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come　to　him　with　this　talk。　　But　the　gentleman　denied　it；　saying　that

all　this　was　on　his　own　account　and　in　the　way　of　opinion。



Elizabeth　received　the　envoys　from　Scotland　once　more；　and　then　told

them



〃That　after　having　well　considered；　she　had　found　no　way　of　saving

the　life　of　the　Queen　of　Scotland　while　securing　her　own；　that

accordingly　she　could　not　grant　it　to　them〃。　　To　this　declaration；

the　Master　of　Gray　replied：　〃That　since　it　was　thus；　he　was；　in　this

case；　ordered　by　his　master　to　say　that　they　protested　in　the　name　of

King　James　that　all　that　had　been　done　against　his　mother　was　of　no

account；　seeing　that　Queen　Elizabeth　had　no　authority　over　a　queen；

as　she　was　her　equal　in　rank　and　birth；　that　accordingly　they

declared　that　immediately　after　their　return；　and　when　their　master

should　know　the　result　of　their　mission；　he　would　assemble　his

Parliament　and　send　messengers　to　all　the　Christian　princes；　to　take

counsel　with　them　as　to　what　could　be　done　to　avenge　her　whom　they

could　not　save。〃



Then　Elizabeth　again　flew　into　a　passion；　saying　that　they　had

certainly　not　received　from　their　king　a　mission　to　speak　to　her　in

such　a　way；　but　they　thereupon　offered　to　give　her　this　protest　in

writing　under　their　signatures；　to　which　Elizabeth　replied　that　she

would　send　an　ambassador　to　arrange　all　that　with　her　good　friend　and

ally；　the　King　of　Scotland。　　But　the　envoys　then　said　that　their

master　would　not　listen　to　anyone　before　their　return。　　Upon　which

Elizabeth　begged　them　not　to　go　away　at　once；　because　she　had　not　yet

come　to　her　final　decision　upon　this　matter。　　On　the　evening

following　this　audience；　Lord　Hingley　having　come　to　see　the　Master

of　Gray；　and　having　seemed　to　notice　some　handsome　pistols　which　came

from　Italy；　Gray；　directly　he　had　gone；　asked　this　nobleman's　cousin

to　take　them　to　him　as　a　gift　from　him。　　Delighted　with　this　pleasant

commission；　the　young　man　wished　to　perform　it　the　same　evening；　and

went　to　the　queen's　palace；　where　his　relative　was　staying；　to　give

him　the　present　which　he　had　been　told　to　take　to　him。　　But　hardly

had　he　passed　through　a　few　rooms　than　he　was　arrested；　searched；　and

the　arms　he　was　taking　were　found　upon　him。　　Although　these　were　not

loaded；　he　was　immediately　arrested；　only　he　was　not　taken　to　the

Tower；　but　kept　a　prisoner　in　his　own　room。



Next　day　there　was　a　rumour　that　the　Scotch　ambassadors　had　wanted　to

assassinate　the　queen　in　their　turn；　and　that　pistols；　given　by　the

Master　of　Gray　himself；　had　been　found　on　the　assassin。



This　bad　faith　could　not　but　open　the　envoys'　eyes。　　Convinced　at

last　that　they　could　do　nothing　for　poor　Mary　Stuart；　they　left　her

to　her　fate；　and　set　out　next　day　for　Scotland。



Scarcely　were　they　gone　than　Elizabeth　sent　her　secretary；　Davison；

to　Sir　Amyas　Paulet。　　He　was　instructed　to　sound　him　again　with

regard　to　the　prisoner；　afraid；　in　spite　of　herself；　of　a　public

execution；　the　queen　had　reverted　to　her　former　ideas　of　poisoning　or

assassination；　but　Sir　Amyas　Paulet　declared　that　he　would　let　no　one

have　access　to　Mary　but　the　executioner；　who　must　in　addition　be　the

bearer　of　a　warrant　perfectly　in　order；　Davison　reported　this　answer

