Stewart Books, Warrender Papers

10 February 1587. The mannour of the execution of our soveraigne Lady Marie Queene of Scotts whoe was cruellie putt to death in England att Fothrengham Castle the 8 Febr. 1586.

It being certified the 6 of February last to the said Queene by the Earle of Shrewsbery and the Earle of Kent, and also by Sir Amyas Paulett and Sir Drue Drurye her governours, that shee seemed not terrified or dismayed in anie her outward gesturs or behaviour but rather with smilinge and pleasinge countenance and merie cheere, dis- gested and embraced the said admonitions, and prepared her (as shee said) to her unexpect[ed] execution, sayinge that her deathe should be noe lesse welcome unto her then if shee had lived and possessed the greatest kingdome one the earthe, and therfore becaus shee perceaved herselfe enabled by Gods spirit to dye christianlyke in the christian catholicke faithe, mean[ing] the faith professed in the Church of Rome; usinge these words withall, that that soule was to farr unworthie the fruicion of the joye of heavin whose presence (meaninge the bodie) would not in this wourld be contented to endure the stroke of an executioner for a moment: and, that spoken, wept bitterlie and became silent.

The said 8 day of February being come and the time and place appointed [for] the execution as aforesaid, the said Queene being of stature tall [and] corpulent, somewhat roundlie shouldred, her face fatt and broad, double chinned, hasell eyed and blacke haired,' wore a lace-edged headdress, an Agnus Dei about her neck, had a crucifix in her hand, and beads at her girdle with a golden cross at the end of them, and wore also a lawn veil. She was dressed in a black satin printed gown with a train and long sleeves to the ground.

Beneath she wore a kirtle of figured black satin, a petticoat bodice of crimson satin and skirt of erimson velvet. Her shoes were of Spanish leather with the rough side out, her garters, green silk, 'her nether stockings' woollen, her upper stockings silk trimmed with silver.

Thus apparelled, and with cheerful demeanour, the Queen was 'caried and supported oute of her chamber into an entry next the greate hall by one of Sir Amyas Paulets cheefe gentlemen, Mr. Andrewes the heighe sherife going before.' She 'verie willinglie' proceeded to the place of her execution where she was met by the Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent, by her custodians, Paulet and Drury, 'and divers knyghts and gentlemen of accompt.' Here Melville, one of her servants, kneeling before her in grief and tears, exclaimed that he was the unhappiest of men to be the messenger of 'such unspeakable sorrowe and heavines as I shalbe when I shall report that my gracious Queene and Mistris is beheaded in England.' Tears drowned further speech, and his mistress 'lykewise pouringe out her dyinge teares,' answered him.

She exhorted him to be of good cheer, because she was nearing the end of her troubles in this world of vanities and sorrows; and bade him declare how she died true to her religion and 'a true woman of Scotland and France.' Might God forgive them who thirsted for her death. She solemnly averred that she 'was ever willinge that Scotland and England should be united togeather,' and desired to be commended to her son. To the 'state and kingdom of Scotland' she had done nothing prejudicial. Then with tears she kissed 'good Melvin' farewell, beseeching his prayers.

Thereafter she turned to the lords, to ask some requests of them. One was about a sum of money for her servant Curle; another, that her servants might enjoy their legacies in peace. Sir Amyas Paulet assured her that he knew about the money and that she could put her mind at rest. Then she requested that her servants might attend her at her death, so that they might 'behold howe patientlie theire Queene and Mistris shall endure her execution and that therby they may be able to make relacioun when they come into theire cuntries howe I died a true constant catholicke in my religion.'

To this the Earl of Kent answered that her desire could not well be granted. It was feared that their behaviour would have a disturbing effect, and that they 'would putt some trumperouse superstitioun in practice,' as, for example, by dipping their handkerchiefs in her blood. The Queen replied that she would answer for them, that they would do none of these things. They, poor souls, would wish to bid their mistress farewell, and surely the Queen of England 'beinge a Maiden Queene will vouchsafe in regard of womanhood that I shall have some of my owen people about me at my deathe.' Seeing, however, that she could not easily obtain her request, 'of meere greefe' she burst into tears, saying that she was the cousin of the Queen, descended of the royal blood of England, 'a maried Queene of France, and anoynted Queene of Scotland.'

Whereupon, after consultation, it was decided at her carnest entreaty to let her have 'halfe a dozen of her best beloved men and weomen.' Of her men she chose Melville, her apothecary and her surgeon, and one other old man; of her women she chose ‘those 2 of her bed chamber.'

After this, being supported by Sir Amyas Paulet's chief gentleman, and with Melville bearing her train, accompanied by the above lords, knights and gentlemen, preceded by the sheriff, she passed into the hall, and 'with an unapaled countenance, without anie terrour of the place the persons or the preparaciouns of her deathe, steps up to the scaffold.'

