The Bacon Legacy

This is a very important question, particularly while researching the life of Francis Bacon.

James is the man who became King of England when Robert Cecil lied, by saying that Queen Elizabeth I nominated King James VI of Scotland to succeed her on the Throne of England.

There have also been many rumours about the birth of King James, his mother, Queen Mary of Scotland, and her succession, her marriages, her de-thronement, her imprisonment and her eventual execution by order of her cousin, Elizabeth I.

In this article we will show what we have uncovered and hope you will agree that it is very likely that we have all been duped regarding King James, just as we have been duped about the real Shakespeare.

We will start in Scotland early in the sixteenth century. Scotland's leadership was in just as much trouble as was England's leadership, maybe a lot worse, with the tension between the Catholics and the Protestants plus the pursuit for power to rule and plunder the nation.

King James IV of Scotland married Margaret Tudor (Protestant) , the sister of King Henry VIII of England in 1503.

Their fourth son became King James V of Scotland and married Mary Guise d'Angoulême de Lorraine and this marriage produced Mary, the Queen of Scots. James V also had many mistresses. With Margaret Erskine (the sister of John Erskine, the 1st. Earl of Mar), he produced James Stewart, the 1st. Earl of Moray.

James's reign witnessed the beginnings of Protestantism in Scotland. His uncle Henry VIII of England's break with Rome in the 1530s placed James V in a powerful bargaining position with the papacy. This allowed James V to exploit the situation by threatening to become Protestant but he stayed Catholic and so enjoyed a closer relationship with France, than with England.

The death of James's mother in 1541 removed any incentive for peace with England, and war broke out. In December 1542, he became ill and died shortly after. His infant daughter, Mary became Queen at only 6 days old.

Queen Mary's first Regent was James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran (c. 1519 – 22 January 1575), and was Regent until 1554, when Mary's mother, Mary of Guise, became Regent. Hamilton was next in line to the throne and at first was pro-English.

Henry VIII of England took the opportunity of this first regency to propose marriage between Mary and his own son and heir, Edward, hoping for a union of Scotland and England. When Mary was six months old, the Treaty of Greenwich was signed, which promised that, at the age of ten, Mary would marry Edward and move to England.

Cardinal Beaton rose to power in Scotland and began to push a pro-Catholic, pro-French agenda, angering Henry, who wanted to break the Scottish alliance with France.

Hamilton converted to Catholicism in 1543 and supported the pro-French policy. He reluctantly agreed to Mary's marriage to Francis, the eldest son of King Henry II of France. (During the Scottish Reformation, he joined the Protestant Lords of the Congregation to oppose the regency of Mary of Guise.) The Treaty of Greenwich was rejected by the Parliament of Scotland in December.

King Henry II of France proposed to unite France and Scotland by marrying the young queen to his three-year-old son, the Dauphin Francis. On the promise of French military help and a French dukedom for himself, Hamilton agreed to the marriage.

Mary moved to France and was married in April 1558 and became Queen of France when Henry II died On 10 July 1559, fifteen-year-old Francis and sixteen-year-old Mary became king and queen of France. In the French court she was close friends with Elisabeth of Valois, who was later to marry Phillip II of Spain and become Queen of Spain.

In 1547 Henry VIII died and his son Edward died in 1553. Mary I (Catholic) died in 1558 and Elizabeth I became Queen of England and returned England to a Protestant faith.

Under Henry VIII's last will and testament the Stuarts were excluded from succeeding to the English throne. Yet, in the eyes of many Catholics, Elizabeth was illegitimate and Mary Stuart was the rightful queen of England. Henry II of France proclaimed his eldest son and daughter-in-law king and queen of England. Mary's claim to the English throne was a perennial sticking point between her and Elizabeth.

In Scotland, the power of the Protestant Lords of the Congregation was rising. Mary of Guise, could only maintain effective control through the use of French troops. In early 1560, the Protestant lords invited English troops into Scotland in an attempt to secure Protestantism. A Huguenot (French Protestants) uprising in France, made it impossible for the French to send further support. Instead, they sent ambassadors to negotiate a settlement.

June 1560, Mary's mother died and so the question of future Franco-Scots relations was a pressing one. Under the terms of the settlement, France and England undertook to withdraw troops from Scotland. France recognized Elizabeth's right to rule England, but the seventeen-year-old Mary, still in France and grieving for her mother, refused to ratify the treaty.

