Therefore，dearsister，ifthiscardpursueThatkeendesirebywhichIamoppressed，Toseeyou，’tisbecauseIlivedistressed，Unlesssomeswiftandsweetresultensue。
BeheldIhavemyshipcompelledbyfateToseektheopensea，whenclosetoport，Andcalmestdaysbreakintostormandgale；
Whereforefullgrievedandfearfulismystate，Notforyoursake，butsince，inevilsort，Fortunesooftsnapsstrongestropeandsail。“
Elizabethtrembledwithjoyatreceivingthisdoubleletter；fortheeightyearsthatherenmityhadbeendailyincreasingtoMaryStuart，shehadfollowedherwithhereyescontinually，asawolfmightagazelle；atlastthegazellesoughtrefugeinthewolf’sden。
Elizabethhadneverhopedasmuch：sheimmediatelydespatchedanordertotheSheriffofCumberlandtomakeknowntoMarythatshewasreadytoreceiveher。Onemorningabuglewasheardblowingonthesea-shore：itwasQueenElizabeth’senvoycometofetchQueenMaryStuart。
Thenarosegreatentreatiestothefugitivenottotrustherselfthustoarivalinpower，glory，andbeauty；butthepoordispossessedqueenwasfullofconfidenceinhershecalledhergoodsister，andbelievedherselfgoing，freeandridofcare，totakeatElizabeth’scourttheplaceduetoherrankandhermisfortunes：thusshepersisted，inspiteofallthatcouldbesaid。Inourtime，wehaveseenthesameinfatuationseizeanotherroyalfugitive，wholikeMaryStuartconfidedhimselftothegenerosityofhisenemyEngland：likeMaryStuart，hewascruellypunishedforhisconfidence，andfoundinthedeadlyclimateofSt。HelenathescaffoldofFotheringay。
MaryStuartsetoutonherjourney，then，withherlittlefollowing。
ArrivedattheshoreofSolwayFirth，shefoundtheretheWardenoftheEnglishMarches：hewasagentlemannamedLowther，whoreceivedthequeenwiththegreatestrespect，butwhogavehertounderstandthathecouldnotpermitmorethanthreeofherwomentoaccompanyher。MarySeytonimmediatelyclaimedherprivilege：thequeenheldouttoherherhand。
“Alas！mignonne，“saidshe，“butitmightwellbeanother’sturn：youhavealreadysufferedenoughformeandwithme。“
ButMary，unabletoreply，clungtoherhand，makingasignwithherheadthatnothingintheworldshouldpartherfromhermistress。
Thenallwhohadaccompaniedthequeenrenewedtheirentreatiesthatsheshouldnotpersistinthisfatalresolve，andwhenshewasalreadyathirdofthewayalongtheplankplacedforhertoentertheskiff，thePriorofDundrennan，whohadofferedMaryStuartsuchdangerousandtouchinghospitality，enteredthewateruptohisknees，totrytodetainher；butallwasuseless：thequeenhadmadeuphermind。
Atthat，momentLowtherapproachedher。“Madam，“saidhe，“acceptanewmyregretsthatIcannotofferawarmwelcomeinEnglandtoallwhowouldwishtofollowyouthere；butourqueenhasgivenuspositiveorders，andwemustcarrythemout。MayIbepermittedtoremindyourMajestythatthetideserves？“
“Positiveorders！“criedtheprior。“Doyouhear，madam？Oh！youarelostifyouquitthisshore！Back，whilethereisyettime！Back；
madam，inHeaven’sname！Tome，sirknights，tome！“hecried，turningtoLordHerriesandtheotherlordswhohadaccompaniedMaryStuart；“donotallowyourqueentoabandonyou，wereitneedfultostrugglewithherandtheEnglishatthesametime。Holdherback，mylords，inHeaven’sname！withholdher！“
“Whatmeansthisviolence，sirpriest？“saidtheWardenoftheMarches。“Icamehereatyourqueen’sexpresscommand；sheisfreetoreturntoyou，andthereisnoneedtohaverecoursetoforceforthat“。Then，addressingthequeen——
“Madam，“saidhe，“doyouconsenttofollowmeintoEnglandinfulllibertyofchoice？Answer，Ientreatyou；formyhonourdemandsthatthewholeworldshouldbeawarethatyouhavefollowedmefreely。“
