“MyGoodCousin，whomIholddearestintheworld，Ibidyoufarewell，beingpreparedtobeputtodeathbyanunjustjudgment，andtoadeathsuchasnooneofourrace，thankstoGod，andneveraqueen，andstilllessoneofmyrank，haseversuffered。But，goodcousin，praisetheLord；forIwasuselesstothecauseofGodandofHisChurchinthisworld，prisonerasIwas；while，onthecontrary，IhopethatmydeathwillbearwitnesstomyconstancyinthefaithandtomywillingnesstosufferforthemaintenanceandtherestorationoftheCatholicChurchinthisunfortunateisland。Andthoughneverhasexecutionerdippedhishandinourblood，havenoshameofit，myfriend；forthejudgmentofhereticswhohavenoauthorityoverme，afreequeen，isprofitableinthesightofGodtothechildrenofHisChurch。IfIadhered，moreover，towhattheyproposetome，Ishouldnotsufferthisstroke。Allofourhousehavebeenpersecutedbythissect，witnessyourgoodfather，throughwhoseintercessionIhopetobereceivedwithmercybythejustjudge。Icommendtoyou，then，mypoorservants，thedischargeofmydebts，andthefoundingofsomeannualmassformysoul，notatyourexpense，butthatyoumaymakethearrangements，asyouwillberequiredwhenyoulearnmywishesthroughmypoorandfaithfulservants，whoareabouttowitnessmylasttragedy。Godprosperyou，yourwife，children，brothersandcousins，andaboveallourchief，mygoodbrotherandcousin，andallhis。TheblessingofGodandthatwhichIshallgivetomychildrenbeonyours，whomIdonotcommendlesstoGodthanmyownson，unfortunateandill-treatedasheis。Youwillreceivesomeringsfromme，whichwillremindyoutoprayGodforthesoulofyourpoorcousin，deprivedofallhelpandcounselexceptthatoftheLord，whogivesmestrengthandcouragetoalonetoresistsomanywolveshowlingafterme。ToGodbetheglory。
“Believeparticularlywhatwillbetoldyoubyapersonwhowillgiveyouarubyringfromme；forItakeitonmyconsciencethatthetruthwillbetoldyouofwhatIhavechargedhimtotell，andespeciallyinwhatconcernsmypoorservantsandtheshareofany。I
commendthispersontoyouforhissimplesincerityandhonesty，thathemaybeplacedinsomegoodplace。Ihavechosenhimastheleastpartialandastheonewhowillmostsimplybringyoumycommands。
Ignore，Ibegyou，thathetoldyouanythinginparticular；forenvymightinjurehim。Ihavesufferedagreatdealfortwoyearsandmore，andhavenotbeenabletoletyouknow，foranimportantreason。Godbepraisedforall，andgiveyougracetopersevereintheserviceofHisChurchaslongasyoulive，andnevermaythishonourpassfromourrace，whilesomanymenandwomenarereadytoshedtheirbloodtomaintainthefightforthefaith，allotherworldlyconsiderationssetaside。Andastome，Iesteemmyselfbornonbothfather’sandmother’ssides，thatIshouldofferupmybloodforthiscause，andIhavenointentionofdegenerating。Jesus，crucifiedforus，andalltheholymartyrs，makeusbytheirintercessionworthyofthevoluntaryofferingwemakeofourbodiestotheirglory！
“FromFotheringay，thisThursday，24thNovember。
“Theyhave，thinkingtodegrademe，pulleddownmycanopyofstate，andsincethenmykeeperhascometooffertowritetotheirqueen，sayingthisdeedwasnotdonebyhisorder，butbytheadviceofsomeoftheCouncil。IhaveshowntheminsteadofmyarmsonthesaidcanopythecrossofOurLord。Youwillhearallthis；theyhavebeenmoregentlesince——Youraffectionatecousinandperfectfriend，“MARY，QueenofScotland，DowagerofFrance“
>Fromthisdayforward，whenshelearnedthesentencedeliveredbythecommissioners，MaryStuartnolongerpreservedanyhope；forassheknewElizabeth’spardonwasrequiredtosaveher，shelookeduponherselfthenceforwardaslost，andonlyconcernedherselfwithpreparingtodiewell。Indeed，asithadhappenedtohersometimes，fromthecoldanddampinherprisons，tobecomecrippledforsometimeinallherlimbs，shewasafraidofbeingsowhentheywouldcometotakeher，whichwouldpreventhergoingresolutelytothescaffold，asshewascountingondoing。So，onSaturdaythe14thFebruary，shesentforherdoctor，Bourgoin，andaskedhim，movedbyapresentimentthatherdeathwasathand，shesaid，whatshemustdotopreventthereturnofthepainswhichcrippledher。Herepliedthatitwouldbegoodforhertomedicineherselfwithfreshherbs。