Francis II died on 5th December 1560 and his brother became king of France. Mary could no longer be Queen of France and returned to Scotland to rule there, arriving on 19 August 1561. Mary had little direct experience of the dangerous and complex political situation she had returned to.

As a devout Catholic, she was regarded with suspicion by many of her subjects, as well as by the Queen of England. Scotland was torn between Catholic and Protestant factions. Mary's illegitimate half-brother, the Earl of Moray, was a leader of the Protestants. The Protestant reformer John Knox preached against Mary and Catholicism.

To the surprise and dismay of the Catholic party, Mary tolerated the newly established Protestant ascendancy, and kept her half-brother Moray as her chief advisor. Her privy council included 12 men from the Protestant leaders and four Catholics.

Modern historian Jenny Wormald found this remarkable and suggested that Mary was focused on the English throne, over the internal problems of Scotland. Even adding Lord Ruthven, another Protestant whom she disliked.

(Lord Ruthven's son William was later executed for kidnapping the 15 year old King James VI for 10 months and leading the government himself.) (Helen has mentioned the Gowrie Murder Plot in her book. Details are available on this website.)

By befriending the Protestant lords, she hoped to strengthened her links with England.

Mary sent an ambassador to the English court to put the case for Mary as the heir presumptive to the English throne. Elizabeth refused to name a potential heir, fearing that would invite conspiracy to displace her with the nominated successor.

Mary then turned her attention to finding a new husband from the royalty of Europe.

Elizabeth attempted to neutralize Mary by suggesting that she marry English Protestant Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. Dudley has been described as the English queen's own favourite, whom she trusted and thought she could control. She sent an ambassador, Thomas Randolph, to tell Mary that if she married an English nobleman, Elizabeth would "proceed to the inquisition of her right and title to be our next cousin and heir". The proposal came to nothing, not least because the intended bridegroom was unwilling.

(Very strange, considering that elsewhere on this website, we have detailed the marriage of Elizabeth to Dudley which would explain Dudley's unwillingness. particularly as Dudley loved Elizabeth and wanted to be recognized as her husband and King of England.)

Mary had briefly met her English-born half-cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (Catholic), in February 1561 when she was in mourning for her husband Francis. Darnley's parents, the Earl and Countess of Lennox, were Scottish aristocrats as well as English landowners.

Both Mary and Darnley were grandchildren of Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII of England, and patrilineal descendants of the High Stewards of Scotland. Darnley shared a more recent Stewart lineage with the Hamilton family as a descendant of Mary Stewart, Countess of Arran, a daughter of James II of Scotland.

They next met on Saturday 17 February 1565 in Scotland. Mary fell in love with the "long lad", as Queen Elizabeth called him since he was over six feet tall. They married at Holyrood Palace on 29 July 1565, even though both were Catholic and a papal dispensation for the marriage of first cousins had not been obtained.

Although her advisors had brought the couple together, Elizabeth felt threatened by the marriage because as descendants of her aunt, both Mary and Darnley were claimants to the English throne. Their children, if any, would inherit an even stronger, combined claim.

Mary's marriage to a leading Catholic precipitated Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray, to join with other Protestant lords in open rebellion against her.

Before long, Darnley grew arrogant. Not content with his position as king consort, he demanded the Crown Matrimonial, which would have made him a co-sovereign of Scotland with the right to keep the Scottish throne for himself, if he outlived his wife.

Mary refused his request and their marriage grew strained, although they conceived by October 1565.

He was jealous of her friendship with her Catholic private secretary, David Rizzio, who was rumoured to be the father of her child. By March 1566, Darnley had entered into a secret conspiracy with Protestant lords.

On 9 March, a group of the conspirators accompanied by Darnley stabbed Rizzio to death in front of the six months pregnant Mary at a dinner party in Holyrood Palace.

Mary's son by Darnley, James, was born on 19 June 1566 in Edinburgh Castle. However, the murder of Rizzio led to the breakdown of her marriage.

At the end of November 1566, the leading nobles held a meeting to discuss the "problem of Darnley" and to remove Darnley. "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."

In the early hours of the morning on the night of 9–10 February 1567, an explosion devastated the house where Darnley was sleeping. Darnley was found dead in the garden, apparently smothered. Bothwell, Moray, the Earl of Morton and Mary were among those who came under suspicion.

