Introduction

Calendar of State Papers, Scotland: Volume 9, 1586-88. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1915.

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'Introduction', in Calendar of State Papers, Scotland: Volume 9, 1586-88, (London, 1915) pp. ix-xiv. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/scotland/vol9/ix-xiv [accessed 24 March 2024]

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INTRODUCTION.

The documents which have been calendared in the present 1586. volume cover the period from the 10th of September 1586 to 10th March 1588–89.

Mary had been carried back to Chartley Manor House about' the 21st of December 1585, and was deprived of the services of her Secretaries Nau and Curll, who were apprehended under an order dated 9th August 1586. After being taken to Tixall Mary was brought back to Chartley on the 25th of August 1586.

On the 10th of December 1586, Nau drew up a long declaration setting forth, amongst other things, that Mary had heard that the King of Spain was preparing an army which the Spanish Ambassador hoped would set her at liberty, and that neither she nor any person about her knew anything further concerning the practices of Babington and the other conspirators than what was contained in Babington's letter to her of July 1586 (Vol. VIII., No. 646). "This accursed " letter," Nau states, " came by mischance upon the grievous "resentment that the said Queen of Scotland had at seeing "herself separated from the King her son, neglected in the "league made separately with him, and deprived, as she was "informed, of her pretended right in the succession of the "said Queen of England." This declaration is stated by Burleigh to contain things of no importance. (fn. 1)

In the autumn of 1586 Babington's plot had been discovered. Walsingham had been informed by Foley, one of Mary's accomplices, of the entire plot to liberate her. None of the conspirators was actuated by any other motive than to effect the liberty of the Queen who had been undergoing torture during the whole of her long captivity. Some of them were tried as traitors on the 13th and executed on the 20th of September 1586. The rest were tried on the 15th and executed on the 21st. Babington wrote a letter to Elizabeth confessing his guilt and imploring her not to visit his family with the deserts of his treachery. (fn. 2)

Sir Amias Powlet was ordered by Walsingham to seize all Mary's money at Chartley. This order was duly carried out by Powlet, who, with Mr. Richard Bagot, entered Mary's chamber and found her in bed, suffering from severe illness and bereft of the use of one of her hands. She at first refused to deliver the key of her cabinet to Powlet; but when he summoned his servants and called for bars to break the door, she yielded and directed that the door should be opened. Powlet was also ordered to send away Mary's servants. They were shut up in rooms and forbidden to come out. (fn. 3)

Powlet mentions in a letter to Walsingham, dated the 15th of September, that Mary was willing to move from Chartley, as she hoped when she was near London to hear often from the French Ambassador. (fn. 4) On the 25th September Powlet informed Walsingham that he had arrived at Fotheringay. (fn. 5)

The thirty-six Commissioners appointed for Mary's trial arrived at Fotheringay on the 11th October. The next day Sir Walter Mildmay, Powlet, and Edward Barker were sent by them to deliver to Mary a letter from Elizabeth. Mary's answer to this letter was that she was sorry her good sister was so misinformed concerning her; that she had forewarned Elizabeth of dangers and was not believed; and that she was a Queen and would not prejudice her rank and state by answering according to the effect of Elizabeth's letter. Further, she said that she was ignorant of the laws of England: her papers had been taken away from her, and nobody dared to speak in her behalf. She protested she was innocent, had not encouraged anyone to hurt Elizabeth, and "remitted "herself and her cause to foreign Princes." (fn. 6)

On the afternoon of the same day Powlet and Barker delivered to Mary a copy of the answers she made in the forenoon to Elizabeth's letter, and asked her if she wished to maintain her answers. Mary replied that the answers were correct, but she desired to add that she had enjoyed no protection from the laws of England, inasmuch as she had been kept under the restraint of a prisoner. (fn. 7)

On the 13th the Lord Chancellor (Bromley) and Burghley told Mary that neither "her pretended captivity" nor her claim as a Queen could exempt her from prosecution under the laws of England. In case she refused to plead, the Commissioners would proceed to hear the cause against her without further intimation. Mary replied that she was no subject and would "rather dye then make her selfe one." (fn. 8)

On the 14th of October Mary's trial commenced before the Commissioners in the great chamber of Fotheringay Castle. At the trial no attempt was made by the prosecutors to explain by what law she was detained as a prisoner in England. She was charged with compassing Elizabeth's death and with being privy and consenting to the conspiracies of Babington and John Ballard. Her answer was that she never saw or knew Babington, and that she never received or wrote the letters which were produced against her. She denied that she ever attempted or knew of any conspiracy to kill Elizabeth; but she confessed that by Babington's means she had received intelligence. (fn. 9)

Nau and Curll were both examined subsequently before the Commissioners. Curll confessed that the letter written by Babington to Mary and the draft of Mary's answer were burnt by her command. (fn. 10)

Amongst the letters used by the prosecution were some from Charles Paget, Thomas Morgan, and the Spanish Ambassador, Bernardino de Mendoza.

