Marie R.”
CHAPTER VII
The sham Stag Hunt—The Queen starts in gleeful spirits, fully equipped and attended by her household—The shadow of Elizabeth suddenly appears, and the Stag Hunt is no more—Seizure of Queen Mary's personal attendants—Mary demands to know where they are taking her—She dismounts, and refuses to proceed—Paulet's insolence—Bourgoyne induces her to obey Paulet and proceed—She retires and offers up prayer—Bourgoyne helps her to remount—She is taken to Tixall—Refused pen, ink, and paper by Paulet—Her papers and cabinets seized at Chartley—She is brought back to Chartley—Paulet and Bagot in her bedchamber without leave—Paulet seizes her money and reopens the Babington Plot—He removes her from Chartley to Fotheringay—The remarkable procession and arrival at Burton.
Bourgoyne's Journal
The Journal of Bourgoyne, physician to Queen Mary, cannot fail to have a pathetic interest to all students of history. That eminent physician was a faithful and devoted servant of the Queen, and was one of the few who were privileged to be with her in her last moments at Fotheringay. He was a man of much refinement of feeling, if we may judge from his Journal and by his behaviour during that period. His Journal unfortunately covers only the last six months of the Queen's life. It would have been of great value had it covered a longer period, but we are glad to have it even as it is, as it contains some incidents not otherwise recorded. The minuteness of these details conveys sometimes a different impression from that indicated by the historian, but the importance of Bourgoyne's Journal is that no suspicion has ever been thrown around it; and though already published in France, no controversy has arisen to question its genuineness. It may be accepted as a bonâ fide record, and indeed its entries are so circumstantial as to leave no room for doubt. The fact that he had uninterrupted access to the Queen gives point to what he says and warrants us in considering his record reliable. Another matter not to be lost sight of is that we have very little recorded of Mary during this period, so that the Journal fills up a blank. Some of the entries are very obscure on account of the vernacular of the time, but they manifest the fidelity and integrity which marked this devoted servant of the Queen.
This Journal per se would not determine any of the events of the Queen's reign, but it is an important factor in exposing the fraud that was perpetrated against her by the interpolations on her letters to Babington. Bereft of these fabrications, the so-called Babington Conspiracy was a mere plot to release the Queen of Scots from captivity, a plot that she was warranted in encouraging, and a plot, notwithstanding the unfounded charges of her accusers, that has been approved by posterity. It seems reasonable to conclude that Bourgoyne wrote this Journal with the primary intention of exposing the kidnapping outrage and the unlawful and inexcusable treatment of the Queen which followed. It will be noticed that in the very first entry the outrage is hinted at as a “stag hunt.” We now proceed to reproduce the Journal:—
“Thursday, 11th August 1586.—The Queen sent Curle her secretary, who was accustomed to be employed in her affairs, to Sir Amias Paulet to let him know that she desired to walk after dinner; to which Paulet answered that the Queen could go if she wished; but if she was well next day she would have a little pastime, as Sir Walter Aston, who lived three miles distant, would give her the pleasure of a stag hunt. He wished her to kill the stag with her own hand as she had done formerly, the year Mr. Bagot had lived here. Her Majesty, very fond of such a pastime, was delighted, and accepted it; and although she hesitated because of the day being Friday, she thought it better to accept rather than lose so good an opportunity, which might not occur again.