Bothwell was generally believed to be guilty of Darnley's assassination and was tried before the Estates of Parliament, to which Mary agreed.

However, with no evidence presented, Bothwell was acquitted. A week later, Bothwell convinced the lords and bishops to support his aim to marry the queen.

In April 1567, Mary visited her son at Stirling for the last time. Returning to Edinburgh, Mary was abducted, by Lord Bothwell and his men and taken to Dunbar Castle, where he may have raped her. On 15 May, they were married according to Protestant rites.

Originally, Mary believed that many nobles supported her marriage, but relations quickly soured between the newly elevated Bothwell and his former peers and the marriage proved to be deeply unpopular. Both Protestants and Catholics were shocked that Mary should marry the man accused of murdering her husband. The marriage was tempestuous, and Mary became despondent.

The confederate lords, turned against Mary and Bothwell. Mary was imprisoned and was forced to abdicate in favour of her one-year-old son James. Moray was made regent, while Bothwell was driven into exile. He was imprisoned in Denmark, became insane, and died in 1578.

On 2 May 1568, Mary escaped and fled south, planning to seek asylum from Elizabeth. She crossed into England by fishing boat and apparently expected Elizabeth to help her regain her throne.

Elizabeth was cautious, ordering an inquiry into the conduct of the confederate lords and the question of whether Mary was guilty of Darnley's murder. Elizabeth considered Mary's designs on the English throne to be a serious threat and so confined her to Tutbury Castle, where she was permitted her own domestic staff, which never numbered fewer than 16.

The English Duke of Norfolk (Catholic) continued to scheme for a marriage with Mary, and Elizabeth imprisoned him in the Tower of London.

Early in 1571, Moray was assassinated. His death occurred soon after an unsuccessful rebellion in the North of England, led by Catholic earls, which confirmed to Elizabeth that Mary was a threat. English troops then intervened in the Scottish civil war, consolidating the power of the Protestants.

Elizabeth's principal secretary William Cecil, (Lord Burghley), and Francis Walsingham watched Mary carefully with the aid of spies placed in her household.

In 1571, William Cecil and Walsingham uncovered a plan to replace Elizabeth with Mary with the help of Spanish troops and the Duke of Norfolk. Norfolk was executed and the English Parliament introduced a bill barring Mary from the throne, to which Elizabeth refused to give royal assent.

In 1584, Mary proposed an "association" with her son, James. She announced that she was ready to stay in England, abandoning her pretensions to the English Crown. She agreed that James should marry with Elizabeth's knowledge, and accepted that there should be no change in religion. Her only condition was the immediate alleviation of the conditions of her captivity. James went along with the idea for a while, but eventually rejected it and signed an alliance treaty with Elizabeth, abandoning his mother. Elizabeth also rejected the association because she did not trust Mary to cease plotting against her during the negotiations.

Mary was moved to Fotheringhay Castle in October and put on trial for treason under the Act for the Queen's Safety.

She was convicted on 25 October and sentenced to death. Nevertheless, Elizabeth hesitated to order her execution. She was concerned that the killing of a queen set a precedent and was fearful of the consequences, especially if, in retaliation, Mary's son, James, formed an alliance with the Catholic powers and invaded England.

Mary was not beheaded with a single strike. The first blow missed her neck and struck the back of her head. The second blow severed the neck, except for a small bit of sinew, which the executioner cut through using the axe.

When the news of the execution reached Elizabeth, she became indignant and asserted that Cecil had disobeyed her instructions not to part with the warrant and that the Privy Council had acted without her authority.

In Victorian times, the tour guides at Edinburgh Castle had quite a startling story to tell: in 1830, a coffin had been found immured in one of the walls of the Royal Palace: it contained the skeleton of a new-born babe, wrapped in a velvet cloth embroidered with the letters ‘JR’.

Since it was well known that Mary Queen of Scots had given birth to the future James VI in these very apartments, this extraordinary discovery would imply that the true child of Mary had died in infancy, and that the little prince was a changeling introduced into the royal crib.

Various conspiracy theorists have speculated that the Earl and Countess of Mar donated their second son to act the part of the little prince, or that an empty crib had been lowered from the Castle using a long rope, to be filled with a healthy child purchased for a few shillings in one of the dens in the Cowgate.

