Those who had none could not have the true version, but interpreted them at their own will. If they wished to judge her according to these laws, she would like to have people from these universities, so as not to be judged by lawyers who served the laws of England. She told them that she saw quite well they rejected the civil and canonical law and wished to subject her to the laws of the country. She did not know these laws; it was not her profession, and they had taken away her means of learning them. Kings and princes had people near them versed in these, she had none; they had taken them away, therefore she desired to be informed how they were in the habit of acting toward those similarly situated. They said if she pleased she might hear the judges and lawyers who had come; she could then learn what was the law on this point. At first she was content until she perceived by Burghley's proposal that they meant her to understand that she had a bad case, that she was subject to the laws, and that they had a right to cause her to be judged by them. She, seeing that she could not remonstrate with them without humiliating herself, refused to hear them further. They proposed the reading of the other commission. She refused the request, suspecting that they were making laws expressly to convict her, and that they wished to dispossess her of her right of succession to the kingdom. She was answered that they were indeed new laws, and that they were as just and equitable as any others before God and justice; that she knew well it was necessary from time to time to abrogate some and to make others. She replied that the new laws could not affect her, being a stranger and not subject to them. She confessed to being a Catholic, and for that religion she wished to die and shed the last drop of her blood; that she was ready, and would esteem herself happy if God would give her grace to die in this cause. They, astonished at the firmness of her attitude, pressed her no longer and reserved their answer. She asked for the protest she had made at Sheffield. The Chancellor and the Treasurer read the duplicate as they had promised in the morning at her request when they had presented the original, but would not leave it with her as they had no authority to do so. They confessed that the Chancellor took it, being one of the deputies at Sheffield in the cause of the Duke of Norfolk. He had taken charge of her and represented her, but it had never been received nor approved, and she would not make use of it. The Queen of England had a right in her kingdom over everyone who plotted against her without respect of quality or dignity; at the same time one could see how honourably the Queen had proceeded, having chosen such an honourable company of lords and nobles of the kingdom, commissioners to proceed in this matter, assuring her that nothing had been done against her; they were not judges, only examiners.