List of Names, in Beale’s handwriting, of those present at the Execution.
Accompanying the Calthorpe Drawing.
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While Mary dressed she gave orders that all her household should assemble. When this was done, Bourgoing, by her desire, read her will aloud, after which she signed it, and gave it to him to deliver to the Duke of Guise, entrusting him at the same time with her "principal notes and papers" and her gifts to the King and Queen of France; then sending for the casket containing her money, Mary distributed the little purses she had prepared the evening before, and put aside a sum of 700 écus for the poor, which was afterwards given to M. de Préau to distribute. To each of her male attendants the Queen also gave two rose nobles to be given to the poor, à son intention, nor were the immediate wants of the little band of followers forgotten, for the Queen gave 150 écus to Bourgoing to help to defray the journey to France. The whole sum at Mary's disposal for her last donations did not exceed 5000 écus.

When all was arranged the Queen took farewell of her people, exhorting and consoling them, once more embracing the women and giving her hand to be kissed by the men. "My dear friends," she said, "I regret infinitely that I have not been able to show my gratitude to you in deed, as I should have wished, for the good and faithful services you have rendered me in my need.... I beg you all to assist at my death, and to testify to my unalterable devotion to my religion. Be the witnesses of my last acts and my last words. I could not find any more faithful."

The Queen now passed into the ante-chamber, which was arranged as an oratory; and kneeling before the altar, "where mass was said secretly before her chaplain was taken from her," she remained for a long time in prayer, surrounded by her attendants, praying and weeping together. At length Bourgoing, seeing her extreme paleness and fearing for her strength, as he knew she was unable to kneel for any long time, assisted the Queen to rise, and brought her a little bread and wine, which she accepted willingly, thanking him by a smile for his care in bringing her her last repast. She had hardly resumed her prayers when a loud knocking was heard at the door. It was locked inside, and the messenger, raising his voice, announced that the lords were waiting.

Mary, without rising, and the door remaining closed, desired her attendants to ask for a few moments' delay, that she might finish her devotions. As eight o'clock had already struck, which was the latest hour they had assigned, the commissioners feared that the Queen meant to offer resistance, and ordered Paulet's soldiers to break open the door and to bring her by force, if at a fresh summons she refused to appear; but the Queen had no such thought. Calm and ready for her sacrifice, she waited in prayer for the final summons. At the second knock the door opened, and the sheriff, bearing his white wand, entered alone. When he perceived Mary kneeling before the altar, surrounded by her household and wrapt in prayer, he was silent from surprise and perhaps emotion, and after a moment's pause could only murmur, "Madame, the lords have sent me to you."

"Yes, let us go," replied the Queen in a firm voice, turning towards him. Bourgoing, while he supported her under the arms to help her to rise, asked her whether she wished him to give her the ivory crucifix from the altar. "You have given me great pleasure by reminding me," she replied. "It was my intention." She took the cross in her hands, kissed it with fervour, and gave it to Annibal Stuart, her groom of the chamber (valet de chambre), to carry before her. Then, assisted by Bourgoing and preceded by the sheriff, she proceeded. Before she passed the threshold, however, Bourgoing, impelled by a feeling of delicacy and affection with which we can sympathise, told her that neither he nor any of her other attendants could bear to offer her their arm to deliver her to her executioners; the only consolation that remained to them, he said, would be to follow her to assist her to her last breath. "You are right," returned Mary; and addressing the sheriff, she added, "My servants do not wish to lead me to death. I cannot walk without help; let me be a little assisted." Two of Paulet's soldiers came and supported her, and the sad procession moved on, Mary's weeping attendants walking, some in front, some behind. At the door the Queen's followers were stopped, however, and forbidden to follow her farther.

"Then these insist, and pleaded strongly to accompany her. All, even the women, had it been possible, would have used force, declaring that it was not permissible that they should take her away without any one being with her; it was not the custom for princesses to go thus alone, asking what they wanted to do with her now, who for nineteen years had not left her in any place whatsoever without some one to assist her; that it was not seemly to make her die without having her servants present as witnesses to her actions, or they must suppose that they wished to execute some unworthy cruelty which they wished to conceal....

"In all this Bourgoing did not spare himself, thinking he had more credit than the others," etc.

But it was all in vain; they were forced back with menaces into the Queen's apartments.

Mary said nothing, but that they did her wrong in preventing her servants from assisting at her death, and this as gently as possible.