"The death of James the First? Our James the First. Murdered by the Graham, before his English Queen's eyes-Joan Beaufort? At Perth With Catherine Douglas barring the door against his assassins with her arm, broken to try save her liege. That has nothing to do with England."
"Aye-that would make notable drama. The King did indeed suggest it But assassination of monarchs by their subjects is scarce suitable theme, he feels! After Guido Fawkes his plot Moreover, he is greatly interested, it seems, in witchcraft He has written a volume upon it-as you will know. He believes that Scots witches are of an especial sort, with great power of divination. He would have me to bring this in-indeed purposes to instruct me in the matter! The which I hope to escape! He therefore suggests the case of King MacBeda the usurper-he who, it seems, slew King Duncan whose general he was, and ruled in his stead. Witchcraft, King James claims, was partly responsible. His wife, Grula or some such name, was closer to the throne than was MacBeda himself, and spurred on her husband's ambition. The chronicler Holinshed tells of this, the King says. It seems a likely theme. You know of this MacBeda, Master Heriot?"
"To be sure. Though most in Scotland call him MacBeth. And his wife was Gruach, grand-daughter of Kenneth-Kenneth the Third. I would not call MacBeth usurper, any more than half the kings before him. He was of the royal line, as was his wife, and strong where Duncan was weak Scotland has always needed strong kings. And he reigned well, for many years. As to witchcraft, I know not."
"Ah that is nothing harmful to the drama of it King James sees it not as a subject slaying his lawful monarch so much as a fellow prince replacing another, under the dominance of an evil woman. He is strong on this-the sin of women dominating men, especially in the rule of a state. Only ill can come of women with overmuch power, he says-which will scarce please those who loved the late Gloriana, I fear! So the murderer must die-but the woman to suffer the worse fate. And at the hands of the murdered King's son. From which son, of course, our liege lord claims descent"
"In somewhat round-about fashion! But the throne descends from that Malcolm, yes. If you think this so old a story-for it was five hundred years ago and more-will make a play to cause the English better to love the Scots, then I will aid you the best of my poor ability. But, sir-I do not see in what I may be of use?"
"You can keep me right on matters Scottish, customs, titles, lands. And the King says that, perchance, we might go to Scotland hereafter, so that I may learn something of the true scene and setting." "Ah I Now, sir, you speak to the point! I ever seek excuse to return to my native land. Or royal permission to do so, which is something different." "So His Majesty indicated! He said that I would find you nothing backward." "When do we go?"
"That I know not The King did not make it clear, for certain. I am acting, myself, just now, in a comedy at The Globe-Love's Labour's Lost You may have heard of it? It would not be convenient to go until the run is ended. Besides, King James, I think, has the Scots virtue of thrift well developed! He does not wish me to travel to Scotland at any great cost to himself. His suggestion is that I take the company of the King's Players with me and that we play in Edinburgh and other Scottish cities and so earn the price of our journey"
"That certainly sounds like James Stewart!" Heriot admitted. "When will this be, think you?"
"Our comedy should run for six weeks yet Mid-autumn- October. Would that be too late for travel to Scotland? Snow? Ice?"
"Scotland is not Muscovy, sir-nor yet the Arctic wastes! Our West has a gentler winter than you have here in London, our East drier. October will serve very well."
"I learn, Master Heriot-I learn! And where should I best go, then, to learn of this MacBeda? To set the scene of the play?"
"That I shall have to think on. As I mind it, Perth, Dunsinane, Birnam, come to mind. Lumphanan on the Dee. MacBeth was Mormaor of Moray, and Elgin his capital, I think. I must refresh my memory."
"Very well. And if you can think of aught where I may read more of all this ancient story, pray inform me. Meantime, I shall seek out the chronicles of Holinshed. I thank you for your courtesy, Master Heriot" "Another mug of ale, sir?"
***
The anticipated summons came some ten days later, and Heriot duly repaired to Hampton Court, the vast palace which Cardinal Wolsey had built a century before and presented to his monarch-who had repaid him by dismissal. He found Will Shakespeare there already; but when the call to the presence came, it was for Heriot only, with the playwright left in the anteroom.
