1567.] THE MURDER OF DARNLEY 513 heart too were it in my power but she has it already.' A few more words passed, and from Bothwell Paris went to Maitland, who also wrote a brief answer. To the verbal question he answered, ' Tell her Majesty to take the King to Kirk-a-Field ; ' and with these replies the messenger rode back through the night to his mistress. She was not up when he arrived ; her impatience could not rest till she was dressed, and she received him in bed. He gave his letters and his message. She asked if there was anything further. He answered that Bothwell bade him say ' he would have no rest till he had accomplished their enterprise, and that for love of her he would train a pike all his life.' The Queen laughed. ' Please God/ she said, ' it shall not come to that.' l A few hours later she was on the road with her victim. He could be moved but slowly. She was obliged to rest with him two days at Linlithgow; and it was not till the 3oth that she was able to bring him to Edinburgh. As yet he knew nothing of the change of his destination, and supposed that he was going on to Craigmillar. Bothwell however met the cavalcade out- side the gates and took charge of it. No attention was paid either to the exclamation or remonstrance; Darn- ley was informed that the Kirk-a-Field house was most convenient for him, and to Kirk-a-Field he was conducted.
- The lodgings ' prepared for him were in the west
wing, which was divided from the rest of the house by a 1 Examination of Paris : PITCAIRN'S Criminal Trials, vol. i. VOL. vn. 33
