MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, AN ANTHOLOGY OF POETRY

Introduction Antonia Fraser, illustrated by Rebecca Fraser,

Eyre Methuen 1981

Poets have always felt the enchantment of Mary, Queen of Scots, the most romantic heroine in history, even long after her death. Ronsard was the first to pay homage. He knew the graceful Dauphiness of the French court well – he had also served her father in Scotland – and kept Mary’s portrait continually in his library. Other French poets sang her praises, and one, Pierre de Chatelard, even died for love of her.

Mary was fond of poetry and poets and was surrounded by poetry all her life, writing modest verses herself. Her ancestor James 1 and her father James V both wrote poetry, as did her second husband Lord Darnley, who wrote courtly love poems. Even Mary’s son James V1 and 1, was a talented poet.

Poets disagree in their views of Mary as much as historians always have, and it is is fascinating to see conflicting images of Mary reflected in these poems – Mary as Elizabeth 1’s dynastic rival claiming the throne of England; Mary as a religious martyr; Mary the adultress, plotter and murderess of Darnley; and Mary as the doomed beauty, pursued by disaster.

Mary aptly chose as her motto, ‘In my end is my beginning’, and, as Antonia Fraser writes, ‘Certainly the poets will never let her go.’

Apart from a couple of light, slight creases to the outer dust jacket, both the book and the dust jacket are in very good condition. A nice find for someone!