“Sir，“repliedMaryStuart，“Iaskyourpardon，inthenameofthisworthyservantofGodandhisqueen，forwhathemayhavesaidofoffencetoyou。FreelyIleaveScotlandandplacemyselfinyourhands，trustingthatIshallbefreeeithertoremaininEnglandwithmyroyalsister，ortoreturntoFrancetomyworthyrelatives“。
Then，turningtothepriest，“Yourblessing，father，andGodprotectyou！“
“Alas！alas！“murmuredtheabbot，obeyingthequeen，“itisnotwewhoareinneedofGod’sprotection，butratheryou，mydaughter。
MaytheblessingofapoorpriestturnasidefromyouthemisfortunesIforesee！Go，andmayitbewithyouastheLordhasordainedinHiswisdomandinHismercy！“
Thenthequeengaveherhandtothesheriff，whoconductedhertotheskiff，followedbyMarySeytonandtwootherwomenonly。Thesailswereimmediatelyunfurled，andthelittlevesselbegantorecedefromtheshoresofGalloway，tomakeherwaytowardsthoseofCumberland。
Solongasitcouldbeseen，theywhohadaccompaniedthequeenlingeredonthebeach，wavinghersignsofadieu，which，standingonthedeckoftheshallopwhichwasbearingher，away，shereturnedwithherhandkerchief。Finally，theboatdisappeared，andallburstintolamentationsorintosobbing。Theywereright，forthegoodPriorofDundrennan’spresentimentswereonlytootrue，andtheyhadseenMaryStuartforthelasttime。
CHAPTERVIII
OnlandingontheshoresofEngland，theQueenofScotlandfoundmessengersfromElizabethempoweredtoexpresstoheralltheregrettheirmistressfeltinbeingunabletoadmithertoherpresence，ortogivehertheaffectionatewelcomesheboreherinherheart。Butitwasessential，theyadded，thatfirstofallthequeenshouldclearherselfofthedeathofDarnley，whosefamily，beingsubjectsoftheQueenofEngland，hadarighttoherprotectionandjustice。
MaryStuartwassoblindedthatshedidnotseethetrap，andimmediatelyofferedtoproveherinnocencetothesatisfactionofhersisterElizabeth；butscarcelyhadsheinherhandsMaryStuart’sletter，thanfromarbitressshebecamejudge，and，namingcommissionerstoheartheparties，summonedMurraytoappearandaccusehissister。Murray，whoknewElizabeth’ssecretintentionswithregardtoherrival，didnothesitateamoment。HecametoEngland，bringingthecasketcontainingthethreeletterswehavequoted，someversesandsomeotherpaperswhichprovedthatthequeenhadnotonlybeenBothwell’smistressduringthelifetimeofDarnley，buthadalsobeenawareoftheassassinationofherhusband。Ontheirside，LordHerriesandtheBishopofRoss，thequeen’sadvocates，maintainedthattheselettershadbeenforged，thatthehandwritingwascounterfeited，anddemanded，inverification，expertswhomtheycouldnotobtain；sothatthisgreatcontroversy，remainedpendingforfutureages，andtothishournothingisyetaffirmativelysettledinthismattereitherbyscholarsorhistorians。
Afterafivemonths’inquiry，theQueenofEnglandmadeknowntotheparties，thatnothaving，intheseproceedings，beenabletodiscoveranythingtothedishonourofaccuseroraccused，everythingwouldremaininstatuquotilloneortheothercouldbringforwardfreshproofs。
Asaresultofthisstrangedecision，ElizabethshouldhavesentbacktheregenttoScotland，andhaveleftMaryStuartfreetogowhereshewould。But，insteadofthat，shehadherprisonerremovedfromBoltonCastletoCarlisleCastle，fromwhoseterrace，tocrownherwithgrief，poorMaryStuartsawthebluemountainsofherownScotland。
