deTrappesreferredhimtoM。deChateauneuf，whoansweredMr。
Stafforddirectlythathehadnotonlyforbiddenhimhishouse，butalsoallrelationswithanypersonfromtheEmbassy，thathemustthusverywellseethathisrequestcouldnotbegranted；headdedthatifhewerenotrestrainedbytheconsiderationhedesiredtokeepforhisbrother，theEarlofStafford，hiscolleague，hewouldatoncedenouncehistreasontoElizabeth。ThesamedayStaffordwasarrested。
Afterthisconference，M。deTrappessetouttorejoinhistravellingcompanions，whoweresomehoursinadvanceofhim，when，onreachingDoverhewasarrestedinhisturnandbroughthacktoprisoninLondon。Interrogatedthesameday，M。deTrappesfranklyrelatedwhathadpassed，appealingtoM。deChateauneufastothetruthofwhathesaid。
Thedayfollowingtherewasasecondinterrogatory，andgreatwashisamazementwhen，onrequestingthattheoneofthedaybeforeshouldbeshownhim，hewasmerelyshown，accordingtocustominEnglishlaw，counterfeitcopies，inwhichwereavowalscompromisinghimaswellasM。deChateauneuf：heobjectedandprotested，refusedtoanswerortosignanythingfurther，andwastakenbacktotheTowerwithredoubledprecaution，theobjectofwhichwastheappearanceofanimportantaccusation。
Nextday，M。deChateauneufwassummonedbeforethequeen，andthereconfrontedwithStafford，whoimpudentlymaintainedthathehadtreatedofaplotwithM。deTrappesandacertainprisonerfordebt——aplotwhichaimedatnothinglessthanendangeringthequeen’slife。M。deChateauneufdefendedhimselfwiththewarmthofindignation，butElizabethhadtoogreataninterestinbeingunconvincedeventoattendtotheevidence。ShethensaidtoM。deChateauneufthathischaracterofambassadoralonepreventedherhavinghimarrestedlikehisaccompliceM。deTrappes；andimmediatelydespatching，asshehadpromised，anambassadortoKingHenryIII，shechargedhimnottoexcuseherforthesentencewhichhadjustbeenpronouncedandthedeathwhichmustsoonfollow，buttoaccuseM。deChateauneufofhavingtakenpartinaplotofwhichthediscoveryalonehadbeenabletodecidehertoconsenttothedeathofthequeenofScotland，certainasshewasbyexperience，thatsolongasherenemylivedherexistencewouldbehourlythreatened。
Onthesameday，Elizabethmadehastetospread，notonlyinLondon，butalsothroughoutEngland，therumourofthefreshdangerfromwhichshehadjustescaped，sothat，when，twodaysafterthedepartureoftheFrenchenvoys，theScottishambassadors，who，asonesees，hadnotusedmuchspeed，arrived，thequeenansweredthemthattheirrequestcameunseasonably，atatimewhenshehadjusthadproofthat，solongasMaryStuartexisted，herownElizabeth’s
lifewasindanger。RobertMelvillewishedtoreplytothis；butElizabethflewintoapassion，sayingthatitwashe，Melville，whohadgiventheKingofScotlandthebadadvicetointercedeforhismother，andthatifshehadsuchanadvisershewouldhavehimbeheaded。TowhichMelvilleanswered——
“Thatattheriskofhislifehewouldneversparehismastergoodadvice；andthat，onthecontrary，hewhowouldcounselasontolethismotherperish，woulddeservetobebeheaded。“
Uponthisreply，ElizabethorderedtheScotchenvoystowithdrew，tellingthemthatshewouldletthemhaveheranswer。
Threeorfourdayspassed，andastheyheardnothingfurther，theyaskedagainforapartingaudiencetohearthelastresolveofhertowhomtheyweresent：thequeenthendecidedtograntit，andallpassed，aswithM。deBellievre，inrecriminationsandcomplaints。
Finally，ElizabethaskedthemwhatguaranteetheywouldgiveforherlifeintheeventofherconsentingtopardontheQueenofScotland。
TheenvoysrespondedthattheywereauthorisedtomakepledgesinthenameoftheKingofScotland，theirmaster，andallthelordsofhisrealm，thatMaryStuartshouldrenounceinfavourofhersonallherclaimsupontheEnglishcrown，andthatsheshouldgiveassecurityforthisundertakingtheKingofFrance，andalltheprincesandlords，hisrelationsandfriends。
Tothisanswer，thequeen，withoutherusualpresenceofmind，cried，“Whatareyousaying，Melville？Thatwouldbetoarmmyenemywithtwoclaims，whilehehasonlyone“。
“DoesyourMajestythenregardtheking，mymaster，asyourenemy？“
repliedMelville。“Hebelievedhimselfhappier，madam，andthoughthewasyourally。“
“No，no，“Elizabethsaid，blushing；“itisawayofspeaking：andifyoufindameansofreconcilingeverything，gentlemen，toprovetoyou，onthecontrary，thatIregardKingJamesVIasmygoodandfaithfulally，Iamquitereadytoinclinetomercy。Seek，then，onyourside“addedshe，“whileIseekonmine。“
Withthesewords，shewentoutoftheroom，andtheambassadorsretired，withthelightofthehopeofwhichshehadjustletthemcatchaglimpse。
Thesameevening，agentlemanatthecourtsoughtouttheMasterofGray，theheadoftheEmbassy，asiftopayhimacivilvisit，andwhileconversingsaidtohim，“ThatitwasverydifficulttoreconcilethesafetyofQueenElizabethwiththelifeofherprisoner；thatbesides，iftheQueenofScotlandwerepardoned，andsheorhersonevercametotheEnglishthrone，therewouldbenosecurityforthelordscommissionerswhohadvotedherdeath；thattherewasthenonlyonewayofarrangingeverything，thattheKingofScotlandshouldhimselfgiveuphisclaimstothekingdomofEngland；
