The Tragedy of Fotheringay, by M.M. Maxwell Scott.

[135] "But commend me to my son once again, and tell him that I have not done anything that can be prejudicial to his state, and say unto him from me that he trust not too much to practices and policies, for practices and policies will have an end."—See Ashmole MSS., Appendix, p. 258.

[136] "The true report of the death of that rare and princely martyr Mary Stuardo," etc.—Mary Queen of Scots, vol. xxi. No. 14. "Being come into the hall, she stayed, and with a smiling countenance asked Shrewsbury why none of her own servants were suffered to be present at her death. He answered that the Queen his mistress had so commanded.

"And that all her poor servants might enjoy that quietly which by her will and testament she had given them. And lastly, that they might be well entreated and sent home safely and honestly into their own country. And to this I do conjure you my lords to do."—See Tanner MSS., Appendix, p. 250.

[137] Account of Mary's execution in a letter to Burleigh-Ellis, 2nd series, p. 258.

[138] "The above named were sent for, who were, together with the others, in prayer, and at their arrival thought she was dead, but being descended into the hall, found that they were only commencing to read her sentence.

"Who coming into the hall and seeing the place of execution prepared and their sovereign mistress expecting death, they began to cry out in most woful and pitiful sort. Wherewith she held up her hands, willing them for her sake to forbear and be silent. 'For,' quoth she, 'I have passed my word to these lords that you shall be quiet and not offend them.' And presently there appeared in them a wonderful show of subjection and loyal obedience, as to their natural prince, whom even at the instant of death they honoured with all reverence and duty. For though their breasts were seen to rise and swell as if their wounded hearts would burst in sunder, yet did they (to their double grief) forbear outward plaints to accomplish her pleasure."—Contemporary MSS.

[139] Contemporary MSS., f. 175 b.

[140] Chantelauze, p. 578.

[141] These details regarding the scaffold are taken chiefly from the valuable drawing of the execution found among Beale's papers.—Yelverton MSS.

[142] "From the moment of her arrival in the hall until she received the blow of the axe, no change was perceptible in her countenance, but, on the contrary, overcoming her suffering by her natural fortitude, her speech was always assured, and her mode of action was exceeding tranquil."—MSS. Report of Execution (Teulet, iv. 153).

[143] In order probably to divert the attention of the crowd, and perhaps as an insult to the Queen, the musicians placed in the courtyard played as she entered the hall a mournful dirge, an air commonly played at the execution of witches. The MSS. of this music was discovered some years ago at Oxford, and is now published.

[144] "During the reading of which commission the Queen of Scots was silent, listening unto it with as small regard as if it had not concerned her at all, and with as cheerfull countenance as if it had been a pardon from Her Majesty for her life, using as much strangeness in word and deed as if she had never known any of the assembly, or had been ignorant of the English language."—See Tanner MSS., Appendix, p. 252.

[145] Conn says that at the conclusion of the reading the Queen, looking at her crucifix, was heard to say, "Judica me, Deus, et discerne causam meam."

[146] Chantelauze, p. 411. This speech was communicated by Bourgoing to the anonymous author of La Mort de la Royne d'Escosse, Jebb, ii.

[147] "Mr. Dean, Mr. Dean, trouble me not; I am settled and persuaded in the Catholick Roman faith, and mind to spend my blood in defence of it."—See Ashmole MSS., Appendix, p. 260.

[149] "She slided off her stool, and kneeling, said divers Latin prayers."—See Tanner MSS., Appendix, p. 253.

[150] "Whenever she wished to express any vehement passion of her soul in these prayers, every one wept and wailed, seeing her strike her breast with her crucifix of ivory, and this she did very frequently."—Contemporary MSS., Report of Execution.

[151] Teulet, iv. 153.

[152] "She prayed that the Queen's Majesty might long reign peaceably, might prosper and serve God, ... and that the God of heaven would of His goodness avert His plagues from this silly island; ... that He would receive her soul into His heavenly hand."—Contemporary MSS., f. 175 b.

[153] See Tanner MSS., Appendix, 253.

[154] "Her meditations ended, she arose and kissed her two gentlewomen, and bowed her body towards her men, and charged them to commend her to her sweet son, to whom she sent her blessing, with promise to pray for him in heaven, and lastly to salute her friends wheresoever."—Contemporary MSS.

[155] "She laying her crucifix upon the stool, one of the executioners took from her neck the Agnus Dei, which she, laying hands of it, gave it to one of her women, and told the executioners that they should be answered in money for it."—See Tanner MSS., Appendix, p. 254.

[156] "Then came one Bulle, the hangman of London."—Contemporary MSS.

