mary stuart-第33章

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apothecary；　Jacques　Gervais　her　surgeon；　Annibal　Stewart　her　footman；

Dither　Sifflart　her　butler；　Jean　Laudder　her　baker；　and　Martin　Huet

her　carver。



Then　the　Earl　of　Shrewsbury；　with　head　bared　like　all　those　present；

who　remained　thus　as　long　as　they　were　in　the　queen's　room；　began　to

say　in　English；　addressing　Mary



〃Madam；　the　Queen　of　England；　my　august　mistress；　has　sent　me　to　you；

with　the　Earl　of　Kent　and　Sir　Robert　Beale；　here　present；　to　make

known　to　you　that　after　having　honourably　proceeded　in　the　inquiry

into　the　deed　of　which　you　are　accused　and　found　guilty；　an　inquiry

which　has　already　been　submitted　to　your　Grace　by　Lord　Buckhurst；　and

having　delayed　as　long　as　it　was　in　her　power　the　execution　of　the

sentence；　she　can　no　longer　withstand　the　importunity　of　her

subjects；　who　press　her　to　carry　it　out；　so　great　and　loving　is　their

fear　for　her。　　For　this　purpose　we　have　come　the　bearers　of　a

commission；　and　we　beg　very　humbly；　madam；　that　it　may　please　you　to

hear　it　read。〃



〃Read；　my　lord；　I　am　listening；〃　replied　Mary　Stuart；　with　the

greatest　calmness。　　Then　Robert　Beale　unrolled　the　said　commission；

which　was　on　parchment；　sealed　with　the　Great　Seal　in　yellow　wax；　and

read　as　follows：



〃Elizabeth；　by　the　grace　of　God；　（queen　of　England；　France；　and

Ireland；　etc。；　to　our　beloved　and　faithful　cousins；　George；　Earl　of

Shrewsbury；　Grand　Marshal　of　England；　Henry；　Earl　of　Kent；　Henry；

Earl　of　Derby；　George；　Earl　of　Cumberland；　Henry；　Earl　of　Pembroke；

greeting：　＇The　Earls　of　Cumberland；　Derby；　and　Pembroke　did　not

attend　to　the　queen's　orders；　and　were　present　neither　at　the　reading

of　the　sentence　nor　at　the　execution。＇



〃Considering　the　sentence　by　us　given；　and　others　of　our　Council；

nobility；　and　judges；　against　the　former　（queen　of　Scotland；　bearing

the　name　of　Mary；　daughter　and　heiress　of　James　v；　King　of　Scotland；

commonly　called　Queen　of　Scotland　and　Dowager　of　France；　which

sentence　all　the　estates　of　our　realm　in　our　last　Parliament

assembled　not　only　concluded；　but；　after　mature　deliberation；

ratified　as　being　just　and　reasonable；　considering　also　the　urgent

prayer　and　request　of　our　subjects；　begging　us　and　pressing　us　to

proceed　to　the　publication　thereof；　and　to　carry　it　into　execution

against　her　person；　according　as　they　judge　it　duly　merited；　adding

in　this　place　that　her　detention　was　and　would　be　daily　a　certain　and

evident　danger；　not　only　to　our　life；　but　also　to　themselves　and

their　posterity；　and　to　the　public　weal　of　this　realm；　as　much　on

account　of　the　Gospel　and　the　true　religion　of　Christ　as　of　the　peace

and　tranquillity　of　this　State；　although　the　said　sentence　has　been

frequently　delayed；　so　that　even　until　this　time　we　abstained　from

issuing　the　commission　to　execute　it：　yet；　for　the　complete

satisfaction　of　the　said　demands　made　by　the　Estates　of　our

Parliament；　through　which　daily　we　hear　that　all　our　friends　and

subjects；　as　well　as　the　nobility；　the　wisest；　greatest；　and　most

pious；　nay；　even　those　of　inferior　condition；　with　all　humility　and

affection　from　the　care　they　have　of　our　life；　and　consequently　from

the　fear　they　have　of　the　destruction　of　the　present　divine　and　happy

state　of　the　realm　if　we　spare　the　final　execution；　consenting　and

desiring　the　said　execution；　though　the　general　and　continual

demands；　prayers；　counsels；　and　advice　were　in　such　things　contrary

to　our　natural　inclination；　yet；　being　convinced　of　the　urgent　weight

of　their　continual　intercessions　tending　to　the　safety　of　our　person；