The Commissioners adjourned the further hearing of the matter to the 25th of October, on which day they met in the Star Chamber at Westminster and pronounced judgment and sentence against Mary.

On the 12th of November both Houses of Parliament begged Elizabeth to carry out forthwith the sentence pronounced by the Commissioners. Elizabeth in her reply said that her life had been sought and that it grieved her that one of her own kin had fallen into so great a crime. She reproached the Parliament with forcing her by their last Act to give direction for Mary's death, prayed God to illuminate her understanding, and said they should have her resolution "with all convenience." (fn. 11)

On the 4th of December a Proclamation was issued by Elizabeth concerning the sentence against Mary, (fn. 12) and Lord Buckhurst and Robert Beale were despatched to Fotheringay to announce the sentence to her.

There are two copies of the Warrant for Mary's execution preserved in the British Museum, both of which are dated on the 1st of February 1586–87. (fn. 13)

On the 7th of February Mary was warned to prepare for her execution on the following day. (fn. 14) To the Earl of Kent and others she utterly denied conspiring with Babington, and, in reply to a charge that the depositions of Nau and Curll proved it against her, she replied that she accused none, and asked whether servants had not been known before that to accuse their mistress. (fn. 15)

On the 8th of February 1586–87, Mary was beheaded in the hall of Fotheringay Castle in the presence of the Earls of Kent and Shrewsbury, Sir Robert Melville, the Dean of Peterborough, and some of her attendants, and on the following day the news had spread throughout London.

Elizabeth, in a letter to James VI., stated that "that "miserable accident" was contrary to her intention, (fn. 16) and Sir Robert Carey, "this kinsman of mine," was sent to Scotland to make her excuses. Mr. William Davison, who was made the scapegoat, was committed to the Tower of London, whence, on the 20th of February 1586–87, he sent 1586–87. to Walsingham a report of what had passed between Elizabeth and himself concerning Mary. (fn. 17)

Philip II. had offered to lend James money for the support of 30,000 soldiers if he would make war against Elizabeth. (fn. 18) The news of the arrival of the Spanish Armada off the west coast of England was conveyed to Mr. William Asheby, the English Ambassador in Scotland, by letter from Walsingham dated the 24th of July 1588. (fn. 19) James received the news on the 31st, and returned in post to Edinburgh, resolved to reject all offers made by Philip. (fn. 20)

Towards the close of the volume there are interesting accounts of the wreck of some of the ships of the Armada on the coast of Scotland. The survivors from some of the ships, including a nephew of the Duke of Modena—Don Antonio, illegitimate nephew of Henry, King of Portugal—were detained in Edinburgh, where they were hospitably treated.

The decision with regard to the marriage of James VI. and the Princess Anne of Denmark was arrived at early in February 1588–89. (fn. 21)

The chief events which happened during the period included in this volume are as follows:—

14th September 1586. The trial of Anthony Babington and others. (P. 19.)

20th September 1586. Confessions of Ballard, Babington, and others. (P. 25.)

[Sept.] 1586. Declaration of Mary. (P. 59.)

25th October 1586. Sentence against Mary. (P. 109.)

12th November 1586. Elizabeth's speech. (P. 152.)

8th February 1586–87. Execution of Mary. (Pp. 273 and 276.)

14th February 1586–87. Mr. William Davison in the Tower of London. (P. 293.)

28th March 1587. Proceedings against Mr. William Davison. (Pp. 346–355.)

[May] 1588. Scottish Lords decide to resist the Spaniards. (P. 561.)

15th July 1588. Mr. William Asheby, English Ambassador, arrives at Edinburgh. (P. 582.)

24th July 1588. Spanish Armada off the west coast of England. (P. 585.)

3rd August 1588. Offers by Spain to James VI. (Pp. 589 and 593.)

8th August 1588. Arrest of Lord Maxwell. (P. 592.)

September and November 1588. Spanish ships wrecked on the coast of Scotland. (Pp. 618, 619, and 635.)

27th, 28th, and 30th August 1588. Sir Robert Sidney's embassage. (Pp. 601–606.)

26th November 1588. Spaniards wrecked on the Orkney Islands coming to Edinburgh. (P. 638.)

29th December 1588. Spaniards from the Armada at Edinburgh. (P. 656.)

4th January 1588–89. Duke of Guise's death announced. (P. 665.)

WILLIAM K. BOYD.

London, November 1915.

Footnotes

  • 1. Pp. 1 to 6.
  • 2. Pp. 9 and 10.
  • 3. Pp. 6 to 8.
  • 4. P. 20.
  • 5. P. 48.
  • 6. Pp. 96 and 97.
  • 7. P.97.
  • 8. Pp. 98 to 100.
  • 9. Pp. 143 to 145.
  • 10. P. 145.
  • 11. Pp. 152 and 153.
  • 12. Pp. 180 to 182.
  • 13. P. 262.
  • 14. P. 270.
  • 15. P. 272.
  • 16. P. 285.
  • 17. P. 287.
  • 18. P. 485.
  • 19. P. 585.
  • 20. P. 589.
  • 21. P. 677.