The Last Days of Mary Stuart, and the journal of Bourgoyne her physicianCowan, Samuel
History
The Last Days of Mary Stuart, and the journal of Bourgoyne her physician
Cowan, Samuel
Mary, Queen of Scots, 1542-1587 -- Death and burial
10. A dove in a cage, and, above, an eagle ready to devour it—from
which (bird) this device escapes—in Italian—
“Male pareo, ma peggiora temeo.”
“I seem in evil plight, but I fear worse.”
10A. An upright ship in a stormy sea, sails, masts, and ropes broken,
ready to founder.
“Nunquam mei vector.”
“Never the bearer of me.”
11. Un bouclier comme fiche en haut, au dessus une espée. A shield as
support above, a sword underneath.
“Aut hoc aut super hoc.”
“Either with this shield or upon it.”
(The Greek warrior brought home dead on his shield.)
12. A tree called Picea (dwarf-pine) and a fallen cedar, like this
sketch—
“Floret picea quod cedrus cecidit.”
“The dwarf-pine flourishes now that the cedar has fallen.”
(The allusion is to Elizabeth.)
13. An eagle's wing among many small feathers partly tinted red (or
tinged with red) and tattered.
“Magnatum vicinitas.”
“The semblance of the nobles.”
(The great ones of Mary's time were bloodstained and petty: the eagle's
wing indicates the Queen.)
14. A vine root and hand grasping another branch or root, above them
the legend—
“Virescit volucri virtus.”
“Strength grows to the bird.”
“The bird gains strength”: not “volucr_e_” but “volucr_i_.”
15. At the end of a valley a large oak broken and dismantled by the
wind, also a sapling (or shrub) (qui d'en saut), which springs out of
it.
“Ut superis visum.”
“As seen by those above” (_i.e._ by Heaven).
16. Une colonne d'or demye: a split golden column.
“Idem intus et extra.”
“The same within and without.”
17. Deux corones en tronc (two crowns on a tree-trunk), et une au
ciel (and one in the sky), this one made of stars and flames flowing
(flammes de feu decoulantes).
“Manet ultima cœlo.”
“The last (crown) awaits in heaven.”
18. Another crown like the preceding, but that it resembles the two on
earth.
“Aliaque moratur.”
“The other tarries.”
Not “alia_m_” but “ali_a_”: the other crown tarries.
19. A queen at the foot of a cross, crown and sceptre beneath on the
sward, many double “Rã” (for “Regina.”)
“Undique Rã, Rã” (Regina, Regina).
“Everywhere a queen, a queen.”
20. Three seals pierced by an arrow.
“Dederit fortunam Deus ne.”
“Has God given (or sent) this fortune.”
21. A tree laden with crowns and sceptres mixed together, with
croziers, cardinals' hats, chains of precious stones, wallets for
bread, beneath it is a woman with her eyes bandaged, having in her hand
a book.... (I suggest “elle va prendre de l'arbre,” she advances to
take from the tree.)
“Ut casus dederit.”
“As luck shall have bestowed,”
_or_, “As chance shall bestow.”
22. The order of the Annunciation, with these four capital letters
(lettres maiscules) F. E. R. I.
The rising sun. Motto—
“Quae cecidere resurgunt.”
“Things fallen rise again.”
23. A circle with triangle within.
“Trino non convenit orbis.”
“The circle does not suit the triangle.”
24. A great oak in wind storm: around the oak, the legend—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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