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
“You whom I hold most dear in the world I bid you farewell, being on
the point of being put to death by an unjust judgment, such a one as
never any belonging to our race yet suffered, much less one of my rank.
But praise God, my good cousin; for, situated as I have been, I was
useless to the world in the cause of God and his Church; but I hope
that my death will bear witness of my constancy in the faith and my
readiness to die for the support and restoration of the Catholic Church
in this unfortunate island. And though executioner never yet dipped
his hand in our blood, be not ashamed, my friend; for the judgment of
these heretics and enemies of the Church, and who have no jurisdiction
over me, a free Queen, is profitable before God to the children of
His Church, which, had I not adhered to, this stroke had been spared
me. All those of our house have been persecuted by this sect; witness
your good father, with whom I hope to be received in mercy by the just
Judge. I recommend then to you all my poor servants, the discharge of
my debts, and the founding of some annual obit for my soul; not at
your expense, but to make such solicitation and arrangements as shall
be requisite to fulfil my intentions, which you will be informed of by
my poor disconsolate servants, eye-witnesses of this my last tragedy.
May God prosper your wife, children, brothers, and cousins, and all
belonging to them. May the blessing of God and that which I should
give to my own children be upon yours, whom I commend to God not less
sincerely than my own unfortunate and deluded son. You will receive
tokens (rings) from me to remind you to have prayers said for the soul
of your poor cousin, destitute of all aid and counsel but that of God,
who gives me strength and courage to withstand alone so many wolves
howling after me; to God be the glory! Believe in particular a person
who will give you in my name a ruby ring, for I assure you upon my
conscience that this person will tell you the truth agreeably to my
desire, especially as to what concerns my poor servants and the share
of each. I have suffered much for the last two years and upwards, but
have not been able to inform you of it for an important reason. God be
praised for all things, and may He give you grace to persevere in the
service of His Church so long as you live, and may that honour never
depart from our race, that all of us may be ready to shed our blood in
the defence of the faith regardless of all other worldly interests.
For my own part, I think myself born both on the father's and mother's
side to offer up my blood for it, and have no intention to degenerate.
May Jesus crucified for us and all the holy martyrs render us by their
intercession worthy of the free-will offering of our bodies for His
glory. Thinking to degrade me, they took down my canopy, and my keeper
afterwards came and offered to write to the Queen, saying that this
act had not been done by her command but by the advice of some of her
council.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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