James was tottering alone about a great gallery lit by many windows, hung with crystal candelabra, the walls adorned with hangings and rows of stiff-looking portraits which had the appearance of being all painted by the same hand. There was a long central table, with many chairs drawn up to it, paper, books and scrolls spread, as though for a meeting.
"Aye, Geordie-it's yoursel'?" James greeted. "Shut the door behind you, man and come here." He was moving over to the far comer of the gallery. "See this, now. Easy seen this house was built by a churchman 1 It's a squint, see. Right cunning." He had pulled aside a tapestry of gods and goddesses beside a waterfall, to show behind it a narrow door contrived in the panelling, un-noticeable save to one who knew of its presence. Opening this, the King revealed a small dark chamber, cut in the thickness of the walling, only about six feet square, furnished but with a bench. Beckoning the other in, James pointed to the back of the door on which hung a sort of sliding shutter-device. Drawing this to one side, a series of oddly-placed holes, perhaps half-an-inch in diameter, were uncovered. Letting the tapestry fall back into place, amidst a puff of dust, and closing the door on them, he pointed. The darkness of the garderobe was illuminated by rays of light coming through these holes which the shutter had covered. "Have a peek through there, Geordie."
Peering, the other could see, through the various holes, about two-thirds of the gallery, including almost all of the central table.
"Holes cut in the arras," James went on. "Where the eyes o' thae shameless hussies are-so's they'll no' be noticed. I noticed it, mind. The holes. One time at a meeting. I kent it couldna be moths-no' just there. That's how I found this bit convenience. Right handy, on occasion. I use it now and again. So this gallery makes a suitable place for some meetings, see you!" "Very interesting, Sire," Heriot acknowledged, warily.
"You can hear, too-och, fine and clear. There must be some kind o' laird's lug some place-though I havena found it!" The King opened the door very quietly, and peered round the side of the tapestry, to make sure that no one had entered the gallery. "Out wi' you-quickly 1 Aye, then. You'll ken where to go, Geordie. You'll no' have to cough or sneeze, mind. That wouldna do." As an afterthought, he added. 'The Privy Council whiles meet here. When I so order. Other meetings, forby."
"Ah-I see I Convenient, as Your Majesty says. And my Lord Salisbury and his spies have not yet smelt this out?"
"Eh? Cecil? Na, na-he kens naething o' it Or he wouldna have said some o' the things he has done at yon table 1 When he's been left to preside in place o' my royal self"
"H'mmm. And why me, She? Where do I come into this? You do not wish me to spy on Master Shakespeare, do you?"
"Sakes, no! But I dinna want him seeing it, mind. I can trust you, Geordie-but others havena to ken o' this. No-there's a Privy Council to be held here in an hour frae now. No' an ordinary meeting. I've commanded that limmer Andra Melville, and his Kirk cronies frae Scotland, to compear before me and the Privy Council here. He's a proud, upstuck and arrogant deevil, yon, as I ken well. I want him to deliver himsel' o' his sentiments and treasons before these English lords and bishops-so maybe they'll ken better what I have to contend wi' in Scotland frae these black corbies o' divines, and accord me the better support. But they'll no' ken one hah o' what he's at, being only English. And the Scots members o' this Council, Vicky Lennox and Geordie Home, are up at Perth for the parliament I canna invite the likes o' you, Geordie, to attend at a Privy Council, or any no' sworn into it. So you'll bide in yon bit squi
nt-hole, and watch and listen. And there'll be twa o' us who'll understand what Maister Melville and his crew are at! You've sharp wits for some things, Geordie, and just the man for this."
"I do not know that I like the notion, She. Of spying on my fellow-countrymen…"
"I didna ask you if you liked it, man-I'm commanding it! A leal duty you owe to your monarch. I whiles wonder if you're no' developing ower delicate a stomach for an Edinburgh moneylender, Geordie Heriot I You'll look and listen, in there, and afterwards we'll have a bit crack about it. For the weal o' the realm o' Scotland! You understand? Aye-well, now go and tell yon guard to have the man Shakespeare in."