In contrast, the mainstream historians have shunned the story as a fabrication, invented by the tour guides to astound their credulous visitors. Interestingly, some research demonstrates that the story of the ‘Edinburgh Castle Mystery’ has more truth behind it than previously presumed. The Archives of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland hold some very interesting early documents concerning this mysterious matter.

At the meeting of February 14 1831 an account by Captain JE Alexander was read, about the ‘discovery in the wall of the ancient Palace of the Castle of Edinburgh, of the remains of a child, which were wrapped in a shroud of Silk and Cloth of Gold, having the letter ‘J’ embroidered thereupon.’. . .

. . . One would have thought that such a remarkable discovery, near the room where Mary Queen of Scots had given birth to her son and heir back in 1566, would have been given widespread attention among those of a historical bent, but this was not the case.

In 1909, the antiquary Walter B Woodgate reviewed the old story of the coffin in the wall and swallowed it hook, line and sinker. Since he thought James VI very much resembled the Earl of Mar, he suggested that the child of the Countess of Mar had been substituted for the stillborn little prince. . .

. . . .And if the conspirators wanted the dead little prince to disappear for good, why then take the trouble to embroider ‘JR’ (for Jacobus Rex) on his silken shroud?. . .

. . . .the antiquary K Heanley reasoned that James VI’s repulsive appearance, disgraceful conduct and contemptible cowardice rendered it impossible that he was the son of Mary Queen of Scots. He simply had to be a changeling, probably of common origin due to his boorish manner; had to have been born in some den in the Cowgate, to be purchased for a pittance and hauled up to the heights of the Castle in a crib?. . .

. . . Of the amateur historians discussing the mystery, some have gone into extravagant discussions of changelings on the throne, but Queen Mary surely must have been aware whether her new-born son was alive or dead, and it is not compatible with what is known of her character that she would willingly have played a role in such a charade. . .

(James was only 10 months old the last time Mary saw him.)

This narrative continues on with Cecil clearing the room of everyone except the Queen and himself. However, Lady Southwell hid under a table which had a cloth that reached to the floor. She later tells Francis Bacon what happened, only it was a few weeks later, after Cecil had proclaimed James as the new King. Lady Southwell asked Bacon never to reveal that she was a witness because she was terrified of Cecil and the power he now had.

Cecil then coerces the Privy Council to declare this joint statement;

To add insult to injury, Cecil even went on to say that when she said 'I will have no rascal's son in my seat' , he leaves out the 'one worthy to be king' and infers that the rascal is the bastard, Francis Bacon.

Regardless of parentage, however, some have speculated that, upon suffering a premature death, James was replaced by a child of Erskine, Lord of Mar. James was brought up the Earl of Mar, which perhaps added fuel to the fire.

While it is impossible to know if the two ever shared the same blood, portrait comparisons between the adult James and the 2nd Earl of Mar do bear a likeness. If the rumours are to be taken at face value, then the pair would be siblings. Fellow Stuarts even remarked how different James was in both his physiognomy and character compared with other members of the family, and it is said that James looked absolutely nothing like his supposed parents, Mary and Henry Stuart.

When Mary was executed in 1587, the king showed zero emotion, and while it is true that James’ ambassadors were sent to plead for Mary’s life, just as important was their mission to ensure that “nothing in her sentence or execution should prejudice her son’s right to claim the throne”. In other words, he wasn’t too fussed if she died or not; as long as he got to be king.

While incarcerated at Lochleven Mary, under duress, signed her abdication in favour of her son. James aged only 13 months, was crowned on 29 July 1567 in a Protestant church outside Stirling Castle. Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray, finally reached his goal by becoming Regent.

The Regents for James VI of Scotland

1567 - 1570 James Stewart, Earl of Moray b.1531 - 1570. He was the illegitimate son of King James V and Margaret Erskine, and half brother of Queen Mary of Scots. Mary's mother was Queen Mary Guise of Lorraine. James Stewart was assassinated in Linlithgow 23rd. January 1570.

1570 - 1571 Matthew Stewart, the 4th. Earl of Lennox. b.21st Sept. 1516 - 4th Sept. 1571. (Catholic) His son, Henry Stewart (Lord Darnley) b.1546 - 10th. Feb. 1567 was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots and the father of King James VI. Killed in battle, possibly by friendly fire.