thatotherwise，accordingtohim，therewasnosecurityforElizabethinsavingthelifeoftheScottishqueen“。TheMasterofGraythen，lookingathimfixedly，askedhimifhissovereignhadchargedhimtocometohimwiththistalk。Butthegentlemandeniedit，sayingthatallthiswasonhisownaccountandinthewayofopinion。
ElizabethreceivedtheenvoysfromScotlandoncemore，andthentoldthem——
“Thatafterhavingwellconsidered，shehadfoundnowayofsavingthelifeoftheQueenofScotlandwhilesecuringherown，thataccordinglyshecouldnotgrantittothem“。Tothisdeclaration，theMasterofGrayreplied：“Thatsinceitwasthus，hewas，inthiscase，orderedbyhismastertosaythattheyprotestedinthenameofKingJamesthatallthathadbeendoneagainsthismotherwasofnoaccount，seeingthatQueenElizabethhadnoauthorityoveraqueen，asshewasherequalinrankandbirth；thataccordinglytheydeclaredthatimmediatelyaftertheirreturn，andwhentheirmastershouldknowtheresultoftheirmission，hewouldassemblehisParliamentandsendmessengerstoalltheChristianprinces，totakecounselwiththemastowhatcouldbedonetoavengeherwhomtheycouldnotsave。“
ThenElizabethagainflewintoapassion，sayingthattheyhadcertainlynotreceivedfromtheirkingamissiontospeaktoherinsuchaway；buttheythereuponofferedtogiveherthisprotestinwritingundertheirsignatures；towhichElizabethrepliedthatshewouldsendanambassadortoarrangeallthatwithhergoodfriendandally，theKingofScotland。Buttheenvoysthensaidthattheirmasterwouldnotlistentoanyonebeforetheirreturn。UponwhichElizabethbeggedthemnottogoawayatonce，becauseshehadnotyetcometoherfinaldecisionuponthismatter。Ontheeveningfollowingthisaudience，LordHingleyhavingcometoseetheMasterofGray，andhavingseemedtonoticesomehandsomepistolswhichcamefromItaly，Gray，directlyhehadgone，askedthisnobleman’scousintotakethemtohimasagiftfromhim。Delightedwiththispleasantcommission，theyoungmanwishedtoperformitthesameevening，andwenttothequeen’spalace，wherehisrelativewasstaying，togivehimthepresentwhichhehadbeentoldtotaketohim。Buthardlyhadhepassedthroughafewroomsthanhewasarrested，searched，andthearmshewastakingwerefounduponhim。Althoughthesewerenotloaded，hewasimmediatelyarrested；onlyhewasnottakentotheTower，butkeptaprisonerinhisownroom。
NextdaytherewasarumourthattheScotchambassadorshadwantedtoassassinatethequeenintheirturn，andthatpistols，givenbytheMasterofGrayhimself，hadbeenfoundontheassassin。
Thisbadfaithcouldnotbutopentheenvoys’eyes。ConvincedatlastthattheycoulddonothingforpoorMaryStuart，theylefthertoherfate，andsetoutnextdayforScotland。
ScarcelyweretheygonethanElizabethsenthersecretary，Davison，toSirAmyasPaulet。Hewasinstructedtosoundhimagainwithregardtotheprisoner；afraid，inspiteofherself，ofapublicexecution，thequeenhadrevertedtoherformerideasofpoisoningorassassination；butSirAmyasPauletdeclaredthathewouldletnoonehaveaccesstoMarybuttheexecutioner，whomustinadditionbethebearerofawarrantperfectlyinorder，DavisonreportedthisanswertoElizabeth，who，whilelisteningtohim，stampedherfootseveraltimes，andwhenhehadfinished，unabletocontrolherself，cried，“God’sdeath！there’sadaintyfellow，alwaystalkingofhisfidelityandnotknowinghowtoproveit！“
Elizabethwasthenobligedtomakeuphermind。SheaskedDavisonforthewarrant；hegaveittoher，and，forgettingthatshewasthedaughterofaqueenwhohaddiedonthescaffold，shesigneditwithoutanytraceofemotion；then，havingaffixedtoitthegreatsealofEngland，“Go，“saidshe，laughing，“tellWalsinghamthatallisendedforQueenMary；buttellhimwithprecautions，for，asheisill，Iamafraidhewilldieofgriefwhenhehearsit。“
ThejestwasthemoreatrociousinthatWalsinghamwasknowntobetheQueenofScotland’sbitterestenemy。
Towardseveningofthatday，Saturdaythe14th，Beale，Walsingham’sbrother-in-law，wassummonedtothepalace！Thequeengaveintohishandsthedeathwarrant，andwithitanorderaddressedtotheEarlsofShrewsbury，Kent，Rutland，andothernoblemenintheneighbourhoodofFotheringay，tobepresentattheexecution。BealetookwithhimtheLondonexecutioner，whomElizabethhadhaddressedinblackvelvetforthisgreatoccasion；andsetouttwohoursafterhehadreceivedhiswarrant。
CHAPTERIX
QueenMaryhadknownthedecreeofthecommissionersthesetwomonths。Theverydayithadbeenpronouncedshehadlearnedthenewsthroughherchaplain，whomtheyhadallowedhertoseethisonceonly。MaryStuarthadtakenadvantageofthisvisittogivehimthreelettersshehadjustwritten-oneforPopeSixtusV，theothertoDonBernardMendoza，thethirdtotheDukeofGuise。
Hereisthatlastletter：——
14thDecember，1586