Mary's alleged answer to Babington: Chartley, 17th July 1586:—
“According to the zeal and entire affection which I have known in you towards the common cause of religion, and since having always made account of you as a principal and right worthy member to be employed both in the one and in the other, it hath been no less consolation unto me to know your estate, as I have done by your last letter, and to have further means to renew my intelligence with you, than I have felt griefs all this while past to be without the same. I pray you, therefore, to write unto me hereafter, so often as you can, of all concurrents which you may judge in any sort important to the good of mine affairs, wherein I shall not fail to correspond, with all the care and diligence possible. For divers considerations, too long to be dealt with here, I cannot but greatly praise and commend your common desire to prevent in time the design of our enemies for the extirpation of our religion out of this realm with the ruin of us all; for I have long ago showed to the foreign Catholic princes what they have done against the King of Spain, and in the time the Catholics here, remaining exposed to all persecutions and cruelty, do daily diminish in number, forces, means, and power, so as, if remedy be not speedily provided, I fear not a little but that they shall become altogether unable for ever to rise again to receive any aid at all when it is offered. Then, for my own part, I pray you assure our principal friends that, albeit I had no particular interest in this case, that all that I may pretend unto being of no consideration to me in respect of the public good of the State, I shall be always ready and most willing to employ therein my life, and all that I have or may look for in this world. Now, to ground substantially this enterprise, and to bring it to good success, you must examine duly (1) what forces, as well on foot as on horse, you may raise among you all, and what captain you shall appoint for them in every shire, in case a general cannot be had; (2) which towns, ports, and havens you may assure yourselves, as well as the north, west, and south, to receive succour as well from the Low Countries, Spain, and France, as from other parts; (3) what place you esteem fittest and of most advantage to assemble the principal company of your forces at the same time, which would be compassed conform to the proportion of your own; (4) for how long pay and munition, and what ports are fittest for their landing in this realm from the foresaid three foreign countries; (5) what provision of moneys and armour, in case you should want, you would ask; (6) by what means do the six gentlemen deliberate to proceed; (7) the manner of my getting forth of this hotel—which points having taken amongst you who are the principal actors, and also as few in number as you can, the best resolution in my opinion is that you impart the same with all diligence to Mendoza, Ambassador to the King of Spain in France, who, besides the experience he hath of the estate on this side, I may assure you will employ himself most willingly. I shall not fail to write to him of the matter with all the recommendations I can, as also I shall do in any way that shall be needful. But you must take choice men for managing the affair with Mendoza and others out of the realm, of some faithful and very secret both in wisdom and personage, unto whom only you must commit yourselves, to the end things may be kept the more secret, which, for your own security, I commend to yourself. If your messenger bring you back again sure promise and sufficient assurance of the succours which you demand, then thereafter (but not sooner, as it would be in vain) take diligent order that all those on your part make, secretly as they can, provision of armour, fit horses, and ready money, wherewith to hold themselves in readiness to march so soon as it shall be signified to you by the chief and principal of every shire, reserving to the principals the knowledge of the ground of the enterprise. It shall be enough at the beginning to give it out to the rest that the said provisions are made only for the fortifying of yourselves, in case of need, against the Puritans of this realm, the principal whereof, having the chief forces thereof in the Low Countries, as you may let the report go disguised, do seek the ruin and overthrow on their return home of the Catholics, and to usurp the crown, not only against me and all other lawful pretenders thereto, but against their own Queen that now is, if she will not altogether submit herself to their government. These pretexts may serve to found and establish among all associations or confederations what is done only for your preservation and defence, as well in religion as lands, lives, and goods, against the oppression and attempts of the said Puritans, without directly giving or writing out anything against the Queen, but rather showing yourselves willing to maintain her and her lawful heirs after her, not naming me. The affairs being thus prepared and forces in readiness both within and without the realm, then shall it be time to set the gentlemen on work, taking good order upon the accomplishment of their design. I may be suddenly transported out of this place, and meet without tarrying for the arrival of the foreign aid which thus must be hastened with all diligence, now for that there can be no certain day appointed for the accomplishment of the said gentlemen's design, to the end others may be in readiness to take me from hence. I would that the said gentlemen had always about them, or at least at court, divers and sundry scout men, furnished with good and speedy horses, as soon as the design shall be executed, to come with all diligence to advise me thereof, and those who shall be appointed for my transporting; to the end that immediately after they may be at the place of my abode, before my keeper can have notice of the execution of the said design, or at the least before he can fortify himself within the house, or carry me out of the same. It were necessary to despatch two or three of the said advertisers by divers ways, to the end if one be stayed the other may come through; at the same instant were needful to try to cut off the posts ordinary ways.
