Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	ireland_n	king_n	statute_n	2,756	5	8.4949	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37340	A brief history of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the occasions that brought her and Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, to their tragical ends shewing the hopes the Papists then had of a Popish successor in England, and their plots to accomplish them : with a full account of the tryals of that Queen, and of the said Duke, as also the trial of Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel : from the papers of a secretary of Sir Francis Walsingham / now published by a person of quality.	M. D.; Walsingham, Francis, Sir, 1530?-1590.	1681 (1681)	Wing D57; ESTC R8596	76,972	72

their Neece the Queen of Scots that he openly own'd the claim thereof so that thenceforwards his Son and Daughter in Law used the stile in all their Acts of State Francis and Mary of Scotland England and Ireland King and Queen and caused the Arms of England to be Engraven and Painted on their Palaces Housholdstuff and Heralds-Coats And the said King Henry dying shortly after this Francis who succeeded him by the name of Francis the Second and Mary Queen of Scots by the Council of the said Guises who bore great sway in France publickly assumed to themselves the Soveraignty of England and Scotland as well as that of France and Scotland pretending to Queen Elizabeths Ambassador who complained thereof sometime that the Queen of Scots bore the Arms of England only to shew the nearness of her Blood to that Royal Line and sometimes that she did it only to cause the Queen of England to forbear bearing those of France Much dispute there was about this matter which Queen Elizabeth as she had reason resented very grievously But at last in the Year 1560. upon a Treaty at Edenborough It was amongst other matters agreed that the French King and his Wife Queen Mary should henceforwards relinquish the Title and Arms of England and Ireland But when the same came to be confirm'd in France they sought Evasions and delay'd so long that in the interim King Francis the Second not being Eighteen years old dyed and left the Queen of Scots a Widow of Nineteen who thereupon resolv'd to leave France and to return to her own Kingdom of Scotland But Throgmorton Queen Elizabeths Ambassador before she went earnestly press'd her to confirm the said Treaty of Edenborough which she refused alledging she must first consult with the Nobility of Scotland This refusal so nettled Queen Elizabeth that she refused to grant her a safe Conduct for her passage However taking the opportunity of a Fog she set Sail from Callice and passing the Channel arrived safely in Scotland From thence she sent Letters to Queen Elizabeth promising all care to make and conserve Amity with her and requesting that a lasting Peace might be made between the two Crowns And in order thereunto desired that Queen Elizabeth would in Parliament declare her her next Heir if she her self should have no issue This proposition startled Queen Elizabeth who rather look't for the confirmation of the Treaty of Edenborough which she had so often promised and therefore return'd Answer in these words That as concerning the Succssion she hoped the Queen of Scotland would not by violence take away her Crown from her and her Children if she had any She promised not to derogate any thing of her right unto the Crown of England although she had claimed the Title and Arms of England thorough the too much hasty ambition of other men for which injury it was meet that she made satisfaction By setting down her Successor she feared lest their friendship should be rather dissevered than consolidated for that unto men established in Government their Successors are alwaies suspected and hated the people such is their inconstancy upon a dislike of present things do look after the rising Sun and forsake the Sun setting and the Successors designed cannot keepwithin the bounds of Justice and Truth their own hopes and other mens lewd desires Moreover if she should confirm the Succession unto her she should thereby cut off the hope of her own security and being alive hang her Winding-sheet before her own eyes yea make her own Funeral-feast alive and see the same But this Remonstrance took but little effect and therefore sometime afterwards an Interview was projected to be had between the two Queens but after a long Treaty relinquisht the Scottish Queen refusing it unless Queen Elizabeth would adopt her her Daughter or declare her her Heir apparent by Authority of Parliament This Queen Elizabeth would not consent to but advised her to a Marriage with Robert Dudely who thereupon was made Earl of Leicester which Alliance the French rail'd upon as dishonourable and as for her matching with any Forrein Prince the Earl of Murray natural Brother to the Scots Queen diverted her from it and proposed to her Henry Lord Darnly Son to the Earl of Lenox whereunto both Love and Policy seem'd to give their suffrages for as he was one of the most proper and goodly young Gentlemen in the world so likewise was he next Heir after her to the Imperial Crown of England so that she might at once gratifie her Fancy and sortifie her Title This Noble-man was born and at this time resided in England the Earl his Father having upon the troubles in Scotland retreated thither in King Henry the Eighth's time And upon the first return of Queen Mary into Scotland Queen Elizabeth had confin'd both Father and Son for holding correspondence with her But after some time first the Father and afterwards the Son on several specious pretences got leave to go into Scotland promising to return within such a