Darnleywaseighteenyearsofage：hewashandsome，well-made，elegant；hetalkedinthatattractivemanneroftheyoungnoblesoftheFrenchandEnglishcourtsthatMarynolongerheardsinceherexileinScotland；sheletherselfbedeceivedbytheseappearances，anddidnotseethatunderthisbrilliantexteriorDarnleyhidutterinsignificance，dubiouscourage，andafickleandchurlishcharacter。
Itistruethathecametoherundertheauspicesofamanwhoseinfluencewasasstrikingastherisenfortunewhichgavehimtheopportunitytoexertit。WerefertoDavidRizzio。
DavidRizzio，whoplayedsuchagreatpartinthelifeofMaryStuart，whosestrangefavourforhimhasgivenherenemies，probablywithoutanycause，suchcruelweaponsagainsther，wasthesonofaTurinmusicianburdenedwithanumerousfamily，who，recognisinginhimapronouncedmusicaltaste，hadhiminstructedinthefirstprinciplesoftheart。Attheageoffifteenhehadlefthisfather’shouseandhadgoneonfoottoNice，wheretheDukeofSavoyheldhiscourt；thereheenteredtheserviceoftheDukeofMoreto，andthislordhavingbeenappointed，someyearsafterwards，totheScottishembassy，RizziofollowedhimtoScotland。Asthisyoungmanhadaveryfinevoice，andaccompaniedontheviolandfiddlesongsofwhichboththeairsandthewordswereofhisowncomposition，theambassadorspokeofhimtoMary，whowishedtoseehim。Rizzio，fullofconfidenceinhimself，andseeinginthequeen’sdesirearoadtosuccess，hastenedtoobeyhercommand，sangbeforeher，andpleasedher。ShebeggedhimthenofMoreto，makingnomoreofitthanifshehadaskedofhimathoroughbreddogorawell-trainedfalcon。Moretapresentedhimtoher，delightedatfindingsuchanopportunitytopayhiscourt；butscarcelywasRizzioinherservicethanMarydiscoveredthatmusicwastheleastofhisgifts，thathepossessed，besidesthat，educationifnotprofoundatleastvaried，asupplemind，alivelyimagination，gentleways，andatthesametimemuchboldnessandpresumption。HeremindedherofthoseItalianartistswhomshehadseenattheFrenchcourt，andspoketoherthetongueofMarotandRonsard，whosemostbeautifulpoemsheknewbyheart：thiswasmorethanenoughtopleaseMaryStuart。Inashorttimehebecameherfavourite，andmeanwhiletheplaceofsecretaryfortheFrenchdespatchesfallingvacant，Rizziowasprovidedforwithit。
Darnley，whowishedtosucceedatallcosts，enlistedRizzioinhisinterests，unconsciousthathehadnoneedofthissupport；andas，onherside，Mary，whohadfalleninlovewithhimatfirstsight，fearingsomenewintrigueofElizabeth’s，hastenedonthisunionsofarastheproprietiespermitted，theaffairmovedforwardwithwonderfulrapidity；andinthemidstofpublicrejoicing，withtheapprobationofthenobility，exceptforasmallminority，withMurrayatitshead，themarriagewassolemnisedunderthehappiestauspices，29thJuly1565。Twodaysbefore，Darnleyandhisfather，theEarlofLennox，hadreceivedacommandtoreturntoLondon，andastheyhadnotobeyedit，aweekafterthecelebrationofthemarriagetheylearnedthattheCountessofLennox，theonlyoneofthefamilyremaininginElizabeth’spower，hadbeenarrestedandtakentotheTower。ThusElizabeth，inspiteofherdissimulation，yieldingtothatfirstimpulseofviolencethatshealwayshadsuchtroubletoovercome，publiclydisplayedherresentment。
However，Elizabethwasnotthewomantobesatisfiedwithuselessvengeance：shesoonreleasedthecountess，andturnedhereyestowardsMurray，themostdiscontentedofthenoblesinopposition，whobythismarriagewaslosingallhispersonalinfluence。ItwasthuseasyforElizabethtoputarmsinhishand。Infact，whenhehadfailedinhisfirstattempttoseizeDarnley，hecalledtohisaidtheDukeofChatellerault，Glencairn，Argyll，andRothes，andcollectingwhatpartisanstheycould，theyopenlyrebelledagainstthequeen。ThiswasthefirstostensibleactofthathatredwhichwasafterwardssofataltoMary。