“This is the plot that I consider best for this enterprise, and the order whereby we shall conduct the same for our common security; for stirring on this side before you be sure of sufficient foreign forces, that were for nothing but to put ourselves in danger of following the miserable fortune of such as have heretofore laboured in the like actions; and if you take me out of this place, be well assured to set me in the midst of a good army, or some very good strength, where I may safely stay till the assembly of your forces and arrival of the said foreign succours. It were sufficient cause given to the Queen, in catching me again, to enclose me in some hold, out of the which I should never escape, if she did use me no worse, and to pursue with all extremity those who assisted me, which would grieve me more than all the unhappiness that would fall upon myself. Earnestly as you can, look and take heed most carefully and vigilantly, to compass and assure all so well that shall be necessary for the effecting of the said enterprise, as with the grace of God you may bring the same to a happy end, remitting to the judgment of your principal friends on this side with whom you have to deal, therein to ordain and conclude upon these points, which may serve you for an overture of such propositions as you shall amongst you find best; and to yourself in particular I refer the gentlemen aforenamed, to be assured of all that should be requisite for the entire execution of their plans. I have their common resolution to advise: in case the design do not take hold, as may happen whether they will or no, do not pursue my transport, and the execution of the rest of the enterprise. But if the mishap should fall out that you might not come by me, being set in the Tower of London, or in any other strength with strong guard, yet, notwithstanding, delay not, for God's sake, to proceed with the enterprise; for I shall at any time die most contentedly, understanding of your delivery out of the servitude wherein you are holden as slaves. I shall endeavour, at the same time that the work shall be in hand, to make the Catholics of Scotland rise and put my son in their hands, to the effect that from thence our enemies may not prevail by any aid from others. I would also that some stirring were in Ireland, and that it were begun some time before anything be done here, and then that the alarm might arise thereby on the direct contrary side. That the blow may come from your designs is very pertinent; and therefore were it good to send privately to the Earl of Arundel or some of his brethren, and likewise to seek the young Earl of Northumberland, if he be at liberty from over the sea; the Earl of Westmoreland may be had, whose hand and name you know may do much in the north; also the Lord Paget, of good ability, in some counties there. Both the one and the other may be had, amongst whom secretly some of the principal banished may return, if the enterprise be once resolute. Lord Paget is now in Spain, and may treat of all that by his brother Charles, or directly by himself, what you commit unto him. Beware that none of your messengers that you send forth of the realm carry any letters upon themselves; but write their despatches, and send them either after or before them by some others. Take heed of spies and false brethren that are amongst you, specially of some priests already educated by your enemies for your discovery; and in any case keep never a paper about you that may in any sort do harm, for from like errors has come the condemnation of all such as have suffered heretofore, against whom otherwise nothing could justly have been proved. Disclose as little as you can of your names and intentions to the French Ambassador in London; for although he is a very honest gentleman, yet I fear his master entertaineth a course far contrary to our designs, which may induce him to discover us, if he had any particular knowledge thereof. All this while, I have tried to change and remove from this house, and for answer the Castle of Dudley only hath been named to serve the turn; so as by appearance about the end of this summer I may go thither. Therefore advise me, as soon as I shall be there, what provision may be had for my escape from thence. If I stay here there is but one of three ways to be looked for: First, that at a certain day appointed for my going abroad on horseback, on the moors between this and Stafford, where ordinarily you know but few people pass, let fifty or sixty horsemen, well mounted and armed, come to take me away, as they may easily, my keeper having with him but eighteen or twenty horse, armed only with pistols. Secondly, to come at midnight or soon after, and set fire to the barns and stables, which you know are near the house; and, whilst my guardian's servants come forth to the fire, your company, having duly on a mark whereby they may be known one from another, some of you may surprise the house, where I hope, with the few servants I have around me, I shall be able to give your people aid. Thirdly, some there be shall bring carts hither early in the morning. These carts may be so prepared that, being in the midst of the great gate, the carts might fall down or overthrow; that thereupon you might come suddenly and make yourselves master of the house, and carry me suddenly away; so you might easily do before any number of soldiers who lodge in sundry places, some half a mile and some a mile away, could come to relieve. Whatever issue the matter taketh, I do and shall think myself obliged, so long as I live, towards you for the offers you make to hazard yourself as you do for my deliverance; and by any means that ever I may have, I shall do my endeavour to recompense you as you deserve. I have ordered a more complete alphabet to be made for you, which you will herewith receive. May the Almighty God protect you.
Marie R.”
MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS.
From the Collection of Randolph Wemyss, Esq., of Wemyss Castle.