Allthesepreparationshadbeenmade，oneimagines，becauseMurraywastospendthefollowingdayinLinlithgow。But，secretastheywere，theyweretoberendereduseless，fortheregent’sfriendswarnedhimthatitwouldnotbesafeforhimtopassthroughthetown，whichbelongedalmostwhollytotheHamiltons，andadvisedhimtogobyit。However，Murraywascourageous，and，accustomednottogivewaybeforearealdanger，hechidnothingbutlaughataperilwhichhelookeduponasimaginary，andboldlyfollowedhisfirstplan，whichwasnottogooutofhisway。Consequently，asthestreetintowhichtheArchbishopofSt。Andrews’balconylookedwasonhisroad，heentereduponit，notgoingrapidlyandprecededbyguardswhowouldopenupapassageforhim，ashisfriendsstillcounselled，butadvancingatafoot’space，delayedashewasbythegreatcrowdwhichwasblockingupthestreetstoseehim。Arrivedinfrontofthebalcony，asifchancehadbeenintunewiththemurderer，thecrushbecamesogreatthatMurraywasobligedtohaltforamoment：thisrestgaveBothwellhaughtimetoadjusthimselfforasteadyshot。Heleanedhisarquebuseonthebalcony，and，havingtakenaimwiththenecessaryleisureandcoolness，fired。
Bothwellhaughhadputsuchachargeintothearquebuse，thattheball，havingpassedthroughtheregent’sheart，killedthehorseofagentlemanonhisright。Murrayfelldirectly，saying，“MyGod！Iamkilled。“
Astheyhadseenfromwhichwindowtheshotwasfired，thepersonsintheregent’strainhadimmediatelythrownthemselvesagainstthegreatdoorofthehousewhichlookedontothestreet，andhadsmasheditin；buttheyonlyarrivedintimetoseeBothwellhaughflythroughthelittlegardengateonthehorsehehadgotready：theyimmediatelyremountedthehorsestheyhadleftinthestreet，and，passingthroughthehouse，pursuedhim。Bothwellhaughhadagoodhorseandtheleadofhisenemies；andyet，fourofthem，pistolinhand，weresowellmountedthattheywerebeginningtogainuponhim。
ThenBothwellhaugh；seeingthatwhipandspurwerenotenough，drewhisdaggerandusedittogoadonhishorse。Hishorse，underthisterriblestimulus，acquiredfreshvigour，and，leapingagullyeighteenfeetdeep，putbetweenhismasterandhispursuersabarrierwhichtheydarednotcross。
ThemurderersoughtanasyluminFrance，whereheretiredundertheprotectionoftheGuises。There，astheboldstrokehehadattemptedhadacquiredhimagreatreputation，somedaysbeforetheMassacreofSt。Bartholomew，theymadehimoverturestoassassinateAdmiralColigny。ButBothwellhaughindignantlyrepulsedtheseproposals，sayingthathewastheavengerofabusesandnotanassassin，andthatthosewhohadtocomplainoftheadmiralhadonlytocomeandaskhimhowhehaddone，andtodoashe。
AstoMurray，hediedthenightfollowinghiswound，leavingtheregencytotheEarlofLennox，thefatherofDarnley：onlearningthenewsofhisdeath，Elizabethwrotethatshehadlostherbestfriend。
WhiletheseeventswerepassinginScotland，MaryStuartwasstillaprisoner，inspiteofthepressingandsuccessiveprotestsofCharlesIXandHenryIII。Takingfrightattheattemptmadeinherfavour，ElizabethevenhadherremovedtoSheffieldCastle，roundwhichfreshpatrolswereincessantlyinmotion。
Butdays，months，yearspassed，andpoorMary，whohadbornesoimpatientlyherelevenmonths’captivityinLochlevenCastle，hadbeenalreadyledfromprisontoprisonforfifteenorsixteenyears，inspiteofherprotestsandthoseoftheFrenchandSpanishambassadors，whenshewasfinallytakentoTutburyCastleandplacedunderthecareofSirAmyasPaulet，herlastgaoler：thereshefoundforhersolelodgingtwolowanddamprooms，wherelittlebylittlewhatstrengthremainedtoherwassoexhaustedthatthereweredaysonwhichshecouldnotwalk，onaccountofthepaininallherlimbs。
