiness. Now, led by
ill-iudged counsel, she sows the first seeds OF
discord, to ripen into venomous maturity, be-
tween herself and Elizabeth of England"
"Pass but little while" few short months,
and the young husband is dead, He was at
focked with an abscess in the ear; and an acute
of the brain succeeded; when God
"clronped his countenance, ''and sent him away
and n vornc wife and widow remained to weep
for lover.husband, COO early called hence to be
here no more. But let our author depict the
scene:
"Tenderly did his young Queen watch and
nurse him. but he sank gradually until the fifth
of December, when the last offices were admin
istered to him. the feeble boyking asked for ab-
solution 'for all the wicked deeds tina had been
done in his name by his ministers of state;' and
when the religious duties of the solemn honi
were over, he appeared TO have no earthly
thought but for 'e pale, fair girl who sat by
his pillow weeping. Earnestly he copjured his
mother TO be kind to her. to love her as II daugh-
4 4 = L.,