Mary of Burgundy

"Messires," said Crevecoeur, "the Duke ought in justice to have the

first of my wares, as the Seigneur takes his toll before open market

begins. But tell me, are your news of a sad or a pleasant complexion?"

The person whom he particularly addressed was a lively looking man,

with an eye of great vivacity, which was corrected by an expression

of reflection and gravity about the mouth and upper lip--the whole

physiognomy marking a man who saw and judged rapidly, but was sage and

slow in forming resolutions or in expressing opinions. This was the

famous Knight of Hainault, son of Collara, or Nicolas de l'Elite, known

in history, and amongst historians, by the venerable name of Philip de

Comines, at this time close to the person of Duke Charles the Bold, and

one of his most esteemed counsellors. He answered Crevecoeur's question

concerning the complexion of the news of which he and his companion, the

Baron D'Hymbercourt, were the depositaries.

[D'Hymbercourt, or Imbercourt, was put to death by the inhabitants

of Ghent, with the Chancellor of Burgundy, in the year 1477. Mary of

Burgundy, daughter of Charles the Bold, appeared in mourning in the

marketplace, and with tears besought the life of her servants from her

insurgent subjects, but in vain. S.]

Tearful Mary of Burgundy was the daughter of Charles the Bold, a major character in Walter Scott’s “Quentin Durward”, from which the text/note above come.  Mary married a Habsburg, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, but died five years later after a fall from a horse.  Mary was 25 when she died, on March 27^th, 1482.

Charles I Succeeds to the Throne of England

'Charles I, who succeeded his father James, was a Prince whose personal qualities were excellent. It was said of him justly, that, considered as a private gentleman, there was not a more honourable, virtuous, and religious man, in his dominions. He was a kind father, master, and even too affectionate husband, permitting the Queen Henrietta Maria, the beautiful daughter of Henry IV of France, to influence his government too much. Charles had also the dignity which his father totally wanted; and there is no just occasion to question that so good a man as we have described him, had the intention to rule his people justly and mercifully, in place of enforcing the ancient feudal thraldom. But on the other hand, he entertained extravagant ideas of the regal power; feelings which, being peculiarly unsuitable to the times in which he lived, occasioned his own total ruin, and, for a time, that of his posterity.'

The above text is from Walter Scott's "Tales of a Grandfather".  Charles I became king of England on March 27, 1625.

King Solomon died in Peace, when he had lived about sixty years...and so you know did King James

The title words were spoken by Bishop John Williams eulogizing James VI of Scotland and I of England, who died on March 27, 1625.  Thus ended the reign of the first Scottish ruler of the United Kingdoms.  Walter Scott mentions the taking of the Stone of Scone by King Edward I of England 300 years earlier as a precursor to James' rule in his "History of Scotland".

"...This fatal stone, as already mentioned, was said to have been brought from Ireland by Fergus, the son of Erie, who led the Dalriads to the shores of Argyllshire. Its virtues are preserved in the celebrated leonine verse -

Ni filial fatum, Scoti, quocunque Iocs turn
Invenieut lapidt-m, regnare tenentur ibidem.

Which may be rendered thus : —
Unless the fates are faithless grown,
And prophets' voice be vain,
Where'er is found this sacred stone
The Scottish race shall reign.

There were Scots who hailed the accomplishment of this prophecy at the accession of James VI. to the crown of England, and exulted, that, in removing this palladium, the policy of Edward resembled that which brought the Trojan horse in triumph within their walls, and which occafioncil the destruction of their royal family. The btone is -till preserved, and forms the support of king Edward the Confessor's chair, which the sovereign occupies at his coronation, and, indei«ndent of the divination so long in being accomplished, is in itself a very curious remnant of extreme Antiquity..."