Mary, Queen of Scots, made three significant progresses in Scotland after her return from France in 1561 and before her marriage to Lord Darnley in 1565. Sources for her movements include letters, financial records, and the account of household expenses held by the National Records of Scotland known as the Despences de la Maison Royale.Ian B. Cowan, "The Progresses of Mary, Queen of Scots", An Historical Atlas of Scotland (Scottish Medievalists, 1975), pp. 86–87.Andrew Burnet, Nicki Scott, Sally Gall, Mary Was Here: Where Mary Queen of Scots Went and What She Did There (Historic Scotland, 2013), pp. 52, 55. Travel, especially for the purpose of holding justice courts, was an important component of successful rule in medieval and early modern Scotland.Retha Warnicke, Mary Queen of Scots (Routledge, 2006), p. 95.

The north in 1562

In 1562, Mary, Queen of Scots, visited the north of Scotland. She had previously hoped to travel to England for an "interview" with her cousin Elizabeth I. The English ambassador Thomas Randolph was invited to join her,Jane Dunn, Elizabeth & Mary (London, 2003), p. 238. and he wrote to William Cecil that the journey would last "two months and more" and was "rather devised by herself, than greatly approved by her Council".Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland, 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 645 no. 1132.

On her journey north, Mary visited Glamis, Edzell Castle,Jenny Wormald, Mary, Queen of Scots: Politics, Passion and a Kingdom Lost (Tauris Parke, 2001), p. 125: David Hay Fleming, Mary Queen of Scots (London, 1897), pp. 74, 520. hosted by Katherine Campbell, Countess of Crawford,Mary Verschuur, A Noble and Potent Lady: Katherine Campbell, Countess of Crawford (Dundee: Abertay Historical Society, 2006), pp. 63, 80, 91 fn. 25. and Dunnotar Castle, on the way to Old Aberdeen. Declining to visit Huntly Castle (Strathbogie) and refused entry to Inverness Castle, she took action against George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly.Jane Dawson, "Richt honorabill ladies: Noble Power and Aristocratic Women in Sixteenth-Century Scotland", Scottish Historical Review, 103:3 (December 2024), p. 388. Jennifer Morag Henderson, Daughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary, Queen of Scots (Whittles, 2025), p. 42. Mary visited Balquhain Castle on 1 September, Rothiemay on 2 September, and Gartly Castle before the siege of Inverness Castle.W. A. Gatherer, The Tyrannous Reign of Mary Stewart : George Buchanan's Account (Edinburgh, 1958), pp. 73–74.W. A. Gatherer, "Queen Mary's Journey from Aberdeen to Inverness, 1562", The Scottish Historical Review, 33:115, Part 1 (April 1954), p. 20.Charles Joseph Leslie, Historical Records of the Family of Leslie, 1 (Edinburgh, 1869), p. 103.

After two days at Balvenie Castle, Mary, Queen of Scots, crossed the River Spey by ferry boat at Boharm on 6 September as she travelled to Elgin. The boat cost 40 shillings and her almoner Pierre Rorie gave money to poor folk in Boharm and other places along the route.W. A. Gatherer, "Queen Mary's Journey from Aberdeen to Inverness, 1562", The Scottish Historical Review, 33:115, Part 1 (April 1954), p. 21: Accounts of Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 16 (Edinburgh, 1916), pp. xli, 197. On 15 September 1562, she was at Kilravock Castle then at Darnaway Castle.Edward Furgol, "Scottish Itinerary of Mary Queen of Scots, 1542-8 and 1561-8", PSAS, 117 (1987), microfiche, scanned John Parker Lawson, history of Scotland by Robert Keith, 2 (Edinburgh: Spottiswoode Society, 1845), p. 163 fn.

Mary was conveyed between Inverness and Spey and Elgin and Banff by "captains of the Highland men" hired by George Munro of Davochgartie (Dochcarty) and Milntown (died 1576).Gordon Donaldson, Accounts of the Collectors of Thirds of Benefices, 1561–1572 (Edinburgh: Scottish History Society, 1949), pp. 99–100, 176. Munro was Captain of Dingwall Castle and was appointed keeper of Inverness Castle.Alexander Ross, "The Munros of Milltown, III", The Celtic Magazine, 112:10 (February 1885), p. 153: Duncan Campbell, "Exchequer Rolls: Dingwall Castle and Conon Fishery", Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, 1897–98, 22 (Inverness, 1900) p. 231. Munro wrote a history of the Mackintosh family. His work does not survive but was used a source by Lachlan Mackintosh of Kinrara. According to this Mackintosh history, Lachlan Mor Mackintosh and the men of Badenoch caused John Gordon of Findlater to retreat from the vicinity of Inverness, and the Clan Chattan, the Frasers, and the Munros supported Mary at Inverness.Alasdair Ross, "Ghille Chattan Mhor and Clann Mhic an Tòisich Lands in the Clann MacDhomhnaill Lordship of Lochaber", Richard D. Oram, The Lordship of the Isles (Brill, 2014), p. 102: Walter MacFarlane, Genealogical Collections, 1 (Edinburgh: SHS, 1900), pp. 148, 227, 236–237.

The English ambassador Thomas Randolph, whose letters include a commentary on this progress, wrote that Mary was intoxicated by excitement, that he "never saw her merrier", and she wished she were a man to lie all night in the fields, and wear armour and carry a sword on the high road.Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland, 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 651 no. 1138. She stayed two nights at Spynie Palace.Agnes Strickland, Lives of the Queens of Scotland: Mary Stuart, 3 (Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1851), p. 315. At Inverness, she bought gunpowder and 15 tartan plaids for her lackeys and members of her household.James Balfour Paul, Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1916), p. 197.