1571 - 1572 Sir John Erskine, First Earl of Mar b. 1525 - 28th. Oct.1572 Married Annabell Murray, who the Calvinist Reformer, John Knox, called a 'verray Jesabell'. Their children are shown on the right. He died after a short illness, however, indications are that he may have been poisoned at the behest of the Earl of Morton. James would have been 5 - 6 years old while under their Regency.

1572 - 1581 James Douglas, the Earl of Moreton. b. 1516. Died by execution 2nd. June 1581 for complicity in the murder of Lord Darnley. The method of execution was the 'maiden' an early form of the guillotine. His corpse was left on the scaffold till the following day but his head was placed on a spike atop the highest corner of Edinburgh Castle for 18 months before being buried with his body.

Calling someone a "Jezebel" means you are labeling them as a shameless, morally unrestrained, or sexually promiscuous woman. The term originates from the Queen Jezebel in the Bible, who was portrayed as a villainous, controlling figure who persecuted prophets and committed evil deeds.

Alfred Dodds goes on to describe James;

Adding to the above, is the 'Mystery of the child's bones hidden in Edinburgh Castle walls'.

The so-called "sign" was open to grave suspicion, for Elizabeth had always despised James as a coward and a hypocrite, the very antithesis of a king. . . . She knew that James was not worthy to be King of England . . . as the CHANGELING SON (so reputed) of the Earl of Mar; Mary's son having died in infancy. There was only one "worthy to be a king"—Francis Bacon, the Queen's legitimate son who had no rights in the succession despite the Tudor blood in his veins. She had never openly acknowledged him because of the circumstances surrounding his birth, an open secret in Court circles. Whatever secret hopes he may have entertained that the Queen might name him at the last minute, they vanished when he heard the Proclamation on 24 March 1603 that James had been appointed her successor. Francis Bacon's Personal Life Story by Alfred Dodds. Page 369

Quoting from Francis Bacon's ciphers, Queen Elizabeth was fearfully manipulated by Robert Cecil just as Francis Bacon was. Cecil was the true villain of the Elizabethan Era.

From other articles on this website, you will have learnt that both Devereux and Bacon were the sons of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley. Theses two sons stood in the way of Robert Cecil fulfilling his dream of controlling the Monarchy of England and thus ruling the kingdom as a puppet master.

By the end of the 14th Century, Cecil, who controlled Parliament, had made sure that no-one would accept Francis Bacon as succeeding the Queen. The Queen helped in this with her public reluctance to acknowledge Francis as her son. Francis was conceived 6 months before the Queen's and Dudley's marriage and Cecil made it very clear to Parliament that Francis was a bastard and should be avoided at all costs. There were periods when Francis and Elizabeth were on good terms but at this time Francis had been black-listed by the Queen.

The Queen and the Earl of Essex however were on very good terms even though Cecil had managed to convince Parliament that Essex was too much of a reckless warrior/soldier and couldn't be trusted to rule the nation. Cecil manipulations forced Essex to go to Ireland to quell the uprising there. Having gained the trust of the Irish Lords, Essex was able to gain a truce. He rushed back to England to explain his achievements to Elizabeth before Cecil could twist the details. Cecil found false witnesses and accused Essex of treason and with a corrupt court found Essex guilty. However, Elizabeth refused to sign the execution warrant for several weeks. Previously she had given Essex her ring with the explanation that if he ever needed her help, all he needed to do was to return the ring to her and she would step in.

Essex sent the ring back but it was intercepted by one of Cecil's associates. In intense frustration as to why Essex would not return the ring, Elizabeth finally signed the warrant and Essex was executed.

Two years later, on her deathbed, Lady Nottingham requested the Queen to visit her where she produced the ring and explain how she came to have it.

The queen was so distressed when she realized she had killed her own son, she shut herself in her rooms. She was afraid to sleep and lived on a pile of cushions on the floor. She wouldn't eat and soon became quite mad, frothing at the mouth and trying to bite people. The lead in her makeup wouldn't have helped either.

Her health deteriorated and the doctors called in the Archbishop and Robert Cecil. Cecil had succeeded his father, Lord Burghley as her Chief Minister and his mission was to confirm King James to succeed her.

