Editing David Rizzio (section)

===Wealth, possessions and costume===
His annual salary for the post of valet was 150 Francs or £75 Scots.<ref>[[Gordon Donaldson]], ''Thirds of Benefices'' (Edinburgh, 1949), p. 155: [[William Barclay Turnbull]], ''Letters of Mary Stuart'' (London, 1845), p. xxxvi.</ref> The sum was paid from the "[[teind|Thirds of Benefices]]" as were some other household expenses, and not through the [[treasurer of Scotland|treasurer's accounts]].<ref>[[John Parker Lawson]], [https://archive.org/details/historyofaffairs30keit/page/384/mode/2up ''History of Scotland by Robert Keith'', 3 (Edinburgh: Spottiswoode Society, 1845), p. 385]</ref> In 1565, Rizzio received £80 in four installments paid by [[George Wishart of Drymme]].<ref>Gordon Donaldson, ''Scotland's History: Approaches and Reflections'' (Scottish Academic Press, 1995), p. 63: [[Charles Rogers (author)|Charles Rogers]], ''History of the Chapel Royal of Scotland'' (London, 1882), p. lxiv: ''Exchequer Rolls of Scotland'', vol. 19 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 338.</ref>

Mary gave him gifts of rich fabric from her wardrobe, including black velvet figured with gold, and five pieces of gold cloth figured with scales.<ref>Clare Hunter, ''Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power'' (London: Sceptre, 2022), pp. 157-8: Joseph Robertson, ''Inventaires de la Royne Descosse'' (Edinburgh, 1863), pp. 155, 159, 161: Thomas Thomson, ''Collection of Inventories'' (Edinburgh, 1815), pp. 147 item 118, 149 item 146.</ref> It was said that Rizzio took bribes. [[William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton|William Douglas]] of [[Lochleven Castle|Lochleven]] wrote that he offered Rizzio £5,000 to prevent the forfeit of the [[Regent Moray|Earl of Moray]], but Rizzio refused saying he would not act for £20,000.<ref>[[David Hay Fleming]], ''Mary Queen of Scots'' (London, 1897), p. 382.</ref> Rizzio's involvement with pardons for the Chaseabout rebels sparked Darnley's envy.<ref>Thomas Finlayson Henderson, [https://archive.org/details/maryqueenofscots02hend/page/654/mode/2up ''Mary, Queen of Scots: Her Environment and Tragedy'', 2 (New York, 1905), p. 654]</ref>

According to a letter of [[Thomas Randolph (diplomat)|Thomas Randolph]], Rizzio took part in a costumed [[masque]] in February 1566, celebrating the arrival of [[Nicolas d'Angennes]], seigneur de [[Rambouillet]], who brought the [[Order of Saint Michael]] for Darnley.<ref>''A Narrative of the Minority of Mary Queen of Scots by James Maitland'' (Ipswich, 1842): W. Park, 'Letter of Thomas Randolph to the Earl of Leicester, 14 February 1566', ''Scottish Historical Review'', 34:118 Part 2 (October 1955), pp. 135-139 at 138: [[National Library of Scotland]] MS 3657.</ref>

Mary had given Rizzio £200 in January 1566 to refurbish his chamber at Holyrood Palace.<ref>James Balfour Paul, ''Accounts of the Treasurer'', 11, p. p. 462.</ref> After his murder, it was noted that Rizzio had been living in wealthy circumstances. He was said to have £2,000 Sterling in gold coins, good clothing including 18 pairs of velvet hose, and his chamber at Holyroodhouse was well-furnished with a variety of hand-guns described as daggs, pistolets, and arquebuses, and 22 swords. He was said to be wearing a very rich jewel at his neck when he was killed, and was wearing a satin doublet and a furred damask night gown, perhaps the garment mentioned in the earlier French report.<ref>Henry Ellis, ''Original Letters'', series 1 vol. 2 (London, 1824), p. 218.</ref>