Year: 1873




The end had come. She had long
professed to expect it, but the clearest
expectation is not certainty. The scene
for which she ehad affected toprepare she
was to encounter in its dread reality,
and all her busy schemes, her dreams
of vengeance, her visions of revolution,
with herself ascending out of the con-
vulsion and seating herself on her
rivals throne-all were gone. She had
played deep, and the dice had gone
against her.


Her last night was busy one. AS
she said herself, there was much to be
done, and the time was short. A few
lines to the King of France were dated
two hours after midnight. They were
to insist, for the last time, that she was
innocent of the conspiracy, that she
was dying for religion, and for having
asserted her right to the crown and to
beg that out of the sum which he owed
her her servants wages might be paid,
and masses provided for her soul. At
ter this she slept for three or four
hours, then rose and with the most
elaborate care prepared to encounter her
end.


At eight in the morning the Provost
Marshal knocked at the outer door
which communicated with her suit of
apartments. 1t was locked and no one
oocyuarn1 op1 ba 1.,aDt lNooIr ao,,o
trepidation lest the fears might prove
true which had been entertained the
preceding evening. On his return with
hesheriff, however, few minutes later,
the door was open, and they were con-
fronted with the tall, majestic figure of
Mary Stuart standing before them in
splendor. The plain gray dress had
been exchanged for a robe of black
satin; her jacket was of black satin also,
looped and slashed aud trimmed with
velvet. Her false hair was arranged
with q coil, and over her head and fall
ing down her back was white veil of
delicate lawn. A cruciix of gold hung
from her neck. In her hand she held
crucifix of ivory, and number of Jew
eled Paternosters was attached to her
girdle.


Led by two of Paulet's gentlemen,
the Sheriff walking before her, she
passed to the chamber of presence in
which she had been tried, where Shrews-
bury, Kent, Paulet, Drury and others
were waiting to receive her. Andrew
Melville, Sir Roberts brother, who had
been master of her household, was
kneeling in tears. Melville" she
said, "you should rather rejoice than
weep that the end of my troubles is
come. Tell my friends l die true
Catholic. Commend me to my son.
Tell him have done nothing to preiu-
dice his Kingdom of Scotland and so,
good Melville, farewell" She kissed
him, and turning, asked for her chap
lain. a. =.


Let us CO." she then said, and pass
ing out attended by the Earls, and lean
ing on the arm of an officer of the
guard, she descended the great staircase
to the hall. The news had spread far
through the country. Thousands of
people were collected outside the walls.
About three hundred knights and gen
tlemen of the country had been ad-
mitted to witness the execution. The
tables and forms had been removed, and
a great wood fire was blazing in the
chimney. At the upper end of the
hall, above the fireplace, but near it,
stood the scafold, twelve feet square
and two feet and half high. It was
covered with black cloth a low rail
ran round it covered with black cloth
also, and the sheriff's guard of halber-
diers were ranged on the floor below on
the four sides to keep off the crowd
On the scaffold was the block, black
like the rest square black cushion
was placed behind it, and behind the
cushion black chair on the right
were two other chairs for the Earls
The axe leant against the rail, and two
masked figures stood like mutes on
either side at the back. The Queen of
Scots, as she swept in, seemed as if
coming to take part in some solemn
pageant Not muscle of her face
could be seen toquiver; she ascended
the scaffold with absolute composure.
looked round her smiling and sat down.
Shrewsbury and Kent followed and took
their places, the sheriff stood at her
left hand, and Beale then mounted the
platform and read the warrant aloud.


In all the assembly Mary Stuart ap-
peared the person least interested in
the words which were consigning her to
death.


Madam" said Lord Shrewsbury to
her when the reading was ended, "you
hear what we are commanded to do"


"You will do your duty" she answer
ed, and rose as if to kneel and pray.





She laid her crucifx on her chair.
The chief executioner took it as q per-
quisite, but was ordered instantly to
lay it down. The lawn veil was lifted
carefully off, not to disturb the hair,
and was hung upon the rail. The black
robe was next removed. Below it was
petticoat of crimson velvet. The
black jacket followed, and under the
jacket was q body of crimson satin.
One of her ladies handed her pair of
crimson sleeves, with which she hastily
covered her arms and thus she stood
on the black scaffold with the black
figures all around her, blood red from
head to foot