o with all of us?

The second day's trial came on. Mary Seaton was so overpowered with
the strain she had gone through that the Queen would not take her into
the hall, but let Cicely sit at her feet instead. On this day none of
the Crown lawyers took part in the proceedings; for, as Cavendish
whispered to Humfrey, there had been high words between them and my
Lord Treasurer and Mr. Secretary; and they had declared themselves
incapable of conducting a prosecution so inconsistent with the forms of
law to which they were accustomed. The pedantic fellows wanted more
direct evidence, he said, and Humfrey honoured them.

Lord Burghley then conducted the proceedings, and they had thus a more
personal character. The Queen, however, acted on Melville's advice,
and no longer denied all knowledge of the conspiracy, but insisted that
she was ignorant of the proposed murder of Elizabeth, and argued most
pertinently that a copy of a deciphered cipher, without the original,
was no proof at all, desiring further that Nau and Curll should be
examined in her presence. She reminded the Commissioners how their
Queen herself had been called in question for Wyatt's rebellion, in
spite of her innocence. "Heaven is my witness," she added, "that much
as I desire the safety and glory of the Catholic religion, I would not
purchase it at the price of blood. I would rather play Esther than
Judith."

Her defence was completed by her taking off the ring which Elizabeth
had sent to her at Lochleven. "This," she said, holding it up, "your
Queen sent to me in token of amity and protection. You best know how
that pledge has been redeemed." Therewith she claimed another day's
hearing, with an advocate granted to her, or else that, being a
Princess, she might be believed on the word of a Princess.

This completed her defence, except so far that when Burghley responded
in a speech of great length, she interrupted, and battled point by
point, always keeping in view the strong point of the insufficient
evidence and her own deprivation of the chances of confuting what was
adduced against her.

It was late in the afternoon when he concluded. There was a pause, as
though for a verdict by the Commissioners. Instead of this, Mary rose
and repeated her appeal to be tried before the Parliament of England at
Westminster. No reply was made, and the Court broke up.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A VENTURE.

"Mother, dear mother, do but listen to me."