With the playwright bowed in, and obviously somewhat overawed by the company and surroundings, they had a further discussion on the proposed Scottish play. James was quite decided now that it should be on the theme of MacBeda-as he called him-Duncan and Gruath. He dismissed Heriot's suggestion that Malcolm Canmore, Duncan's son, and his Saxon-English Queen Margaret, might provide a more cheerful and profitable subject, as representing Scottish-English co-operation, on the grounds that tragedy was the real stuff of drama; moreover, Margaret had been much too strong-willed a woman, and had largely ruled Scotland through her husband and sons thereafter-an ill thing and unsuitable to be published abroad. Had she not well-nigh imposed Popery on Scotland, in place of their own good native Celtic Church? Well, then.
Will Shakespeare seemed quite happy with MacBeth and Duncan, delating a little on some of the scenes he proposed to introduce. He was not so sure about the witchcraft aspect, however, having no real knowledge of the subject, and not seeing how it was to be fitted in.
James allowed him to get no further than that, but plunged forthwith into a deep and lengthy exposition of witchcraft and warlockry, satanism and demonology, in all their branches, with illustrations back to the Witch of Endor and other Biblical references, quotations, largely from his own works on the subject, Latin interpolations and classical parallels. In a spate, a flood, this continued-and since subject could by no means interrupt monarch, and there was no pause, the thing developed into a major discourse and dissertation to an increasingly dazed and lost audience of two.
Their ordeal was only terminated by a knocking at the door and the entry of the Earl of Salisbury himself-who looked distinctly disapproving at finding the King closeted with two such low-born nonentities-coming to inform that the Privy Councillors were now assembled, as were the Scotch presbyters, and awaiting His Majesty's summons to the table.
Frowning, James flapped an unwashed hand at the newcomer. "Aye, well-they can just wait," he declared. "Awa' and tell them so, Cecil man. I'll have them in when I'm ready, and no' before. You're interrupting me, sir-aye, intercluding and anteverting me, the King! I'm expounding a serious matter. You should ken better. Experientta docet stultosl When I want you, I'll send for you."
Shaken, the Principal Secretary of State, and earl, tip-toed out -but he got in a venomous glance at the monarch's companions in the by-going.
"A right tiresome limmer, that!" Majesty commented. "And crabbit, too. Now-where was I?"
Heriot cleared his throat, greatly daring. "Sire-do you not think… would it not be wise… in the circumstances, to leave this subject meantime? I swear Master Shakespeare and myself have been given as much, and more, than our poor wits can take in, on this deep matter of witchcraft For the time being. We have not Your Majesty's profound and long-standing familiarity with the subject. We are but babes at this…"
"Aye-I can well believe that!" the King said severely. "I've been watching the pair o' you-and you've no' shown the interest and comprehension, aye the apperception and perpension I'd have expected frae men o' proper wits. But maybe you're right-and it would be wasting time to gie you mair, the now. Forby, there's the other matter," and he glanced conspiratorially from Heriot to the corner of the gallery where was the hidden chamber. "Maister Shakespeare-you have our royal permission to leave. I'll see you again, on this."
"Yes, Your Majesty. To be sure. I thank Your Majesty, I, ah, bid Your Majesty good-day and godspeed. If, if I may be so bold. With my deep thanks for your, your disquisition of these occult and difficult matters."
"Aye-then see you mak guid use o' what I've told you, man, in this stagery and dramaturgy. Our witches, mind, are to be maist notable and horrid, of a right powerfu' and diabolic quality. Nane o' your auld wifies wi' simples and herbs, drying up coo's udders and lassies' maidenheids, such as your dweebly English beldames go in for. Ours are otherwise in Scotland, Satan's ain sisterhood! So see you to it. Now-off wi' you. Geordie-you bide here."
When the playwright had bowed himself out, Heriot was hustled to the hidden garderobe behind the tapestry, with much shushing and adjurations as to no coughing, sneezing, or coming out until he, James, came for him. Then the door was shut, and he was left in darkness save for the dusty lances of light coming through from the gallery windows opposite.
Sighing-not audibly, he hoped-the man sat on the bench, immured in the cause of duty.