Thenitwasthatshewhohadbeenthequeenoftwokingdoms，whowasborninagildedcradleandbroughtupinsilkandvelvet，wasforcedtohumbleherselftoaskofhergaolerasofterbedandwarmercoverings。Thisrequest，treatedasanaffairofstate，gaverisetonegotiationswhichlastedamonth，afterwhichtheprisonerwasatlengthgrantedwhatsheasked。Andyettheunhealthiness，cold，andprivationsofallkindsstilldidnotworkactivelyenoughonthathealthyandrobustorganisation。TheytriedtoconveytoPauletwhataservicehewouldrendertheQueenofEnglandincuttingshorttheexistenceofherwho，alreadycondemnedinherrival’smind，yetdelayedtodie。ButSirAmyasPaulet，coarseandharshashewastoMaryStuart，declaredthat，solongasshewaswithhimshewouldhavenothingtofearfrompoisonordagger，becausehewouldtasteallthedishesservedtohisprisoner，andthatnooneshouldapproachherbutinhispresence。Infact，someassassins，sentbyLeicester，theverysamewhohadaspiredforamomenttothehandofthelovelyMaryStuart，weredrivenfromthecastledirectlyitssternkeeperhadlearnedwithwhatintentionstheyhadenteredit。
Elizabethhadtobepatient，then，incontentingherselfwithtormentingherwhomshecouldnotkill，andstillhopingthatafreshopportunitywouldoccurforbringinghertotrial。Thatopportunity，solongdelayed，thefatalstarofMaryStuartatlengthbrought。
AyoungCatholicgentleman，alastscionofthatancientchivalrywhichwasalreadydyingoutatthattime，excitedbytheexcommunicationofPiusV，whichpronouncedElizabethfallenfromherkingdomonearthandhersalvationinheaven，resolvedtorestorelibertytoMary，whothenceforthwasbeginningtobelookedupon，nolongerasapoliticalprisoner，butasamartyrforherfaith。
Accordingly，bravingthelawwhichElizabethhadhadmadein1585，andwhichprovidedthat，ifanyattemptonherpersonwasmeditatedby，orfor，apersonwhothoughthehadclaimstothecrownofEngland，acommissionwouldbeappointedcomposedoftwenty-fivemembers，which，totheexclusionofeveryothertribunal，wouldbeempoweredtoexamineintotheoffence，andtocondemntheguiltypersons，whosoevertheymightbe。Babington，notatalldiscouragedbytheexampleofhispredecessors，assembledfiveofhisfriends，Catholicsaszealousashimself，whoengagedtheirlifeandhonourintheplotofwhichhewasthehead，andwhichhadasitsaimtoassassinateElizabeth，andasaresulttoplaceMaryStuartontheEnglishthrone。Butthisscheme，wellplannedasitwas，wasrevealedtoWalsingham，whoallowedtheconspiratorstogoasfarashethoughthecouldwithoutdanger，andwho，thedaybeforethatfixedfortheassassination，hadthemarrested。
ThisimprudentanddesperateattemptdelightedElizabeth，for，accordingtotheletterofthelaw，itfinallygaveherrival’slifeintoherhands。OrderswereimmediatelygiventoSirAmyasPaulettoseizetheprisoner’spapersandtomovehertoFotheringayCastle。
Thegaoler，then，hypocriticallyrelaxinghisusualseverity，suggestedtoMaryStuartthatsheshouldgoriding，underthepretextthatshehadneedofanairing。Thepoorprisoner，whoforthreeyearshadonlyseenthecountrythroughherprisonbars，joyfullyaccepted，andleftTutburybetweentwoguards，mounted，forgreatersecurity，onahorsewhosefeetwerehobbled。ThesetwoguardstookhertoFotheringayCastle，hernewhabitation，whereshefoundtheapartmentshewastolodgeinalreadyhunginblack。MaryStuarthadenteredaliveintohertomb。AstoBabingtonandhisaccomplices，theyhadbeenalreadybeheaded。
Meanwhile，hertwosecretaries，CurleandNau，werearrested，andallherpaperswereseizedandsenttoElizabeth，who，onherpart，orderedthefortycommissionerstoassemble，andproceedwithoutintermissiontothetrialoftheprisoner。TheyarrivedatFotheringaythe14thOctober1586；andnextday，beingassembledinthegreathallofthecastle，theybegantheexamination。
