Chapter 57: Lady Jane Grey
July, 1553
When they had first come to Scotland, Jane had found it to be quite depressing. It rained all the time, the people were gruff and well there was little to do. Then she had become friends with a few of the girls about the court, and had gotten to know little Princess Mary and of course the Duke of Rothesay and things had gotten better. And then her father had told her she was to be betrothed to marry the Duke and well she had not know what to feel about that. She was a full three years older than the Duke, and though he was heir to the throne, he was not the person she had had her eye on. Though of course now things were changing. She was making a concerted effort to get to know her future husband, and well she found she actually quite liked him.
They were out walking in the gardens of Stirling Castle, and enjoying the rare burst of sunshine. As was proper she waited for her betrothed to speak. “You know something, Jane,” they had dispensed with formalities some time ago. “I think I can understand now why Edward Bruce made that deal with the English commander about Stirling.”
Her betrothed was an avid reader of history and so Jane had taken to it to, and found she quite enjoyed it herself. “And why is that, James?” It still felt so odd saying her betrothed’s actual name and not his title.
“Because he was counting on the English King coming to rescue the garrison.” James replied.
“What makes you say so?” She replied.
“The fact that Stirling was the last bastion of English power in Scotland and that if the garrison surrendered then Edward would face complete humiliation and likely another rebellion by his barons.” James said.
Jane thought on it and then said. “Indeed, I think you are right, James. Though it was quite the gamble by Edward Bruce. He would not have known whether his brother’s forces could defeat the English in open battle. And of course he could not have known that his brother would so readily agree to this battle.”
James looked at her and asked. “You think he was being foolish?”
“I think he was being a man, and a man who wanted to move from his brother’s shadow.” Jane said.
James looked intrigued by what she had said and as they kept walking he asked. “What would you have done?”
“I would never have made the agreement, instead I would have found someone who knew the way into the castle through an entrance the English did not know about and I would have taken the castle that way.” Jane replied.
Intrigued, James asked. “But how do you know the English would not have expected that, given the way the Scots had been fighting until then?”
“Exactly, they had fought that way on the ground. Taking a castle is another thing.” Jane said.
They sat down then, with their chaperone being a few feet away. Jane saw her betrothed look at the chaperone with disgust. “I don’t understand why we need that person there following us. Guards I can understand, but why them?”
“It is to ensure neither of us do something we would later regret, James.” Jane said, daring to take her betrothed’s hand in hers.
“But what would we do?” James asked.
Jane wanted to say a lot of things, but instead she simply said. “Adults worry unnecessarily about a lot of things. Better to let them have this than not.”
“I suppose so.” James said.
Deciding to change the topic, Jane asked. “What have you learned in your lessons with the Honourable John Knox?” She had secretly gone to listen to one of his sermons the other day and found him a fascinating speaker. He toed the King’s line of reform, but spoke with ferocious passion that she shared.
“He spoke about how we as rulers need to do more for the people, under God’s word. That we need not always follow Rome’s example for things to do. That we innately know right from wrong being God’s chosen.” James said.
Jane could tell that confused her betrothed and so she asked. “Do you not agree?”
“I don’t know. I just find it hard to see that with what we are taught by the Church.” James said. “And it does sound oddly like heresy to say that we should not be listening constantly to Rome.”
Jane thought on that and then replied. “I think that perhaps what the Honourable Knox is saying is that, instead of always looking to Rome, think for yourself about what should be done and whether or not that fits with the Church’s teachings. After all you deign authority from God, above all else.”
“I see. I suppose that makes sense.” James said. “I really do like these walks of ours.” Her betrothed said.