death, which I protest I
receive innocent of every crime, even if I were their subject, which I
never was. But my faith in the Catholic religion and my claims to the
crown of England are the real causes for my condemnation, and yet they
will not allow me to say that it is for religion I die, for my religion
kills theirs; and that is so true, that they have taken my chaplain from
me, who, although a prisoner in the same castle, may not come either to
console me, or to give me the holy sacrament of the eucharist; but, on
the contrary, they have made me urgent entreaties to receive the
consolations of their minister whom they have brought for this purpose.
He who will bring you this letter, and the rest of my servants, who are
your subjects for the most part, will bear you witness of the way in
which I shall have performed my last act. Now it remains to me to
implore you, as a most Christian king, as my brother-in-law, as my
ancient ally, and one who has so often done me the honour to protest your
friendship for me, to give proof of this friendship, in your virtue and
your charity, by helping me in that of which I cannot without you
discharge my conscience--that is to say, in rewarding my good distressed
servants, by giving them their dues; then, in having prayers made to God
for a queen who has been called most Christian, and who dies a Catholic
and deprived of all her goods. As to my son, I commend him to you as
much as he shall deserve, for I cannot answer for him; but as to my
servants, I commend them with clasped hands. I have taken the liberty of
sending you two rare stones good for the health, hoping that yours may be
perfect during a long life; you will receive them as coming from your
very affectionate sister-in-law, at the point of death and giving proof
of her, good disposition towards you.

"I shall commend my servants to you in a memorandum, and will order you,
for the good of my soul, for whose salvation it will be employed, to pay
me a portion of what you owe me, if it please you, and I conjure you for
the honour of Jesus, to whom I shall pray to-morrow at my death, that you
leave me the wherewithal to found a mass and to perform the necessary
charities.

"This Wednesday, two hours after midnight--Your affectionate and good
sister,
"MARY, R...."

Of all these recommendations, the will and the letters, the queen at once
had copies made which she signed, so that, if some should be seized by
the English