Encouraged by Walsingham, Mar and the lords therefore made up their differences with the Hamiltons, and agreed on a joint invasion of Scotland. Towards the end of October, with Elizabeth's permission, they took their departure from Westminster, after ‘a verie earnest exercise of humiliation’ (Calderwood, iv. 381). On 1 Nov., having received, after entering Scotland, large accessions of nobles, barons, and gentlemen, with their dependents, they pitched their tents at St. Ninian's Chapel, within a mile of Stirling, their total forces numbering about ten thousand (ib. 389). On learning their approach, Arran immediately fled from the castle, and the king, after making preparations for resistance, on second thoughts came to terms with them, and on their entrance gave them a cordial welcome (ib. 392). The castle was then restored to Mar, who by act of parliament, 10 Dec. 1585, was declared a member of the privy council, his honours and estates being also restored. By the general assembly of 1588 he was appointed one of a commission to induce the king to devise methods for ‘purging the land of papists’ (ib. 650). He was one of the nobles who received the king on his arrival with Queen Anne from Denmark, the Countess of Mar holding the first place among the ladies appointed to receive the queen (ib. v. 61). For some time Mar, with Sir William Douglas of Lochleven, afterwards Earl of Morton, and the prior of Blantyre exercised the chief influence at court (ib. 149), Mar being made great master of the household. After the forfailture of Bothwell, in the beginning of March, he was also made governor of Edinburgh Castle (ib. 166). As a mark of his special favour, James arranged a marriage between Mar and Lady Mary Stewart, second daughter of the Duke of Lennox, and in 1592 he paid a visit to him and his young wife at Alloa (Historie of James Sext, p. 260). For a time also Mar belonged to the faction specially favoured by the queen; but when, in 1595, she wished the removal of the young Prince Henry, who was under the charge of the Dowager Countess of Mar (Birch, Life of Prince Henry, p. 7), from Stirling to Edinburgh Castle, to be under the charge of Buccleuch, Mar declined to accede to her request (Calderwood, v. 366). His refusal was approved of by the king, who on 24 July specially entrusted the prince to Mar's tuition by a warrant under his own hand. When the king, 9 Feb. 1596–7, was besieged by a protestant mob in the Upper Tolbooth, he sent for the assistance of Mar, who, partly by remonstrances and partly by promises, sufficiently quieted the agitation to enable the king to proceed to Holyrood. At a convention at Holyrood, 10 Dec. 1598, Mar was chosen one of the special privy councillors appointed to sit with the king twice a week and aid him with their advice (ib. 727). He was in the train of the king in Falkland Park on the day of the mysterious Gowrie conspiracy, 5 Aug. 1600, and, following at a distance, arrived in time to prevent its success (see ‘Discourse,’ printed by order of the king, reprinted in Calderwood, vi. 28–45). Essex, in connection with his rebellion, asked King James to send up Mar, ostensibly as ambassador to Elizabeth, but so as to assist him in his design. James consented, but Mar only arrived in London in the beginning of March, after Essex's execution. The instructions given him by James after the execution proceeded on the supposition that a rebellion against Elizabeth was a not impossible occurrence (see ‘Instructions’ printed in Cecil Correspondence, Camden Society, 1861, pp. 82–84); but Mar, having better information, undertook the responsibility of disregarding them. He conducted his negotiations with such skill as to be entirely successful in the object of his mission, Elizabeth at last ‘manifesting her mynd to him that the king sould be hir infallible successor’ (Historie of James Sext, 377), and he left the impression of being ‘a courtly and well-advised gentleman’ (see State Papers, Dom. Ser. 1601–3, p. 45). The success of this mission was gratefully acknowledged by James both in words and in continued confidence and favours. Mar was one of the nobles who accompanied the king from Edinburgh, 5 April 1603, to take possession of the throne of England (Nichols, Progresses of James I, i. 61), but returned after he arrived at York, on the news reaching him that the queen had gone to Stirling to bring the young prince to England. His instructions were to bring the queen with him, but she refused to travel without the prince, and, after further communications with the king, the Duke of Lennox was sent with a commission on 19 May to transport both the queen and the prince, Mar not being included among the noblemen who were to attend on her (Calderwood, vi. 231). Mar and the queen were, however, reconciled after her arrival at Windsor (Birch, Life of Prince Henry, p. 30). Mar was added to the English privy council, and in June 1603 received the order of the Garter. On 27 March 1604 he was created Lord Cardross, obtaining at the same time the barony of that name, with the power of assigning the barony and title to any of his heirs male, the purpose of this being, as stated in the grant, that he ‘might be in a better condition to provide for his
