WILLIAM CECIL, LORD BURGHLEY.
From the Hatfield Collection.
CHAPTER IX
The Queen and the Commissioners at Fotheringay, and the Babington and Queen Mary letters of July 1586.
Burghley interrupted her at the point which concluded the last chapter, “not being able to contain himself, reproaching her that she had taken the name and arms of England and that she had aspired to the crown. She said that what she had done formerly in this respect was by order of King Henry II., her father-in-law, he knew well why; she said she did not wish to give them up although there was peace between them and King Henry. Although they had made peace because it was to their advantage she had not been inclined to give up her right for their profit, to renounce it to the great loss of herself and her successors without receiving anything in return. She owed them nothing, was not subject to them, nor was she their subject, nor was she now to give up a thing of such great consequence the memory of which would always have been a dishonour and blame. Burghley replied that since then she had always pretended and aspired. She said she had never given up this right and never would, and begged him before this assembly not to press her further; she wished to offend nobody, and therefore hoped he would be satisfied, for he and many of the company knew well why these things had been done, and there was no necessity to say more at present. She knew well that her enemies and those who had tried to nonsuit her had done everything they could by all unlawful means, even to attempting her life, as had been discovered in certain places, by people whom she could name if it were necessary. She did not ask for vengeance, but would leave it to Him who was the avenger of the innocent and of those who suffer in his name, under whose will and power she placed herself; she liked better the manner of Esther than of Judith, although both were approved by the Church, and she prayed God to do with her according to his good pleasure, to his honour and glory and the good of his Church, as she had ever been brought up, and for which, as she had already said, she would shed the last drop of her blood. She was not afraid of the threats of men; she was resolved to suffer and endure all that God pleased; that she would never deny Jesus Christ, knowing well that those who deny Him in this world He will deny before His father and disown them. As they read at intervals letters of Babington to Her Majesty, and hers to Babington, she denied flatly having ever seen such letters or received them, so that she could not answer them. Upon this charge they insisted, being that on which they founded all. They produced cyphered and other letters and the depositions of those who had been examined, such as Nau and Curle, to prove that she had received and answered this letter from Babington, and in consequence consented to the murder of Elizabeth. As to Ballard, who was one of the six who had undertaken the murder, Her Majesty said she had heard him spoken of, and had heard from France that he was a man of good understanding and zeal in religion, a rigid Catholic, who wished to be of use to her; that he had much intercourse with Walsingham, and that she should beware of him; she knew nothing else about him. Thereupon Walsingham got up and stood with his head uncovered, and took up the charge that Her Majesty had been warned that he did not wish her well, that he had said much against her and was her open enemy, even that he had plotted against her life, hers and her son's. He said he bore no ill-will to anyone; that he had never attempted anyone's life, protesting that he was a gentleman and a faithful servant of his mistress. Her Majesty avowed that she never thought this, and had never believed what they said; that if he had not been received in Scotland as he merited, she could not help it, and she did not think he would wish to avenge himself upon her who knew nothing about it. Of the four men on horseback who were stationed in London to come and warn her when the blow should be struck, she said she knew nothing whatever. Her Majesty owned to some cyphers. There were old ones and recent ones, but that was nothing, as many of them served for different occasions, and Morgan, who was formerly in her service, was helped by these cyphers to the intercourse he had with other princes. (This is the first time she named Morgan.) They reproached her that he was still her servant and that she gave him a pension although she knew well that he had plotted the death of Elizabeth with Pary and was still a prisoner in France. He was prosecuted and accused by Lord Derby, who was a witness, at the request of the Queen. She answered that they knew well she was not mixed up in that enterprise nor had bribed anyone. They could easily see that other people wished the Queen of England harm; if anyone had plotted against that Queen it was not her. She was very sorry Morgan had been mixed up in such a thing, but she was not responsible for his actions. She could not do less than help him in recognition of his services, which she could never forget.