He had not long to wait, at any rate. In only a minute or two the Privy Councillors came trooping into the gallery-and the King was proved right about a watcher being able to hear clearly as well as see, for Heriot was promptly regaled by the sight and sound of the highest in England's church, state and court manoeuvring and squabbling over precedency and who was to occupy the best seats round the table. Clearly, the Howards and Cecils were most adept at this endeavour. The head of the table was just opposite Heriot's squint-holes, but the rightmost aperture was so aligned that he could see the bottom also, where two secretaries sat. James's throne-like seat at the head was flanked by two lesser chairs, whereon sat the Lord Chancellor Ellesmere and the Principal Secretary of State, with the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Richard Bancroft, on the former's right and Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, Lord Chamberlain and Treasurer, on the latter's left. When the King had sat down, all others did likewise, save for Salisbury, who, hunched and crooked of back, addressed His Majesty and Council. They were met together, he declared, not for any normal meeting but at His Majesty's command, to hear certain views and assertions put forward by prominent members of Christ's Church in Scotland, which views impinged upon and affected the processes of government in the state. Admittedly that state was the realm of Scotland; but since their kingdoms were now in measure united, in the person of their gracious and respected monarch, and would, it was to be expected, be further united hereafter; and moreover their Church of England was concerned-it was deemed proper that these views should be heard by the Council, from the mouths of spokesmen of the Presbyterian persuasion, in particular Master Andrew Melville, Principal and Rector of the University of St Andrews. Master Melville and his colleagues had already been given opportunity to address sundry assemblies and parties, including some of their Spiritual lordships here present This occasion was for a general exchange of views on policies, all attending entitled to hear and question the Scotchmen. With His Majesty's permission, he would call them in.
Yeomen of the Guard had barely got the door open when eight black-garbed figures strode in, as though to battle, heads high, led by a white-haired and bearded man of noble features, stern expression and flashing eye. He, and they all, were dressed in ordinary clothing, not Geneva gowns but noticeably plain and all black, relieved only by deep white linen collars-very different from the rich and colourful dress of the Privy Councillors-the few Puritan lords thereof had not been summoned, naturally- and the splendid canonicals and rochets worn by the bishops. Their leader marched half way up the chamber and then halted, to jerk his head towards the throne, in what would better be described as a curt nod rather than any bow. His colleagues did not even do as much. They were all men of middle years.
"Aye, Maister Andra-it's yoursel’," the King greeted genially. "And you, Maister Jamie. Yon's his nephew, wi' the big belly," he added, for the benefit of the assembled councillors. "I dinna mind a' the names o' the rest. But come up a bittie further,
Andra-so's I can have a right sight o' you, man." James darted a quick glance towards the important tapestry to ensure that all would be within its range. "Aye, then-that'll do, that'll do."
"Sire-before aught else, I hereby do mak protest!" Andrew Melville cried strongly, in a clear but rich and powerful voice that contrasted notably with the monarch's thick and wetly conversational delivery. "We have been subjected to notable folly and intolerable affront We have been forced to attend and listen to nae fewer than four sermons in what they ca' your Chapel Royal, a right scandalous place filled wi' shamefu' Popish mummery, altars, idols and superstitious imagery. Aye, sermons of a puerility and extravagance and inordinate length, submitted by men as lacking in a' knowledge o' God's revealed Word and purpose as, it appears, they were in any decent education! And this, we were told, on Your Grace's direct command."
James's voice rose somewhat squeakily above the gasps and exclamations of his outraged councillors-but not in any evident disapprobation. "I wouldna have thought that you would object to sermons, Andra-or the length o' them! I've had to listen to some right dingers frae yoursel', man. Hours and hours, aye-at St Giles and Holyrood. I jaloused they'd put you a' at ease-your ain coin o' exchange, just. Moreover, fas est et ab hoste doceri, eh? Aye, and it was fitting that you should be informed on the doctrines o' the supremacy o' the Crown and the rights o' the Episcopate, which we're a' here to decide on. I'd no' have you ignorant o' the case contrar to your ain, Maister Andra."
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