cter, is related
to have suggested the employment of treachery against the life of a
prisoner whom it appeared equally dangerous to spare or to punish; and
to have sent a divine to convince Walsingham of the lawfulness of taking
her off by poison. But that minister rejected the proposal with
abhorrence, and concurred with the majority of the council in urging the
queen to bring her without fear or scruple to an open trial. In favor of
this measure Elizabeth at length decided, and steps were taken
accordingly.

By means of well concerted precautions, Mary had been kept in total
ignorance of the apprehension of the conspirators, till their
confessions had been made and their fates decided:--a gentleman was then
sent to her from the court to announce that all was discovered.

It was just as she had mounted her horse to take her usual exercise with
her keepers, that this alarming message was delivered to her; and for
obvious reasons she was compelled to proceed on her excursion, instead
of returning, as she desired, to her chamber. Meantime all her papers
were seized, sealed up, and conveyed to the queen. Amongst them were
letters from a large proportion of the nobility and other leading
characters of the English court, filled with expressions of attachment
to the person of the queen of Scots and sympathy in her misfortunes, not
unmixed, in all probability, with severe reflections on the conduct of
her rival and oppressor. All these Elizabeth perused, and no doubt
stored up in her memory; but her good sense and prudence supplied on
this occasion the place of magnanimity; and well knowing that the
conscious fears of the writers would be ample security for their future
conduct, she buried in lasting silence and apparent oblivion all the
discoveries which had reached her through this channel.

The principal domestics of Mary were now apprehended, and committed to
different keepers; and Nau and Curl her two secretaries were sent
prisoners to London. She herself was immediately removed from Tutbury,
and conveyed with a great attendance of the neighbouring gentry, and
with pauses at several noblemen's houses by the way, to the strong
castle of Fotheringay in Northamptonshire. This part of the business was
safely and prudently conducted by sir Amias Paulet; and he received for
his encouragement and reward the following characteristic letter,
subscribed by the hand of her majesty, and surely of her own inditing.

*