thatevent，addedshewithsadness，havingcausedhertosighmoreandtoshedmoretearsthanthelossofallherrelations，somuchthemorethattheQueenofScotlandwashernearrelativeandcloselyconnectedwiththeKingofFrance；andas，intheirremonstrances，MM。deChateauneufanddeBellievrehadbroughtforwardseveralexamplesdrawnfromhistory，sheassumed，inreplytothemonthisoccasion，thepedanticstylewhichwasusualwithher，andtoldthemthatshehadseenandreadagreatmanybooksinherlife，andathousandmorethanothersofhersexandherrankwerewontto，butthatshehadneverfoundinthemasingleexampleofadeedlikethatattemptedonher——adeedpursuedbyarelative，whomthekingherbrothercouldnotandoughtnottosupportinherwickedness，whenitwas，onthecontrary，hisdutytohastenthejustpunishmentofit：
thensheadded，addressingherselfspeciallytoM。deBellievre，andcomingdownagainfromtheheightofherpridetoagraciouscountenance，thatshegreatlyregrettedhewasnotdeputedforabetteroccasion；thatinafewdaysshewouldreplytoKingHenryherbrother，concerningwhosehealthshewassolicitous，aswellasthatofthequeenmother，whomustexperiencesuchgreatfatiguefromthetroubleshetooktorestorepeacetoherson’skingdom；andthen，notwishingtohearmore，shewithdrewintoherroom。
TheenvoysreturnedtoLondon，wheretheyawaitedthepromisedreply；
butwhiletheywereexpectingitunavailingly，theyheardquietlythesentenceofdeathgivenagainstQueenMary，whichdecidedthemtoreturntoRichmondtomakefreshremonstrancestoQueenElizabeth。
Aftertwoorthreefruitlessjourneys，theywereatlast，December15th，admittedforthesecondtimetotheroyalpresence。
Thequeendidnotdenythatthesentencehadbeenpronounced，andasitwaseasytoseethatshedidnotintendinthiscasetouseherrightofpardon，M。deBellievre，judgingthattherewasnothingtobedone，askedforasafe-conducttoreturntohisking：Elizabethpromisedittohimwithintwoorthreedays。
OnthefollowingTuesday，the17thofthesamemonthofDecember，ParliamentaswellasthechieflordsoftherealmwereconvokedatthePalaceofWestminster，andthere，infullcourtandbeforeall，sentenceofdeathwasproclaimedandpronouncedagainstMaryStuart：
thenthissamesentence，withgreatdisplayandgreatsolemnity，wasreadinthesquaresandatthecross-roadsofLondon，whenceitspreadthroughoutthekingdom；anduponthisproclamationthebellsrangfortwenty-fourhours，whilethestrictestordersweregiventoeachoftheinhabitantstolightbonfiresinfrontoftheirhouses，asisthecustominFranceontheEveofSt。JohntheBaptist。
Then，amidthissoundofbells，bythelightofthesebonfires，M。
deBellievre，wishingtomakealasteffort，inordertohavenothingwithwhichtoreproachhimself，wrotethefollowinglettertoQueenElizabeth：
“MADAM：——WequittedyourMajestyyesterday，expecting，asithadpleasedyoutoinformus，toreceiveinafewdaysyourreplytouchingtheprayerthatwemadeyouonbehalfofourgoodmaster，yourbrother，fortheQueenofScotland，hissisterin-lawandconfederate；butasthismorningwehavebeeninformedthatthejudgmentgivenagainstthesaidqueenhasbeenproclaimedinLondon，althoughwehadpromisedourselvesanotherissuefromyourclemencyandthefriendshipyourbeartothesaidlordkingyourgoodbrother，nevertheless，toneglectnopartofourduty，andbelievinginsodoingtoservetheintentionsofthekingourmaster，wehavenotwantedtofailtowritetoyouthispresentletter，inwhichwesupplicateyouonceagain，veryhumbly，nottorefusehisMajestytheverypressingandveryaffectionateprayerthathehasmadeyou，thatyouwillbepleasedtopreservethelifeofthesaidladyQueenofScotland，whichthesaidlordkingwillreceiveasthegreatestpleasureyourMajestycoulddohim；while，onthecontrary，hecouldnotimagineanythingwhichwouldcausehimmoredispleasure，andwhichwouldwoundhimmore，thanifhewereusedharshlywithregardtothesaidladyqueen，beingwhatsheistohim：andas，madam，thesaidkingourmaster，yourgoodbrother，whenforthisobjecthedespatchedustoyourMajesty，hadnotconceivedthatitwaspossible，inanycase，todeterminesopromptlyuponsuchanexecution，weimploreyou，madam，veryhumbly，beforepermittingittogofurther，tograntussometimeinwhichwecanmakeknowntohimthestateoftheaffairsofthesaidQueenofScotland，inorderthatbeforeyourMajestytakesafinalresolution，youmayknowwhatitmaypleasehisveryChristianMajestytotellyouandpointouttoyouonthegreatestaffairwhich，inourmemory，hasbeensubmittedtomen’sjudgment。MonsieurdeSaint-Cyr，whowillgivethesepresentstoyourMajesty，willbringus，ifitpleasesyou，yourgoodreply。
“London，this16thdayofDecember1586。
“SignedDEBELLIEVRE，“AndDEL’AUBESPINECHATEAUNEUF。“
Thesameday，M。deSaint-CyrandtheotherFrenchlordsreturnedtoRichmondtotakethisletter；butthequeenwouldnotreceivethem，allegingindisposition，sothattheywereobligedtoleavetheletterwithWalsingham，herfirstSecretaryofState，whopromisedthemtosendthequeen’sanswerthefollowingday。
Inspiteofthispromise，theFrenchlordswaitedtwodaysmore：atlast，onthesecondday，towardsevening，twoEnglishgentlemensoughtoutM。deFellievreinLondon，and，vivavoce，withoutanylettertoconfirmwhattheywerechargedtosay，announcedtohim，onbehalfoftheirqueen，thatinreplytotheletterthattheyhadwrittenher，andtodojusticetothedesiretheyhadshowntoobtainforthecondemnedareprieveduringwhichtheywouldmakeknownthedecisiontotheKingofFrance，herMajestywouldgranttwelvedays。
AsthiswasElizabeth’slastword，anditwasuselesstolosetimeinpressingherfurther，M。deGenliswasimmediatelydespatchedtohisMajestytheKingofFrance，towhom，besidesthelongdespatchofM。
deChateauneufanddeBellievrewhichhewaschargedtoremit，hewastosay’vivavoce’whathehadseenandheardrelativetotheaffairsofQueenMaryduringthewholetimehehadbeeninEngland。
HenryIIIrespondedimmediatelywithalettercontainingfreshinstructionsforMM。deChateauneufanddeBellievre；butinspiteofallthehasteM。deGenliscouldmake，hedidnotreachLondontillthefourteenthday——thatistosay，forty-eighthoursaftertheexpirationofthedelaygranted；nevertheless，asthesentencehadnotyetbeenputintoexecution，MM。deBellievreanddeChateauneufsetoutatonceforGreenwichCastle，somemilesfromLondon，wherethequeenwaskeepingChristmas，tobeghertograntthemanaudience，inwhichtheycouldtransmittoherMajestytheirking’sreply；buttheycouldobtainnothingforfourorfivedays；however，astheywerenotdisheartened，andreturnedunceasinglytothecharge，January6th，MM。deBellievreanddeChateauneufwereatlastsentforbythequeen。
Asonthefirstoccasion，theywereintroducedwithalltheceremonialinuseatthattime，andfoundElizabethinanaudience-
chamber。Theambassadorsapproachedher，greetedher，andM。deBellievrebegantoaddresstoherwithrespect，butatthesametimewithfirmness，hismaster’sremonstrances。Elizabethlistenedtothemwithanimpatientair，fidgetinginherseat；thenatlast，unabletocontrolherself，sheburstout，risingandgrowingredwithanger——