“At last they changed the subject, after having insisted for a long time that Morgan was a pensioner, which she denied. She said she had merely given him money for his requirements. Of Nau and Curle they said they had writings signed, that they owned to answers of certain letters which they had always done by order of Her Majesty; that they had written nothing without communicating with her as was the custom, not allowing anything to be produced unknown to her, thus proving her direction of letters. They were written afterwards in her cabinet, where despatches were taken very often in her presence, and after having written them they read them; that she shut and sealed them always in her cabinet, and they often wished to dissuade her from these enterprises. She replied that she could not answer as to Nau and Curle what they had written about this enterprise. They had done it of themselves and not communicated with her; she entirely repudiated their evidence; that Nau, a servant of the King of France, might have undertaken something that she did not wish, and that there was intercourse she knew nothing of. Nau confessed publicly that he belonged to the King of France and not to her, and only did for her as he liked. They had many quarrels because she would not give in to him and would not instruct him; she knew well that Nau had many peculiarities, which could not be said in public, for which she was sorry, and further, that he did her great harm. She did not wish to accuse Nau and Curle; she saw quite well that what they said was under fear of death, under the promise of saving their lives, and that to do so they accused her, thinking that she could save herself better than they, never thinking that they would require to treat her in this fashion. For more than twelve months Nau had written nothing in her cabinet. He did everything, made out his despatches in his own room, for his own convenience and to be more at his ease, as Paulet and all those in the house could testify. As to Curle, if he had done anything he must have been constrained by Nau, whom he was afraid of displeasing and for quietness. At the same time she did not think that either the one or the other would have forgotten themselves so far. Being for the greater part of the time ill, she could not watch over everything and did not know much that they did but left it to Nau.
“Burghley replied that Nau was owned by the King of France as his subject, born in France; that he had been Cardinal Lorraine's secretary, but he was her sworn servant and did her commands. He had not been constrained in any way, but of his own free will had made this deposition, sworn, signed, and written by his own hand. Her Majesty replied that he was secretary to the King, and called himself his treasurer in this country; and upon this pretext he gave himself airs and was often disobedient. She ordered him in general and was answerable generally for what he did, but she was not responsible for his private actions, and would not believe that he was not forced. Feeling himself feeble and delicate, fearing torture, he thought to escape by laying it on the Queen. A criminal is not received on oath nor his affirmation believed; his oath is worth nothing. His first oath is to his master which detracts from all others, which are no longer of any value. She saw quite well that he had neither signed nor written what they affirmed he had. Then these shufflers in a rage debated and fought over this speech of the Queen like furies; all that had been said or written, all the circumstances, suspicions, and conjectures—in short, all the reasons they could imagine—were put forward to make their case good and accuse Her Majesty without her being able to answer distinctly what they said; but like madmen they went on, sometimes all together, sometimes one after the other, in order to bring out the Queen as guilty, which gave her occasion to make an eloquent speech.
“Next morning after she had returned to the hall, seated as usual, all the lords, who approached bareheaded, listened with great attention. She was permitted to speak freely, the Chancellor having allowed it in name of the assembly. She found it very strange the mode of proceeding towards her, because having made her come into this place against what was due to her rank, they had given the management of her cause to people whom they were not accustomed to employ. Her Majesty was overwhelmed by the importunity of lawyers and advocates, who seemed to indulge in the technicalities used by the petty lawyers of the towns and the chicanery that they used, rather than confine themselves to the examination of this question; and although it was promised that she would be interrogated and examined on this point alone concerning the person of Elizabeth, they rather accused her and hindered her from answering, and interrupted her, speaking and seeming to debate among themselves as to who would plead the best and distort the facts, wishing to force her to answer about what there was no question. She appealed against what had been done and what was being done against her.
“Burghley said it was quite right she should say what pleased her and what was in her power; and that those who had spoken the preceding day should have done what was necessary according to their belief; that in order to know the truth they made use of all their reasons which would serve their cause. As to her demanding another assembly to answer to, that might be provided, but they had no power to do it. He would lead them and cause them to speak or be silent as he wished. Upon this we hoped they would not continue long, because the greater part of the lords had come to the assembly booted and some in their riding habits. At the same time we were in doubt as to what verdict they might give before their departure.