Henry of England tries to pressure a divided Scotland into an alliance, and secure the marriage of Mary to his son Edward.

Cardinal Beaton had meanwhile attempted to assume office as one of the regents for the infant sovereign, founding his claim on an alleged will of the late king; but the will is generally regarded as forged, and James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, heir presumptive to the throne, is declared regent.

The cardinal, blamed by many for the war policy that had led to the defeat at Solway Moss, is, by order of the regent, committed in January 1543 to the custody of Lord Seton.

With Beaton out of power, the Anglophile party persuades Arran to make a marriage treaty with England on behalf of the infant queen, and to appoint a number of Protestant preachers.