Maryhadbeenpresentatthebattle，andthecalmandcourageshedisplayedhadmadealivelyimpressiononherwilddefenders，whoallalongtheroadhadheardhersaythatshewouldhavelikedtobeaman，topassherdaysonhorseback，hernightsunderatent，towearacoatofmail，ahelmet，abuckler，andathersideabroadsword。
MarymadeherentryintoEdinburghamidgeneralenthusiasm；forthisexpeditionagainsttheEarlofHuntly，whowasaCatholic，hadbeenverypopularamongtheinhabitants，whohadnoveryclearideaoftherealmotiveswhichhadcausedhertoundertakeit：TheywereoftheReformedfaith，theearlwasapapist，therewasanenemytheless；
thatisalltheythoughtabout。Now，therefore；theScotch，amidtheiracclamations，whethervivavoceorbywrittendemands，expressedthewishthattheirqueen，whowaswithoutissuebyFrancisII，shouldre-marry：Maryagreedtothis，and，yieldingtotheprudentadviceofthoseabouther，shedecidedtoconsultuponthismarriageElizabeth，whoseheirshewas，inhertitleofgranddaughterofHenryVII，intheeventoftheQueenofEngland’sdyingwithoutposterity。Unfortunately，shehadnotalwaysactedwithlikecircumspection；foratthedeathofMaryTudor，knownasBloody。
Mary，shehadlaidclaimtothethroneofHenryVIII，and，relyingontheillegitimacyofElizabeth’sbirth，hadwiththedauphinassumedsovereigntyoverScotland，England，andIreland，andhadhadcoinsstruckwiththisnewtitle，andplateengravedwiththesenewarmorialbearings。
ElizabethwasnineyearsolderthanMary——thatistosay，thatatthistimeshehadnotyetattainedherthirtiethyear；shewasnotmerelyherrivalasqueen，then，butaswoman。Asregardseducation，shecouldsustaincomparisonwithadvantage；forifshehadlesscharmofmind，shehadmoresolidityofjudgment：versedinpolitics，philosophy，history；rhetoric，poetryandmusic，besidesEnglish，hermaternaltongue，shespokeandwrotetoperfectionGreek，Latin，French，ItalianandSpanish；butwhileElizabethexcelledMaryonthispoint，inherturnMarywasmorebeautiful，andaboveallmoreattractive，thanherrival。Elizabethhad，itistrue，amajesticandagreeableappearance，brightquickeyes，adazzlinglywhitecomplexion；butshehadredhair，alargefoot，——[ElizabethbestowedapairofhershoesontheUniversityofOxford；theirsizewouldpointtotheirbeingthoseofamanofaveragestature。]——andapowerfulhand，whileMary，onthecontrary，withherbeautifulashy-