with her own hand signed, nor could they produce anyone who had seen or received it, or had communicated or spoken with her. Besides, they knew when she was in her kingdom she had never molested anyone about their religion, trying always to win by mildness and clemency. It had been the cause of her ruin, her subjects becoming proud and abusing the good treatment she had given them. They complained that they had not been so well as they had been under her government. They were formerly in the hands of a traitor and tyrant, the Earl of Morton, who had tyrannised over them till the very end. Since the death of Morton they were scarcely any better, having been almost always in subjection to the English, and others who were traitors to their country. Of all that the foreign princes had undertaken or done on her behalf she washed her hands and had nothing to say. As to Chartley, she said she knew nothing; she had not heard of setting fire to it, but they had promised to deliver her, and owned that if the foreign princes had assembled it was to take her out of prison, from which she could not go without armed men to receive, defend, and conduct her; and if the Catholics had offered assistance, it was for their own interests. Being so wickedly treated, vexed, and afflicted in this kingdom, they had fallen into despair, wishing rather to die than live longer under such persecution; but so far as she was concerned, she knew nothing of it. They would be none the better of afflicting either them or her; she was only one person, and although she were dead neither the Catholics nor foreign princes would keep quiet if the English did not cease their persecutions. As regards taking the place of the Queen, the letters they had read in this assembly answered sufficiently for this if they would own it, because they declared expressly that she desired neither honour nor kingdom, and no schemes on her account. She only cared for the Catholics and the kingdom of God. She desired the deliverance of the former and the defence of the latter. They did not see that what they reproached her for was as to her justification, and she proved the contrary of what they laid to her charge, as was evident by the letters. She could not hinder her friends from sending her such letters as seemed good to them; that they knew in their conscience what they had done, but if they spoke as they wished, and desired her to be delivered, she could not blame them; and it was not for her to hinder them. It was not for her to reform the Pope. She thanked him and all Christian people, every nation and Catholic assembly, for the prayers they offered daily for her, and begged them to continue. As to the bull, she had offered to hinder the execution of it, and desired that the Pope should do nothing. Upon which Burghley asked if she had really power to do so; that in England they cared nothing for it, and took no account of the Pope or his doings. She asked them to cease persecuting