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    948 ®t)C VLeattet. [Saturday ,

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    Philosophy Of The Water Cure. The Philos...

    his suspicions . This terrible phrase escapes her , "I have never seen him better or speak so humbly j and , if I had not known from experience that his heart in as soft as wax , and mine as hard as diamond , I should almost have taken pity on him . " And she took no pity ! If afterwards an expression of disgust escapes her at the part Bothell forces her to play , that disgust does not prevent her playing it : nay , she makes a claim upon his love out of the very horror of her deed . " Now , seeing to obey you , ray dear love , " she writes , " I spare neither honour , conscience , hazard , nor greatness whatsoever ,, take it , I pray you , in good part , and not after the interpretation of your false brother-in-law .

    to whom I pray you give no credit against the most faithful lover that ever you had or ever shall have . " Before we give the sentence which follows this , let us remind the reader that Bothwell was already married to Lady Jane Gordon , from whom he was trying to obtain a divorce . It will be seen that Mary wishes Bothwell to contrast the feigned tears ( artful phrase !) of the wife , with the devotion of the mistress— " See not her whose feigned tears should not be so much praised nor esteemed as the true and faithful travails which I sustain to merit her place , for the obtaining of which against my natural disposition I betray them that may hinder me . God forgive me ! " Yet in the face of this—and much more circumstantial evidence—there are critics so dazzled

    by her as to doubt her complicity in the murder . For ourselves , we have not only the most unalterable conviction of her guilt ; but we seem to read in her story nothing that can extenuate it ! she is a vulgar adulteress and murderess , hypocritical and heartless ; only her rank and the romance thrown around her history entitle this murder to a place in the causes celebres . Leaving this question , and addressing ourselves simply to Mignet's book as an accession to the mass of historical facts , we have only to echo the praises of all

    critics . It is the most complete in its facts , and the most impartial . Without approaching the standard we have in our minds , it is very welcome as an interesting collection of materials wherefrom a judgment may be drawn . The whole of the second volume is occupied with the account of Mary ' s captivity ; and as in this article we have dwelt mainly on the dark side of her character , we will close it with a passage wherein the romantic aspect shines forth—the denouement of her long captivity . Sentence had been pronounced : —

    " As for Mary , she was at the time confirmed to bed by her customary ailments . About two o ' clock , the two Earls desired to speak to her ; she sent them word that she was indisposed , but that she would rise if the business they had to communicate was pressing . Learning from them in reply that the business would not admit of delay , she dressed herself , and seating herself before a small work-table which stood at the foot of her bed , she awaited their approach with the greatest calmness . Her Avomen and the greater part of her servants were around her .

    J he urund Marshal of England , accompanied by the Earl of Kent , and followed by Beale , Paulet , and Drury , advanced uncovered , and , bowing respectfully to her , informed her that the sentence which had been ( signified , to her by Lord Huckhurst two months and a hall "before , muFt now he put into execution , the ( iueen their mistress being compelled thereto by the solicitations of her subjects . Mary listened to him without exhibiting any emotion , and she afterwards heard the : warrant read by JJeale , containing Jthe order of her death . When lit ; had finished

    rending , she made the sign of the cross . ' ( jiod be praised , ' said she , ' for the news you bring mo . I could receive none better , for it announces to me the conclusion of my miseries , and the grace which (» od lias granted me to ( lie for the honour of his name and of his Church , Catholic , Apostolic , : mtl Roman . J did not . expect Mich a happy end , after the treatment I have . suffered and the dangers to which I have been exposed for nineteen years in this country : — I , born a Queen , tho daughter of a king , the granddaughter of Henry VII ., the near relation of the Queen of England , Queen J ) o wager of France , and who , though a free princess , have been kept in prison without : legitimate cnii > o , though I am subject to nobody ,

    and recognize no superior in this world , excepting ( Jot ! . ' Viewing herself as a victim to her religious faith , fsho <' . \|» ei ienced the pure joy of the martyr , partook , of its MAvect serenity , and maintained to the last its ti ' iiiHiuil courage . > She iigain disavowed the project of assassinating Elizabeth , and , placing her hand on tho New Testament which lay on the small table before her , she . solemnly declared : ' I never either conceived or nought lifter tin ; death of the Queen ol Knglnnd , and I never consented to it . ' On hearing these words , the Karl of Kent told her , with fanatic rudeness , that I he book on which she had sworn wmh ih : book of the 1 / apintH , and that her oath was worth no more than her book . * Jt 1 M tho book in which J