Term. Being there a Marriage was quickly concluded and solemnized between the Queen and this young Lord at which Queen Elizabeth appear'd much dissatisfied nor did their Nuptial Joys remain long un-eclips'd but discontents which as easily climb to the glorious beds of Princes as to the homely pallets of Peasants arose between them whether it were that he thought he had not enough or took upon him too much share in the Government or on some more private disgust I determine not being unwilling to follow the reports of those prejudic'd Authors who have sullied this great Princesses Fame when the respect due to the Honour of Ladies especially the Majesty of a Crowned Head ought to have taught them more modesty From what ever ground these animosities sprung they soon grew to such an unhappy height that one Evening the King attended with several others rush't into the Queens Apartment as she was at Supper and seizing upon one David Rizius a Native of Piemont by profession a Musitian but for his Wit and Dexterity receiv'd into great favour with the Queen and made a kind of Secretary they assaulted him with their naked Swords and dragging him to the door gave him several mortal wounds whereof he instantly died The Queen was then great with Child of him who was afterwards James the 1st Monarch of Great Brittain And though Providence was pleased to prevent her Miscarriage yet the sight of so dismal a Tragedy could not but surprize her with wonderful astonishment insomuch that some Philosophers will needs have it that King James retain'd an aversion to the sight of naked Weapons and attribute the same to the impressions of this unparellel'd violence Of which the King 't is said soon repented and craved the Queens pardon charging Murray and Morton as the persons that instigated him thereunto But the King himself did not long survive this Assassination for within a month or two after he himself in a tempestuous night

procure the Estates of Scotland to confirm them by publick Authority 7. The King himself also should ratifie them by Oath and by writing 8. And that Hostages should be given But these Consultations proved Abortive the Scots rejecting them and besides Queen Elizabeth had notice that Holt an English Jesuit was sesecretly sent into Scotland not without the Scottish Queens privity as was suggested to use means there for an Invasion of England And indeed the Queen of Scots was too much addicted to and influenced by the Jesuites and their Councils who as they made use of her name to colour their traiterous designs against Queen Elizabeth and therefore gave out as if they had acted out of pure zeal to the Family of the Stuarts as many of them will boast to this very day yet 't is plain that in all these stirs they really minded nothing but their own Interest for when they met with so many disappointments in their Plots to bring the said Scottish Queen before her time to the English Crown and withal despaired of turning her Son King James to their Religion they presently began to start variety of new Titles witness Parsons alias Doleman's Book of Succession and other Pamphlets by them flung abroad about those times Nay 't is more than suspected that as they egg'd on the Scottish Queen to ill practises against Queen Elizabeth so when they had done imitating their Father the Devil who first tempts and then accuses they betray'd her too by making a secret discovery of those very Conspiracies in which they themselves had engag'd her and so were treacherously instrumental to hasten her death hoping to take off Queen Elizabeth and put by King James and play a new Game more for their advantage with some other Pretender as will more fully appear by and by But to return in the mean time to our History King James being as you heard in little better Condition than that of a Prisoner to Earl Gowry and his Confederates or at least esteeming himself as such on a sudden with a small Company conveyed himself to the Castle of St. Andrews being then about 18 years of Age to whom several of the Nobility with armed Troops repaired and then he began to exercise his Royal Authority of himself and declared in a great Assembly of the States the Force before upon him to have been traiterously imposed yet thought it most safe not to proceed with Rigour against his Surprizers only advising them to depart the Court and promised them pardon if they would ask it within a time limited which they declining fled some into England and others into other parts only Gowry attempting a new Conspiracy soon after lost his life It was now the year 1584. And in England divers lewd Books were spread by the Jesuits and other Popish Factors asserting that Princes Excommunicated as Queen Elizabeth for sometime before had been by the Pope were not to have any Allegiance paid unto them but ought to be deposed c. These Seeds soon ripen'd into rank fruits of Treason and Rebellion and had so far intoxicated one Sommervile a Popish Gentleman that coming privately to Court and full of rage against all Protestants he with his drawn Sword assaulted several persons and being apprehended declared like a stout Roman Champion that he would murder the Queen with his own hands whereupon he and one Arden an ancient Warwick-shire Gentleman his Father in Law were executed but Hall a Priest that excited them to this madness got a Reprieve Likewise one Throgmorton eldest Son of John Throgmorton Chief Justice of Chester was discovered by intercepted Letters directed to the Queen of Scots to have entertain'd Treasonable correspondencies with Popish Princes beyond the Seas and chiefly with the Guises who had resolv'd to invade England and free the Queen of Scots And for raising of money to carry on the work here