and　also　to　the　public　and　private　state　of　our　realm；　we　have　at

last　consented　and　suffered　that　justice　have　its　course；　and　for　its

execution；　considering　the　singular　confidence　we　have　in　your

fidelity　and　loyalty　together　for　the　love　and　affection　that　you

have　toward　us；　particularly　to　the　safe…guarding　of　our　person　and

our　country　of　which　you　are　very　noble　and　chief　members；　we　summon；

and；　for　the　discharge　of　it　we　enjoin　you；　that　at　sight　of　these

presents　you　go　to　the　castle　of　Fotheringay；　where　the　former　Queen

of　Scotland　is；　in　the　care　of　our　friend　and　faithful　servant　and

counsellor；　Sir　Amyas　Paulet；　and　there　take　into　your　keeping　and　do

that　by　your　command　execution　be　done　on　her　person；　in　the　presence

of　yourselves　and　the　said　Sir　Amyas　Paulet；　and　of　all　the　other

officers　of　justice　whom　you　command　to　be　there：　in　the　meantime　we

have　for　this　end　and　this　execution　given　warrant　in　such　a　way　and

manner；　and　in　such　a　time　and　place；　and　by　such　persons；　that　you

five；　four；　three；　or　two；　find　expedient　in　your　discretion；

notwithstanding　all　laws；　statutes；　and　ordinances　whatsoever；

contrary　to　these　presents；　sealed　with　our　Great　Seal　of　England；

which　will　serve　for　each　of　you；　and　all　those　who　are　present；　or

will　make　by　your　order　anything　pertaining　to　the　execution

aforesaid　full　and　sufficient　discharge　for　ever。



〃Done　and　given　in　our　house　at　Greenwich；　the　first　day　of　February

（10th　February　New　Style）；　in　the　twenty…ninth　year　of　our　reign。〃



Mary　listened　to　this　reading　with　great　calmness　and　great　dignity；

then；　when　it　was　ended；　making　the　sign　of　the　cross



〃Welcome；〃　said　she；　〃to　all　news　which　comes　in　the　name　of　God！

Thanks；　Lord；　for　that　You　deign　to　put　an　end　to　all　the　ills　You

have　seen　me　suffer　for　nineteen　years　and　more。〃




〃Madam；〃　said　the　Earl　of　Kent；　〃have　no　ill…will　towards　us　on

account　of　your　death；　it　was　necessary　to　the　peace　of　the　State　and

the　progress　of　the　new　religion。〃



〃So；〃　cried　Mary　with　delight；　〃so　I　shall　have　the　happiness　of

dying　for　the　faith　of　my　fathers；　thus　God　deigns　to　grant　me　the

glory　of　martyrdom。　　Thanks；　God；〃　added　she；　joining　her　hands　with

less　excitement　but　with　more　piety；　〃thanks　that　You　have　deigned　to

destine　for　me　such　an　end；　of　which　I　was　not　worthy。　　That；　O　my

God；　is　indeed　a　proof　of　Your　love；　and　an　assurance　that　You　will

receive　me　in　the　number　of　Your　servants；　for　although　this　sentence

had　been　notified　to　me；　I　was　afraid；　from　the　manner　in　which　they

have　dealt　with　me　for　nineteen　years；　of　not　yet　being　so　near　as　I

am　to　such　a　happy　end；　thinking　that　your　queen　would　not　dare　to

lay　a　hand　on　me；　who；　by　the　grace　of　God；　am　a　queen　as　she　is；　the

daughter　of　a　queen　as　she　is；　crowned　as　she　is；　her　near　relative；

granddaughter　of　King　Henry　VII；　and　who　has　had　the　honour　of　being

Queen　of　France；　of　which　I　am　still　Dowager；　and　this　fear　was　so

much　the　greater；〃　added　she；　laying　her　hand　on　a　New　Testament

which　was　near　her　on　the　little　table；　〃that；　I　swear　on　this　holy

book；　I　have　never　attempted；　consented　to；　or　even　desired　the　death

of　my　sister；　the　Queen　of　England。〃



〃Madam；〃　replied　the　Earl　of　Kent；　taking　a　step　towards　her　and

pointing　to　the　New　Testament；　〃this　book　on　which　you　have　sworn　is

not　genuine；　since　it　is　the　papist　version；　consequently；　your　oath

cannot　be　considered　as　any　more　genuine　than　the　book　on　which　it

has　been　taken。〃



〃My　lord；〃　answered　the　queen；　〃what　you　say　may　befit　you；　but　not

me；　who　well　know　that　this　book　is　the　true　and　faithful　version　of

