mary stuart-第43部分

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heard；　and　inflexible　history　is　burdened　with　Elizabeth's

punishment。



We　said　that　the　executioner's　axe；　in　striking　Mary　Stuart's　head；

had　caused　the　crucifix　and　the　book　of　Hours　which　she　was　holding

to　fly　from　her　hands。　　We　also　said　that　the　two　relics　had　been

picked　up　by　people　in　her　following。　　We　are　not　aware　of　what

became　of　the　crucifix；　but　the　book　of　Hours　is　in　the　royal

library；　where　those　curious　about　these　kinds　of　historical

souvenirs　can　see　it：　two　certificates　inscribed　on　one　of　the　blank

leaves　of　the　volume　demonstrate　its　authenticity。　　These　are　they：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FIRST　CERTIFICATE



〃We　the　undersigned　Vicar　Superior　of　the　strict　observance　of　the

Order　of　Cluny；　certify　that　this　book　has　been　entrusted　to　us　by

order　of　the　defunct　Dom　Michel　Nardin；　a　professed　religious　priest

of　our　said　observance；　deceased　in　our　college　of　Saint…Martial　of

Avignon；　March　28th；　1723；　aged　about　eighty　years；　of　which　he　has

spent　about　thirty　among　us；　having　lived　very　religiously：　he　was　a

German　by　birth；　and　had　served　as　an　officer　in　the　army　a　long

time。



〃He　entered　Cluny；　and　made　his　profession　there；　much　detached　from

all　this　world's　goods　and　honours；　he　only　kept；　with　his　superior's

permission；　this　book；　which　he　knew　had　been　in　use　with　Mary

Stuart；　Queen　of　England　and　Scotland；　to　the　end　of　her　life。



〃Before　dying　and　being　parted　from　his　brethren；　he　requested　that；

to　be　safely　remitted　to　us；　it　should　be　sent　us　by　mail；　sealed。

Just　as　we　have　received　it；　we　have　begged　M。　　L'abbe　Bignon；

councillor　of　state　and　king's　librarian；　to　accept　this　precious

relic　of　the　piety　of　a　Queen　of　England；　and　of　a　German　officer　of

her　religion　as　well　as　of　ours。



（Signed）BROTHER　GERARD　PONCET；

Vicar…General　Superior。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SECOND　CERTIFICATE



〃We；　Jean…Paul　Bignon；　king's　librarian；　are　very　happy　to　have　an

opportunity　of　exhibiting　our　zeal；　in　placing　the　said　manuscript　in

His　Majesty's　library。



〃8th　July；　1724。〃



〃（Signed）　JEAN…PAUL　BIGNAN。〃



This　manuscript；　on　which　was　fixed　the　last　gaze　of　the　Queen　of

Scotland；　is　a　duodecimo；　written　in　the　Gothic　character　and

containing　Latin　prayers；　it　is　adorned　with　miniatures　set　off　with

gold；　representing　devotional　subjects；　stories　from　sacred　history；

or　from　the　lives　of　saints　and　martyrs。　　Every　page　is　encircled

with　arabesques　mingled　with　garlands　of　fruit　and　flowers；　amid

which　spring　up　grotesque　figures　of　men　and　animals。



As　to　the　binding；　worn　now；　or　perhaps　even　then；　to　the　woof；　it　is

in　black　velvet；　of　which　the　flat　covers　are　adorned　in　the　centre

with　an　enamelled　pansy；　in　a　silver　setting　surrounded　by　a　wreath；

to　which　are　diagonally　attached　from　one　corner　of　the　cover　to　the

other；　two　twisted　silver…gilt　knotted　cords；　finished　by　a　tuft　at

the　two　ends。











End