“_Tuesday, 7th February._—Several arrived, amongst whom was the Sheriff, as we thought; after dinner the Earls of Kent and Shrewsbury, at whose coming we were greatly astonished and in great fear, having for three days imagined all kinds of things as to Her Majesty's end, fearing the blow was certain. They sent asking an audience of her. She answered that she was in bed, but if they were much pressed she would get up if they gave her a little time. After hearing that it was of great importance, she prepared to receive them in her chamber, at the foot of her bed, namely, the two earls, with Beale, Paulet, and Drury (Shrewsbury with head uncovered), together with the others, who did not uncover all the time they spoke to her. Shrewsbury began to say that Elizabeth had sent them to tell her that after having acted honourably in her affairs of which she was accused, and found guilty and therefore condemned, he had been sent by the Queen in order that she might hear her sentence read. He, Kent, and Beale had been commissioned to put it into execution. Thereupon Beale commenced to read a writing on parchment with the Great Seal of England and yellow wax hanging therefrom, in which Her Majesty was named “Marie Stuart, daughter of James V., formerly called Queen of Scotland and Dowager of France,” etc. This being read, Her Majesty firmly, and without emotion, answered that she thanked them for news so welcome; that they did her a great benefit in retiring her from this world, with which she was quite content because of the misery she saw in it, being in continual affliction, and of no use or profit to anyone. She had long expected this, and had waited for it from day to day for eighteen years. She was Queen born and Queen anointed, near relation to the Queen of England, granddaughter of Henry VII., and had had the honour to be Queen of France. Throughout her life she had only had misfortune, and she was very glad that it had pleased God, by their means, to take her away from so many troubles; she was ready and willing to shed her blood in the cause of God, her Saviour, her Creator, as also the Catholic Church, for the maintenance of which she had always done what was possible; loving the Queen her good sister and the island as dearly as herself, as she had often shown, having offered in every way to take order, so that everything should come to a good issue and be arranged peacefully. She had always been rejected, thrust back—held prisoner without having merited it, having come of her own free will into the country in hope of succour. With the Queen she was in full agreement, and might have arranged everything so that each would have been content if she had been allowed an interview. And at last Her Majesty swore on the Bible, which she had near her, that she had neither sought nor attempted the death of the Queen nor of any other person. She was told by Shrewsbury and Kent that this Bible was the version of the Pope, and therefore it did not count.