“Friday, 12th August.—Not so much because of the fast as on account of the weather the hunt was put off till the following day, but that day was also unpropitious. Sunday and Monday passed, being feast days. Her Majesty, who had not forgotten the hunt, desired to have the promised pastime, and, not suspecting anything, sent to remind Paulet, who granted it. She put herself in proper attire, hoping to see a good company, and was followed by Nau (who did not forget to dress himself), Curle, Melville, and Bourgoyne; and Annibal, with the Queen's bows and arrows, all on horseback, and well-equipped, to do her honour, while everyone was merry over the anticipated sport. (This was Tuesday, 16th August.) Although nobody was permitted to go on foot, Paulet allowed many of the valets to follow their horses, the which he repented afterwards. The Queen on horseback galloped a mile in such mirth that we left Paulet with some of his people behind in order to join others who were in hiding not far away. Having passed a little in front, the Queen warned Nau that Paulet was behind. Wishing to pay him a compliment for the delightful pastime, she said she had gone in front, without remarking it, and that she feared that he, being ailing and infirm in body, could not follow the company so quickly. He answered courteously, pretending that he had been hindered by too great a number of valets and servants on foot, who had come in greater numbers than he wished. We advanced a little farther, when Paulet again approached the Queen and said, 'Madam, here is one of the bodyguard of the Queen (Elizabeth), who has a message for you;' and suddenly M. Gorges, Ambassador of Elizabeth, dressed in green-braided serge, dismounted from his horse, came to Her Majesty, who remained on horseback, and said, 'Madam, the Queen my mistress finds it very strange that you, against the agreement which you made together, have undertaken against her and her estate what she never would have thought of if she had not seen it with her own eyes. And as she knows that some of your servants are guilty, you will not take it ill that they are separated from you; the rest Paulet will tell you.' To which Her Majesty could only answer, 'Very far from having conspired against the Queen, I have not even had such a thought. She has been wrongly informed. She had always shown herself a good sister and a good friend, and she knew well it was not the first time that she had been misinformed and had done her injustice.' Her Majesty added, 'I see we must return,' and called Nau, who as quickly as he could approached her, but was driven back with these words, 'Take him away, take him away; don't allow him to speak to her,' and Gorges got between them. Resisting which, Nau maintained excitedly that they could not hinder him from speaking to his mistress. Gorges told him that he must not prevent him from fulfilling the orders of Elizabeth. The same was said to Curle, who cried out that he would take leave of his mistress, and advanced on a little country nag. Nau, who had a coach-horse that he had taken in order to run better and appear at the chase, was in danger of being upset among the horses. At the last the two turned away without speaking to the Queen, and they never saw her again. Suddenly Paulet ordered them to be disarmed of sword and dagger, which those on horseback were carrying without being prohibited. Then he commanded each of us to be guarded by one of his servants on horseback, to conduct us and be responsible for us. Wade was present but did not interfere. Nau and Curle were taken away into a village and put into separate rooms not communicating with each other, and Didier the butler was led away by one of Paulet's people, not knowing what he had done. Melville was taken to a house where he only remained the night, being next day taken to the house of M. Chaques, where he remained, being allowed to hunt and walk at leisure. The rest went on with the troop of Paulet's people in front, for a mile or two quickly, until I, who had put myself near the Queen and always followed her, warned her that we were not going the way we came, but that they were taking us another way. Upon which she called Paulet, who was riding in front. She said, 'We are not going home.' He answered, 'No.' She demanded to know where he was taking her, and he said, 'Not far.' But she said she wished to return to her lodging, and would not go beyond it. Upon which she dismounted, and being indisposed, and not able either to ride or walk, sat down on the ground and leant on the bosom of Elizabeth Curle, one of her attendants. She again asked where he wished to take her, and he answered, 'It would be to a good place, and more beautiful than this; that she could not return to her lodging, and that it was time lost to remain there or to resist.' She said she would die sooner than consent to this proposal. He threatened to send for his carriage and put her into it, ordering his people at the same time to go for it. He was answered that the coach horses were not there, for Nau had taken one and Bastian Page the other. During this interval those who went in front were in a short time far away, out of sight of us, and saw us no more, Paulet remaining alone with eight or ten of his people, who walked behind, at which I was much astonished. Her Majesty, still seated, weeping and grieving said to him, 'It was infamous to treat her in this manner, she being a foreign princess; that it was behaving traitorously; that they had given her in charge of a gaoler, and that an honest man would not have undertaken such a commission. She was a Queen, as well as the Queen of England, and of as good a house as she; that she ought not to be treated in this fashion to please her enemies, who demanded nothing but her ruin. She did not know why these things were done; she had done nothing to deserve them; she did not believe the Queen of England intended this, but it was his (Paulet's) bad counsel that was inimical to her; that they had better take care what they did, for this act might cause