The Earl of Shrewsbury sat on her right, the Earl of Kent on her left, the two executioners stood opposite, and the knights, gentlemen and others stood around the rails of the scaffold. Then silence being made, Mr. Beale, clerk of the council, read the Queen's commission, at the end of which the assembly cried, 'God save the Queen.' The Queen of Scots listened in silence with a careless mien as if the commission concerned her not at all, or as if it had been her pardon. Then Dr. Fletcher, dean of Peterborough, standing beyond the rail, began his exhortation, but she interrupted him, saying she was resolved to spend her blood in defence of the ‘ancient catholicke Romane religion.' He exhorted her to repent and be saved; and then the two executioners knelt to ask her forgiveness.

Thereupon they began to unrobe her. She laid her crucifix upon the stool, and when one of the governors took the Agnus Dei from her neck, she seized it, saying she would give it to one of her women and that the executioner should be paid for it. During the whole course of the unrobing she maintained 'a kynd of gladnes and smiling,' lent a helping hand, and made pleasantries about ‘such groomes to make her unready.'

At length when she was 'stripped of her apparell savinge her petticoat and kertle,' her women fell into 'such a mournfull and lamentable plight,' that she embraced and blessed them, exhorting them to pray for her and rejoice that she had come to the end of her troubles.

Then she turned to her menservants, who were standing on a bench near the scaffold, weeping, crossing themselves and praying in Latin. She likewise crossed them, bade them farewell and besought their prayers 'even to the last hower.'

That done, one of her women folded a Corpus Christi cloth cornerwise, kissed it, and with it bound her mistress's head. Then the two women retired mournfully, and the Queen, kneeling on the cushion, recited, in Latin, the psalm In te Domine confido.

Again and again she entreated Mr. Dean to trouble her no further, because she was determined to die staunch to her own religion. When the Earls offered to pray for her, she thanked them, 'but to joyne in prayer with you my lords, who are not of one and the same religion with me, yt were a sinne and I will not doe yt.'

Then Mr. Dean was bidden again to pray, but the Queen 'furnished with her superstitious trumperie' began with tears and in a ‘loud voice and verie fastlie to pray in Lattin and never harkned to Mr. Deane.' At one time when 'by reason of over much weepinge and mourninge as yt seemed, shee began to slyd from the stoole' she continued her prayers on her knees. When the Dean had finished she went on to pray for the Church, for her son, for the Queen of England, and for her enemies.

Thereafter, having kissed the crucifix and made her confession, she groped for the block, and quietly laid down her head, stretching out her arms and legs, and crying three or four times, In manus tuas Domine recommendo spiritum meu.

At last, one of the executioners held her 'slightlie with one of his hands,' while the other with two strokes of his axe severed her head 'savinge ane litle grisle.' When this had also been cut off, he held up her head, crying, 'God save the Queen.' Then the lawn dressing fell away, whereupon her head 'appeared as graye as if shee had bine 60 and tenne yeares old, her face beinge in a moment soe much altered from the forme which shee had when shee was alyve.' ... 'Her lipps stirred up and doune almost an quarter of an hower, after her head was cutt off.'

Then Mr. Dean said, 'Soe perishe all the queens enimies,' and the Earl of Kent, standing beside the dead body, wished likewise.

Then one of the executioners, in pulling off her shoes, found her little dog hidden under her clothes. It 'could not be gotten furth but by force, and afterward would not depart from the dead corps but came and ley betwixe her head and shoulders, a thinge diligentlie noted.' The dog was carried away to be washed of the blood-stains. All things blood-marked were washed, except such as were buried¹. The executioners were paid entirely in money, 'not havinge anie one thinge that belonged unto her.'

Afterwards the hall was cleared except for the Sheriff and his men, who carried the body into a 'greate chamber' to be embalmed by the surgeons.

'And thus I hope I have certified your honour of all circumstances as hapned by her, or anie other at her deathe, of which things manie might well have bine omitted as not worth the notinge, yet becaus your honour desyred to knowe all, I have certified all. Soe rests att your Honouris command and take my leave from this 10 February 1586.'

Copy, 7 pp. Vol. A, 192.

This is in substance the Narration of Richard Wingfield, printed in Trial of Mary Queen of Scots (A. F. Steuart), pp. 173-184. Various accounts of the Queen's death, all more or less similar, are to be found in C.S.P., ix.; Historical MSS. Commission, 9th Report, Part 1, p- 867; Ellis, Original Letters, 2nd series, vol. iii., p. 113; Maxwell Scott, The Tragedy of Fotheringay, 249-265.