However，amongthejudgesnamedbyElizabethtoexamineintoMaryStuart’sconductwasThomasHoward，DukeofNorfolk。BeitthathewasconvincedofMary’sinnocence，beitthathewasurgedbytheambitiousprojectwhichsinceservedasagroundforhisprosecution，andwhichwasnothingelsethantowedMaryStuart，toaffiancehisdaughtertotheyoungking，andtobecomeregentofScotland，heresolvedtoextricateherfromherprison。SeveralmembersofthehighnobilityofEngland，amongwhomweretheEarlsofWestmorelandandNorthumberland，enteredintotheplotandunder，tooktosupportitwithalltheirforces。Buttheirschemehadbeencommunicatedtotheregent：hedenouncedittoElizabeth，whohadNorfolkarrested。
Warnedintime，WestmorelandandNorthumberlandcrossedthefrontiersandtookrefugeintheScottishborderswhichwerefavourabletoQueenMary。TheformerreachedFlanders，wherehediedinexile；thelatter，givenuptoMurray，wassenttothecastleofLochleven，whichguardedhimmorefaithfullythanithaddoneitsroyalprisoner。AstoNorfolk，hewasbeheaded。Asonesees，MaryStuart’sstarhadlostnoneofitsfatalinfluence。
MeanwhiletheregenthadreturnedtoEdinburgh，enrichedwithpresentsfromElizabeth，andhavinggained，infact，hiscasewithher，sinceMaryremainedaprisoner。Heemployedhimselfimmediatelyindispersingtheremainderofheradherents，andhadhardlyshutthegatesofLochlevenCastleuponWestmorelandthan，inthenameoftheyoungKingJamesVI，hepursuedthosewhohadupheldhismother’scause，andamongthemmoreparticularlytheHamiltons，whosincetheaffairof“sweepingthestreetsofEdinburgh，“hadbeenthemortalenemiesoftheDouglasespersonally；sixofthechiefmembersofthisfamilywerecondemnedtodeath，andonlyobtainedcommutationofthepenaltyintoaneternalexileontheentreatiesofJohnKnox，atthattimesopowerfulinScotlandthatMurraydarednotrefusetheirpardon。
OneoftheamnestiedwasacertainHamiltonofBothwellhaugh，amanofancientScottishtimes，wildandvindictiveasthenoblesinthetimeofJamesI。Hehadwithdrawnintothehighlands，wherehehadfoundanasylum，whenhelearnedthatMurray，whoinvirtueoftheconfiscationpronouncedagainstexileshadgivenhislandstooneofhisfavourites，hadhadthecrueltytoexpelhissickandbedriddenwifefromherownhouse，andthatwithoutgivinghertimetodress，andalthoughitwasinthewintercold。Thepoorwoman，besides，withoutshelter，withoutclothes，andwithoutfood，hadgoneoutofhermind，hadwanderedaboutthusforsometime，anobjectofcompassionbutequallyofdread；foreveryonehadbeenafraidofcompromisinghimselfbyassistingher。Atlast，shehadreturnedtoexpireofmiseryandcoldonthethresholdwhenceshehadbeendriven。
Onlearningthisnews，Bothwellhaugh，despitetheviolenceofhischaracter，displayednoanger：hemerelyresponded，withaterriblesmile，“Itiswell；Ishallavengeher。“
Nextday，Bothwellhaughlefthishighlands，andcamedown，disguised，intotheplain，furnishedwithanorderofadmissionfromtheArchbishopofSt。Andrewstoahousewhichthisprelate——who，asoneremembers，hadfollowedthequeen’sfortunestothelastmoment——hadatLinlithgow。Thishouse，situatedinthemainstreet，hadawoodenbalconylookingontothesquare，andagatewhichopenedoutintothecountry。Bothwellhaughentereditatnight，installedhimselfonthefirstfloor，hungblackclothonthewallssothathisshadowshouldnotbeseenfromwithout，coveredthefloorwithmattressessothathisfootstepsmightnotbeheardonthegroundfloor，fastenedaracehorsereadysaddledandbridledinthegarden，hollowedouttheupperpartofthelittlegatewhichledtotheopencountrysothathecouldpassthroughitatagallop，armedhimselfwithaloadedarquebuse，andshuthimselfupintheroom。