with the service of the King
of France, and concerned the affairs of Queen Mary of Scotland. M. de
Trappes, although mistrusting this overture from the first, did not
want, in case his suspicions deceived him, to have to reproach himself
for any neglect on such a pressing occasion. He repaired, then, with;
Mr. Stafford to the prison, where he who wished to converse with him was
detained. When he was with him, the prisoner told him that he was
locked up for a debt of only twenty crowns, and that his desire to be
at liberty was so great that if M. de Chateauneuf would pay that sum for
him he would undertake to deliver the Queen of Scotland from her danger,
by stabbing Elizabeth: to this proposal, M. de Trappes, who saw the
pitfall laid for the French ambassador, was greatly astonished, and said
that he was certain that M. de Chateauneuf would consider as very evil
every enterprise having as its aim to threaten in any way the life of
Queen Elizabeth or the peace of the realm; then, not desiring to hear
more, he returned to M. de Chateauneuf and related to him what had
just happened. M. de Chateauneuf, who perceived the real cause of this
overture, immediately said to Mr. Stafford that he thought it strange
that a gentleman like himself should undertake with another gentleman
such treachery, and requested him to leave the Embassy at once, and
never to set foot there again. Then Stafford withdrew, and, appearing
to think himself a lost man, he implored M. de Trappes to allow him to
cross the Channel with him and the French envoys. M. de Trappes referred
him to M. de Chateauneuf, who answered Mr. Stafford directly that he had
not only forbidden him his house, but also all relations with any person
from the Embassy, that he must thus very well see that his request
could not be granted; he added that if he were not restrained by the
consideration he desired to keep for his brother, the Earl of Stafford,
his colleague, he would at once denounce his treason to Elizabeth. The
same day Stafford was arrested.

After this conference, M. de Trappes set out to rejoin his travelling
companions, who were some hours in advance of him, when, on reaching
Dover he was arrested in his turn and brought hack to prison in London.
Interrogated the same day, M. de Trappes frankly related what had
passed, appealing to M. de Chateauneuf as to the truth of what he said.

The day following there was a second interrogatory, and great was his
amazemen