AtfirstMaryrefusedtoappearbeforethem，declaringthatshedidnotrecognisethecommissionersasjudges，theynotbeingherpeers，andnotacknowledgingtheEnglishlaw，whichhadneveraffordedherprotection，andwhichhadconstantlyabandonedhertotheruleofforce。Butseeingthattheyproceedednonetheless，andthateverycalumnywasallowed，noonebeingtheretorefuteit，sheresolvedtoappearbeforethecommissioners。WequotethetwointerrogatoriestowhichMaryStuartsubmittedastheyaresetdowninthereportofM。
deBellievretoM。deVilleroy。M。deBellievre，asweshallseelater，hadbeenspeciallysentbyKingHenryIIItoElizabeth。
[IntelligenceforM。VilleroyofwhatwasdoneinEnglandbyM。deBellievreabouttheaffairsoftheQueenofScotland，inthemonthsofNovemberandDecember1586andJanuary1587。]
Thesaidladybeingseatedattheendofthetableinthesaidhall，andthesaidcommissionersabouther——
TheQueenofScotlandbegantospeakintheseterms：
“Idonotadmitthatanyoneofyouhereassembledismypeerormyjudgetoexaminemeuponanycharge。ThuswhatIdo，andnowtellyou，isofmyownfreewill，takingGodtowitnessthatIaminnocentandpureinconscienceoftheaccusationsandslandersofwhichtheywishtoaccuseme。ForIamafreeprincessandbornaqueen，obedienttonoone，savetoGod，towhomaloneImustgiveanaccountofmyactions。ThisiswhyIprotestyetagainthatmyappearancebeforeyoubenotprejudicialeithertome，ortothekings，princesandpotentates，myallies，nortomyson，andIrequirethatmyprotestberegistered，andIdemandtherecordofit。“
Thenthechancellor，whowasoneofthecommissioners，repliedinhisturn，andprotestedagainsttheprotestation；thenheorderedthatthereshouldbereadovertotheQueenofScotlandthecommissioninvirtueofwhichtheywereproceeding——acommissionfoundedonthestatutesandlawofthekingdom。
ButtothisMaryStuartmadeanswerthatsheagainprotested；thatthesaidstatutesandlawswerewithoutforceagainsther，becausethesestatutesandlawsarenotmadeforpersonsofhercondition。
Tothisthechancellorrepliedthatthecommissionintendedtoproceedagainsther，evenifsherefusedtoanswer，anddeclaredthatthetrialshouldproceed；forshewasdoublysubjecttoindictment，theconspiratorshavingnotonlyplottedinherfavour，butalsowithherconsent：towhichthesaidQueenofScotlandrespondedthatshehadnevereventhoughtofit。
Uponthis，thelettersitwasallegedshehadwrittentoBabingtonandhisanswerswerereadtoher。
MaryStuartthenaffirmedthatshehadneverseenBabington，thatshehadneverhadanyconferencewithhim，hadneverinherlifereceivedasingleletterfromhim，andthatshedefiedanyoneintheworldtomaintainthatshehadeverdoneanythingtotheprejudiceofthesaidQueenofEngland；thatbesides，strictlyguardedasshewas，awayfromallnews，withdrawnfromanddeprivedofthosenearesther，surroundedwithenemies，deprivedfinallyofalladvice，shehadbeenunabletoparticipateinortoconsenttothepracticesofwhichshewasaccused；thatthereare，besides，manypersonswhowrotetoherwhatshehadnoknowledgeof，andthatshehadreceivedanumberofletterswithoutknowingwhencetheycametoher。
ThenBabington’sconfessionwasreadtoher；butsherepliedthatshedidnotknowwhatwasmeant；thatbesides，ifBabingtonandhisaccompliceshadsaidsuchthings，theywerebasemen，falseandliars。
“Besides，“addedshe，“showmemyhandwritingandmysignature，sinceyousaythatIwrotetoBabington，andnotcopiescounterfeitedlikethesewhichyouhavefilledatyourleisurewiththefalsehoodsithaspleasedyoutoinsert。“