The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-06-04
Mary. Queen of Scots.

Mary, Queen of Scots.
The career of this beautiful and unfortun-
ate princess is too well-known to require
any heightened narration. Nur.ured amid
the luxuries and gayeties of the French
court, she was called away, a widow and still
almost child, to the dangerous task of rul-
ing semi-barbarous people. Her touching
farewell to France was a prophecy of her an
happy fate. From the moment of her landing
In Scotland she ceased to have any will
OF her own or power to act for herself. Her
turbulent mobiles and the stern puritanism
of John Knox kept her in a state OF con-
slant distraction and dread. And there is
no doubt that many of her troubles were
created for her by the vaccinations of her
cousin, Elizabeth of England, who rightly
regarding her as q dangerous rival never
rested satisfied until Mary Stuart was no
more. In the councils of England it was SOL
EMMY decided that the safety of the State
that is the queeu-demanded the death of
the queen of Scots. And no means how
ever ase and perfdious, were neglected to
conn ass this horrible object. Our readers
know by heart the 81 story OF how Mary
Wa smade a captive in her own dominions
at the instlgation of the English, was treach.
erously induced to seek an asylum under
he protection of her relentless foe, and was
then, on a false and preposterous charge of
treason, placed first in dreary and harrow
ing captivity, and then led unoffending to
the block. The following account of the ex-
tCutlUu Is TAKEN IIOL1 the biographical WOrX
of Miss Agnes Strickland:
Before Mary proceeded further in her
preparation for the block, she took last
farewell of her weeping maidens, kissing,
embracing and blessing them by signing
them with the cross, which benediction they
received on their knees.
Her upper garments being removed, she
remained in her petticoat of crimson velvet
and camisole, which laced behind, and COW
cred her arms with a pair of crimson velvet
sleeves. Jane Kennedy now drew from her
pocket the gold bordered handkerchief Mary
mad given her to bind her eyes. With this
she placed Corpus Christi cloth-probably
the same in which the consecrated wafer
sent to her by the pope had been enveloped.
Jane folded it corner-wise, kissed 1t and with
trembling hands prepared to execute this
last office, but she and her companions burst
into fresh paroxysm of hysterical sobbing
and crying.
Mary placed her fingers on her lips re-
provingly. "Hushm said she; Il have
promised for you. Weep not, but pray for
me-" When they had pinked the handker-
chief over the face of their beloved mistress,
they were compelled to withdraw from the
scatfold; and ''she was left alone to close up
the tragedy of life by herself, which she did
with her wonted courage and devotion"
Kneeling on the cushion she repeated, in
! her usual clear, firm voice, In re Domino
speravl-"In the, Lord, have 1 hoped; let
| me never be put to confusion"
| Being then guided by the executioners to
! find the block, she put her head upon it in
trepldly, exclaiming, as she did so, In
manus tuas-"Into thy hands, o Lord. I
bury raised his baton, to perform his duty
rs earl marshal, to give the signal for the
coup-de-grace; but he averted his head at
the same time, and covered his face with
his hands, to conceal his agitation and
| streaming tears.
nnmQnfarv qnsned he
ssslstantexecutioner perceived that the
| queen, grasping the block firmly with both
bands, was resting her chin upon them, and
that they must have teen mangled or cut off
if he had not removed them, which he did
/ by drawing them down and holding them
tightly IN his own, while his companion
struck her with the axe a cruel, but ineffec-
| tual blow. Agitated alike by the courage
of his royal victim, and the sobs and groans
of the sympathizing spectators, he missed
| his aim and inflicted deep wound on the
| side of the skull.
She neither screamed nor stirred, but her
/ sufferings were too badly testified by tire
commissions of her features, when after TIE
| third blow, the butcherwork was accom-
plished, and the severed head, streaming
| with blood. was held up to the gaze of the
people. God save Queen Elizabeth" ex-
claimed the dean of Peterborough. One
| solitary voice alone responded "AmenI'-it
was that of the earl of Kent. The silence,
the tears. and the groans of the witnesses OF
the tragedy, yea, even of the very assistants
in it, proclaimed the feelings with which it
had been regarded.
Mary's weeping ladies now approached,
and besought the executionerf mot to strip
the corpse of their beloved mistress, but to
permit her faithful servants to fulfill her
last request, by covering it as modesty re.
quired. and removing it TO her bedchamber,
| where themselves and her other ladies would
perform the last duties" But they were
rudely repulsed, hurried out OF the hall, and
locked into a chamber, while the execution
ers intent only on securing what they con-
sldered their perquisites, began, with ruffiar
hands, to despoil the still warm and palpi-
tating remains.
One faithful attendant, however fingered,
and refused to be thrust away. Mary's little
Skye terrier had followed her to the scaffolc
unnoticed, had crept closer to her when shs
laid her head on the block, and was found
crouching under her garments, saturated
with her blood. 1t was only by violence hs
could be removed, and then ne went and lay
between her head and body, moaning
plteously. fss.s4 % -
Some barbarous fanatic, desiring to fore,
veritication of Knox's favorite comparison
between this unfortunate princess ant
Jezebul, tried to tempt the dog to lap tn,
blood OF his royal mistress, but, with intel
ligence beyond that of his species, tn
sagacious creature refused; nor could he b.
induced to partake of food again, but pinet
himself to death.
The head was exposed on a black velve
cushion TO the view of the populsc
In the court yard for an hour. from the iarg
window in the hall. No feeling but that o
sympathy for her and indignation agains
her murderers was elected by this wofu
spectacle. The remains of the injures
princess were CONTEMPORARY covered will
the old cloth that had been torn from tn
billiard table, and carried into large uppe
chamber, where the process of embalmin
was performed the following day by SUI
geons from Stamford and Peterborough.