It is difficult to read this _Journal_ without emotion, more particularly when we think that the Royal victim had committed no crime and was absolutely innocent of any plot affecting the life of the Queen of England. After the kidnapping outrage her execution was clearly decided upon in the mind of Elizabeth, and it would have been better to have had the execution then than to have tormented Mary for another six months. No sooner was this outrage completed than the first step towards the death of Mary was taken, under date 13th September, as recorded by Bourgoyne, when her personal servants, part of her household, were separated from her by force, and they never saw her again. On the 9th October following the remainder were separated from her in the same offensive way, and only her four maids of honour were left to attend her. Four days after this the commissioners arrived from London to undertake the trial, which lasted three days, a trial that was remarkable for its illegal procedure:— (_a_) By refusing to permit the accused to be defended by counsel. (_b_) Compelling the accused to defend herself. (_c_) Refusing to surrender to the accused her own papers to enable her to make her defence; which papers were surreptitiously seized by Elizabeth's order some time previously. (_d_) For having its decision “cut and dry” before the trial took place. These points have all been proved up to the hilt. The trial was undoubtedly the greatest farce in English history, and we think would be very generally denounced by the English people as an outrage on their national honour and an event that materially affected the prestige of their country. Had the vilest criminal been sentenced to death he would have been treated with indulgence and kindness up to his execution. Not so Queen Mary. In the estimation of Elizabeth no amount of torture was too much to administer, and she compelled it to be administered. It is evident from the record that Paulet had _carte blanche_ after the sentence to treat her with greater severity than ever. On the 19th November she wished to send a letter to Elizabeth respecting her will and arrangements for her funeral, and on Paulet being asked to forward it he replied that “he must first read it before it was sealed, as she (Queen Mary) might put something within of which he wished to be assured because of his mistress.” On 19th December Paulet was so insolent as to warn her “that it was her duty to thank the Queen (Elizabeth) for favours since her arrival in England and since, as she was much indebted to her!” On 12th January Paulet informed her that he could send no letters of hers to the Court without being authorised to do so. Mary wished to know if he had letters prohibiting him from sending her letters, but he replied that he could not answer particular questions; and so the torture of the poor captive was carried on from day to day.