to　Elizabeth；　who；　while　listening　to　him；　stamped　her　foot　several

times；　and　when　he　had　finished；　unable　to　control　herself；　cried；

〃God's　death！　there's　a　dainty　fellow；　always　talking　of　his　fidelity

and　not　knowing　how　to　prove　it！〃



Elizabeth　was　then　obliged　to　make　up　her　mind。　　She　asked　Davison

for　the　warrant；　he　gave　it　to　her；　and；　forgetting　that　she　was　the

daughter　of　a　queen　who　had　died　on　the　scaffold；　she　signed　it

without　any　trace　of　emotion；　then；　having　affixed　to　it　the　great

seal　of　England；　〃Go；〃　said　she；　laughing；　〃tell　Walsingham　that　all

is　ended　for　Queen　Mary；　but　tell　him　with　precautions；　for；　as　he　is

ill；　I　am　afraid　he　will　die　of　grief　when　he　hears　it。〃



The　jest　was　the　more　atrocious　in　that　Walsingham　was　known　to　be

the　Queen　of　Scotland's　bitterest　enemy。



Towards　evening　of　that　day；　Saturday　the　14th；　Beale；　Walsingham's

brother…in…law；　was　summoned　to　the　palace！　　The　queen　gave　into　his

hands　the　death　warrant；　and　with　it　an　order　addressed　to　the　Earls

of　Shrewsbury；　Kent；　Rutland；　and　other　noblemen　in　the　neighbourhood

of　Fotheringay；　to　be　present　at　the　execution。　　Beale　took　with　him

the　London　executioner；　whom　Elizabeth　had　had　dressed　in　black

velvet　for　this　great　occasion；　and　set　out　two　hours　after　he　had

received　his　warrant。









CHAPTER　IX



Queen　Mary　had　known　the　decree　of　the　commissioners　these　two

months。　　The　very　day　it　had　been　pronounced　she　had　learned　the　news

through　her　chaplain；　whom　they　had　allowed　her　to　see　this　once

only。　　Mary　Stuart　had　taken　advantage　of　this　visit　to　give　him

three　letters　she　had　just　written…one　for　Pope　Sixtus　V；　the　other

to　Don　Bernard　Mendoza；　the　third　to　the　Duke　of　Guise。

Here　is　that　last　letter：



14th　December；　1586



〃My　Good　Cousin；　whom　I　hold　dearest　in　the　world；　I　bid　you

farewell；　being　prepared　to　be　put　to　death　by　an　unjust　judgment；

and　to　a　death　such　as　no　one　of　our　race；　thanks　to　God；　and　never　a

queen；　and　still　less　one　of　my　rank；　has　ever　suffered。　　But；　good

cousin；　praise　the　Lord；　for　I　was　useless　to　the　cause　of　God　and　of

His　Church　in　this　world；　prisoner　as　I　was；　while；　on　the　contrary；

I　hope　that　my　death　will　bear　witness　to　my　constancy　in　the　faith

and　to　my　willingness　to　suffer　for　the　maintenance　and　the

restoration　of　the　Catholic　Church　in　this　unfortunate　island。　　And

though　never　has　executioner　dipped　his　hand　in　our　blood；　have　no

shame　of　it；　my　friend；　for　the　judgment　of　heretics　who　have　no

authority　over　me；　a　free　queen；　is　profitable　in　the　sight　of　God　to

the　children　of　His　Church。　　If　I　adhered；　moreover；　to　what　they

propose　to　me；　I　should　not　suffer　this　stroke。　　All　of　our　house

have　been　persecuted　by　this　sect；　witness　your　good　father；　through

whose　intercession　I　hope　to　be　received　with　mercy　by　the　just

judge。　　I　commend　to　you；　then；　my　poor　servants；　the　discharge　of　my

debts；　and　the　founding　of　some　annual　mass　for　my　soul；　not　at　your

expense；　but　that　you　may　make　the　arrangements；　as　you　will　be

required　when　you　learn　my　wishes　through　my　poor　and　faithful

servants；　who　are　about　to　witness　my　last　tragedy。　　God　prosper　you；

your　wife；　children；　brothers　and　cousins；　and　above　all　our　chief；

my　good　brother　and　cousin；　and　all　his。　　The　blessing　of　God　and