She refused to speak of her Succession. Cecil even attempted to poison her but this failed because she had just eaten a rare meal.

WAS KING JAMES A CHANGELING

And should he have been made King?

A changeling is a child who is suspected to not be a couple's real child.

"Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known". Luke 12:2

Mary, Queen of Scots

King James VI of Scotland and his Regents

Does King James look like either the First or Second Lord Mar?

The MURDER of Queen Elizabeth I and who SHE chose to succeed her.

'But Cecil had long been in secret communication with the Scots' King and had pledged him his services while Elizabeth yet lived.' Francis Bacon's Personal Life Story by Alfred Dodds Page 369.

"That by putting her hand to her head, when the King of Scotland was named to succeed her, we all knew he was the man she desired should reign after her." Francis Bacon's Personal Life Story by Alfred Dodds. Page 299

But, as Strickland writes: How can her last struggles, the clasping of her convulsed hands over her brow, be seriously set forth as her symbolical intimation that her successor was to be a crowned king? Francis Bacon's Personal Life Story by Alfred Dodds Page 299

With his hands about the circle of her neck,

The villain did stifle her,

Stealing the sweet breath that was embounded

In her beauteous clay.

'Did he with his hands Choke his dear lady sovereign!'

'These two eyes beheld this evil murder'

'I pray thee, what did the creature do first?'

'After the physician had hurried out

He locked the doors.'

'List to me; if the doors were locked and you

Shut out, how did you see?'

'I was not shut out,

I did not go when they bid us to,

But hid myself under the desk

That's covered with Turkish tapestry,

Which stands in her chamber.

Where I saw

The whole vile murder committed,

O, dear heaven!

I saw him cast her on her back,

And in spite of her bootless fight,

He with cruel hands

Her fair throat did strongly bind.

The shamefast band may not be shaken off,

Though she strongly struggled

Both with foot and hand,

And with all the might she had

She strove him to withstand and save her life.

The vile villain

Reviled her, and bathed in blood and sweat

The sunshine of her countenance

first did win away in luckless death.

She did he hold her Till she was still with death.

then when he discovered that his force

Her life had reaved,

He, like a dead man, frozen stood.

Then in a twinkling, all in deadly fear,

He ran unto the closed door,

The key did turn, rudely thrust it open

And did fly from forth the chamber....... Sir Francis Bacon's Cipher Story Vol.1 Page 185-186

But before the end she allowed the old Archbishop to pray for her. She had not named her Successor and the Council, being sent for, asked her to name her Successor by holding up her finger, while they called out various names. . . . “The King of France? No answer. The King of Scotland? She made no sign, but said; 'I will have no rascal's son in my seat, but one worthy to be King.' Francis Bacon's Personal Life Story by Alfred Dodds Page 299.7

The ministers came in to take her order

About the succession of the King of Scots,

She did vehemently cry out

'Mine ancestors won by prowess

Many kingdoms, and they got riches by such exploits

And great authority, for I come

Of a royal parentage, and I will tell you

That the Scoth dunces

Never shall succeed to our throne.

Is not he that they call

Francis Bacon alive?

"Yes, your majesty"

"Then, how dare you ask me such a question!"

Is he not our eldest son

And lawful King of England?

"Didst thou, doctor, hear this singular speech?"

"O, yes, I heard all, and more too.

I heard Master Cecil say,

'Let her not live' .......

Sir Francis Bacon's Cipher Story Vol.1 Page 183

'This terrible revelation of Lady Nottingham was the last straw. Her mind reeled under the shock. Nor could she unburden herself to anyone. Francis shunned her. He had never seen her since the execution. She was haunted by her thoughts. Robert had sent the ring. He had expected to be pardoned and she had doomed him in her false pride. Nothing could bring him back again……' Francis Bacon's Personal Life Story by Alfred Dodds Page 299

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/topic/342437-childs-bones-hidden-in-edinburgh-castle-wall/

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/mystery-of-the-childs-bones-hidden-in-edinburgh-castle-walls-part-2-3074184

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/mystery-of-the-childs-bones-hidden-in-edinburgh-castle-walls-part-3-3074191

stuart.co.uk/James%20VI.htm

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

The Mary Queen of Scots Society

Sir John Erskine, First Earl of Mar

John Erskine, Second Earl of Mar

Extracts from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Queen_of_Scots

He was born in Edinburgh Castle on 19 June 1566, being about five years younger than Francis Bacon; presumed to be the son of Mary Queen of Scots and Henry Lord Darnley. But there is ground for belief that he was a changeling and was actually the son of Lord Mar. James's unfillial conduct towards Mary is difficult to reconcile with the orthodox historical view that she was his mother.

