with a copy of the picture representing the active conspirators, that she might know them, and guard herself against their approach to her person.

The Privy Council determined to delay the punishment of these miscreants no longer. Ballard was apprehended: The other conspirators, alarmed, disguised themselves, and lay concealed in barns and woods; but they were speedily discovered, and thrown into prison. The leaders made a full confession: Fourteen of them were condemned and executed.

A new and extraordinary scene followed, Elizabeth and her ministers determined to bring Mary to a public trial, as being accessory to the conspiracy. Her papers were accordingly seized, her principal domestics arrested, and her two secretaries sent prisoners to London. Forty commissioners, with five other judges, were sent by the English court to Fotheringay castle, where Mary was confined, to hear and decide this great cause.

4

CHAPTER VIII.

Trial of Queen Mary-she is condemned—and executed. Her character. MARY was apprized of the arrival and authority of the commis- sioners, without any visible emotion. She said that it seemed - strange to her, that Elizabeth should command her, as a subject, to submit to an examination and trial before subjects; that she was an absolute independent princess, and would yield nothing that might derogate from her royal majesty, or from the rank and dignity of her son; that, however oppressed by misfortunes, her spirit was not so much broken as her enemies flattered themselves; that though she had lived in England many years, she had lived in captivity, without having received the protection of the laws; and that she warned her enemies and judges to look to their consciences and characters, to reflect that their transactions would be subject to revisal, and that the theatre of the whole world was much more extensive than the kingdom of England.

ers,

She was, however, persuaded to appear before the commission"to hear and to give answer to the accusations that should be preferred against her;" but she still refused to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the court. The Chancellor vindicated his authority, by pleading the supreme jurisdiction of the English laws over every one who resided in England.

The crown lawyers then opened the charge against her. They proved, by intercepted letters, that she had allowed herself to be addressed as Queen of England; that she had corresponded with some noblemen, in the view of engaging the Spaniards to invade the kingdom; that she had proposed to transfer her right to the crown of England to Philip of Spain, should her son refuse to become a Catholic; and that she had concurred in the design of assassinating Elizabeth.

The chief evidence against the Queen arose from the declaration of her servants; for no proof could be otherwise adduced, that the letters from Babington were delivered into her hands, or that any answer was returned by her direction. Mary affirmed that the witnesses would never in her presence persist in their evidence. She therefore demanded that they should be confronted with her; and she concluded with the most solemn denial of having ever entertained or concurred in the alleged design against Elizabeth's life. Her objections were overruled, and her requests evaded.

Having finished the trial, the commissioners adjourned; and -soon after met in the Star Chamber, London; where they delivered their verdict of guilty against Mary, and attested their verdict by their seals and superscriptions. Sentence of death was then pronounced against the captive Queen; but a declaration was published on the same day by the judges, that "this sentence did nowise affect or derogate from the title and honour of James King of Scotland; and that he was in the same place, degree, and right, as if the sentence had never been pronounced."

Notwithstanding Elizabeth had now brought affairs with Mary to that crisis which she had long ardently desired, she felt a reluc tance to execute the sentence. She foresaw the unfavourable light in which her conduct might be represented by Mary's numerous friends, by all foreign princes, and by posterity. She therefore resisted the solicitations of her ministers and courtiers; and she affirmed that her people's safety only induced her to hesitate a moment in pardoning all the injuries she had received from the Queen of Scots.

That the execution of the sentence might appear to be the general wish of the nation, Elizabeth summoned a new Parlia ment; which unanimously voted an address, praying that the sentence might be executed without delay; and this resolution

was published by proclamation. Though the captive Queen was informed of these proceedings, she continued unmoved. Paulet her keeper received orders to take down her canopy, and to serve her no longer with the respect due to a sovereign princess: Even this harsh treatment produced no apparent sensation.

Mary wrote her last letter to Elizabeth, full of dignity, yet temperately, requesting some trifling indulgences to her servants; and requiring that her body might be delivered after her death to her attendants, to be conveyed by them to France, there to repose in a Catholic land, with the sacred remains of her mother. To this letter Elizabeth made no answer.

No sooner was Mary's sentence generally known, than great efforts were made by foreign princes to prevent its execution. The young King of Scots wrote a letter to Elizabeth, remonstrating in very severe terms against the injustice of the whole procedure. The Master of Gray and Sir Robert Melville were despatched to enforce the remonstrance, and to accompany their arguments with menaces.