“Go，then，“saidthequeen，“andaskSirAmyasPauletfrommepermissiontoseektheminthefields。“
BourgoinwenttoSirAmyas，who，ashehimselfwastroubledwithsciatica，shouldhaveunderstoodbetterthananyonetheneedoftheremediesforwhichthequeenasked。Butthisrequest，simpleasitwas，raisedgreatdifficulties。SirAmyasrepliedthathecoulddonothingwithoutreferringtohiscompanion，Drury；butthatpaperandinkmightbebrought，andthathe，MasterBourgoin，couldthenmakealistoftheneedfulplants，whichtheywouldtrytoprocure。
BourgoinansweredthathedidnotknowEnglishwellenough，andthatthevillageapothecariesdidnotknowenoughLatin，forhimtoriskthequeen’slifeforsomeerrorbyhimselforothers。Finally，afterathousandhesitations，PauletallowedBourgointogoout，whichhedid，accompaniedbytheapothecaryGorjon；sothatthefollowingdaythequeenwasabletobegintodoctorherself。
MaryStuart’spresentimentshadnotdeceivedher：Tuesday，February17th，atabouttwoo’clockintheafternoon，theEarlsofKentandShrewsbury，andBealesentwordtothequeenthattheydesiredtospeakwithher。Thequeenansweredthatshewasillandinbed，butthatifnotwithstandingwhattheyhadtotellherwasamatterofimportance，andtheywouldgiveheralittletime，shewouldgetup。
Theymadeanswerthatthecommunicationtheyhadtomakeadmittedofnodelay，thattheybeggedherthentomakeready；whichthequeenimmediatelydid，andrisingfromherbedandcloakingherself，shewentandseatedherselfatalittletable，onthesamespotwhereshewaswonttobegreatpartoftheday。
Thenthetwoearls，accompaniedbyBeale，ArnyasPaulet，andDrueDrury，entered。Behindthem，drawnbycuriosity，fullofterribleanxiety，cameherdearestladiesandmostcherishedservants。Thesewere，ofwomenkind，theMissesReneedeReally，GillesMowbray，JeanneKennedy，ElspethCurle，MaryPaget，andSusanKercady；andofmen-kind，DominiqueBourgoinherdoctor，PierreGorjonherapothecary，JacquesGervaishersurgeon，AnnibalStewartherfootman，DitherSifflartherbutler，JeanLaudderherbaker，andMartinHuethercarver。
ThentheEarlofShrewsbury，withheadbaredlikeallthosepresent，whoremainedthusaslongastheywereinthequeen’sroom，begantosayinEnglish，addressingMary——
“Madam，theQueenofEngland，myaugustmistress，hassentmetoyou，withtheEarlofKentandSirRobertBeale，herepresent，tomakeknowntoyouthatafterhavinghonourablyproceededintheinquiryintothedeedofwhichyouareaccusedandfoundguilty，aninquirywhichhasalreadybeensubmittedtoyourGracebyLordBuckhurst，andhavingdelayedaslongasitwasinherpowertheexecutionofthesentence，shecannolongerwithstandtheimportunityofhersubjects，whopresshertocarryitout，sogreatandlovingistheirfearforher。Forthispurposewehavecomethebearersofacommission，andwebegveryhumbly，madam，thatitmaypleaseyoutohearitread。“
“Read，mylord；Iamlistening，“repliedMaryStuart，withthegreatestcalmness。ThenRobertBealeunrolledthesaidcommission，whichwasonparchment，sealedwiththeGreatSealinyellowwax，andreadasfollows：
“Elizabeth，bythegraceofGod，queenofEngland，France，andIreland，etc。，toourbelovedandfaithfulcousins，George，EarlofShrewsbury，GrandMarshalofEngland；Henry，EarlofKent；Henry，EarlofDerby；George，EarlofCumberland；Henry，EarlofPembroke，greeting：[TheEarlsofCumberland，Derby，andPembrokedidnotattendtothequeen’sorders，andwerepresentneitheratthereadingofthesentencenorattheexecution。]