He came to the English throne "by an antiquarian pedigree" in 1603. He was a Protestant and was well received among his subjects at first. He became unpopular because he degraded the Prerogative of the Crown by selling titles of dignity; by fleecing Englishmen through the imposition of Monopolies; his advancement of Favourites who lorded it over everyone; and his disgusting personal habits allied to his unsavoury character. He burned and butchered thousands of inoffensive persons—mostly women and many children—as witches, fortified by the Bible text, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live".

He pretended to be a scholar in theology and philosophy, but his learning was shallow and superficial. He had, however, "a kind of crooked wisdom". The general verdict of historians is that he was "the wisest fool in Christendom". He was a rank dissimulator and hypocrite; a coward and a cry baby; "a hare in the seat of a lioness".

His personal appearance was anything but kingly . . . slavering lips, watery eyes, rickety legs. He constantly lolled on his Favourite in public, with his arm round "Steenie's" neck, wetting his face with kisses. He had a filthy, impure mind, employing two men to recount him bawdy stories. They succeeded so eminently well that he knighted them for their labours—Sir Ed. Zouch and Sir John Finit. Weldon's Court of James is a scandalous chronicle of the times.

He never tried to understand the English people. He dissolved Parliament as he pleased, and eventually allowed his Favourite Buckingham to rule the nation. The King's handling of public affairs—contrary to the advice of his Lord Chancellor, Francis Bacon—sowed the seeds of dissension between the Crown and Parliament, which brought his son Charles to the Block in the succeeding reign.

His greatest crime was his sin against Francis Bacon, using his Kingly prerogative to condemn an Innocent Man. He commanded him as his Sovereign to "Desert his Defence" and to "Plead Guilty to charges of Corruption". He refused to allow him to defend himself lest the Crown was involved and his Favourite was impeached in his place.

He died on 27 March 1625—unwept, unhonoured and unsung. Francis Bacon's Personal Life Story by Alfred Dodds. Page 563

So, was King James a Changeling ?

We agree with Queen Elizabeth that James was a Changeling.

The change probably occurred when the real James was around 5 or six and under the care of John Erskine, the first Earl of Mar and his wife Anabelle.

When you consider the life of Queen Mary of Scotland and the struggles for the Throne in Scotland we believe it is highly likely that the infant James died and a substitute was found to replace him.

James was born on the 19th July 1566.

Sir John Erskine, the First Earl of Mar was his third Regent from 1571 to 1572.

His son John, the Second Earl was born in 1566 - so it's not likely to be him.

Sir John later had another son also called John, born in 1568 but there are no further details about him. He would have been two years older if the records are correct.

Because the adult James has been described by many as being completely at odds with what was expected of him, I believe that when the real King died, the Earl of Mar found a child from the street, as was the suggestion in the Child in the walls of Edinburgh Castle, and substituted for him, and the real King was secretly buried.

The Earl of Mar had one job to do; to look after the King, to protect him from his enemies and to rule the nation in accordance with the Scottish Parliament.

So if anything happened to the child, he would lose his position and most likely his life.

He also had a conniving wife who was described as a 'Jezebel'; someone who would stop at nothing to achieve their own goals.

We know Queen Elizabeth met James when he was around 15 years old and took an instant dislike to him and that never changed. She did not want him on her Throne.

We also know that Elizabeth had no trust in the Scottish Lords or where they stood regarding France and Spain, the two biggest threats to England.

We also know that James had no affection or warmth towards Mary, his supposed mother.

Add to this, that Robert Cecil, killed Elizabeth and installed his puppet on the Throne just to stop Francis Bacon from being the rightful King of England.

Alas, what a loss to the world. Frances Bacon with his knowledge, wisdom, creativity and heart for the common man would have been a king to surpass David and Solomon.

WAS KING JAMES A CHANGELING

And should he have been made King?

In my own words - Francis Bacon

Dr. John Dee

Shakespeare or Shaksper

KJV v The Shakespeare Folio