I came across this letter that a thirteen year old Queen of Scots wrote to her Catholic cousin, Mary I of England when she was just a young girl living in France. She writes Mary to let her know that a Lieutenant of King Henri II of France would be passing through England and would stop to speak with the English queen on her behalf.
To give you a little idea of what was happening in 1554 here is a brief overview:
England – 1554 : Mary Tudor, Queen of England married Philip of Spain in July. Then in September of the same year the queen believed herself to be pregnant. By the end of 1554, Mary had succeeded in returning England to Rome.
Scotland – 1554: Marie Stuart, Queen of Scots’ mother, Marie de Guise, was able to remove the Earl of Arran as her daughter’s regent and take the position herself.
France – 1554: Marie Stuart, Queen of Scots had been living in Scotland since 1547 after her marriage with the Dauphin had been arranged. It was safer for Marie to be in France than in Scotland.
Mary, Queen of Scots to Queen Mary of England – 1554
Labeled: To madam, my good sister, the Queen of England.
Endorsed: The young Scottish queen to the queen’s majesty.
Madam, my good sister,
Since the Sieur d’Oysel (Sir Henri Cleutin), the king’s lieutenant in Scotland (referring to Henri II), is returning. I have requested him, in passing through your kingdom, to visit you from me, and thank you, as I do most affectionately, for the kindly friendship of which you give me assurance in your last letter, and to tell you that for my part I have determined to correspond to it so sincerely that, if it please God, there shall be a perpetual remembrance that there were two queens in this island at the same time, as united in inviolate friendship as they are in blood and near lineage. About which, and about all which he will give you to understand from me, I pray you, my good sister, to believe him just as you would the very person of
Your good sister and cousin,
Marie
I find it very refreshing to see such amicable words between two queens. Unfortunately things would not be so friendly with Mary’s successor, Queen Elizabeth I of England.
Source:
Letters of royal and illustrious ladies of Great Britain, from the commencement of the twelfth century to the close of the reign of Queen Mary; by Green, Mary Anne Everett; Published 1846; page 281-282
But also notice that Mary Queen of Scots had not added Mary Queen of Scotland and England on her title at this time , if she had I don’t think Mary Queen of England response would have been so cordial.
Lynn, it was not Mary, Queen of Scots (not Scotland) that claimed that title, it was her father-in-law. Can’t you see by her words that she was cordial and endearing? That was her personality.
Yes because Mary Stuart’s claim on the English thore based on Elizabeth’s illegitimacy but Mary was not illegitimate on the eyes of catholics so she can’t label herself as Queen of England while Mary is still alive
Where did you find this letter? Listing your source would help your readers.
Thanks for pointing it out – I forgot to list the source of the letter on this one before I published it. It is now added. Thank you.