Chapter Strasbourg Cathedral to Stuart Ill-Fated of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

He was stout, loud, red, bluff, and free from any drawback of delicacy; had a pushing way of shouldering himself (morally and physically) into companies and conversations, that argued well for his shouldering his way on in life.—Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities, ii. 24 (1859).

Stuart Ill-Fated (The House of), as that of Œdipos.

(1) James I. of Scotland, poet, murdered by conspirators at Perth, in the forty-fourth year of his age (1393, 1424–1437).

(2) James II., his son, killed at the siege of Roxburgh, aged 30 (1430, 1437–1460).

(3) James III., his son, was stabbed in his flight from Bannockburn by a pretended priest, aged 36 (1452, 1460–1488).

(His brother, the earl of Mar, was imprisoned in 1477, and died in durance, 1480.)

(4) James IV., his son, the “Chivalrous Madman,” was defeated and slain at Flodden, aged 41 (1472, 1488–1513).

(5) James V., his son, was defeated at Solway Moss, November 25, and died of grief, December 14, aged 30 (1512, 1513–1542).

(6) Mary queen of Scots, daughter of James V., was beheaded, aged 44 years 63 days (1542, 1542–1587, Old Style).

(Her husband, Henry Stuart lord Darnley, was murdered (1541–1566). Her niece, Arabella Stuart, died insane in the Tower, 1575–1615.)

(7) James I. of England and VI. of Scotland. His mother, Mary queen of Scots, was beheaded; his eldest son died young; Charles I. was beheaded; Elizabeth, who married the prince palatine, had her full share of misfortunes; and his grandson was James II. and his illstarred race.

(8) Charles I. his son, was beheaded, aged 48 years 69 days (1600, 1625–1649).

(9) Charles II., his son, was in exile from 1645 to 1661. In 1665 occurred the Great Plague, and in 1666 the Great Fire of London. He died aged 54 years 253 days (1630, 1661–1685).

(His favourite child, a natural son, defeated at Sedgemoor, July 5, was executed as a traitor, July 15, aged 46, 1649–1685.)

(10) James II., brother of Charles, and son of Charles I., was obliged to abdicate to save his life, and died in exile (1633, reigned 1685–1688). James II. died a pensioner of Louis XIV. (1701).

(11) James Francis Edward “the Luckless,” his son, called the “Old Pretender,” was a mere cipher. His son Charles came to England to proclaim him king, but was defeated at Culloden, leaving 3000 dead on the field (1688–1765).

(12) Charles Edward, the “Young Pretender,” was son of the “Old Pretender.” After the defeat at Culloden he fled to France, was banished from that kingdom, and died at Rome a drunken dotard (1720–1788).

(13) Henry Benedict, cardinal York, the last of the race, was a pensioner of George III. The Mary Stuart of Italy, Jane I. of Naples (1327, 1343–1382).

Jane married her cousin André of Hungary, who was assassinated two years after his marriage, when the widow married the assassin. So Mary Stuart married her cousin lord Darnley, 1565, who was murdered 1567, and the widow married Bothwell, the assassin.