Mary was welcomed at Aberdeen with "spectacles, plays, and interludes" and given a silver gilt cup filled with 500 gold crowns, and wine, coal, and wax (candles) for use during her stay.Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland, 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 653 no. 1139: Records of Aboyne, pp. 463–464: Agnes Strickland, Mary Stuart, 3 (Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1861), p. 316. The burgh council organised a tax on residents to pay for this and a volley of cannon shot at Mary's "first entry" to Aberdeen.John Stuart, Extracts from the Council Register of the Burgh of Aberdeen, 1 (Aberdeen: Spalding Club, 1844), pp. 346–349, 351. The Gordon family was defeated at the Battle of Corrichie on 28 October,Clare Hunter, Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power (London: Sceptre, 2022), p. 69: Retha Warnicke, Mary Queen of Scots (Routledge, 2006), p. 83. and Mary was said to have witnessed the execution of John Gordon of Findlater at Aberdeen.W. A. Gatherer, The Tyrannous Reign of Mary Stewart : George Buchanan's Account (Edinburgh, 1958), p. 79: William Forbes-Leith, Narratives of Scottish Catholics under Mary Stuart and James VI (Edinburgh: Paterson, 1885), p. 90.James Aikman, History of Scotland by George Buchanan, 2 (Glasgow, 1827), p. 464

Making her way south, she visited Dunnottar Castle, where she met Bartholomew de Villemore who brought her letters from France.Agnes Strickland, Lives of the Queens of Scotland, 3 (Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1852), p. 329: Joseph Stevenson, Selections from unpublished manuscripts illustrating the reign of Mary Queen of Scotland (Glasgow, 1837), p. 102.Thomas Wright, Queen Elizabeth and her times, 1 (London, 1838), p. 106 Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie wrote that she visited Bonnyton near Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee, and Perth,Aeneas Mackay, The historie and cronicles of Scotland: from the slauchter of King James the First to the ane thousande fyve hundreith thrie scoir fyftein zeir, 2 (Edinburgh: Scottish Text Society, 1899), p. 179 while the Despences record shows that she also visited Craig Castle and Kincardine Castle near Fettercairn.Edward Furgol, "Scottish Itinerary of Mary Queen of Scots, 1542-8 and 1561-8", PSAS, 117 (1987), microfiche, scannedHES Trove: Kincardine Castle Charles McKean notes that the architecture of Craig could be suitable for the "travelling royal circus" if tents were pitched in the large courtyard. From Perth, Mary visited Tullibardine Castle and Drummond Castle, and then returned to Stirling Castle.Charles McKean, The Scottish Chateau: The Country House of Renaissance Scotland (Sutton, 2001), p. 94.HES Trove: Craig House

Mary confirmed John Grant of Freuchy as keeper of the Gordon Drumin Castle on 4 November 1562.Scots Peerage, 7 (Edinburgh, 1910), p. 462. In December, George Munro was replaced as keeper of Inverness Castle by John Ross, the Provost of Inverness.Gordon Donaldson, Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, 5:1 (Edinburgh: HMSO, 1957), pp. 312–313 no. 1179. On 12 February 1563, she gave Findlater Castle to James Ogilvie of Cardell and on 4 June 1563 she gave some of John Gordon's properties near Banff to "John Stewart, Lord Darnley", the Darnley title was then used by John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham.John Maitland Thomson, Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, 4 (Edinburgh, 1886), pp. 328 no. 1447, 333 no. 1468.

There are difficulties in explaining Mary's action against the Gordons of Huntly, or Huntly's rebellion.Gordon Donaldson, All The Queen's Men: Power and Politics in Mary Stewart's Scotland (Batsford, 1983), pp. 52–54. The Earl of Huntly had recently opposed Mary over plans for the English "interview" and resented the gifts of the Earldoms of Mar and Moray to Mary's brother James Stewart.Allan White, "Queen Mary's Northern Province", Michael Lynch, Mary Stewart, Queen in Three Kingdoms (Basil Blackwell, 1988), pp. 59–60: Thomas Duncan, "Mary Stuart and the House of Huntly", Scottish Historical Review, 4:16 (July 1907), p. 368.Anne L. Forbes, Trials and triumphs : the Gordons of Huntly in sixteenth-century Scotland (Edinburgh: John Donald, 2012), pp. 18, 21: Margaret Sanderson, "Jane Gordon", Mary Stewart's People (Edinburgh: James Thin, 1987), p. 36.James Aikman, History of Scotland by George Buchanan, 2 (Glasgow, 1827), p. 452 John Guy describes the progress taking a "sinister turn" against the Earl of Huntly when Mary arrived at Aberdeen.John Guy, The Life of Mary Queen of Scots: My Heart is my Own (Fourth Estate, 2009), pp. 163–165. Mary may have hoped to resolve her differences with the Earl,Retha Warnicke, Mary Queen of Scots (Routledge, 2006), p. 84. after prompting an act of submission or display of obedience.Maurice Lee junior, James Stewart, Earl of Moray: A political study of the Reformation in Scotland (New York, 1953), pp. 105–106. Jenny Wormald points to the family's record of loyalty and service to the Scottish crown, and argues that in "a messy and curious episode" Mary punished a Catholic ally in order to reward her brother as part of a policy focussed on hopes of her succession to the English crown.Jenny Wormald, Mary, Queen of Scots: Politics, Passion and a Kingdom Lost (Tauris Parke, 2001), pp. 124–126.

The west and Argyll in 1563