[The following document is here printed for the first time, so far as is known to the Editor. It is from a MS. at Blairs College, and is published by kind permission of the Right Reverend the Rector, and with the advantage of revision by the Reverend Professor Welsh. It is dated {158-}, and probably belongs to the last year of Queen Mary's life.]
Cum Serenissima Regina Scotiae multis ab hinc annis in Anglorum haereticorum custodias sit inclusa atque ob id non possit Catholicae Ecclesiae sacramenta suscipere et rebus divinis praesertim vero missae sacrificio nisi clam et magno cum periculo interesse, supplex petit a Sanctissimo Domino Nostro quam diu in illa custodia retinetur, ut sacerdoti catholico suo capellano pro tempore existenti concedatur, facultas non modo exercendi omnia munera episcopalia exceptis ordinis et confirmationis sacramentis, et Chrysmatis consecratione; sed etiam absolvendi ab haeresi, et haereticos poenitentes gremio sanctae matris Ecclesiae reconciliandi; quod frequentes ibi se offerant huiusmodi occasiones.
Deinde cum in hac rerum calamitate ipsi Reginae opus sit ad sua secreta consilia et commercia tractanda et exsequenda, uti opera nonnullorum Anglorum, qui nisi profanis haereticorum et schismaticorum precibus et communioni intersint, vel a praefectis carceris prohiberentur, ne Reginae inservirent, vel non possent ita commode illa consilia et commercia juvare; dignetur Sanctitas Sua sacerdoti capellano, quem Regina delegerit hanc potestatem illos ab omni censura et poena in tali casu absolvendi; et quoties opus fuerit in gratiam Sanctae matris Ecclesiæ reducendi; ii tamen, quoad fieri potest, vitare debent impiam huiusmodi communionem et rerum sacrarum prophanationem.
Permittat quoque Sanctitas Sua, ut tales etiam ante absolutionem possint sine scrupulo tum Reginae tum sacerdotis celebrantis et aliorum qui missae intererunt, praesentes adesse in ea missa quae coram Regina, durante ejus captivitate celebrabitur.
Petit etiam Regina, ut 25 numero viri catholici, per eam nominandi, quo commodius et securius ipsi inserviant, possint sine scrupulo et sine periculo et metu censurarum et peccati, hujusmodi precibus et communionibus hæreticorum interesse, ita tamen, ut cum illis non communicent, ac nefandis illorum actibus ne verbo quidem consentiant.
Concedat quoque sua Beatitudo ipsi Reginæ plenam indulgentiam et remissionem omnium peccatorum in forma jubilei, quoties genibus flexis orat confessa coram sacra Eucharistia, vel eam suscipit, ac quoties patienter fert injuriam ab hæreticis sibi illatam; eam dem quoque obtineat indulgentiam in articulo mortis ore dicendo Jesus Maria vel idem corde saltem memorando.
Postremo Regina summis precibus Sanctissimum Dominum Nostrum orat, ut quem sibi delegerit sacerdotem, possit ab eo in confessione sacramentali absolvi a cunctibus casibus etiam Sedi Apostolicæ reservatis, atque in bulla coenae Domini contentis.
[It is not known what reply was sent; but the forthcoming volume of "Vatican Papers," to be edited for the Scottish History Society by Father Pollard, S.J., may throw light on the subject.]
Translation.
Since Her Most Serene Majesty, the Queen of Scotland, has been for these many years a prisoner in the hands of the English heretics, and on that account is unable to receive the sacraments of the Catholic Church, or to be present, except secretly and at great risk, at divine service, and especially at the Sacrifice of the Mass, she humbly supplicates of His Holiness that, so long as she is kept in that restraint:
That to a Catholic priest, her chaplain for the time being, there may be granted the faculty, not only of exercising all the powers of a bishop, except the sacrament of Orders and Confirmation, and the consecration of the Chrism, but also of absolving from heresy and receiving penitent heretics into the bosom of Holy Mother Church. Such opportunities frequently offer themselves.
Secondly, since, in this sad condition of her affairs, the Queen herself has need, in connexion with her secret counsels and negotiations, of the assistance of some Englishmen, who, unless they attend the blasphemous prayers and communion of the heretics, would be excluded, by her gaolers, from the Queen's presence, or would have difficulty in aiding her counsels and plans, let His Holiness grant to a priest, whom the Queen may choose as chaplain, the power of absolving them from all censure and penalty in such circumstances, and restoring, as often as there is need, to the grace of Holy Mother Church, it being understood that, as far as possible, they shall avoid this impious communion and profanation of Holy Things.
Let His Holiness also permit that such persons, even before absolution, may without scruple either to the Queen or to the celebrating priest, or to all others who may be present, be present and assist at the Mass which shall be celebrated in presence of the Queen during her captivity.
The Queen also begs that Catholic men, twenty-five in number, nominated by her, in order that they may serve her more conveniently and safely, may without scruple and without danger or fear of censures and of sin, be present at such prayers and communions of the heretics, it being understood that they shall not communicate with them or give even verbal consent to their nefarious acts.
Let His Holiness grant also to the Queen herself a plenary indulgence and remission of all her sins, in the form of a jubilee, as often as, having confessed her sins, she may pray on bended knees before the Holy Eucharist, or receive it, and as often as she patiently endures injuries inflicted on her by heretics. May she obtain also the same indulgence at the moment of death by invoking with her lips, Jesu, Maria, or at least meditating on them in her heart.
Finally the Queen begs His Holiness with many prayers, that whomsoever she shall choose as a priest, she may be by him, in sacramental confession, absolved from all censures, even from those reserved to the Holy Apostolic See, and contained in the Bull "Coena Domini."