after the judges had pronounced
her doom, and was opened by commission. An unanimous ratification of the
sentence by both houses was immediately carried, and followed by an
earnest address to her majesty for its publication and execution; to
which she returned a long and labored answer.

She began with the expression of her fervent gratitude to Providence for
the affections of her people; adding protestations of her love towards
them, and of her perfect willingness to have suffered her own life still
to remain exposed as a mark to the aim of enemies and traitors, had she
not perceived how intimately the safety and well-being of the nation
was connected with her own. With regard to the queen of Scots, she said,
so severe had been the grief which she had sustained from her recent
conduct, that the fear of renewing this sentiment had been the cause,
and the sole cause, of her withholding her personal appearance at the
opening of that assembly, where she knew that the subject must of
necessity become matter of discussion; and not, as had been suggested,
the apprehension of any violence to be attempted against her
person;--yet she might mention, that she had actually seen a bond by
which the subscribers bound themselves to procure her death within a
month.

So far was she from indulging any ill will against one of the same sex,
the same rank, the same race as herself,--in fact her nearest
kinswoman,--that after having received full information of certain of
her machinations, she had secretly written with her own hand to the
queen of Scots, promising that, on a simple confession of her guilt in a
private letter to herself, all should be buried in oblivion. She doubted
not that the ancient laws of the land would have been sufficient to
reach the guilt of her who had been the great artificer of the recent
treasons; and she had consented to the passing of the late statute, not
for the purpose of ensnaring her, but rather to give her warning of the
danger in which she stood. Her lawyers, from their strict attachment to
ancient forms, would have brought this princess to trial within the
county of Stafford, have compelled her to hold up her hand at the bar,
and have caused twelve jurymen to pass judgement upon her. But to her
it had appeared more suitable to the dignity of the prisoner and the
importance of the cause to refer the examination to the judges, nobles,
and counsellors of the realm;--happy if even thus she could escape