13. “Such a Young Fool and Proud Tyrant Should Not Reign“
It did not take long for Lord Darnley to quarrel with his Protestant co-conspirators. Just two days after murdering the queen’s secretary, the queen’s husband switched back to his wife’s Catholic faction. On the night of March 11-12, 1566, he helped Mary escape from her palace, now teeming with Protestants. However, Darnley’s change of heart was too late to rekindle love or save the marriage, which was irrevocably ruined by the murder of Rizzio.
Mary neither forgot what had happened, nor forgave. After giving birth in June, 1566, Mary bided her time, until November of that year, when she met with her loyal nobles to figure out what to do about the “problem of Darnley”. They decided that the queen’s husband had to go. As described by contemporaries: “It was thought expedient and most profitable for the common wealth … that such a young fool and proud tyrant should not reign or bear rule over them; … that he should be put off by one way or another; and whosoever should take the deed in hand or do it, they should defend“.