itwasthussheenteredthegreathallwherethescaffoldwaserected。
Itwasaplatformtwelvefeetwide，raisedabouttwofeetfromthefloor，surroundedwithbarriersandcoveredwithblackserge，andonitwerealittlechair，acushiontokneelon，andablockalsocoveredinblack。Justas，havingmountedthesteps，shesetfootonthefatalboards，theexecutionercameforward，and；askingforgivenessforthedutyhewasabouttoperform，kneeled，hidingbehindhimhisaxe。Marysawit，however，andcried——
“Ah！IwouldratherhavebeenbeheadedintheFrenchway，withasword！……“
“Itisnotmyfault，madam，“saidtheexecutioner，“ifthislastwishofyourMajestycannotbefulfilled；but，nothavingbeeninstructedtobringasword，andhavingfoundthisaxehereonly，Iamobligedtouseit。Willthatpreventyourpardoningme，then？“
“Ipardonyou，myfriend，“saidMary，“andinproofofit，hereismyhandtokiss。“
Theexecutionerputhislipstothequeen’shand，roseandapproachedthechair。Marysatdown，andtheEarlsofKentandShrewsburystandingonherleft，thesheriffandhisofficersbeforeher，AmyasPauletbehind，andoutsidethebarrierthelords，knights，andgentlemen，numberingnearlytwohundredandfifty，RobertBealeforthesecondtimereadthewarrantforexecution，andashewasbeginningtheservantswhohadbeenfetchedcameintothehallandplacedthemselvesbehindthescaffold，themenmounteduponabenchputbackagainstthewall，andthewomenkneelinginfrontofit；andalittlespaniel，ofwhichthequeenwasveryfond，camequietly，asifhefearedtobedrivenaway，andlaydownnearhismistress。
Thequeenlistenedtothereadingofthewarrantwithoutseemingtopaymuchattention，asifithadconcernedsomeoneelse，andwithacountenanceascalmandevenasjoyousasifithadbeenapardonandnotasentenceofdeath；then，whenBealehadended，andhavingended，criedinaloudvoice，“GodsaveQueenElizabeth！“towhichnoonemadeanyresponse，Marysignedherselfwiththecross，and，risingwithoutanychangeofexpression，and，onthecontrary，lovelierthanever——
“Mylords，“saidshe，“Iamaqueen-bornsovereignprincess，andnotsubjecttolaw，——anearrelationoftheQueenofEngland，andherrightfulheir；foralongtimeIhavebeenaprisonerinthiscountry，Ihavesufferedheremuchtribulationandmanyevilsthatnoonehadtherighttoinflict，andnow，tocrownall，Iamabouttolosemylife。Well，mylords，bearwitnessthatIdieintheCatholicfaith，thankingGodforlettingmedieforHisholycause，andprotesting，to-dayaseveryday，inpublicasinprivate，thatI
haveneverplotted，consentedto，nordesiredthequeen’sdeath，noranyotherthingagainstherperson；butthat，onthecontrary，Ihavealwayslovedher，andhavealwaysofferedhergoodandreasonableconditionstoputanendtothetroublesofthekingdomanddelivermefrommycaptivity，withoutmyhavingeverbeenhonouredwithareplyfromher；andallthis，mylords，youwellknow。Finally，myenemieshaveattainedtheirend，whichwastoputmetodeath：
IdonotpardonthemlessforitthanIpardonallthosewhohaveattemptedanythingagainstme。Aftermy，death，theauthorsofitwillbeknown。ButIdiewithoutaccusinganyone，forfeartheLordshouldhearmeandavengeme。“
Uponthis，whetherhewasafraidthatsuchaspeechbysogreataqueenshouldsoftentheassemblytoomuch，orwhetherhefoundthatallthesewordsweremakingtoomuchdelay，theDeanofPeterboroughplacedhimselfbeforeMary，and，leaningonthebarrier——
“Madam，“hesaid，“mymuchhonouredmistresshascommandedmetocometoyou——“Butatthesewords，Mary，turningandinterruptinghim“Mr。Dean，“sheansweredinaloudvoice，“Ihavenothingtodowithyou；Idonotwishtohearyou，andbegyoutowithdraw。“
“Madam，“saidthedean，persistinginspiteofthisresolveexpressedinsuchfirmandpreciseterms，“youhavebutamomentlonger：changeyouropinions，abjureyourerrors，andputyourfaithinJesusChristalone，thatyoumaybesavedthroughHim。“
“Everythingyoucansayisuseless，“repliedthequeen，“andyouwillgainnothingbyit；besilent，then，Ibegyou，andletmedieinpeace。“
Andasshesawthathewantedtogoon，shesatdownontheothersideofthechairandturnedherbacktohim；butthedeanimmediatelywalkedroundthescaffoldtillhefacedheragain；then，ashewasgoingtospeak，thequeenturnedaboutoncemore，andsatasatfirst。SeeingwhichtheEarlofShrewsburysaid——
“Madam，trulyIdespairthatyouaresoattachedtothisfollyofpapacy：allowus，ifitpleaseyou，toprayforyou。“
“Mylord，“thequeenanswered，“ifyoudesiretoprayforme，Ithankyou，fortheintentionisgood；butIcannotjoininyourprayers，forwearenotofthesamereligion。“
