Hermitage Castle
Bothwell sailed to France and sought accommodation with Mary’s uncle, Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine.
But Bothwell’s enemies weren’t satisfied with his exile - only death could forever deprive Mary of his support. William Maitland hired John Wemyss, Laird of Pittencrieff, and he arrived in France, hot on Bothwell’s tails. He bought off six of Bothwell’s servants - his page Nicholas Hubert (‘French Paris’); Gabriel Sempill, his confidential man; Walter Murray; Dandie Pringle; the head groom and Bothwell’s barber - barbers in those days having acces to and knowledge of various drugs.
But in the end, none of these men could kill their master. Two plots - one of poisoning the other of knifing - both failed because the servants could not carry them through. One servant, Dandie Pringle, left his service shortly afterwards. For the time being Bothwell remained unaware of the plots against him.
Bothwell wished to remind the Queen of her promise to secure him a post in command of the Scottish Archers in France, and, realising that letters sent to her did not necessarily reach her, he took the opportunity to use James Murray of Purdorvis (or Tullibardine) as an envoy, when this gentleman was in France on business with the Cardinal of Lorraine. Unfortunately, whilst entertaining this man, Bothwell let him know his true feelings about Lord James Stewart (now Earl of Moray), Lethington and, if Murray is to be believed, about Mary’s lukewarm support and Elizabeth’s unhelpfulness. Sadly for Bothwell, Murray’s route home passed William Cecil’s door, and one of Murray's servants was a certain Dandie Pringle.
Randolph was aware of Tullibardine's mission "to purchase some grace and favour". He noted that the Queen, "of herself, is not evil-affected to him, but there are many causes why he is not so looked on as some others are - and more favour cannot be shown to him - accused of conspiring against her to take her by force, and to kill those in chief credit about her, and when committed to prison (as it may be thought finding himself guilty) broke it and left his country - than to Arran, who detected the same, and is yet detained." I think this would nowadays be called 'spin'?
From Bothwell’s own memoir and a rumour heard by the English Ambassador on 10th February 1565 it appears that he was made Captain of the Scottish guard before his letter reached its destination. He only held the post for a few weeks however - by 5th March he was back in Edinburgh.
It isn’t clear why Bothwell returned - he was still a wanted man in Scotland, and his future must have been a lot more secure in France. The likeliest explanation is that he wanted to lend his support to Mary’s plans to marry Henry Darnley, since this would seem likely to decrease the power James Stewart, Earl of Moray, had over her.
In the meantime, James Murray and his out-of date letter had reached Holyrood. He had Dandie Pringle in his service, and the two of them, on their route through England to Scotland, had already told Cecil all about Bothwell’s doings and thoughts. Murray proceeded to betray Bothwell to Moray in the same manner, adding for good measure that Bothwell had promised to kill Moray and Maitland on his return to Scotland.
Moray was outraged, but Mary refused to act against Bothwell. Dandie Pringle was then called from Berwick, and he testified to Mary that the Earl of Bothwell had stated that the queens of England and Scotland taken together ‘could not make one honest woman’ (harsh but fair if you ask me), and also that he had called Mary ‘the Cardinal’s hoore’. This last is unlikely to have been a true report of what Bothwell said, but Pringle may have misunderstood some reference to an old scandal relating to Mary of Guise and the Cardinal of Loraine.
Randolph to Throckmorton:
"Bothwell said in France, that both the Queens [Elizabeth and Mary] could not make one honest woman; and for his own, if she had taken any but a Cardinal, it had been better borne with."[1]Randolph to Cecil, March 15, 1565:
"...Of Bothwell's arrival I soubt not your honour is advertised by my Lord of Bedford. The Queen altogether mislikes his home coming without her licence, and has already sent a sergeant of arms to summon him to underlie the law - which if he refused to do, he shall be pronounced rebel. As it is thought he will perchance seek refuge in England, I am required to write to you to move her Majesty that he may have no receipt there, and her officers be warned; as I have already written to Lord Bedford amd Sir John Forster. Bothwell is also charged by Murray that came last out of France, of speaking dishonourable words against this Queen, and threatening my Lord of Murray and Lethington that he would be the death of both when he returned to Scotland." [1]
Although Bedford suspected that Mary favoured Bothwell (whom he in the same letter accused of some vile and unmentionable vice) [2], Mary was incensed at this, and ordered Bothwell to appear in court in Edinburgh on 2nd May 1665, finally charged with plotting against the Queen with the Earl of Arran.
Bothwell complied with her order and posted two hundred Scots pounds bail at the Tolbooth. He retired to Hermitage, which he considered the safest place since their were rumours that Moray would not wait for justice and had plans to kidnap him. Indeed, Bothwell was forced to flee Hermitage one night when Gabriel Sempill informed him that Moray was heading with force for the castle. This turned out to be a false alarm.
Hermitage Castle
By now it was the end of March 1565. The next night Bothwell again left Hermitage, and in his absence the head groom was caught stealing shirts from Bothwell. He was thrown into prison, where he confessed all, including the part he and others had played in the attempts on Bothwell’s life. French Paris confirmed his story and the persons behind the plot.
Bothwell dealt extremely leniently with the servants involved. Dandie Pringle, as we know, had already left his service. French Paris soon regained his place in his household and records show that Gabriel Sempill was living the following year, and stealing horses.
But Bothwell realised he could trust no-one. The marriage to Darnley looked imminent, the 2nd of May was drawing near, and Moray was collecting a band of supporters to attend the trial and influence the jury - the Lord Justice of Scotland conveniently being Moray's brother-in-law. When the trial took place, he was on his way to France.
[1] Calendar of State Papers relating to Scotland and Mary Queen of Scots Vol II. Ed. Joseph Bain (HM General Register House, Edinburgh, 1900)
[2] Calendar of State Papers, Foreign Series, of the reign of Elizabeth I, 1558-89 Vol VII. Ed Joseph Stevenson, WB Turnbull et al. 1863-1950 (PRO)