I know not when, nor in what manner, but at least you can feel assured and praise God for me that, by His grace, I had the _courage_ to receive this very unjust sentence of the heretics with contentment for the honour which I esteem it to be to me to shed my blood at the demand of the enemies of His Church; whilst they honour me so much as to say that theirs cannot exist if I live; and the other point (they affirm to be) that their Queen cannot reign in security--for the same reason. In both these "conditions" I, without contradicting them, accepted the honour they were so anxious to confer upon me, as very zealous in the Catholic religion, for which I had publicly offered my life; and as to the other matter, although I had made no attempt nor taken any action to remove her who was in the place, still as they reproached me with what is my right, and is so considered by all Catholics, as they say, I did not wish to contradict them, leaving it to them to judge. But they, becoming angry in consequence of this, told me that, do what I would, I should not die for religion, but for having wished to have their Queen murdered, which I denied to them as being very false, as I never attempted anything of the kind--but left it to God and the Church to settle everything for this island regarding religion and what depends upon it. This bearer[64] has promised me to relate to you how rigorously I have been treated by this people, and ill served by others, who I could wish had not so much shewn their fear of death in so just a quarrel--or their inordinate passions. Whereas from me they only obtained the avowal that I was a free queen, Catholic, obedient to the Church, and that for my deliverance I was obliged,--having tried for it by good means, without being able to obtain it--to procure it by the means which were offered to me, without approving (to all the means employed). [Footnote 64: The person referred to appears to have been Pierre Gorion, who took the letter to Mendoça, and presented him likewise with an interesting memoir of his mistress. See Teulet, vi. 500.] Nau has confessed all, Curle following his example; and all is thrown upon me. They threaten me if I do not ask for pardon, but I say, that as they have already destined me to death, they may proceed in their injustice, hoping that God will recompense me in the other world. And through spite, because I will not thus confess, they came the day before yesterday, Monday, to remove my dais, saying that I was no longer anything but a dead woman without any dignity.