"Because Her Majesty was the rightful Queen of England as well as of Scotland;" Semphill responded with the air of one who has invented a new sauce.
"Display your premisses, Lord Cardinal;" said the Pope.
"They are simply historical facts, known to everyone."
"But the conclusions which may be drawn from historical facts, mainly depend upon the sequence or method of arrangement of the said facts. Display yours, Lord Cardinal."
"The Blessed Mary Stewart was heiress of James V., who was heir of Margaret Tudor wife of James IV. of Scotland and daughter of Henry VII. of England. Henry VII.'s heir was his son Henry VIII., who married Katherine of Aragona and had issue Mary Tudor. Subsequently, failing to obtain annulment of this marriage from Your Holiness's predecessor Clement VII., Henry VIII. lived in sin with Anne Bullen and Jane Seymour by whom he had issue Elizabeth and Edward. Canonically this prince and princess were illegitimate and incapable of succession. Therefore, on the death of Henry VIII. the crown of England demised to his sole legitimate issue, Mary Tudor——"
"But Parliament had passed an Act, 28 Hen. VIII. c. 7, giving the English Sovereign power to limit the crown by letters-patent or by his last will to such person or persons as he should judge expedient."
"Surely, Holiness, that ought not to count. However, on the death of Mary Tudor without issue, I argue that the crown of England demised de jure though not de facto to the next legitimate Tudor who was Mary Stewart, heiress of Margaret Tudor."
Hadrian turned to Carvale.
"Of course, Most Holy Lord, I feel with Cardinal Semphill. I think"—his beautiful blue eyes blazed with the fire of his dreams—"I think that the time has come for doing justice to the memory of 'that predestined victim of uncounted treasons, of unnumbered wrongs, wrongs which warped and maddened and bewildered her noble nature, but never quenched her courage, never deadened her gratitude to a servant, never shook her loyalty to a friend, never made her false to her faith.' O think, Holiness, of all that the Stewarts have suffered!"