the　word　of　the　Lord；　a　version　made　by　a　very　wise　divine；　a　very

good　man；　and　approved　by　the　Church。〃



〃Madam；〃　the　Earl　of　Kent　returned；　〃your　Grace　stopped　at　what　you

were　taught　in　your　youth；　without　inquiry　as　to　whether　it　was　good

or　bad：　it　is　not　surprising；　then；　that　you　have　remained　in　your

error；　for　want　of　having　heard　anyone　who　could　make　known　the　truth

to　you；　this　is　why；　as　your　Grace　has　but　a　few　hours　longer　to

remain　in　this　world；　and　consequently　has　no　time　to　lose；　with　your

permission　we　shall　send　for　the　Dean　of　Peterborough；　the　most

learned　man　there　is　on　the　subject　of　religion；　who；　with　his　word；

will　prepare　you　for　your　salvation；　which　you　risk　to　our　great

grief　and　that　of　our　august　queen；　by　all　the　papistical　follies；

abominations；　and　childish　nonsense　which　keep　Catholics　away　from

the　holy　word　of　God　and　the　knowledge　of　the　truth。〃



〃You　mistake；　my　lord；〃　replied　the　queen　gently；　〃if　you　have

believed　that　I　have　grown　up　careless　in　the　faith　of　my　fathers；

and　without　seriously　occupying　myself　with　a　matter　so　important　as

religion。　　I　have；　on　the　contrary；　spent　my　life　with　learned　and

wise　men　who　taught　me　what　one　must　learn　on　this　subject；　and　I

have　sustained　myself　by　reading　their　works；　since　the　means　of

hearing　them　has　been　taken　from　me。　　Besides；　never　having　doubted

in　my　lifetime；　doubt　is　not　likely　to　seize　me　in　my　death…hour。

And　there　is　the　Earl　of　Shrewsbury；　here　present；　who　will　tell　you

that；　since　my　arrival　in　England；　I　have；　for　an　entire　Lent；　of

which　I　repent；　heard　your　wisest　doctors；　without　their　arguments

having　made　any　impression　on　my　mind。　　It　will　be　useless；　then；　my

lord；〃　she　added；　smiling；　〃to　summon　to　one　so　hardened　as　I　the

Dean　of　Peterborough；　learned　as　he　is。　　The　only　thing　I　ask　you　in

exchange；　my　lord；　and　for　which　I　shall　be　grateful　to　you　beyond

expression；　is　that　you　will　send　me　my　almoner；　whom　you　keep　shut

up　in　this　house；　to　console　me　and　prepare　me　for　death；　or；　in　his

stead；　another　priest；　be　he　who　he　may；　if　only　a　poor　priest　from　a

poor　village；　I　being　no　harder　to　please　than　God；　and　not　asking

that　he　have　knowledge；　provided　that　he　has　faith。〃



〃It　is　with　regret；　madam；〃　replied　the　Earl　of　Kent；　〃that　I　find

myself　obliged　to　refuse　your　Grace's；　request；　but　it　would　be

contrary　to　our　religion　and　our　conscience；　and　we　should　be

culpable　in　doing　it；　this　is　why　we　again　offer　you　the　venerable

Dean　of　Peterborough；　certain　that　your　Grace　will　find　more

consolation　and　content　in　him　than　in　any　bishop；　priest；　or　vicar

of　the　Catholic　faith。〃



〃Thank　you；　my　lord；〃　said　the　queen　again；　〃but　I　have　nothing　to…do

with　him；　and　as　I　have　a　conscience　free　of　the　crime　for　which　I　am

about　to　die；　with　God's　help；　martyrdom　will　take　the　place　of

confession　for　me。　　And　now；　I　will　remind　you；　my　lord；　of　what　you

told　me　yourself；　that　I　have　but　a　few　hours　to　live；　and　these　few

hours；　to　profit　me；　should　be　passed　in　prayer　and　meditation；　and

not　in　idle　disputes。〃



With　these　words；　she　rose；　and；　bowing　to　the　earls；　Sir　Robert

Beale；　Amyas；　and　Drury；　she　indictated；　by　a　gesture　full　of

dignity；　that　she　wished　to　be　alone　and　in　peace；　then；　as　they

prepared　to　go　out



〃Apropos；　my　lords；〃　said　she；　〃for　what　o'clock　should　I　make　ready

to　die？〃



〃For　eight　o'clock　to…morrow；　madam；〃　answered　the　Earl　of

Shrewsbury；　stammering。



〃It　is　well；〃　said　Mary；　〃but　have　you　not　some　reply　to　make　me；

from　my　sister　Elizabeth；　relative　to　a　letter　which　I　wrote　to　her

about　a　month　ago？〃



〃And　of　what　did　t