Your letters of yesterday coming to my hands this present day at five in the afternoon, I would not fail, according to your directions, to return my answer with all possible speed, which (_sic_) shall deliver unto you with great grief and bitterness of mind, in that I am so unhappy to have lived to see this unhappy day, in the which I am required by direction from my most gracious sovereign to do an act which God and the law forbiddeth. My good livings and life are at Her Majesty's disposition, and am ready to so lose them this next morrow if it shall so please her, acknowledging that I hold them as of her mere and most gracious favour, and do not desire them to enjoy them, but with her Highness's good liking. But God forbid that I should make so foul a shipwreck of my conscience, or leave so great a blot to my poor posterity, to shed blood without law or warrant. Trusting that Her Majesty, of her accustomed clemency, will take this my dutiful answer in good part (and the rather by your good mediation), as proceeding from one who will never be inferior to any Christian subject living in duty, honour, love, and obedience towards his sovereign. And thus I commit you to the mercy of the Almighty.--Your most assured poor friends, A. PAULET. D. DRURY. _From_ FOTHERINGAY, _2nd February 1586._ Your letters coming in the plural number seem to be meant as to Sir Drue Drury as to myself, and yet because he is not named in them, neither the letter directed unto him, he forbeareth to make any particular answer, but subscribeth in heart to my opinion. On the morning of 3rd February Elizabeth summoned Davison again to her presence, and inquired sharply whether he had taken the warrant of execution to the Chancellor. On his replying that he had done so, the Queen, in a brusque and severe tone, asked why he had been in such a hurry. "I obeyed your Majesty's orders," timidly replied Davison, "and I thought there should be no delay in an affair of so much importance." "It is true," returned Elizabeth, "but it seems to me that there may be a better and a surer way of ending the matter." To which Davison answered, that as the execution was to take place, the most honourable way was also the most sure.[97] [Footnote 97: "2 Feb. Davison sent word to R.B. (Robert Beale) at 11 o'clock at night to meet him at Walsin'm's house next morning.