The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-06

statement to my mistress" To these SUCCESS
lions the diary sets down the precise words OF
Mays answer, In such wise they deal with
children when they will them to confess fault.
] avow in all sincerity that have been many
times a sinner aVoinst my God, and In peuitence
impore his pardon. But as a sovereign Q Ioen
owe no man on earth account OF my transRres-
sions, ma will none Of their forgiveness, neither
seek such from any person living. You give
Yourself much boo,Iess pains, sir Amias, and
will win small profit thereby" DOUBTLESS Eliz-
| abeth would hive liked to extort confession
from her captive In order to avoid a proceeding
so anomalous the trial Of a sovereign princess.
Once In possession of such evidence she would
hardly have failed to publish II throughout
Europe, and might then have been In po-
| sition to make away with her enemy without
being called to a reckoning by foreign powers.
On the 18th OF October the nobemen and
counsel learned In the law, who had been
chosen by Elizabeth to conduct the trial OF the
Scottish Queen, arrived at FotberinRay, attend
| ed by great train OF armed attendipts, whose
presence plainly betrayed the apprehension OF
some attempt to rescue Mary Stuart. A list of
| the Commissioners named was handed to the
prisoner. aud Boureoing has noted those who
were actually present and took part In the in
| quiry. Among these were the Archbishop OF
| Canterbury. Burghley, Lord Treasurer, Sir
Thomas Bromley, Lord High Chancellor, the
Earls OF Shrewsbury and Leicester. and many
| other distinguished persons OF tho English
court. We may add that Paulet was included
In the commission.
On the day after their arrival the Commission
ers attended divine service In the chapel Of the
| castle, and sfterward sent deputation to sub
nit to Mary letter from Queen Elizabeth. The
document was curt aud peremptory. not vouch-
ssnnE to Mary Stuart the usual title OF Sister,"
| or even that Of my LADY," and surprised her
| that, considering her persistent denial OF par
ticipation In Babingtons plot, in the teeth OF
| the plainest evidence against her Elizabeth
found Il good to despatch q number OF her peers
and councillors In order to demonstrate that the
| Queen Of Scots was not a stranger to that afro
| cious project. and, moreover, that the latter
| [this was vital pointl, living under the safe
| guard Of English laws, was subject to them.
Wherefore Mary Stuart should answer before
| these gentlemen. to whom full power was depu-
ted In the premises. From this point the rvve-
| lations OF Bourgoinss Diary are Of the utmost
interest, for Il has always been studiously main
tanned by the defenders Of Elizabeth that 10 the
| proceedings which ensued Mary waived the
| question OF law and recognized the competence
| Of the court. We are now in position to deter
mine how far this statement Is borne out by the
| facts.
Marys reply TO the deputation which pre-
| sented this harsh letter was. according TO Bour-
going, ne follows; " This writing is a command,
and addressed as to q subject. l am Queen,
| born tho daughter OF King aud n near relative
| Of the Queen of England and other monarchs.
| On the pledge she gave me of succor against my
enemies and rebellious subjects came into this
| realm, but was straightway made a prisoner,
| and have been held In custody now eighteen
wears, during all which time have been hardly
| dealt with, and sorely tried by the continual
| prvations to which have been subjected. l
| have offered many times to treat with her on
| fair aud honorable terms. and am still ready to
confer with your mistress, ever ready TO be Kind
| and servceabie, but on all occasions INV enc les
| have contrived to keep me apart frou her As
| a free Queen have no commands to take from
| any one and cannot submit TO English laws
| without shaming myself the King my son, and
| all other Kings aud sovereign princes. And
| since am like to them IN dignity and majesty.
| I will not dishonor myself, my heirs, or my
| reilm-rather will die. IL seem broken aud
| bowed down In body. my heart Is great, and will
not stoop to humiliation. reject your
| judges as being the adherents of another
| faith than mine. Neither do / recognize
| your laws, which neither know nor understand.
| l have heretofore made u formal protest to this
effect, and desire It to be counted IA submitted
| III thib hsbauoc. btanu AoHc ncfe
support or counsel; they have taken from me
| my secretaries. and those Of my people who had
the management OF my affairs, and were ac-
quainted with law and legal forms. Yet there
| Is no accused person so poor and mean but he Is
| suffered to have an advocate TO speak In his be-
half. Likewise. all my papers, memoranda, aud
| letters have been borne away. so that nnd my
self bereft and naked OF all means of defence
10 presence Of people prepared beforehand, ani
| OF whom majority is ill-disposed to me nay.
among whom have enemies who design my
ruin. Catholic, OF another faith than YOUR
| Queen, and deprived Of aid from any other quar-
ter, have placed myself under the protection
Of the Catholic kings and princes who have
| pledged to me their support, and have taken me
to their arms. II somewhat hath been done or
| plotted against your Queen and realm, | knew
| naught OF It, and men SAY false who lay on me
| that charge. Once more i demand that my
former formal protest shall be deemed submit
ted In this case" Ifspace permitted, we woul /
add Marys supplemental statement, when the
| deputstion requested her signature to the draft
| Of the answer above quoted. We can only say
that she exploded the prctext that she had been
living under English laws. by pointing out that
| la the observance Of her religion and other con-
| cessions, her immunity from English law was
| distinctly recognized by her captors.
On the following day the judges assembled at
Fotheringay, had preliminary interview with
| the Scottish Queen, marching IN solemn process
sion into her chamber preceded by "a beadle.
| who bore chest containing the great seal.
| Mary maintained the same naughty aud istant
bearing which she had shown TO the deputation.
Now, as before, she proclaimed her quality as
Sovereign Queen, In no wise subject to the En-
gsh laws, at which Lord Treasurer BIrghley,
whom Dourgoing calls a " 0oisterous man," re.
Joined roughly, The Queen 81 England recog-
nizes no other Queen, save herself. within her
| realm, For what concerns you, we do not speak
| to you as to a subject Of this realm. We know
well enough what your birth and rank Impose
| on us. but there cannot be the sh adow OF DOUBT
| that you are subject to the civil and canon laws
| which prevail throughout the world, IN France,
Spain, and elsewhere. Whether you are like
wise bound by the special statutes of this realm
that we have yet TO determine" Mary made no
answer, and Burghley, nodding to the other
members OF the commission, all IT the room.
Many other equally fruitless interviews took
place between the prisoner and her judges.
Mary Stuart persisted In her declaration that no
one had the right to examine her judicially, and