one Paget under the counterfeit name of Mope was sent into Sussex where the Forreiners were first to Land and to facilitate their purposes he had prepar'd two Catalogues found in his Chests one of the names and descriptions of all the Ports of England the other of the Nobilitry and Gentry that favoured the Romish Religion and that he had communicated all this to Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador then in England whereupon he was condemned and though he had twice confess'd the fact yet like our Modern Popish Traitors at the Gallows he stoutly deny'd all and would needs be thought to dye as innocent as the child unborn However Mendoza having thus violated and forfeited the Priviledg of an Ambassador was commanded forthwith to depart with shame at which the Spanish Court being dissatisfied the Queen sent over Sir William Wade to justify the Action But the King of Spain not admitting him into his presence but slightingly putting him off to his Ministers he in disdain refus'd to communicate it at all and so returned home unheard whereby a greater animosity arose between the two Crowns Nor were the Popish party less busy in fomenting disturbances in Ireland where Dr. Saunders that had wrote several Pestilent Books having drawn in the Earl of Desmond to Rebellion and finding him defeated and his Head sent into England died miserably of famine as he roamed up and down the Mountains guilty and desperate as Cain fearing each man he met would deservedly slay him Likewise about the same time Providence was pleas'd in a wonderful manner to make a discovery of some other practises in agitation against Queen Elizabeth for one Creighton a Scottish Jesuit sailing in a small Vessel from the Low-Countries to Scotland certain Sea-rovers of Holland which then was revolted and at enmity with the rest of the Subjects of the Spanish King happening to come up with them took the said Ship and though the Jesuit to conceal his Instructions and mischievous errand tore several of his Papers to pieces and flung them over-board yet the wind miraculously as he himself confest afterwards drove them back again and cast them upon the Deck which the Hollanders perceiving and imagining that they might be of consequence gather'd them up carefully and sent them to England where by the great skill and industry of Sir William Wade they were so join'd together again that the Contents were legible and the Conspiracies on foot detected The good Subjects of England finding their Country in this danger from abroad and the life of their Queen whereon the safety of their Religion and Liberties did seem at that juncture wholly under God to depend daily attempted by various Plots and Machinations at home all carried on by Papists out of a prospect of a Popish Successor did think fit of their own accord solemnly to oblige themselves each to other for her safety and to revenge her death on any that should occasion it which agreement they call'd an Association and was entred into by abundance of persons of all ranks and conditions throughout the Nation The Tenor whereof was

tending to the hurt of her Majesties Royal Person by any person or with the privity of any person that shall or may pretend Title to the Crown of this Realm THAT then by her Majesties Commission under her Great Seal the Lords and other of her Highnesses Privy Council and such other Lords of Parliament to be named by her Majesty as with the said Privy Council shall come up to the number of four and twenty at the least having with them for their assistance in that behalf such of the Judges of the Courts of Record at Westminster as her Highness shall for that purpose assign and appoint or the more part of the same Council Lords and Judges shall by vertue of the Act have Authority to Examine all and every the offences aforesaid and all circumstances thereof and thereupon to give sentence or judgment as upon good proof the matter shall appear unto them And that after such sentence or judgment given and declaration thereof made and published by her Majesties Proclamation under the Great Seal of England all persons against whom such sentence or judgment shall be so given and published shall be excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim or to pretend to have or claim the Crown of this Realm or of any her Majesties Dominions any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And that thereupon all her Highnesses Subjects shall and may lawfully by vertue of this Act and her Majesties direction in that behalf by all forcible and possible means pursue to death every such wicked person by whom or by whose means assent or privity any such Invasion or Rebellion shall be in form aforesaid denounced to have been made or such wicked act attempted or other thing compassed or imagined against her Majesties Person and all their Aiders Comforters and Abettors And if any such detestable act shall be executed against her Highness most Royal Person whereby her Majesties Life shall be taken away which God of his great mercy forbid that then every such person by or for whom any such Act shall be executed and their Issues being any wise assenting or privy to the same shall by vertue of this Act be excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim or pretend to have or claim the said Crown of this Realm or any other her Highnesses Dominions any former Law or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And that all the Subjects of this Realm and all other her Majesties Dominions shall and may lawfully by vertue of this Act by all forceable and possible means pursue to the death every such wicked person by whom or by whose means any such detestable fact shall be in form hereafter expressed