LESSON XL.

Death of Queen Mary of Scotland.-ROBERTSON.

emotion.

On Tuesday, the 7th February, the earls of Shrewsbury and Kent arrived at Fotheringay, and, demanding access to the queen, read in her presence the warrant of execution, and required her to prepare to die next morning. Mary heard them to the end without "That soul," said she, "is not worthy the joys of Heaven, which repines because the body must endure the stroke of the executioner; and though I did not expect that the queen of England would set the first example of violating the sacred person of a sovereign prince, I willingly submit to that which Providence has decreed to be my lot ;" and laying her hand upon a bible, which happened to be near her, she solemnly protested that she was innocent of that conspiracy which Babington had carried on against Elizabeth's life. She then mentioned the request contained in her letter to Elizabeth, but obtained no satisfactory answer. She then entreated, with particular earnestness, that now, in her last moments, her almoner might be suffered to attend her, and that she might enjoy the consolations of those pious institutions prescribed by her religion. Even this favor, which is granted to the meanest criminals, was absolutely denied.

Her attendants, during this conversation, were bathed in tears, and though overawed by the presence of the two earls, with difficulty suppressed their anguish. But no sooner did Kent and Shrewsbury withdraw, than they ran to their mistress, and burst out into the most passionate expressions of tenderness and sorrow. Mary, however, not only retained perfect composure of mind, but endeavored to moderate their grief; and falling on her knees, with all her domestics around her, she thanked Heaven that her sufferings were now so near an end, and prayed that she might be enabled to endure what still remained with decency and fortitude. The greater part of the evening she employed in settling her worldly affairs. She wrote her testament with her own hand. Her money, her jewels, and her clothes, she distributed

Scotland. Where is Scotland? See maps.

.Earls, êrls, title of nobility, third degree of nobility.

.Access, admittance, entrance, approach.

Warrant, paper containing the order of death.

Emotion, being affected, trepidation.

Repines, complains, murmurs, is discontented.
-Endure, suffer, continue, last, undergo.

Executioner, hangman, one who beheaded her; from

execute.

Violating, doing violence to, attacking by force, defiling.

Providence, foresight, care of God over created beings, the God who provides.

-Sacred, holy, inviolable, not to be violated.
Protested, asserted, called heaven to witness.
.Conspiracy, act of raising a rebellion; from con-
spire.

Elizabeth. Who was this personage? See app. Satisfactory, reasonable, giving satisfaction; from satisfy.

Entreated, requested, supplicated; from treat.
Almoner, officer employed to distribute charity.
Institutions, ordinances, observances; from institute.
Prescribed, ordered, enjoined, made necessary.
Criminals, culprits, those guilty of crimes.
Attendants, servants, assistants; from attend.
.Overawed, kept from acting, awe-struck.

Suppressed, kept down, caused to subside, overcame.
Withdraw, retire, go out, remove.

-Passionate, warm, excited, enraged, cross; from passion.

Composure, calmness, quietness; from compose. -Moderate, calm, suppress, ordinary, not excessive. Domestics, servants, attendants.

An end. What enabled her to regard her sufferings as at an end?

-Still, yet, notwithstanding, furthermore, motionless. Fortitude, courage, hardihood, braving.

-Testament, will, instrument, by which a disposition is made of one's affairs.

Settling, arranging, calming, stilling, ordering.

among her servants, according to their rank or merit. She wrote a short letter to the King of France, and another to the duke of Guise, full of tender, but magnanimous sentiments, and recommended her soul to their prayers, and her afflicted servants to their protection. At supper she ate temperately, as usual, and conversed not only with ease, but with cheerfulness; she drank to every one of her servants, and asked their forgiveness, if she had ever failed in any part of her duty towards them. At her wonted time, she went to bed, and slept calmly a few hours. Early in the morning she retired into her closet, and employed a considerable time in devotion. At eight o'clock the high sheriff and his officers entered her chamber, and found her still kneeling at the altar. She immediately started up, and with a majestic mein, and a countenance undismayed, and even cheerful, advanced to the place of execution, leaning on two attendants. She was dressed in a mourning habit, but with an elegance and splendor which she had long lain aside, except on a few festival days. At the foot of the stairs, the two earls, attended by several gentlemen from the neighboring counties, received her: and there Sir Andrew Melvil, the master of her household, who had been secluded some weeks from her presence, was permitted to take his last farewell. At the sight of a mistress whom he tenderly loved, in such a situation, he melted into tears; and as he was bewailing her condition, and complaining of his own hard fate, in being appointed to carry the account of such a mournful event into Scotland, Mary replied, "Weep not, good Melvil, there is at present great cause for rejoicing. Thou shalt this day see Mary Stewart delivered from all her earthly cares, and such an end put to her tedious sufferings as she has long expected. Bear witness that I die constant in my religion; firm in my fidelity towards Scotland; and unchanged in my affection to France. Commend me to my son. Tell him I have done nothing injurious to his kingdom, to his honor, or to his rights; and God forgive all those who have thirsted, without cause, for my blood."

