CHAPTER XI

Mary prohibited from writing Elizabeth—She surrenders her life to God, and is willing to die—Paulet still insolent—The Queen remonstrates with him—She thinks they will murder her secretly—Denied the use of a priest—Paulet resents secret murder—Mary's dignities—The daïs and rod discontinued—Paulet and Melville quarrel—Arrival of the Sheriff and the Earls of Kent and Shrewsbury—She receives them in her bedchamber—Shrewsbury announces sentence of death; to take place next morning—Mary's calm and pathetic reply—Takes leave of her servants: gives them her blessing and distributes presents to them—She writes her will—Names of those to be present at her death—Her last words and the scene of execution as recorded by Bourgoyne—Author's summing up and conclusion.

“Sunday, 22nd January 1587.—Her Majesty sent Bourgoyne to tell Paulet that on the report that he had made she wished to speak to him but it was too late, and she wished it to be taken to him to think over it (I think she feared I would be detained like the others). Bourgoyne said to Paulet that Her Majesty found the manner of proceeding towards her very strange: that she, preparing for death, had wished to write to the Queen, as had been allowed, even invited by Buckhurst and Beale, and again allowed by him; that she had given him a letter with the promise and assurance to keep it safely, in which she had treated of nothing which could hurt anyone, neither of business, nor of things concerning the country, nor the State, nor the person of the Queen; that it was not even to obtain favour, nor pardon, nor escape, having resolved to offer her body and her life gratefully, and with great contentment, for the cause of God and His Church, for which she was ready to die and shed her blood—not esteeming herself worthy to do this, as she had many times protested; she had only written about her Will, as much for her Will as her funeral, which it was necessary to do in the religion which she professed. She had received no answer, at which she was not only astonished, but she was not sure that the Queen had received her letter; consequently she had prepared another, but he had refused to send it; and although he had promised to write to the Court, to see if she could send the letter, which was ready, she did not yet know if she could send it. He said he had permission, and had sent the Queen's letter; that it did not follow though he had permission once, he had permission always. He assured her that Elizabeth had received her letter, but he had received no answer, and therefore could not give her one. He would never presume to inquire what the Queen had written—it was all one to him, and he was not the man to keep back letters if he had got them; and pressed to say if he had been prohibited from allowing her to write, answered that he had already said he had no orders to send her letters. On the second point he was told she was in great trouble to know the reason why she was separated from her two servants. The Queen of England had sent her a priest to prepare her for death and give consolation, and now, when it was more than ever necessary, they had taken him away; that having asked him to assist at her last end, when she was nearest to her death, she was deprived of him. There were none so criminal that they did not give them a minister of their religion to conduct them to execution and console them, and all the consolation she now had in her affliction in captivity came from her religion. She regretted infinitely not to be able to make her prayers to her contentment, assist at the Mass, and do the duties of a good Christian. The Queen had promised not to trouble her in her religion, and said it was not for religion they accused her. Her priest harmed no one, mingled in nothing but saying the prayers; it would have been better not to have offered his services than to take him away in her great extremity. She could see that, not content with afflicting her body, they tried if that were possible to make her lose her soul, which could not be. She had such hope in God, that He would help her in this, as He had done before. She saw that their intentions were to take away her servants, one after the other; carry her away secretly from here, to make her die at their pleasure or murder her secretly.

“This she did not regret, as having no consolation near her as she had hoped. She could do nothing without her papers, and she required a priest to assist and communicate with her. They might leave her this consolation seeing they had got everything they could desire as against the greatest enemy that could be found. One could do nothing more grievous than take away life. The rest is not only cruelty, it is inhuman and is denounced even by the wickedest of people. Paulet said that he did not think Her Majesty wished to have her priest near her, but he could assure her that he was not far away. He was neither in France nor in Scotland, nor out of the house; and he saw no reason why she might not have him when necessary. When he heard of Her Majesty being massacred or killed secretly he indignantly protested that there was no danger of such an outrage, and they had no right to suspect him of such a thing. Bourgoyne said there was no idea of such a charge against him. Paulet said there was no more danger for Her Majesty than for his wife, his children, or himself. As for him, he was not the man to do such an act, and was indignant that he should be suspected of such a thing, for he was an honest man and a gentleman. He would not take such dishonour upon himself as to exercise such cruelty or behave like a Turk. Upon which they said that perhaps they did not mistrust him, but there were many people in England who were enemies of Her Majesty, and whom she suspected much, and whom she knew would spare nothing to do her harm. It was principally those that she feared. Then she complained that her steward had been taken from her, and wanted to know the reason; if he had done anything injurious to anyone which might concern Elizabeth. They, without her having asked him, had offered him to her. He was of their own religion, and she did not think he could have done them any harm. Paulet said Melville was an honest man; that he was not separated because he had offended Her Majesty nor done anything on his own account, but there were certain reasons, and it had to be done. At last Bourgoyne said Her Majesty feared to send anyone, as they might be detained one after the other. Paulet said she must not anticipate that as all her servants were in the house, and he thought she need not vex herself about it.

“Monday, 23rd January.—Melville got leave to speak to Paulet. Before this he had not been allowed to do so, although he had asked for it. We were full of suspicion and fear until the evening of the same day about five p.m., when the porter came to Her Majesty's chief baker to say that he must not carry the rod before Her Majesty's dinner. Upon which the Queen was very much astonished and thought of sending to ask the cause; but Paulet would receive nobody, saying it was too late. Next day he would hear them. If it was because he had prohibited the carrying of the rod it would be useless, as it should have been prohibited when Melville was taken away.

“Tuesday, 24th January.—Her Majesty sent Bourgoyne to say to Paulet that she had so far got over the fear about her life and murder because of his disposition towards her. Having been warned of his new prohibitions, she had come back to the same doubt, as she could not but think they were doing it with the intention of taking away from her all conveniences and state and dignity, the more easily to accomplish their evil designs. She was much astonished that he would forbid a thing of so little consequence, that could neither hurt nor profit anyone. He could prohibit her servants as he pleased from doing her any honour, but he had been warned not to prevent them from doing their duty, as they had sworn to do, to Her Majesty's pleasure. He had no authority over them, especially touching their service. Paulet said Her Majesty did herself great wrong, and did wrong to the Queen and State of England, to the Council and to himself, to suppose that they would undertake anything so unworthy and so outrageous as to kill her either by night or by day, stab or massacre her secretly or suddenly. This touched him to the heart to hear such a speech, and displeased him to think that he could commit such an act of butchery, or permit it to be done. They had talked enough about that the day before; Her Majesty was a woman of reason, of great mind, and practical, and he wondered she would torment herself about this. She knew they had taken away her daïs, her steward, and her priest, and now she took offence at a trifle, for having taken away the rod they carried before her at meals. She was wrong, being attainted and a convicted and condemned woman. Bourgoyne said she had cause to be angry, seeing they showed such ill-will for a thing of so little consequence, and she remembered they had done the same to King Richard, whom they had degraded from all honour and dignity. He was suddenly put to death, murdered in a moment, and she feared the same thing might be done to her. Immediately Paulet flew into a rage and said they must not bring him such unworthy messages, and that Bourgoyne had invented them. Bourgoyne said he only repeated the Queen's words, and neither added to them nor diminished them. After much discussion they separated.

GEORGE TALBOT, SIXTH EARL OF SHREWSBURY,
From the Collection of the present Earl.