denounced to have been committed and also their Issues being any assenting or privy to the same and all their aiders comforters and abettors in that behalf And to the end that the intention of this Law may be effectually executed if her Majesties Life be taken away by any violent or unnatural means which God defend Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that the Lords and others which shall be of her Majesties Privy-Council at the time of such her decease or the more part of the same Council joyning unto them for their assistance Five other Earls and Seven other Lords of Parliament at the least foreseeing that none of the said Earls Lords or Council be known to be persons that may make any Title to the Crown those persons which were Chief Justices of either Bench Master of the Rolls and Chief Baron of the Exchequer at the time of her Majesties death or in default of the said Justices Master of the Rolls and Chief Baron some other of those which were Justices of some of the Courts of Records at Westminster at the time of her Highnesses decease to supply their places or any Four and Twenty or more of them whereof Eight to be Lords of the Parliament not being of the Privy-Council shall to the uttermost of their power and skill examine the cause and maner of such her Majesties death and what persons shall be any way Guilty thereof and all circumstances concerning the same according to the true meaning of this Act and thereupon shall by open Proclamation publish the same and without any delay by all forceable and possible means prosecute to death all their Alders and Abettors and for the doing thereof and for the withstanding and suppressing all such power and force as shall be any way levied or stirred in disturbance of the due execution of this Law shall by vertue of this Act have power and authority not only to raise and use such Forces as shall in that behalf be needful and convenient but also to use all other means and things possible and necessary for the maintenance of the same Forces and prosecution of the said Offenders and if any such Power and Force shall be levied and stirred in disturbance of the due execution of this Law by any person that shall or may pretend any Title to the Crown of this Realm whereby this Law may not in all things be fully executed according to the effect and true meaning of the same that then every such person shall by vertue of this Act be therefore excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim or to pretend to have or claim the Crown of this Realm or of any other Her Highnesses Dominions any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every the Subjects of all her Majesties Realms and Dominions shall to the uttermost of their power aid and assist the said Council and all other the Lords and other persons to be adjoyned to them for assistance as is aforesaid in all things to be done and executed according to the effect and intention of this Law and that no Subject of this Realm shall in any wise be impeached in Body Land or Goods at any time hereafter for any thing to be done or executed according to the Tenor hereof any Law or Statute heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And whereas of late many of her Majesties good and faithful Subjects have in the Name of God and with the Testimonies of good Consciences by one uniform manner of writing under their hands and Seals and by their several Oaths voluntarily taken joyned themselves together in one Bond and Association to withstand and revenge to the uttermost all such malicious actions and attempts against her Majesties most Royal Person Now for the full explaining of all such Ambiguities and Questions as otherwise might happen to grow by reason of any Sinister or wrong Construction or Interpretation to be made or inferred of or upon the words or meaning thereof Be it declared and enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament that the same Association and every Article and Sentence therein contained as

Act to be made that is to have such her Protest Registred by Publick Notaries and required her own Servants to bear her witness of it The Lord Chancellour again protested against that Protestation Lord Chancellour That it should in no wise be prejudicial to the Queens Majesty nor to the Crown of England and that they all on the behalf of her Majesty required the same to be likewise enacted or Registred Then Mr. Powel Clerk of the Crown read the Commission grounded Mr. Powel upon the Statute 27 Eliz. The Commission being read the Queen said I protest that this Law is insufficient and therefore I cannot submit my self unto it Then the Lord Treasurer avouched and justified the Law to be sufficient to Lord Treasurer named Sir William Cecil Queen of Scots proceed against her To whom she replyed that the Law was not made against her The Lord Treasurer said we have Commission to proceed and if Lo. Treasurer you will not hear we will proceed against you herein Then she said I will both hear and Answer Qu. of Scots Then arose Serjeant Gawdy and declared the Statute and then inferred that the Queen of Scots there present had offended against both Serjeant Gawdy the Branches thereof viz. That she had been both privy to the Conspiracy of killing the Queens Majesty and also had her self practised to compass the same and so ript up the whole Complot from Ballard's first coming into this Ballard a Traytor Qu. of Scots Mr. Puckering Babington a Traytor Qu. of Scots Realm When the Serjeant said the Queen present was both a mover and a compasser she bowed her Body and smiled Then Serjeant Puckering pursued the rest of Babington's Letters to her and her answer again The Queen answered She never had seen