Then one of the executioners pulling off her garters espied her little dog, which was crept under her clothes, which could not be gotten forth but by force. It afterwards would not depart from the dead corpse, but came and laid between her head and her shoulders, which being imbrued with her blood was carried away and washed, as all things else were, that had any blood, was either burned or clean washed, and the executioners sent away with money for their fees; not having any one thing that belonged unto her. And so every man being commanded out of the hall except the Sheriff and his men she was carried by them up into a great chamber lying ready for the surgeons to embalm her.
FROM MS. ENDORSED “EXECUTIO REGINA SCOTORUM”
The description of the Queen of Scots, both for her own as also for the manner of her apparrell as she came to suffer death the 8th of February 1586.
First, she was of stature high, big made and somewhat round shouldered, her face broad and fatt, double chinned and hazel eyed: her borrowed hair aborne, having on her head a dressing of lawn edged with bone lace, a pomander chain, an Agnus Dei about her neck, a crucifix in her hand, and a pair of Beads at her girdle with a golden Cross at the end of them, a veil of lawn fastened to her caul bowed out with wire and edged round about with bone lace, a gown of black satin printed with a train, and long sleeves to the ground set with acorn buttons of jet trimmed with pearl, and short sleeves of satin black cut with a pair of sleeves of purple velvet, whole under them a whole kyrtle of figured satin black, her petticoat upper body's unlaced in the back of crimson satin and her petticoat skirts of crimson velvet, her shoes Spanish leather with the rough side outward, a pair of green silk garters, her nether stocks of worsted coloured watchette clocked with silver and edged on the tops with silver, and next her legs a pair of Jersey hose white.
FROM THE ASHMOLE MS. 830, F. 13, IN THE
BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD
The manner of the Scottish Queen's execution performed the 8th of February 1586 in the great hall within the Castle of Fotheringham.
The said Scottish Queen being attended by the sheriffs and supported by two of Sir Amias Paulet's gentlemen, came out of her chamber down into an entry next to the hall about 10 of the clock, at which place the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Kent, commissioners for the execution, with the two governors of her person, and divers knights and gentlemen, justices of the peace within the County of Northampton, going out of the hall did meet her, where they found one of her servants named Melvin kneeling on his knees uttering these words, "Madam, it will be the sorrowfullest message that ever I carried when I shall report that my Queen and mistress is dead." Then the Queen of Scots weeping answered him, "You ought to rejoice rather than weep, for that the end of all Marie Stuard's troubles is now come; thou knowest, Melvin, that all this world is but vanity and full of troubles, but carry thou this message unto my son, and tell my friends that I die a true woman to my religion, true Scottish and true French. God forgive them that have long desired my end, but God, the true Judge of all secret thoughts, knoweth my mind, how that ever it hath been my desire to have Scotland and England united together. 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. Farewell." And kissing him she bade him pray for her. Then she turned her face to the Lords, the commissioners, and told them she had certain requests to make unto them, one was for a sum of money to be paid to one Curle her servant; secondly, that all her poor servants might enjoy that quietly which by her will and testament she gave them; next, that they may be all well entreated and sent home safely and honestly into their countries. "And this as I crave so do I conjure you, my Lords, to do." Answer was made by Sir Amias Paulet. "Your grace need not to make any doubt of the not performance of your request, for I am sure they shall be well used." "I have," said the Queen of Scots, "another request to make unto you my Lords, which is that you would suffer my poor servants to be present about me at my death, that they may report when they come into their countries how I died a true woman to my religion." Then my Lord of Kent, one of the commissioners, answered, "Madam, it cannot well be granted, for that it is feared lest some of them would with speeches both trouble and grieve your grace and disquiet the company of which already we have some experience, or seek to wipe their napkins in some of your blood, which is not convenient." "My Lord," said the Queen of Scots, "I will give my word and promise for them that they shall not do any such thing as your lordships have named. Alas! poor souls, it will do them good to bid me farewell. I hope your mistress, being a maiden Queen, in regard of womanhood will suffer me to have some of my own people about me at my death, and I know she hath not given you so straight a commission but you might grant me more than this if I were far meaner than I am." And then seeming to be much grieved, with some tears, uttered these words: "You know that I am cousin to your Queen, and descended from the blood of Henry the 7th, and have been a married Queen of Scotland." Where upon some consultation they granted that she might have some of her servants according to her request, and therefore they desired her to make choice of some 6 of women and men. Who presently said that of her men she would have Melvin, her apothecary and physician, and one other old man beside; and of her women, those two that did lie in her chamber. After this she being supported by the two gentlemen aforesaid, and accompanied with the lords, knights, and gentlemen above named, and the sheriffs going before her out of the entry into the great hall, her countenance careless, importing rather mirth than mourning, and so with silence she went up to the scaffold which was prepared for her in the hall, being two foot high and twelve foot broad, with rails round about hanged and covered with black cotton. Then having the stool brought her she sat her down, by her on the right hand on two stools the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Earl of Kent, her majestie's commissioners; on the left hand stood Mr. Thomas Andrewes, sheriff, and before her the two executioners; round about the rails stood the knights and gentlemen and the halberdiers, and without the rails directly before her stood Mr. Doctor Fletcher, Dean of Peterborough. Then silence being made the Queen's majesty's commission for the execution of the said Queen of Scots was openly read by Mr. Beale, clarke of the county, and after that these words pronounced by the assembly, God save the Queen. During the reading of which commission the said Queen of Scots used silence but listed unto it with small regard, as if it had not concerned her at all, and with a cheerful countenance 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. Then Mr. Dean of Peterborough, bending his body with great reverence, began to utter his exhortation, beginning thus, "Madam, the Queen's most excellent majesty," etc., as it is before written; and uttering these words three or four times, she said, "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." Then Mr. Dean said, "Madam, lay aside those unclean dregs of superstition which you have about you, and repent you of your sins and settle your faith only on Jesus Christ by him to be saved." Then she answered again and again, "I am settled and resolved in the Catholick Roman faith, and am purposed therein to die." Then the Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent, perceiving her so obstinate, told her that since she would not hear the exhortation began by Mr. Dean, we will pray for your grace that if it stand with God's will you may have your heart lightened even at the last hour with the true knowledge of God. Then she answered: "If you pray for me, my Lords, I will thank you, but to join in prayer I will not, your prayers will do me no good, for that you and I am not of one religion." The Lords called for Mr. Dean, who, kneeling upon the scaffold staires, began this prayer:—
A Prayer