e, 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 Saint-Cyr, who will give these presents to
your Majesty, will bring us, if it pleases you, your good reply.

"London, this 16th day of December 1586.

"(Signed) DE BELLIEVRE,

"And DE L'AUBESPINE CHATEAUNEUF."

The same day, M. de Saint-Cyr and the other French lords returned to
Richmond to take this letter; but the queen would not receive them,
alleging indisposition, so that they were obliged to leave the letter
with