ThenshewasshowntheletterthatBabington，itwassaid，hadwrittenher。Sheglancedatit；thensaid，“Ihavenoknowledgeofthisletter“。Uponthis，shewasshownherreply，andshesaidagain，“Ihavenomoreknowledgeofthisanswer。Ifyouwillshowmemyownletterandmyownsignaturecontainingwhatyousay，Iwillacquiesceinall；butuptothepresent，asIhavealreadytoldyou，youhaveproducednothingworthyofcredence，unlessitbethecopiesyouhaveinventedandaddedtowithwhatseemedgoodtoyou。“
Withthesewords，sherose，andwithhereyesfulloftears——
“IfIhaveever，“saidshe，“consentedtosuchintrigues，havingforobjectmysister’sdeath，IprayGodthatHehaveneitherpitynormercyonme。IconfessthatIhavewrittentoseveralpersons，thatIhaveimploredthemtodelivermefrommywretchedprisons，whereI
languished，acaptiveandill-treatedprincess，fornineteenyearsandsevenmonths；butitneveroccurredtome，eveninthought，towriteoreventodesiresuchthingsagainstthequeen。Yes，IalsoconfesstohavingexertedmyselfforthedeliveranceofsomepersecutedCatholics，andifIhadbeenable，andcouldyet，withmyownblood，protectthemandsavethemfromtheirpains，Iwouldhavedoneit，andwoulddoitforthemwithallmypower，inordertosavethemfromdestruction。“
Then，turningtothesecretary，Walsingham——
“But，mylord，“saidshe，“fromthemomentIseeyouhere，Iknowwhencecomesthisblow：youhavealwaysbeenmygreatestenemyandmyson’s，andyouhavemovedeveryoneagainstmeandtomyprejudice。“
Thusaccusedtohisface，Walsinghamrose。
“Madam，“hereplied，“IprotestbeforeGod，whoismywitness，thatyoudeceiveyourself，andthatIhaveneverdoneanythingagainstyouunworthyofagoodman，eitherasanindividualorasapublicpersonage。“
Thisisallthatwassaidanddonethatdayintheproceedings，tillthenextday，whenthequeenwasagainobligedtoappearbeforethecommissioners。
And，beingseatedattheendofthetableofthesaidhall，andthesaidcommissionersabouther，shebegantospeakinaloudvoice。
“Youarenotunaware，mylordsandgentlemen，thatIamasovereignqueen，anointedandconsecratedinthechurchofGod，andcannot，andoughtnot，foranyreasonwhatever，besummonedtoyourcourts，orcalledtoyourbar，tobejudgedbythelawandstatutesthatyoulaydown；forIamaprincessandfree，andIdonotowetoanyprincemorethanheowestome；andoneverythingofwhichIamaccusedtowardsmysaidsister，Icannot，replyifyoudonotpermitmetobeassistedbycounsel。Andifyougofurther，dowhatyouwill；butfromallyourprocedure，inreiteratingmyprotestations，IappealtoGod，whoistheonlyjustandtruejudge，andtothekingsandprinces，myalliesandconfederates。“
Thisprotestationwasoncemoreregistered，asshehadrequiredofthecommissioners。ThenshewastoldthatshehadfurtherwrittenseveralletterstotheprincesofChristendom，againstthequeenandthekingdomofEngland。
“Astothat，“repliedMaryStuart，“itisanothermatter，andIdonotdenyit；andifitwasagaintodo，IshoulddoasIhavedone，togainmyliberty；forthereisnotamanorwomanintheworld，oflessrankthanI，whowouldnotdoit，andwhowouldnotmakeuseofthehelpandsuccouroftheirfriendstoissuefromacaptivityasharshasminewas。YouchargemewithcertainlettersfromBabington：well，IdonotdenythathehaswrittentomeandthatI
haverepliedtohim；butifyoufindinmyanswersasinglewordaboutthequeenmysister，well，yes，therewillbegoodcausetoprosecuteme。Irepliedtohimwhowrotetomethathewouldsetmeatliberty，thatIacceptedhisoffer，ifhecoulddoitwithoutcompromisingtheoneortheotherofus：thatisall。