Thequeen，onherside，appealedtohernobles，whoinresponsehastenedtorallytoher，sothatinamonth’stimeshefoundherselfattheheadofthefinestarmythateverakingofScotlandhadraised。Darnleyassumedthecommandofthismagnificentassembly，mountedonasuperbhorse，arrayedingildedarmour；andaccompaniedbythequeen，who，inaridinghabit，withpistolsathersaddle-bow，wishedtomakethecampaignwithhim，thatshemightnotquithissideforamoment。Bothwereyoung，bothwerehandsome，andtheyleftEdinburghamidstthecheersofthepeopleandthearmy。
Murrayandhisaccomplicesdidnoteventrytostandagainstthem，andthecampaignconsistedofsuchrapidandcomplexmarchesandcounter-marches，thatthisrebellioniscalledtheRun-aboutRaid-
thatistosay，therunineverysenseoftheword。MurrayandtherebelswithdrewintoEngland，whereElizabeth，whileseemingtocondemntheirunluckyattempt，affordedthemalltheassistancetheyneeded。
MaryreturnedtoEdinburghdelightedatthesuccessofhertwofirstcampaigns，notsuspectingthatthisnewgoodfortunewasthelastshewouldhave，andthattherehershort-livedprosperitywouldcease。
Indeed，shesoonsawthatinDarnleyshehadgivenherselfnotadevotedandveryattentivehusband，asshehadbelieved，butanimperiousandbrutalmaster，who，nolongerhavinganymotiveforconcealment，showedhimselftoherjustashewas，amanofdisgracefulvices，ofwhichdrunkennessanddebaucherywastheleast。
Accordingly，seriousdifferenceswerenotlonginspringingupinthisroyalhousehold。
DarnleyinweddingMaryhadnotbecomeking，butmerelythequeen’shusband。Toconferonhimauthoritynearlyequallingaregent’s，itwasnecessarythatMaryshouldgranthimwhatwastermedthecrownmatrimonial——acrownFrancisIIhadwornduringhisshortroyalty，andthatMary，afterDarnley’sconducttoherself，hadnottheslightestintentionofbestowingonhim。Thus，towhateverentreatieshemade，inwhateverformtheywerewrapped，Marymerelyrepliedwithanunvariedandobstinaterefusal。Darnley，amazedatthisforceofwillinayoungqueenwhohadlovedhimenoughtoraisehimtoher，andnotbelievingthatshecouldfinditinherself，soughtinherentourageforsomesecretandinfluentialadviserwhomighthaveinspiredherwithit。HissuspicionsfellonRizzio。
Inreality，towhatevercauseRizzioowedhispowerandtoeventhemostclear-sightedhistoriansthispointhasalwaysremainedobscure，beitthatheruledaslover，beitthatheadvisedasminister，hiscounselsaslongashelivedwerealwaysgivenforthegreatergloryofthequeen。Sprungfromsolow，heatleastwishedtoshowhimselfworthy，ofhavingrisensohigh，andowingeverythingtoMary，hetriedtorepayherwithdevotion。ThusDarnleywasnotmistaken，anditwasindeedRizziowho，indespairathavinghelpedtobringaboutaunionwhichheforesawmustbecomesounfortunate，gaveMarytheadvicenottogiveupanyofherpowertoonewhoalreadypossessedmuchmorethanhedeserved，inpossessingherperson。
Darnley，likeallpersonsofbothweakandviolentcharacter，disbelievedinthepersistenceofwillinothers，unlessthiswillwassustainedbyanoutsideinfluence。HethoughtthatinriddinghimselfofRizziohecouldnotfailtogaintheday，since，ashebelieved，healonewasopposingthegrantofthisgreatdesireofhis，thecrownmatrimonial。Consequently，asRizziowasdislikedbythenoblesinproportionashismeritshadraisedhimabovethem，itwaseasyforDarnleytoorganiseaconspiracy，andJamesDouglasofMorton，chancellorofthekingdom，consentedtoactaschief。
ThisisthesecondtimesincethebeginningofournarrativethatweinscribethisnameDouglas，sooftenpronounced，inScottishhistory，andwhichatthistime，extinctintheelderbranch，knownastheBlackDouglases，wasperpetuatedintheyoungerbranch，knownastheRedDouglases。Itwasanancient，noble，andpowerfulfamily，which，whenthedescentinthemalelinefromRobertBrucehadlapsed，disputedtheroyaltitlewiththefirstStuart，andwhichsincethenhadconstantlykeptalongsidethethrone，sometimesitssupport，sometimesitsenemy，envyingeverygreathouse，forgreatnessmadeituneasy，butaboveallenviousofthehouseofHamilton，which，ifnotitsequal，wasatanyrateafteritselfthenextmostpowerful。