    do believe , ' replied Mary ; ' do you suppose my oath would be more sincere if I took it on yours , in which . I do not believe ? ' The Earl of Kent then advised her to renounce what he called her superstitions , and offered her the aid of the Protestant Dean of Peterborough , who would teach her the true faith , and prepare her for death . Mary energetically rejected this offer , as being repugnant to her religious belief , and she requested that they would restore her almoner , who had again been removed from her for several days past . The two Earls had the cruelty and the infamy to refuse this religious consolation to a Queen on the eve of her death . Neither would

    they grant her the 6 hort delay she asked in order to write out her will carefully , and to make her final arrangements . Then , in answer to her inquiry as to the hour when she was to die , ' To-morrow , madam , ' said the Earl of Shrewsbury , * about eight o ' clock in the morning . ' When the two Earls had quitted her presence , Mary set about consoling her servants , who were bathed in tears . She ordered her supper earlier , so as to have the whole night fox writing and praying . She ate but little , according to her custom . Bourgoin , her physician , waited on her at table ; her maitre d'hdtel , Andrew Melvil , having been removed from her at the same time ¦ with her almoner . She

    spoke of the Earl of Kent s attempt to convert her , and said , with a smile , that it would require a different sort of doctor to presuade her . After supper , she summoned all her servants , and , pouring out some wine into a goblet , she drank to them , and , in an affectionate manner , called upon them to pledge her in return . They all fell on their knees , and , with tears in their eyes , replied to her toast with sorrowful effusion , asking pardon of her for any offences they might have committed against her . She told them she forgave them with good-will , and begged them also to pardon her for any uneasiness she might have caused them . She exhorted them to continue firm

    to the Catholic religion , and to live in peace and friendship wiih . each other . Nau was the only one of whom she spoke with bitterness , accusing him of having often sown dissension among them , and of being the cause of her death . She then withdrew , and was occupied for several hours in writing with her own hand , some letters , and her Will , of which she appointed the Duke of Guise the chief executor . As the greater part of the legacies she bequeathed could not be paid , except out of her dowry , which would revert to the King of France at her death , she earnestly commended to Henry III ., her memory and her last settlements . ' You have always protested

    that you loved me , she said ; ' show it now by helping me , for charity ' s Rake , in what I cannot do without you , which is to recompense iny afiiicted servants , by leaving them their Avages , and in causing prayers to he made to God tor a Queen wJlio has been styled Most Christian , and who dies a Catholic deprived of all her means . ' It was near two o ' clock in the morning when she had finished -writing . ** Feeling somewhat fatigued , and , wishing to preserve or restore her strength , for the final moment , she went to bed . Her woman continued praying ; and , during the last repose of her body , though her eyes were closed , it was evident , from the slight motion of her

    lips , and a sort of rapture spread over her countanance , that she Avas addressing . herself to Him on whom alone her hopes now rested . At daybreak she arose , saying that she had only two hours to live . She picked out one of her handkerchiefs , with a fringe of gold , a . s a bandage for her eyes on the scaffold , and dressed herself with a stern magnificence . Having assembled her servants , she made liourgoin read over to them her will , which she then signed ; and afterwards gave them the letters , papers , and presents , of which they were to be the bearers to the princes of her famil y and her friends on the Continent . She had already distributed to them , on

    the previous evening , her rings , jewels , furniture , and dresses ; and she now gave them the purses which she had prepared for them , and in which she had inclosed , in small minis , the five thousand crowns which remained over to her . With finished grace , and with affecting kindness , she mingled her consolations with her gifts , and streiigliened them for the affliction into which her death would . soon throw them . ' You could not see , ' hny » an eye-witness , ' any change , neither in her face , nor in her speech , nor in her general appearance ; nhe seemed to be giving ordent about her affairs jiint as if she were merely goinir to change her resident *; from one house to another . ' "

    • She retired to her oratory , and was forHome Linn engaged in reading the prayers for the dead . A loud knocking at the door interrupted her ; ( she hade the iiitrudcrw wait a few minutes :---"Shortly afterwards , eight o ' clock having struck , there was u fresh knocking , at tin ; door , whieh this time was opened . The . Sheriff entered , with a white wand m his hand , advanced close to Mary , who had not yet . moved her head , and pronounced these few words : iMudani , the Lords awaityou , and have sent rue K . you . ' 'Yes , ' replied Mary , rising from her knees' letns lust she mi ' ' ) iii