With much difficulty, and after many entreaties, she prevailed on the two earls, to allow Melvil, together

Rank, distinction, order, degree of office.

King. How was Mary related to the king of France ?

See app.

Duke, first title of nobility, officer next to the king. .Magnanimous, noble, exalted, generous.

Temperately, moderately, frugally, with temperance. Recommended to, mentioned as worthy of, or entitled to.

Drank to, pledged by drinking.

Failed, been remiss, manifested unfaithfulness.

Wonted, accustomed, usual.

Retired, withdrew, secluded herself.

Devotion, prayer, pious meditation.

.Sheriff, first executive officer in the county.

Mein, aspect, appearance, demeanor.

Undismayed, unterrified, unappalled; from dismay.

Leaning, reclining for support, bending.

Dressed, arrayed, habited.

Habit, apparel, dress, suit, clothing.

Festival, feasting, relating to feasts.

-Foot, bottom, twelve inches.

.Neighboring, circumjacent; from neighbor.
Secluded, withdrawn, shut out, secreted.
.Presence, sight, state of being present.
Mistress, woman whom he obeyed, queen.
Bewailing, lamenting, repining at, bemoaning.
Fate, lot, destiny, situation, fortune.

-Account, notice, information, is made responsible.
Rejoicing. What was the cause for rejoicing?
Delivered, freed, given up, betrayed.

.Tedious, long continued, producing weariness.
Constant, faithful, unwavering, standing firm.
Fidelity, faithfulness, loyalty, devotedness.

France. Why had she peculiar affection for France?
Son. Who was her son? James I. of England.

Thirsted. Whence this figure?

Prevailed on, influence, had success with.

-Scaffold, place erected for the execution.

Erected, built, raised, put up.

-Tried, brought to trial, attempted, passed through

danger.

with three of her men servants, and two of her maids, to attend her on the scaffold. It was erected in the same hall where she had been tried, raised a little above the floor, and covered, as well as the chair, the cushion, and 'block, with black cloth. Mary mounted the steps with alacrity, beheld all this apparatus of death with an unaltered countenance, and signing herself with the cross, she sat down in the chair. Beale read the warrant for execution with a loud voice, to which she listened with a careless air, and like one occupied with other thoughts. Then the dean of Peterborough began a devout discourse, suitable to her present condition, and offered up prayers to heaven in her behalf. When the dean had finished his devotions, she, with an audible voice, and in the English tongue, recommended unto God the afflicted state of the church, and prayed for prosperity to her son, and for a long life and peaceable reign to Elizabeth. She declared that she hoped for mercy only through the death of Christ. "As thy arms, O Jesus, were extended on the cross, so with the outstretched arms of thy mercy receive me, and forgive my sins.'

She then prepared for the block, by taking off her veil, and upper garments; and one of the executioners rudely endeavoring to assist, she gently checked him, and said, with a smile, that she had not been accustomed to undress before so many spectators, nor to be served by such valets. With calm but undaunted fortitude, she laid her neck on the block; and while one executioner held her hands, the other, at the second stroke, cut off her head, which, falling out of its attire, discovered her hair already grown quite gray with cares and sorrows. The executioner held it up still streaming with blood, and the dean crying out, 'So perish all queen Elizabeth's enemies,' the earl of Kent alone answered, Amen. The rest of the spectators continued silent, and drowned in tears; being incapable at that moment of any other sentiment but those of pity or admiration.

None of her women were suffered to come near her dead body, which was carried into the room adjoining to the place of execution, where it lay for some days, covered with a coarse cloth torn from a billiard table.