I recommend to you the poor Bishop of Ross, who will be quite destitute.—Your much obliged and perfect friend,
Marie R.
To the Duke of Guise
From Fotheringay the 24th of November.[66]
My good Cousin—You whom I hold as dearest to me in the world, I bid you adieu, being ready, through unjust judgment, to be put to a death, such as no one of our race, (thanks) be to God, has ever suffered, still less one of my quality; but, my good cousin, praise God for it, as I was useless in the world for the cause of God and His Church being in the state I was, and I hope my death will testify to my constancy in the faith, and my readiness to die for the upholding and restoration of the Catholic Church in this unhappy island. And although no executioner has ever before dipped his hand in our blood, be not ashamed of it, my dear friend, for the condemnation of heretics and enemies of the Church (and who have no jurisdiction over me, a free queen) is profitable before God for the children of His Church. If I would belong to them I should not receive this blow. All those of our house have been persecuted by this sect; for example, your good father, with whom I hope to be received by the mercy of the just Judge. I recommend to you then, my poor servants, the discharge of my debts, and I beg you to have some annual obit founded for my soul, not at your expense, but please make the necessary solicitations and give the orders which shall be required. And you shall understand my intention by these, my poor desolate servants, eye-witnesses of this my last tragedy.
May God prosper you, your wife, children, brothers, and cousins, and above all our chief, my good brother and cousin,[67] and all his. May the blessing of God and that which I would give to children of my own, be on yours, whom I recommend no less to God, than my own unfortunate and ill-advised child.
You will receive some tokens from me, to remind you to pray for the soul of your poor cousin, destitute of all aid and advice but that of God, which gives me strength and courage to resist alone so many wolves howling after me.—To God be the glory.
Believe, in particular, all that shall be said to you by a person who will give you a ruby ring from me, for I take it upon my conscience that the truth shall be told you of what I have charged her with, especially of what touches my poor servants, and regarding one of them in particular. I recommend you this person on account of her straightforward sincerity and goodness, and so that she may be placed in some good situation. I have chosen her as being most impartial and the one who will the most simply convey my orders. I beg of you not to make it known that she has said anything to you in private, as envy might harm her.
I have suffered much for two years and more, and could not let you know it for important reasons. God be praised for all, and may He give you the grace to persevere in the service of His Church as long as you live, and may this honour never leave our race; so that we, men as well as women, may be ready to shed our blood to maintain the quarrel of the faith, putting aside all worldly interests. And as for me, I esteem myself born, both on the paternal and maternal side, to offer my blood for it, and I have no intention of degenerating. May Jesus—for us crucified—and may all the holy martyrs, by their intercession, render us worthy of willingly offering our bodies to His glory.