    , . go . . an wax ,,,. ; ,.,, ,..., „ , > h > » « x ., « nnc wan moving awiiy , llourgoin hnnueJ to her the ivory crucifix which Htood on the altar ; she kiyscd it , and ordered it to be

    carried before her . Not being able to suppott herwlf alone , on account of the weakness of her limbs sh walked leaning on two of her own servants to ' extremity of her apartments . Having arrived at th t point , they , with peculiar delicacy , which she felt and approved , desired not to lead her themselves tn execution , but entrusted her to the support of two of Paulet's servants , and followed her in tears . O reaching the staircase , where the Earls of Shrew ' sburv and Kent awaited Mary Stuart , and by which sh had to descend into the lower hall , at the end of which the scaffold had been raised , they were refused the consolation of accompanying her further . T spite of their supplications and lamentations ' they were separated from her ; not without difficulty for

    they threw themselves at her feet , kissed her hands clung to her dress , and would not quit her . When they had succeeded in removing them , she resumed her course with a mild and noble air , the crucifix in one hand and a prayer-book in the other , dressed in the widow ' s garb which she used to wear on days of great solemnity , consisting of a gown of dark crimson velvet with black satin corsage , from which chaplets and scapularies were suspended , and which was surmounted by a cloak of figured satin of the same colour , with a long train lined with sable , a standingup collar , and hanging sleeves . A white veil was thrown over her , reaching from her head to her feet . She evinced the dignity of a queen along with the calm composure of a Christian . "

    The sentence was then read to her . She then began to recite in Latin the Psalms of penitence and mercy , —a pious exercise rudely interrupted by the Dean of Peterborough and the Earl of Kent : — " Her prayer ended , she arose . The terrible moment had arrived , and the executioner approached to assist her in removing a portion of her dress ; but she motioned him away , saying , with a smile , that she never had such valets de chambre . She then

    called Jean Kennedy and Elizabeth Curll , who had remained on their knees at the foot of the scaffold , and she began to undress herself with their assistance , remarking that she was not accustomed to do so befoxe so many people . The afflicted girls performed this last sad office in tears . To prevent the utterance of their grief , she placed her finger on their lips , and reminded them that she had promised in their name that they would . show more firmness . ' Instead of weeping , rejoice , ' she said ; 'I am very happy to leave this world , and in so good a cause . ' She then laid down her cloak , and took off her veil , retaining only a petticoat of red taffety , flowered with A'elvet .

    Then , seating herself on the chair , she gave her blessing to her weeping servants . The executioner having asked her pardon on his knees , she told him that she pardoned everybody . She embraced Elizabeth Curll mid Jean Kennedy , and gave them her blr . ssing , making the sign of the cross over them , and after Jean Kennedy had bandaged her eyes , she desired them to withdraw , Avhich they did weeping . At the some time she knelt down Avith great courage , and still holding the crucilix in her hands , stretched out her neck to the executioner . She then said aloud , and Avith the most ardent feeling of confidence : — ' My God , I have hoped in you ; 1 commit myself to your hands . ' She imagined that she Avould have

    been struck in the mode usual in 1 ranee , m an upright posture , and with the sword . The two masters of the works , perceiving her mistake , informed her of it , and assisted to' lay her head on the block , which she did without ceasing 10 pruy . There was a universal feeling of compassion at the eight of this lamentable misfortune , this heroic courage , and this admirable sweetness . The executioner himself Ava . s moved , and aimed Avith an unsteady hand . The axe , instead of falling on the neck , struck the back of the head , and wounded her ; yet she made no movement , nor uttered a complaint . It was only on repeating the blow , that the executioner struck off her head , which he held uj > , saying , God nave Queen Klizabetb . ' ' Thus , ' added Dr . Fletcher , ' may all hw

    enemies perish ! Tlio Triiim |> li ; or , this Coining A ^ c of Christianity- I ^ Iil ' j M'y . ) . !\ 1 . ! Moi ) , ' ; in . lj ( , iiyin : niH anil » <> - Mr . Minter Morgan , ;; o well known by various Avojk * and by his socialistic scheme of the Self-Huppoi t »» n Vdlage , has lure assembled an immense variety 0 passages from ancient and modern writers , religion , * and philosophical—all bearing on the advantage oi maintaining the principle of undivided interests among mankind as essential to progress and happ iness « n to tho permanent ascendancy of ChriHtinn - Love . 0110 is

    is an elegant book . But , after reading it , » V to doubt the eflieaey of any mere intellectual perception of a truth , when the feelings and habits d <> n ^ move with the intellect : no much wisdom , so mll . gentleness , so much emphatic recognition of the < c sirnbh ; neFH of virtue , and yet virtue remaining ""< •'" sired ! in the preface , Mr . Morgan forcibly contraM-H the actual unloving condition of men with tl » c tloctrino of Christian love dominant over Kuropt ); » "' indeed , he is quite correct in speaking of the coini »' . l ago of Christianity : it \\{\ n not vo / no hinco CJirin preached it .

    948 ®T)C Vleattet. [Saturday ,

    948 ® t ) C VLeattet . [ Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 4, 1851, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04101851/page/16/