30 Archaic usage, meaning ‘knave’ or ‘base fellow’.

31 Several of the signatories said later that they had agreed to the Ainslie bond only after Bothwell told them Mary wanted them to sign. No such claims were made at the time, but the charge may well be true, and Mary herself levelled it against Bothwell: see chapter 22.

32 See chapter 22.

33 The annotation of Cecil’s secretary on this ‘evidence’ is discussed in chapter 26.

34 Her remaining servants, as well as Maitland, Huntly, and Sir James Melville, were also taken to Dunbar.

35 Further evidence of Mary’s likely state of mind at Dunbar will be considered in chapters 22 and 26.