Babington nor ever had Speech with him nor ever received Letters from him and that she could stop no man to go beyond the Seas But let any man said she in England come and say that I ever did any thing against the Queens Life Then Sands the Clerk of the Crown read Babinton's Confession and Sands Babington's Confession Serjeant Puckering opened the points The Queen said That being kept from all Intelligence of her Friends Qu. of Scots and of her Son it may be she might desire Intelligence but if any other man hath done or practised any thing it is no matter to that purpose There be some that send me Letters and I know them not nor from whence they come The Clerk of the Crown read again Babington's Confession Clerk of the Crown Qu. of Scots The Queen said again I never wot of any such Letter Then was read the Letter of Anthony Babington To which she said If Anthony Babington and all the world say it they lye but I would see my own Hand writing And to Babington's Letters to her she said I never saw that Letter nor never heard of it The Lord Treasurer proved the receipt of Babington's Letter and the Serjeant shewed an answer to Babington's Letter from her in the same Lo. Treasurer Serjeant Puckering Cypher sent by a Serving man in a blew Coat and so opened all the points of her answer to Babington When mention was made of the Earl of Arundel she wept and blubber'd Qu. of Scots out saying Wo is me that your House hath suffered so much for my sake and after having blubber'd a time she said if ever I made any such device against the Queen my Sister then I pray God I may never see his Face I have written I confess about my deliverance as any Prince kept Captive as I am might do but never against the Queen I confess for the Catholicks delivery from Persecution I will work and if I could with my Blood save them from destruction I would and if it may be so I pray you lay it upon me and therewith wept according to her guise The Lord Treasurer answered saying Madam the Queen puts no man to Death for his Conscience but they might enjoy the Liberty of Lo. Treasurer their Conscience if they would live as dutiful Subjects and therefore Madam reform your opinion therein The Queen said she had read it so in a Book The Lord Treasurer said they that did write so Madam did write Qu. of Scots Lo. Treasurer that the Queen of England is no Queen Then she picked a quarrel against Mr. Secretary that he had been Qu. of Scots her sore Enemy and her Son 's and had practised with certain persons against her but said she Mr. Walsingham I think you are an honest man and I pray you say in the word of an honest man whether you have been so unto me Mr. Secretary rose up and came to the end of the Table standing Mr. Secretary Walsingham in the midst before his seat saying Madam I stand charged by you to have practised something against you I call God and the World to Witness I have done nothing as a private man unworthy of an honest man nor as a publick person unworthy of my calling I protest before God that as a Man careful of my Mistresses safety I have been curious and if Ballard had offered me his Service I would have rewarded him but if he were practised with by me why did he not plead it for his Life Here again she wept and protested that she would not make Ship wreck Queen of Scots of her Soul in conspiring against her good Sister and that those whom Mr. Secretary had set over her as Spies were Spies for her against him and had likewise told her things of him Then the Queen's Attorney proved that the Queen of Scots was privy to Queen's Attorney the Conspiracy and gave Instructions to her Secretary to write by him confessed upon Oath without Constraint some in Cyphers and some translated according to her direction into English by Jaques Nave and Gilbert Curle The Queen's Sollicitor proved both the Points of the Statute agreeing to Queen's Sollicitor the Points of the Commission First That she was privy to the Conspiracy in that she received Babington's Letters wherein the Conspiracy was contained to kill the Queen To which she gave Answer as hath been deposed by her Secretaries who besides their Oaths and voluntary Confession did set down according to their Memory the Minutes and Points of Babington's Letters to the Queen and her Answer to Babington Wherein especially they remember the Points of the Conspiracy particularly confessed also by Babington before he was apprehended and at large when he thought to have executed it and been advanced by it He also shewed her Letters and Answers to Ballard Savadge and Tuchborne and they confessed it Secondly He proved that she her self did conspire and compass the Queens Death for besides the approving of Babington's Plot she addeth in her own Letters the Manner and Order of the Execution of this Designment The Secretaries at the view

Ireland c. To our trusty and well-beloved Cousins George Earl of Sbrewsbury Earl Marshal of England Henry Earl of Kent Henry Earl of Darby George Earl of Comberland and Henry Earl of Pembrook greeting c. Whereas sithence the Sentence given by you and others of our Council Nobility and Judges against the Queen of Scots by the name of Mary the Daughter of James the 5th late King of Scots commonly called the Queen of Scots and Dowager of France as to you is well known All the States in the last Parliament assembled did not only deliberately by great advice allow and approve the same Sentence as just and honourable but also with all humbleness and earnestness possible at sundry times require solicit and press us to direct such further execution against her Person as they did adjudg her to have daily deserved adding thereunto that the forbearing thereof was and would be daily certain and undoubted