“are you charged by the King my brother to address me thus?” “Yes, madam, I have His Majesty's express commands to that effect.” “Have you that power signed by his hand?” “Yes, madam; the King my master has expressly commanded me and charged me by letter, signed by his own hand, to address to you remonstrances.” “I ask from you as much signed by your hand,” added she. Bellievre handed it to her at once, and immediately retired. He then prepared for his return to France, taking home with him only disgust at the course of events, and bitterly regretting that he had not been able to save the Queen of Scots.[14] This report of this famous interview gives us the substance of what was so eloquently said by the French Ambassador. [Illustration: BELLIEVRE, The French Ambassador who Silenced Queen Elizabeth. (By permission of BRAUN, CLÉMENT & CIE.)] In the following condensed narrative,[15] which is an extract from the official despatch of Bellievre to Henry III., we get the words of Elizabeth in brief, at both interviews:—“She burst into invectives against the Queen of Scots, recounting the evil that she had received from her and the good offices she had rendered her; that she had been compelled to come to the resolution that had been taken because it was impossible to save her own life and preserve that of the Scottish Queen; and that if we knew any means whereby she could find security for herself in preserving the Queen of Scots, she would be under great obligations to us, never having shed so many tears at the death of her father, of her brother King Edward, and of her sister Mary, as she had done over this unfortunate affair. The day before this audience Lord Buckhurst was sent to Fotheringay to announce the sentence of death to the Scottish Queen, and it has been said many times in London (though falsely) that they had already put the Queen to death.... Elizabeth gave another audience on the appointed day, Monday. We repeated the same prayer with all the urgency possible, and spoke in such a manner that we could not be heard except by her principal counsellors. But she rejoined in so loud a tone that we were put in pain because we were using prayer (as necessity required), and by her answer we could not but understand that our plaint was refused. Then lowering her voice she told us that she would wish us to be well advised, desiring the good of your Majesty, and that you could not do better than give shortly a good peace to your subjects, otherwise she could foresee great injury to your realm, which a great number of foreigners would enter in such sort that it would not be very easy to find a remedy for the evil. She returned to the subject of the Queen of Scots, saying that 'she had given us several days to consider of some means whereby she could preserve that princess's life without being in danger of losing her own; and not being yet satisfied on that point, nor having found any