that　which　I　shall　give　to　my　children　be　on　yours；　whom　I　do　not

commend　less　to　God　than　my　own　son；　unfortunate　and　ill…treated　as

he　is。　　You　will　receive　some　rings　from　me；　which　will　remind　you　to

pray　God　for　the　soul　of　your　poor　cousin；　deprived　of　all　help　and

counsel　except　that　of　the　Lord；　who　gives　me　strength　and　courage　to

alone　to　resist　so　many　wolves　howling　after　me。　　To　God　be　the

glory。



〃Believe　particularly　what　will　be　told　you　by　a　person　who　will　give

you　a　ruby　ring　from　me；　for　I　take　it　on　my　conscience　that　the

truth　will　be　told　you　of　what　I　have　charged　him　to　tell；　and

especially　in　what　concerns　my　poor　servants　and　the　share　of　any。　　I

commend　this　person　to　you　for　his　simple　sincerity　and　honesty；　that

he　may　be　placed　in　some　good　place。　　I　have　chosen　him　as　the　least

partial　and　as　the　one　who　will　most　simply　bring　you　my　commands。

Ignore；　I　beg　you；　that　he　told　you　anything　in　particular；　for　envy

might　injure　him。　　I　have　suffered　a　great　deal　for　two　years　and

more；　and　have　not　been　able　to　let　you　know；　for　an　important

reason。　　God　be　praised　for　all；　and　give　you　grace　to　persevere　in

the　service　of　His　Church　as　long　as　you　live；　and　never　may　this

honour　pass　from　our　race；　while　so　many　men　and　women　are　ready　to

shed　their　blood　to　maintain　the　fight　for　the　faith；　all　other

worldly　considerations　set　aside。　　And　as　to　me；　I　esteem　myself　born

on　both　father's　and　mother's　sides；　that　I　should　offer　up　my　blood

for　this　cause；　and　I　have　no　intention　of　degenerating。　　Jesus；

crucified　for　us；　and　all　the　holy　martyrs；　make　us　by　their

intercession　worthy　of　the　voluntary　offering　we　make　of　our　bodies

to　their　glory！



〃From　Fotheringay；　this　Thursday；　24th　November。



〃They　have；　thinking　to　degrade　me；　pulled　down　my　canopy　of　state；

and　since　then　my　keeper　has　come　to　offer　to　write　to　their　queen；

saying　this　deed　was　not　done　by　his　order；　but　by　the　advice　of　some

of　the　Council。　　I　have　shown　them　instead　of　my　arms　on　the　said

canopy　the　cross　of　Our　Lord。　　You　will　hear　all　this；　they　have　been

more　gentle　since。Your　affectionate　cousin　and　perfect　friend；



〃MARY；　Queen　of　Scotland；　Dowager　of　France〃



》From　this　day　forward；　when　she　learned　the　sentence　delivered　by　the

commissioners；　Mary　Stuart　no　longer　preserved　any　hope；　for　as　she

knew　Elizabeth's　pardon　was　required　to　save　her；　she　looked　upon

herself　thenceforward　as　lost；　and　only　concerned　herself　with

preparing　to　die　well。　　Indeed；　as　it　had　happened　to　her　sometimes；

from　the　cold　and　damp　in　her　prisons；　to　become　crippled　for　some

time　in　all　her　limbs；　she　was　afraid　of　being　so　when　they　would

come　to　take　her；　which　would　prevent　her　going　resolutely　to　the

scaffold；　as　she　was　counting　on　doing。　　So；　on　Saturday　the　14th

February；　she　sent　for　her　doctor；　Bourgoin；　and　asked　him；　moved　by

a　presentiment　that　her　death　was　at　hand；　she　said；　what　she　must　do

to　prevent　the　return　of　the　pains　which　crippled　her。　　He　replied

that　it　would　be　good　for　her　to　medicine　herself　with　fresh　herbs。

〃Go；　then；〃　said　the　queen；〃　and　ask　Sir　Amyas　Paulet　from　me

permission　to　seek　them　in　the　fields。〃



Bourgoin　went　to　Sir　Amyas；　who；　as　he　himself　was　troubled　with

sciatica；　should　have　understood　better　than　anyone　the