danger not only unto our own life but also unto themselves their posterity and the publick estate of this Realm as well for the Cause of the Gospel and true Religion of Christ as for the Peace of the whole Realm whereupon we did although the same were with some delay of time publish the same sentence by our Proclamation yet hitherto have forborn to give direction for the further satisfaction of the aforesaid most earnest requests made by our said States of our Parliament whereby we do daily understand by all sorts of our loving subjects both of our Nobility and Councel and also of the wisest greatest and best devoted of all Subjects of inferiour degrees how greatly and deeply from the bottom of their hearts they are grieved and afflicted with daily yea hourly fears of our life and thereby consequently with a dreadful doubt and expectation of the ruin of the present happy and godly estate of this Realm if we should forbear the further final execution as it is deserved and neglect their general and continual requests prayers counsels and advices and thereupon contrary to our natural disposition in such case being overcome with the evident weight of their counsels and their daily intercessions importing such a necessity as appeareth directly tending to the safety not only of our self but also to the weal of our whole Realm We have condescended to suffer Justice to take place and for the execution thereof upon the special trusty experience and confidence which we have of your loyalties faithfulness and love both toward our Person and the safety thereof and also to your native Countries whereof you are most noble and principal members we do will and by Warrant hereof do Authorize you as soon as you shall have time convenient to repair to our Castle of Fotheringhay where the said Queen of Scots is in custody of our right trusty and faithful servant and Councellor Sir Amias Paulet Knight and then taking her into your charge to cause by your Commandment execution to be done upon her Person in the presence of your selves and the aforesaid Sir Amias Paulet and of such other Officers of Justice as you shall command to attend upon you for that purpose and the same to be done in such manner and form and at such time and place and by such persons as to five four or three of you shall be thought by your discretions convenient notwithstanding any Law Statute or Ordinance to the contrary And these our Letters Patents sealed with our great Seal of England shall be to you and every of you and to all persons that shall be present or that shall be by you commanded to do any thing appertaining to the aforesaid execution a full sufficient Warrant and discharge for ever And further we are also pleased and contented and hereby we do will command and authorise our Chancellor of England at the requests of you all and every of you the duplicate of our Letters Patents to be to all purposes made dated and sealed with our great Seal of England as these presents now are In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patents Yeoven at our Mannor of Greenwich the 1st day of February in the 29th year of our Reign First After she was brought down by the Sheriff to the place prepared in the Hall for that purpose by the commandment of the Earls of Shrewsbury Octavo die Feb. 1586. and Kent her Majesties Commission aforesaid was openly read Then according to a direction given to Dr. Fletcher Dean of Peterborough he was willed to use some short and pithy Speech which might tend to admonish her of the nearness of her end and the only means of salvation in Christ Jesus As soon as he began to speak she interrupted him saying she was a Catholick and that it was but a folly being so resolutely determined as she was to move her otherwise and that our prayers could do her little good On Wednesday the 8th of February 1586. there assembled at the Castle of Fotheringhay the Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent with divers Knights The Assembly of the Lords at the death of the Queen of Scots and Gentlemen Justices of Peace in the Counties there and about Eight of the Clock the Earls and the Sheriff of the Shire went up to the Scottish Queen whom they found praying on her knees with her Gentlewomen and men and the Sheriff remembring her the time was at hand she rose up and said she was ready then was she led by the arms from her Chamber unto the Chamber of Presence where with many exhortations to fear God and live in obedience kissing her women and giving her hand to her men to kiss praying them all not to sorrow but to rejoice and pray for her she was brought down the Stairs by two Souldiers and being below and looking back she said she was evil attended and besought the Lords that she might for womanhood sake have two of her women to wait upon her they said they were only withheld for that it was feared by their passionate crying they would much disquiet her spirit and disturb the execution then she said I will promise for them they will do neither so two whom she willed were brought in to her Then she spake much to Melin her man and charged him as he would answer before God to deliver her Speeches and Messages to her Son in such sort as she did deliver them All which tended to will him to govern wisely and in the fear of God to take heed to whom he betook his chiefest trust and not to give occasions to be evil thought on by the Queen of England her good Sister And to certifie him she died a true Scot true French and true Catholick And about 10 of the Clock she was brought into the great Hall where in the midst of the Hall and against the Chimney in which was a great fire was a Scaffold set up of two Foot high and Twelve Foot broad having two Steps to come up