“M。deBellievre，“saidshe，“areyoureallychargedbytheking，mybrother，tospeaktomeinsuchaway？“
“Yes，madam，“repliedM。deBellievre，bowing；“Iamexpresslycommandedtodoso。“
“Andhaveyouthiscommandunderhishand？“continuedElizabeth。
“Yes，madam，“returnedtheambassadorwiththesamecalmness；“andtheking，mymaster，yourgoodbrother，hasexpresslychargedme，inletterssignedbyhisownhand，tomaketoyourMajestytheremonstranceswhichIhavehadthehonourtoaddresstoyou。“
“Well，“criedElizabeth，nolongercontainingherself，“Idemandofyouacopyofthatletter，signedbyyou；andreflectthatyouwillanswerforeachwordthatyoutakeawayoradd。“
“Madam，“answeredM。deBellievre，“itisnotthecustomofthekingsofFrance，oroftheiragents，toforgelettersordocuments；youwillhavethecopiesyourequireto-morrowmorning，andIpledgetheiraccuracyonmyhonour。“
“Enough，sir，enough！“saidthequeen，andsigningtoeveryoneintheroomtogoout，sheremainednearlyanhourwithMM。deChateauneufanddeBellievre。Nooneknowswhatpassedinthatinterview，exceptthatthequeenpromisedtosendanambassadortotheKingofFrance，who，shepromised，wouldbeinParis，ifnotbefore，atleastatthesametimeasM。deBellievre，andwouldbethebearerofherfinalresolveastotheaffairsoftheQueenofScotland；Elizabeththenwithdrew，givingtheFrenchenvoystounderstandthatanyfreshattempttheymightmaketoseeherwouldbeuseless。
Onthe13thofJanuarytheambassadorsreceivedtheirpassports，andatthesametimenoticethatavesselofthequeen’swasawaitingthematDover。
Theverydayoftheirdepartureastrangeincidentoccurred。A
gentlemannamedStafford，abrotherofElizabeth’sambassadortotheKingofFrance，presentedhimselfatM。deTrappes’s，oneoftheofficialsintheFrenchchancellery，tellinghimthathewasacquaintedwithaprisonerfordebtwhohadamatteroftheutmostimportancetocommunicatetohim，andthathemightpaythegreaterattentiontoit，hetoldhimthatthismatterwasconnectedwiththeserviceoftheKingofFrance，andconcernedtheaffairsofQueenMaryofScotland。M。deTrappes，althoughmistrustingthisoverturefromthefirst，didnotwant，incasehissuspicionsdeceivedhim，tohavetoreproachhimselfforanyneglectonsuchapressingoccasion。
Herepaired，then，with；Mr。Staffordtotheprison，wherehewhowishedtoconversewithhimwasdetained。Whenhewaswithhim，theprisonertoldhimthathewaslockedupforadebtofonlytwentycrowns，andthathisdesiretobeatlibertywassogreatthatifM。deChateauneufwouldpaythatsumforhimhewouldundertaketodelivertheQueenofScotlandfromherdanger，bystabbingElizabeth：
tothisproposal，M。deTrappes，whosawthepitfalllaidfortheFrenchambassador，wasgreatlyastonished，andsaidthathewascertainthatM。deChateauneufwouldconsiderasveryevileveryenterprisehavingasitsaimtothreateninanywaythelifeofQueenElizabethorthepeaceoftherealm；then，notdesiringtohearmore，hereturnedtoM。deChateauneufandrelatedtohimwhathadjusthappened。M。deChateauneuf，whoperceivedtherealcauseofthisoverture，immediatelysaidtoMr。Staffordthathethoughtitstrangethatagentlemanlikehimselfshouldundertakewithanothergentlemansuchtreachery，andrequestedhimtoleavetheEmbassyatonce，andnevertosetfootthereagain。ThenStaffordwithdrew，and，appearingtothinkhimselfalostman，heimploredM。deTrappestoallowhimtocrosstheChannelwithhimandtheFrenchenvoys。M。