Theearlsthencalledthedean，andwhilethequeen，seatedinherlittlechair，wasprayinginalowtone，he，kneelingonthescaffoldsteps，prayedaloud；andthewholeassemblyexceptthequeenandherservantsprayedafterhim；then，inthemidstofherorison，whichshesaidwithherAgnusDeiroundherneck，acrucifixinonehand，andherbookofHoursintheother，shefellfromherseatonto，herknees，prayingaloudinLatin，whilsttheothersprayedinEnglish，andwhentheothersweresilent，shecontinuedinEnglishinherturn，sothattheycouldhearher，prayingfortheafflictedChurchofChrist，foranendtothepersecutionofCatholics，aridforthehappinessofherson’sreign；thenshesaid，inaccentsfulloffaithandfervour，thatshehopedtobesavedbythemeritsofJesusChrist，atthefootofwhosecrossshewasgoingtoshedherblood。
AtthesewordstheEarlofKentcouldnolongercontainhimself，andwithoutrespectforthesanctityofthemoment——
“Oh，madam，“saidhe，“putJesusChristinyourheart，andrejectallthisrubbishofpopishdeceptions。“
Butshe，withoutlistening，wenton，prayingthesaintstointercedewithGodforher，andkissingthecrucifix，shecried——
“Lord！Lord！receivemeinThyarmsoutstretchedonthecross，andforgivemeallmysins！“
Thereupon，——shebeingagainseatedinthechair，theEarlofKentaskedherifshehadanyconfessiontomake；towhichsherepliedthat，notbeingguiltyofanything，toconfesswouldbetogiveherself，thelie。
“Itiswell，“theearlanswered；“then，madam，prepare。“
Thequeenrose，andastheexecutionerapproachedtoassistherdisrobe——
“Allowme，myfriend，“saidshe；Iknowhowtodoitbetterthanyou，andamnotaccustomedtoundressbeforesomanyspectators，nortobeservedbysuchvalets。“
Andthen，callinghertwowomen，shebegantounpinhercoiffure，andasJeanneKennedyandElspethCurle，whileperformingthislastservicefortheirmistress，couldnothelpweepingbitterly——
“Donotweep，“shesaidtotheminFrench；“forIhavepromisedandansweredforyou。“
Withthesewords，shemadethesignofthecrossupontheforeheadofeach，kissedthem，andrecommendedthemtoprayforher。
Thenthequeenbegantoundress，herselfassisting，asshewaswonttodowhenpreparingforbed，andtakingthegoldcrossfromherneck，shewishedtogiveittoJeanne，sayingtotheexecutioner——
“Myfriend，IknowthatallIhaveuponmebelongstoyou；butthisisnotinyourway：letmebestowit，ifyouplease，onthisyounglady，andshewillgiveyoutwiceitsvalueinmoney。“
Buttheexecutioner，hardlyallowinghertofinish，snatcheditfromherhandswith——
“Itismyright。“
Thequeenwasnotmovedmuchbythisbrutality，andwentontakingoffhergarmentsuntilshewassimplyinherpetticoat。
Thusridofallhergarb，sheagainsatdown，andJeanneKennedyapproachingher，tookfromherpocketthehandkerchiefofgold-
embroideredcambricwhichshehadpreparedthenightbefore，andboundhereyeswithit；whichtheearls，lords；andgentlemenlookeduponwithgreatsurprise，itnotbeingcustomaryinEngland，andasshethoughtthatshewastobebeheadedintheFrenchway——thatistosay，seatedinthechair——sheheldherselfupright，motionless，andwithherneckstiffenedtomakeiteasierfortheexecutioner，who，forhispart，notknowinghowtoproceed，wasstanding，withoutstriking，axeinhand：atlastthemanlaidhishandonthequeen’shead，anddrawingherforward，madeherfallonherknees：Marythenunderstoodwhatwasrequiredofher，andfeelingfortheblockwithherhands，whichwerestillholdingherbookofHoursandhercrucifix，shelaidherneckonit，herhandsjoinedbeneathherchin，thatshemightpraytillthelastmoment：theexecutioner’sassistantdrewthemaway，forfeartheyshouldbecutoffwithherhead；andasthequeenwassaying，“Inmanesteas，Domine，“theexecutionerraisedhisaxe，whichwassimplyanaxefarchoppingwood，andstruckthefirstblow，whichhittoohigh，andpiercingtheskull，madethecrucifixandthebookflyfromthecondemned’shandsbyitsviolence，butwhichdidnotseverthehead。However，stunnedwiththeblow，thequeenmadenomovement，whichgavetheexecutionertimetoredoubleit；butstilltheheaddidnotfall，andathirdstrokewasnecessarytodetachashredoffleshwhichheldittotheshoulders。
Atlast，whentheheadwasquitesevered，theexecutionerheldituptoshowtotheassembly，saying“GodsaveQueenElizabeth！“
“SoperishallHerMajesty’senemies！“respondedtheDeanofPeterborough。
“Amen，“saidtheEarlofKent；buthewastheonlyone：noothervoicecouldrespond，forallwerechokedwithsobs。
Atthatmomentthequeen’sheaddressfalling，disclosedherhair，cutveryshort，andaswhiteasifshehadbeenagedseventy：astoherface，ithadsochangedduringherdeath-agonythatnoonewouldhaverecognisedithadhenotknownitwashers。Thespectatorscriedoutaloudatthissign；for，frightfultosee，theeyeswereopen，andthelidswentonmovingasiftheywouldstillpray，andthismuscularmovementlastedformorethanaquarterofanhouraftertheheadhadbeencutoff。