Barker knelt before Mary and read aloud the letter, which, Bourgoing tells us, was reported in "good style," and with no omission save the passage in which Mary expressed her desire to see Elizabeth. Mary signified her approval of the letter, and observed that she wished now to reply to those points of her cousin's letter which in her trouble and agitation had before escaped her. She repeated that she did not consider herself under the protection of the Queen; that she had not come into England for refuge, but to obtain assistance; and that, notwithstanding the promise of help from Elizabeth, she had been made prisoner and detained by force. She was not, she said, subject to the laws of England, which are made for the English and such as come to reside in England, whereas she had always been dealt with as a captive and had had no advantage from the laws, nor had she been in subjection to them. She had always kept her own religion, which was not that of England, and she had lived according to her own usages, to all of which no objection had been made. Here Sir Amyas, "appearing to show himself more considerate," bade the Queen remember that he had no orders either to listen to her or to report her words; but Barker, "whispering in his ear," assured him that he could let her speak, and add her words and anything else he wished to the report. Paulet did not, however, avail himself of this piece of advice, and thus the interview ended. On the following morning, about ten o'clock, just as the Queen was seated at table for her early dinner, Sir Amyas, Barker, and Stallenge came to inquire whether she would be pleased to see the Commissioners, as they desired to speak with her. Mary expressed her willingness to receive them, and accordingly several members, chosen from the different orders of peers, privy-councillors, and lawyers, entered her presence, one by one, with great ceremony, preceded by an usher bearing the great seal of England. The Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Bromley, speaking in the name of all, announced that they had come by command of the Queen of England their mistress, who, being informed that the Queen of Scotland was charged with complicity in a conspiracy against her person and state, had commissioned them to examine her on several points concerning this matter. He further reminded Mary that the Commission was authorised by letters patent thus to interrogate her; and concluded by remarking that as neither her rank as sovereign nor her condition as prisoner could exempt her from obedience to the laws of England, he recommended Her Majesty to listen in person to the accusations about to be brought against her, as, should she refuse, the Commissioners would be obliged in law to proceed against her in her absence.