Kirkcaldy was opposed to Mary's marriage with Bothwell and regarded the proceedings in the Scottish Parliament with dismay. He wrote to the Earl of Bedford, an English diplomat, that Mary did not care if she lost France, England and Scotland for Bothwell's sake, and Mary had said;she sall go with him to the warldes ende in ane white peticote or she leve him. Elizabeth however disapproved of Kirkcaldy's opinions of a fellow queen as if she were "worse than any common woman." Yet Kirkcaldy was one of the lords who banded themselves together to rescue Mary after her marriage with Bothwell. After the fight at Carberry Hill the queen surrendered herself to Kirkcaldy. Bothwell escaped and Kirkcaldy sailed in pursuit with William Murray of Tullibardine to Shetland. He was made Lord High Admiral of Scotland for the time. Some of their ships came from Dundee, including the "James", the "Primrose", and the "Robert". He was determined to capture Bothwell and declared to the Earl of Bedford, Governor of Berwick:Albeit I be na gud seeman, I promes unto your lordschip, gyf I may anes enconter with hym eyther be see or land, he sall eyther carre me with hym, or ellis I sall bryng hym dead or quik to Edinbrucht.