“Astomysecretaries，“addedthequeen，“notthey，buttorturespokebytheirmouths：andastotheconfessionsofBabingtonandhisaccomplices，thereisnotmuchtobemadeofthem；fornowthattheyaredeadyoucansayallthatseemsgoodtoyou；andletwhowillbelieveyou。“
Withthesewords，thequeenrefusedtoanswerfurtherifshewerenotgivencounsel，and，renewingherprotestation，shewithdrewintoherapartment；but，asthechancellorhadthreatened，thetrialwascontinueddespiteherabsence。
However，M。deChateauneuf，theFrenchambassadortoLondon，sawmatterstoonearathandtobedeceivedastotheircourse：
accordingly，atthefirstrumourwhichcametohimofbringingMaryStuarttotrial，hewrotetoKingHenryIII，thathemightinterveneintheprisoner’sfavour。HenryIIIimmediatelydespatchedtoQueenElizabethanembassyextraordinary，ofwhichM。deBellievrewasthechief；andatthesametime，havinglearnedthatJamesVI，Mary’sson，farfrominterestinghimselfinhismother’sfate，hadrepliedtotheFrenchminister，Courcelles，whospoketohimofher，“Icandonothing；letherdrinkwhatshehasspilled，“hewrotehimthefollowingletter，todecidetheyoungprincetosecondhiminthestepshewasgoingtotake：
“21stNovember，1586。
“COURCELLES，Ihavereceivedyourletterofthe4thOctoberlast，inwhichIhaveseenthediscoursethattheKingofScotlandhasheldwithyouconcerningwhatyouhavewitnessedtohimofthegoodaffectionIbearhim，discourseinwhichhehasgivenproofofdesiringtoreciprocateitentirely；butIwishthatthatletterhadinformedmealsothathewasbetterdisposedtowardsthequeenhismother，andthathehadtheheartandthedesiretoarrangeeverythinginawaytoassistherintheafflictioninwhichshenowis，reflectingthattheprisonwhereshehasbeenunjustlydetainedforeighteenyearsandmorehasinducedhertolendaneartomanythingswhichhavebeenproposedtoherforgainingherliberty，athingwhichisnaturallygreatlydesiredbyallmen，andmorestillbythosewhoarebornsovereignsandrulers，whobearbeingkeptprisonersthuswithlesspatience。HeshouldalsoconsiderthatiftheQueenofEngland，mygoodsister，allowsherselftobepersuadedbythecounselsofthosewhowishthatsheshouldstainherselfwithQueenMary’sblood，itwillbeamatterwhichwillbringhimtogreatdishonour，inasmuchasonewilljudgethathewillhaverefusedhismotherthegoodofficesthatheshouldrenderherwiththesaidQueenofEngland，andwhichwouldhaveperhapsbeensufficienttomoveher，ifhewouldhaveemployedthem，aswarmly，andassoonashisnaturaldutycommandedhim。Moreover，itistobefearedforhim，that，hismotherdead，hisownturnmaycome，andthatonemaythinkofdoingasmuchforhim，bysomeviolentmeans，tomaketheEnglishsuccessioneasiertoseizeforthosewhoarelikelytohaveitafterthesaidQueenElizabeth，andnotonlytodefraudthesaidKingofScotlandoftheclaimhecanputforward，buttorenderdoubtfuleventhatwhichhehastohisowncrown。Idonotknowinwhatconditiontheaffairsofmysaidsister-in-lawwillbewhenyoureceivethisletter；butIwilltellyouthatineverycaseIwishyoutorousestronglythesaidKingofScotland，withremonstrances，andeverythingelsewhichmaybearonthissubject，toembracethedefenceandprotectionofhissaidmother，andtoexpresstohim，onmypart，thatasthiswillbeamatterforwhichhewillbegreatlypraisedbyalltheotherkingsandsovereignprinces，hemustbeassuredthatifhefailsinittherewillbegreatcensureforhim，andperhapsnotableinjurytohimselfinparticular。Furthermore，astothestateofmyownaffairs，youknowthatthequeen，madamandmother，isabouttoseeverysoontheKingofNavarre，andtoconferwithhimonthematterofthepacificationofthetroublesofthiskingdom，towhich，ifhebearasmuchgoodaffectionasIdoformypart，Ihopethatthingsmaycometoagoodconclusion，andthatmysubjectswillhavesomerespitefromthegreatevilsandcalamitiesthatthewaroccasionsthem：supplicatingtheCreator，Courcelles，thatHemayhaveyouinHisholykeeping。