DuringthewholereignofJamesV，thankstothehatredwhichthekingborethem，theDouglaseshad：notonlylostalltheirinfluence，buthadalsobeenexiledtoEngland。Thishatredwasonaccountoftheirhavingseizedtheguardianshipoftheyoungprinceandkepthimprisonertillhewasfifteen。Then，withthehelpofoneofhispages，JamesVhadescapedfromFalkland，andhadreachedStirling，whosegovernorwasinhisinterests。ScarcelywashesafeinthecastlethanhemadeproclamationthatanyDouglaswhoshouldapproachwithinadozenmilesofitwouldbeprosecutedforhightreason。
Thiswasnotall：heobtainedadecreefromParliament，declaringthemguiltyoffelony，andcondemningthemtoexile；theyremainedproscribed，then，duringtheking’slifetime，andreturnedtoScotlandonlyuponhisdeath。Theresultwasthat，althoughtheyhadbeenrecalledaboutthethrone，andthough，thankstothepastinfluenceofMurray，who，oneremembers，wasaDouglasonthemother’sside，theyfilledthemostimportantpoststhere，theyhadnotforgiventothedaughtertheenmitybornethembythefather。
ThiswaswhyJamesDouglas，chancellorashewas，andconsequentlyentrustedwiththeexecutionofthelaws，puthimselfattheheadofaconspiracywhichhadforitsaimtheviolationofalllaws；humananddivine。
Douglas’sfirstideahadbeentotreatRizzioasthefavouritesofJamesIIIhadbeentreatedattheBridgeofLauder——thatistosay，tomakeashowofhavingatrialandtohanghimafterwards。ButsuchadeathdidnotsufficeforDarnley’svengeance；asaboveeverythinghewishedtopunishthequeeninRizzio’sperson，heexactedthatthemurdershouldtakeplaceinherpresence。
DouglasassociatedwithhimselfLordRuthven，anidleanddissolutesybarite，whounderthecircumstancespromisedtopushhisdevotionsofarastowearacuirass；then，sureofthisimportantaccomplice，hebusiedhimselfwithfindingotheragents。
However，theplotwasnotwovenwithsuchsecrecybutthatsomethingofittranspired；andRizzioreceivedseveralwarningsthathedespised。SirJamesMelville，amongothers，triedeverymeanstomakehimunderstandtheperilsastrangerranwhoenjoyedsuchabsoluteconfidenceinawild，jealouscourtlikethatofScotland。
Rizzioreceivedthesehintsasifresolvednottoapplythemtohimself；andSirJamesMelville，satisfiedthathehaddoneenoughtoeasehisconscience，didnotinsistfurther。ThenaFrenchpriest，whohadareputationasacleverastrologer，gothimselfadmittedtoRizzio，andwarnedhimthatthestarspredictedthathewasindeadlyperil，andthatheshouldbewareofacertainbastardaboveall。
Rizziorepliedthatfromthedaywhenhehadbeenhonouredwithhissovereign’sconfidence，hehadsacrificedinadvancehislifetohisposition；thatsincethattime，however，hehadhadoccasiontonoticethatingeneraltheScotchwerereadytothreatenbutslowtoact；that，astothebastardreferredto，whowasdoubtlesstheEarlofMurray，hewouldtakecarethatheshouldneverenterScotlandfarenoughforhisswordtoreachhim，wereitaslongasfromDumfriestoEdinburgh；whichinotherwordswasasmuchastosaythatMurrayshouldremainexiledinEnglandforlife，sinceDumfrieswasoneoftheprincipalfrontiertowns。
Meanwhiletheconspiracyproceeded，andDouglasandRuthven，havingcollectedtheiraccomplicesandtakentheirmeasures，cametoDarnleytofinishthecompact。Asthepriceofthebloodyservicetheyrenderedtheking，theyexactedfromhimapromisetoobtainthepardonofMurrayandthenoblescompromisedwithhimintheaffairofthe“runineverysense“。Darnleygrantedalltheyaskedofhim，andamessengerwassenttoMurraytoinformhimoftheexpeditioninpreparation，andtoinvitehimtoholdhimselfinreadinesstoreenterScotlandatthefirstnoticeheshouldreceive。Then，thispointsettled，theymadeDarnleysignapaperinwhichheacknowledgedhimselftheauthorandchiefoftheenterprise。TheotherassassinsweretheEarlofMorton，theEarlofRuthven，，GeorgeDouglasthebastardofAngus，Lindley，andAndrew，Carew。Theremainderweresoldiers，simplemurderers’tools，whodidnotevenknowwhatwasafoot。Darnleyreserveditforhimselftoappointthetime。