lemnity, was read in the
squares and at the cross-roads of London, whence it spread throughout
the kingdom; and upon this proclamation the bells rang for twenty-four
hours, while the strictest orders were given to each of the inhabitants
to light bonfires in front of their houses, as is the custom in France
on the Eve of St. John the Baptist.

Then, amid this sound of bells, by the light of these bonfires, M. de
Bellievre, wishing to make a last effort, in order to have nothing
with which to reproach himself, wrote the following letter to Queen
Elizabeth:

"MADAM:--We quitted your Majesty yesterday, expecting, as it had pleased
you to inform us, to receive in a few days your reply touching the
prayer that we made you on behalf of our good master, your brother, for
the Queen of Scotland, his sister in-law and confederate; but as this
morning we have been informed that the judgment given against the said
queen has been proclaimed in London, although we had promised ourselves
another issue from your clemency and the friendship your bear to the
said lord king your good brother, nevertheless, to neglect no part of
our duty, and believing in so doing to serve the intentions of the king
our master, we have not wanted to fail to write to you this present
letter, in which we supplicate you once again, very humbly, not to
refuse his Majesty the very pressing and very affectionate prayer that
he has made you, that you will be pleased to preserve the life of the
said lady Queen of Scotland, which the said lord king will receive as
the greatest pleasure your Majesty could do him; while, on the contrary,
he could not imagine anything which would cause him more displeasure,
and which would wound him more, than if he were used harshly with regard
to the said lady queen, being what she is to him: and as, madam,
the said king our master, your good brother, when for this object he
despatched us to your Majesty, had not conceived that it was possible,
in any case, to determine so promptly upon such an execution, we implore
you, madam, very humbly, before permitting it to go further, to grant us
some time in which we can make known to him the state of the affairs of
the said Queen of Scotland, in order that before your Majesty takes a
final resolution, you may know what it may please his very Christian
Majesty to tell you and point out to you on the greatest affair which,
in our memory, has been submitted to men's judgment. Monsieur de
Sa