[157] Ashmole MSS. 830, f. 13: "Ne cry point pour moi; ja promys pour vous."

[158] Chantelauze, p. 416.

[159] "And with joy rather than with sorrow helped to make unready herself, putting on a pair of sleeves with her own hands which they had pulled off, and that with some haste, as if she had longed to be gone."—See Ashmole MSS., Appendix, p. 261.

[160] "The executioners had prepared cords to bind her, but she put them aside."—Vera relazione, Milan, 1587.

[161] "Then being ready to the block ... Mr. Doctor willed her to die in the true faith of Christ. Quoth she, 'I believe firmly to be saved by the Passion and Blood of Jesus Christ, and therein also I believe according to the faith of the ancient Catholic Church of Rome, and therefor I shed my blood.'"—Contemporary MSS.; see also Marie Stuart, by Kervyn de Lettenhove, ii. 377.

[162] "After the which stroke she spoke these words, 'Lord Jesus, receive my soul.'"—Contemporary MSS.

[163] "La plus part la tenoient innocente et, si l'execution eust été publique, il y eust eu rumeur bien grande, et elle eust été secourue et délivrée."—Les derniers propos de la Royne d'Escosse.

[164] "And after, the body lying there headless, bleeding, my Lord Kent, standing by it, said with a loud voice, 'This be the end and reward of all that hate the Gospel and Her Majesty's Government.'"—See Ashmole MSS., Appendix, p. 263.

[165] Teulet MSS.; Ashmole MSS., ibid.

[166] "And embalmed and sered and rested to the burial."—Contemporary MSS., f. 175 b.

[167] "It is said that one of Mary's attendants, Amyas Cawood, painted the head of the dead Queen, and the picture now at Abbotsford, dated 8th Feb. 1588, and signed by Cawood, confirms this tradition."

[168] Jebb, ii. pp. 306, 489, 640.

[170] Ibid.; Tanner MSS., Appendix, p. 256.

[171] Funeral oration by R.P., 1587.

[172] "Il jura sur la Bible de ne faire aucune office de religion craignant d'estre resserré en prison."—Jebb, ii. 649-656.

[173] Labanoff, vii. 346.

[174] Yelverton MSS. 31.

[175] Marie Stuart, Baron Kervyn de Lettenhove, ii. 406.

[176] See Appendix, p. 269, "Privy Council to the Queen."

[177] Yelverton MSS. 31.

[178] On 24th October Mendoça announces their arrival in France.

[179] "The Bishop of Peterborough, the Deane, the Prebendes, and the rest meeting the same at the Bridge, being not far from the town."—From The Scottish Queen's Buriall at Peterborough.

[180] "There was at that time not any offices of the Church Service done, the bishop being ready to have executed therein; but it was by all that were present, as well Scotch as others, thought good and agreed that it should be done at the day and time of solemnity."—"Manner of the Solemnity," etc., from Gunton's Hist. of Peterborough, Lond. 1686.

[181] "There is a memorial entred on the wall of the cathedral of Peterborough for one who, being sexton therof, interred two Queens therein (Katherine Dowager and Mary of Scotland), more than fifty years intervening betwixt the several sepultures."—Fuller's Worthies, ii. 174.

[182] "Upon Monday in the afternoon came to Peterborough all the lords and ladies, ... and at the Bishop's Palace was prepared a great supper for them."

[183] "A Remembrance of the Order and Manner of," etc., Archæologia, i. 155.

[184] "The Solemnity of the Funeral," etc., drawn up by Sir William Dethick, Garter king of arms.

[185] "Les Hérauts à quelque temps de là et après le sermon fait par l'Evesque de Lincolne, les fut initer dans le cloistre où ils estoient, de venir à l'offrande, ce qu'ils refuserent de faire, disans qu'ils n'offraient point à un autel qu'ils n'approuvient pas."—Martyre de Marie Stuart, Blackwood.

[186] From the Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica, Article No. XL. "Hist. of Ant. Fotheringay," p. 75.

[187] All other accounts agree in calling these "poore women," "poore old women, for the most part widowes."

[188] Du Préau, Mary's French chaplain. "Monsieur du Préau aumosnier, en long manteau, portant une croix d'argent en main."—From "Ordre du Convoy," etc.

[190] She was an Erle's daughter.

[191] It is curious that Paulet does not appear in any list of those present at the funeral.

[192] Archæologia, i. 355; Miss Strickland, vii.

[193] "The royal ensigns of an helmet, sword, and scutcheon remained to the year 1643 hanging high over the place of burial."—"Manner of the Solemnity," etc., from Gunton's Hist. of Peterborough.