In order to alarm the English, rumours were circulated that the Spanish fleet was arrived at Milfordhaven that the Scots had made an irruption into England-that a powerful French army was landed in Sussex-that Mary had escaped from prisonthat a conspiracy was formed to assassinate Elizabeth and burn London. Elizabeth, affecting to be in terror and perplexity, ordered Davidson her secretary to draw out privately the warrant for Mary's execution. She signed it; and then commanded him to carry it to the Chancellor, in order to have the great seal appended to it. Next day, she countermanded that order; and when informed that the warrant had already passed the great seal, she appeared to be moved, and blamed her secretary's precipitation. The Privy Council being informed of the whole transaction, persuaded Davidson to send off Beale with the warrant to the Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent; who were commanded to see it executed.

The Earls went to Fotheringay castle, informed Mary of their commission, and desired her to prepare for death by eight o'clock next morning. She replied, with a smiling countenance, that she did not expect that the Queen her sister would have consented to her death, or have executed the sentence against a person not subject to the laws and jurisdiction of England. “But as such is

her will," said she, "death, which puts an end to all my miseries, shall be to me most welcome; nor can I esteem that soul worthy the felicities of heaven, which cannot support the body under the terrors of the last passage to the blissful mansions."

She requested of the two noblemen, that some of her servants, and particularly her confessor, might be permitted to attend her in her last moments; but they replied, that her confessor was unnecessary, as the Dean of Peterborough would attend and instruct her in the principles of the true religion. Mention being made of Babington's conspiracy, she solemnly denied any participation in it; but she resigned the revenge of her wrongs into the hands of the Almighty.

When the Earls had retired, she ordered her supper to be hastened, that she might have a little leisure to finish the settlement of her affairs, and to prepare for her passage to another world. She supped sparingly, but with her wonted cheerfulness. She called in all her servants, and drank to them: They pledged her in -order; and on their knees craved her pardon for any past neglect of their duty. She deigned in return to ask their forgiveness for her offences towards them; and this last solemn farewell was attended by a plentiful effusion of tears.

She ordered the inventory of her jewels and clothes to be brought her; and she wrote down after every article, to whom she wished it bequeathed. To some of her servants she even distributed money with her own hands, adapting the recompense to their different degrees of rank and merit. At her wonted hour, she retired to rest, and slept calmly a few hours: Then rising early, she spent the morning in prayer. Aware that her confessor would not be permitted to attend her, she had the precaution to procure a consecrated host from Pope Pius; and she reserved the use of it for this last period of her life.

At the appointed hour, Thomas Andrews, Sheriff of the county, entered her apartment, and informed her that her hour was come. She replied, that she was ready; and bidding her servants adieu, she followed the Sheriff with a serene countenance, leaning on two of her guards, on account of an infirmity in her limbs, the effect of long confinement. In passing through an adjoining hall, she was met by Sir Andrew Melville, her steward; who sunk on his knees and wept aloud. "Ah, Madam !" said he, wringing his hands, unhappy me, that I must be the messenger of such heavy tidings

when I return to my native country, and report that I saw my Queen beheaded in England.”

Mary felt herself moved. "Cease, my good servant," said she; cc cease to lament: Thou hast cause rather to rejoice; thou shalt see the troubles of Mary Stewart receive their long-expected completion. Know that all the world at best is but vanity, and sub- · ject still to more sorrow than a whole ocean of tears is able to bewail. But I pray thee carry this message from me, that I die true to my religion, unalterable in my affections towards Scotland and France; and may heaven forgive them who have long thirsted for my blood!"

She then reclined herself with weeping eyes, and a face bedewed with tears, and kissed him. "And so," said she, "good

Melville, farewell! Once again, farewell, good Melville ! and grant the assistance of thy prayers to thy Queen and mistress !" She passed into another hall, where the scaffold was erected and covered with black cloth, and beheld with an undismayed air the executioners and all the preparations of death.

ment.

"The hall was crowded with spectators; who were greatly moved when they reflected on her royal dignity and her accumulated miseries, when they surveyed her beauty, which, though faded by years and afflictions, beamed as the setting sun in that fatal moAfter the warrant for her execution was read to her, the Dean of Peterborough began a long discourse, exhorting her to repentance and a renunciation of the Catholic faith. She could not sometimes forbear betraying her impatience, by interrupting the preacher."

When he had finished, she said to him, with great earnestness, "I was born in the Catholic religion; in this religion I have lived; and I will die in this religion." During the Dean's prayer, she employed herself in devotion; and when he had finished, she pronounced aloud several petitions in English, for the afflicted church, for a happy issue to her own troubles, for prosperity to her son, and for a long and happy reign to Elizabeth.

With the aid of her two women, she now began to disrobe herself. The executioner lending his assistance, she smiled, and said that she was not accustomed to undress before so large a company, nor to be served by such valets. Her servants seeing her in this condition, ready to lay her head upon the block, burst into tears and lamentations. She turned herself to them, put her fin