“Consideringthesentencebyusgiven，andothersofourCouncil，nobility，andjudges，againsttheformerqueenofScotland，bearingthenameofMary，daughterandheiressofJamesv，KingofScotland，commonlycalledQueenofScotlandandDowagerofFrance，whichsentencealltheestatesofourrealminourlastParliamentassemblednotonlyconcluded，but，aftermaturedeliberation，ratifiedasbeingjustandreasonable；consideringalsotheurgentprayerandrequestofoursubjects，beggingusandpressingustoproceedtothepublicationthereof，andtocarryitintoexecutionagainstherperson，accordingastheyjudgeitdulymerited，addinginthisplacethatherdetentionwasandwouldbedailyacertainandevidentdanger，notonlytoourlife，butalsotothemselvesandtheirposterity，andtothepublicwealofthisrealm，asmuchonaccountoftheGospelandthetruereligionofChristasofthepeaceandtranquillityofthisState，althoughthesaidsentencehasbeenfrequentlydelayed，sothatevenuntilthistimeweabstainedfromissuingthecommissiontoexecuteit：yet，forthecompletesatisfactionofthesaiddemandsmadebytheEstatesofourParliament，throughwhichdailywehearthatallourfriendsandsubjects，aswellasthenobility，thewisest，greatest，andmostpious，nay，eventhoseofinferiorcondition，withallhumilityandaffectionfromthecaretheyhaveofourlife，andconsequentlyfromthefeartheyhaveofthedestructionofthepresentdivineandhappystateoftherealmifwesparethefinalexecution，consentinganddesiringthesaidexecution；thoughthegeneralandcontinualdemands，prayers，counsels，andadvicewereinsuchthingscontrarytoournaturalinclination；yet，beingconvincedoftheurgentweightoftheircontinualintercessionstendingtothesafetyofourperson，andalsotothepublicandprivatestateofourrealm，wehaveatlastconsentedandsufferedthatjusticehaveitscourse，andforitsexecution，consideringthesingularconfidencewehaveinyourfidelityandloyaltytogetherfortheloveandaffectionthatyouhavetowardus，particularlytothesafe-guardingofourpersonandourcountryofwhichyouareverynobleandchiefmembers；wesummon，and，forthedischargeofitweenjoinyou，thatatsightofthesepresentsyougotothecastleofFotheringay，wheretheformerQueenofScotlandis，inthecareofourfriendandfaithfulservantandcounsellor，SirAmyasPaulet，andtheretakeintoyourkeepinganddothatbyyourcommandexecutionbedoneonherperson，inthepresenceofyourselvesandthesaidSirAmyasPaulet，andofalltheotherofficersofjusticewhomyoucommandtobethere：inthemeantimewehaveforthisendandthisexecutiongivenwarrantinsuchawayandmanner，andinsuchatimeandplace，andbysuchpersons，thatyoufive，four，three，ortwo，findexpedientinyourdiscretion；
notwithstandingalllaws，statutes，andordinanceswhatsoever，contrarytothesepresents，sealedwithourGreatSealofEngland，whichwillserveforeachofyou，andallthosewhoarepresent，orwillmakebyyourorderanythingpertainingtotheexecutionaforesaidfullandsufficientdischargeforever。
“DoneandgiveninourhouseatGreenwich，thefirstdayofFebruary10thFebruaryNewStyle，inthetwenty-ninthyearofourreign。“
Marylistenedtothisreadingwithgreatcalmnessandgreatdignity；
then，whenitwasended，makingthesignofthecross——
“Welcome，“saidshe，“toallnewswhichcomesinthenameofGod！
Thanks，Lord，forthatYoudeigntoputanendtoalltheillsYouhaveseenmesufferfornineteenyearsandmore。“
“Madam，“saidtheEarlofKent，“havenoill-willtowardsusonaccountofyourdeath；itwasnecessarytothepeaceoftheStateandtheprogressofthenewreligion。“
“So，“criedMarywithdelight，“soIshallhavethehappinessofdyingforthefaithofmyfathers；thusGoddeignstograntmethegloryofmartyrdom。Thanks，God，“addedshe，joiningherhandswithlessexcitementbutwithmorepiety，“thanksthatYouhavedeignedtodestineformesuchanend，ofwhichIwasnotworthy。That，OmyGod，isindeedaproofofYourlove，andanassurancethatYouwillreceivemeinthenumberofYourservants；foralthoughthissentencehadbeennotifiedtome，Iwasafraid，fromthemannerinwhichtheyhavedealtwithmefornineteenyears，ofnotyetbeingsonearasI