ory of Henry VII., the common
ancestor of both; and by the royal dignity of which they equally
participated.[*] Elizabeth made no answer to this letter; being
unwilling to give Mary a refusal in her present situation, and
foreseeing inconveniencies from granting some of her requests.

* Camden p. 529. Jebb, vol. ii. p. 295.

While the queen of Scots thus prepared herself to meet her fate, great
efforts were made by foreign powers with Elizabeth to prevent the
execution of the sentence pronounced against her. Besides employing
L'Aubespine, the French resident at London, a creature of the house
of Guise, Henry sent over Bellievre, with a professed intention of
interceding for the life of Mary. The duke of Guise and the league at
that time threatened very nearly the king's authority; and Elizabeth
knew, that though that monarch might, from decency and policy, think
himself obliged to interpose publicly in behalf of the queen of Scots,
he could not secretly be much displeased with the death of a princess,
on whose fortune and elevation his mortal enemies had always founded
so many daring and ambitious projects.[*] It is even pretended, that
Bellievre had orders, after making public and vehement remonstrances
against the execution of Mary, to exhort privately the queen, in his
master's name, not to defer an act of justice so necessary for their
common safety.[**] But whether the French king's intercession were
sincere or not, it had no weight with the queen; and she still persisted
in her former resolution.

* Camden, p. 494.

** Du Maurier.

The interposition of the young king of Scots, though not able to change
Elizabeth's determination, seemed on every account to merit more regard.
As soon as James heard of the trial and condemnation of his mother, he
sent Sir William Keith, a gentleman of his bed-chamber, to London; and
wrote a letter to the queen, in which he remonstrated in very severe
terms against the indignity of the procedure. He said, that he
was astonished to hear of the presumption of English noblemen and
counsellors, who had dared to sit in judgment and pass sentence upon a
queen of Scotland, descended from the blood royal of England; but he was
still more astonished to hear, that thoughts were seriously entertained
of putting that sentence in execution: that he entreated Elizabeth to
reflect on the dishonor which she would draw on her name by imbruing
her hands in the blood of her near kin