“WrittenatSt。Germain-en-Laye，the21stdayofNovember1586。SignedHENRI，“Andbelow，BRULART。“
ThisletterfinallydecidedJamesVItomakeakindofdemonstrationinhismother’sfavour：hesentGray，RobertMelville，andKeithtoQueenElizabeth。ButalthoughLondonwasnearerEdinburghthanwasParis，theFrenchenvoysreacheditbeforetheScotch。
ItistruethatonreachingCalais，the27thofNovember，M。deBellievrehadfoundaspecialmessengertheretotellhimnottoloseaninstant，fromM。deChateauneuf，who，toprovideforeverydifficulty，hadcharteredavesselreadyintheharbour。Buthowevergreatthespeedthesenoblelordswishedtomake，theywereobligedtoawaitthewind’sgood-will，whichdidnotallowthemtoputtoseatillFriday28thatmidnight；nextdayalso，onreachingDoveratnineo’clock，theyweresoshakenbysea-sicknessthattheywereforcedtostayawholedayinthetowntorecover，sothatitwasnottillSunday30ththatM。deBellievrewasabletosetoutinthecoachthatM。ChateauneufsenthimbyM。deBrancaleon，andtaketheroadtoLondon，accompaniedbythegentlemenofhissuite，whorodeonpost-horses；butrestingonlyafewhoursonthewaytomakeupforlosttime，theyatlastarrivedinLondon，Sundaythe1stofDecemberatmidday。M。deBellievreimmediatelysentoneofthegentlemenofhissuite，namedM。deVilliers，totheQueenofEngland，whowasholdinghercourtatRichmondCastle：thedecreehadbeensecretlypronouncedalreadysixdays，andsubmittedtoParliament，whichwastodeliberateuponitwithcloseddoors。
TheFrenchambassadorscouldnothavechosenaworsemomenttoapproachElizabeth；andtogaintimeshedeclinedtoreceiveM。deVilliers，returningtheanswerthathewouldhimselfknownextdaythereasonforthisrefusal。Andindeed，nextday，therumourspreadinLondonthattheFrenchEmbassyhadcontagion，andthattwoofthelordsinithavingdiedoftheplagueatCalais，thequeen，whateverwishshemighthavetobeagreeabletoHenryIII，couldnotendangerherpreciousexistencebyreceivinghisenvoys。GreatwastheastonishmentofM。deBellievreatlearningthisnewsheprotestedthatthequeenwasledintoerrorbyafalsereport，andinsistedonbeingreceived。Nevertheless，thedelayslastedanothersixdays；
butastheambassadorsthreatenedtodepartwithoutwaitinglonger，andas，uponthewhole，Elizabeth，disquietedbySpain，hadnodesiretoembroilherselfwithFrance，shehadM。deBellievreinformedonthemorningofthe7thofDecemberthatshewasreadytoreceivehimafterdinneratRichmondCastle，togetherwiththenoblemenofhissuite。
AttheappointedtimetheFrenchambassadorspresentedthemselvesatthecastlegates，and，havingbeenbroughttothequeen，foundherseatedonherthroneandsurroundedbythegreatestlordsinherkingdom。ThenMM。deChateauneufanddeBellievre，theonetheambassadorinordinaryandtheothertheenvoyextraordinary，havinggreetedheronthepartoftheKingofFrance，begantomakehertheremonstranceswithwhichtheywerecharged。Elizabethreplied，notonlyinthesameFrenchtongue，butalsointhemostbeautifulspeechinuseatthattime，and，carriedawaybypassion，pointedouttotheenvoysofherbrotherHenrythattheQueenofScotlandhadalwaysproceededagainsther，andthatthiswasthethirdtimethatshehadwishedtoattemptherlifebyaninfinityofways；whichshehadalreadybornetoolongandwithtoomuchpatience，butthatneverhadanythingsoprofoundlycuthertotheheartasherlastconspiracy；