bloodshed and the death of many; that kings and foreign princes would resent such conduct, and take vengeance on England.' Hearing this, Paulet got impatient and said 'She must be quiet and not annoy herself any more, as no harm would happen to her; that what he did was for a good reason, and there was no remedy; the longer she remained there the more harm it would do, and she must go on.' On which I and her people reminded her that she must have patience; 'that in her time she had had many afflictions, which she had borne patiently, and that she must show herself firm and composed in this with her royal heart; that she must endure affliction, and that there was no resisting force. As to being in the hands of her enemies, I did not think it good that she should put herself still more in their hands; that she could not remain there all night; that the longer she lingered the worse it would be, since she must set out; that not knowing where they were leading her, she might be benighted and on the road all night, which would more easily give occasion to her enemies to hurt her and execute their ill-will. What they did now would be by force.' Then Her Majesty demanding of Paulet if she had far to go, he said about three miles, repeating that it was a beautiful place, where she would be better lodged and would find fault in nothing. Complaining of the want of her people, as also her clothes and night gear, Paulet said that she would have her people; maids, servants, and effects would all be there as soon as herself. Because of their importunity she rose, and being supported under each arm she retired and under a tree prayed that God would have pity on her people and on those who worked for her, asking pardon for her offences, which she recognised to be great and to merit punishment; that it would please God to remember His servant David, to whom he had extended His mercy and had delivered from his enemies; that upon her his hand might be stretched out, keeping her people faithful and delivering her from the hand of Pharaoh. She desired nothing in the world, riches, honour, power, or worldly kingdom, only the honour of His holy name. I raising her by the arms got up, and not knowing what might be the information—perhaps the Queen of England might be ill or dead, and it might be that England wished to make use of her to place her person in safety or her enemies in surer custody. Upon which, addressing Paulet, she said she did not know on what authority he did this, and the Council had no authority to treat her so. He said it was one with as much authority as the Council, even was the Council, and showed her a letter which he drew from his pocket signed 'Elizabeth,' written by a different hand, the summary of which was partly the message of Gorges and partly giving orders to detain the Queen until further notice. The Queen complaining that she knew well it was the work of her enemies, protested against the wrong they were doing her, invoked God, and immediately remounted. Being in such trouble, and fearing they might do some harm to her, I begged Paulet to have pity on a princess so afflicted and in trouble, and hoped he would not do such a wrong as to harm her life, and that he would execute his commission as a discreet man; that as courtesy and charity were always approved, no matter in whom, so cruelty was condemned in those who had the right to exercise it. Kings and princesses often gave orders in anger of which they were annoyed afterwards when these were put in execution, and such men were complimented when they did not execute them at once, and often were more welcome to their prince, who had cooled down, and regretting the order given, were happy it was not executed. Further, he himself was known to be wise and prudent, and capable of judging everything, and could weigh it; that having regard to the sex and quality of his captive, he would thus acquire more honour than by executing his command arbitrarily. It would be a perpetual shame and reproach to him and his posterity to have been employed in a cruel act. Paulet answered that he did not take well what I said; that he was no gaoler; that he was a gentleman, although he was not rich; that he was noble, faithful, and honest. Gaolers were for criminals, and she ought to be guarded like a criminal. I said he was having to do with a Queen who was in affliction. I thought no one in such distress would not have said more than she did, seeing no remedy nor succour and finding danger so near. Paulet said no harm would happen to Her Majesty, and that he would do as well as he could. He thought she had been badly advised. I answered if he thought Her Majesty badly advised he might also think the Queen his mistress had been badly informed; and that as princes were often led by those whom they favoured, so also they were often deceived; that Her Majesty, though she had many enemies in England, it was well known she was not without friends. Some here who are at court near to the Queen did not cease to annoy her, and found no difficulty in bringing to notice what would do her harm, and repeated many things that would be found false. Leaving him, I advanced near Her Majesty, and told her briefly part of the conversation I had had with Paulet, assuring her from him that she would experience no harm, and there would be no want of requisite comforts and commodities. When we had gone part of the way Laurence, Curle's servant, held the bridle of the Queen's horse and spoke to her. Paulet caused him to be seized, not without great resistance, and sent him to Chartley with Gorges. We now approached Tixall, the seat of Sir Walter Aston, where they led the Queen. Paulet approached her, and said it was necessary that Elizabeth Pierrepoint should leave her; and then he presented a gentleman named Chatham, who took her in charge with great lamentation and tears, as much on the side of Her Majesty as of the demoiselle, who had been wicked and ungrateful. Her Majesty, he said, ought rather to have regretted ever having seen her than for being parted from her.