that
ready censure to which the conspicuous station of sovereigns on all
occasions exposed them.

The statute, by requiring her to pronounce judgement upon her kinswoman,
had involved her in anxiety and difficulties. Amid all her perils,
however, she must remember with gratitude and affection the voluntary
association into which her subjects had entered for her defence. It was
never her practice to decide hastily on any matter; in a case so rare
and important some interval of deliberation must be allowed her; and she
would pray Heaven to enlighten her mind, and guide it to the decision
most beneficial to the church, to the state, and to the people.

Twelve days after the delivery of this speech, her majesty sent a
message to both houses, entreating that her parliament would carefully
reconsider the matter, and endeavour to hit upon some device by which
the life of the queen of Scots might be rendered consistent with her own
safety and that of the country. Her faithful parliament, however, soon
after acquainted her, that with their utmost diligence they had found it
impracticable to form any satisfactory plan of the kind she desired; and
the speakers of the two houses ended a long representation of the
mischiefs to be expected from any arrangement by which Mary would be
suffered to continue in life, with a most earnest and humble petition,
that her majesty would not longer deny to the united wishes and
entreaties of all England, what it would be iniquitous to refuse to the
meanest individual; the execution of justice.

Elizabeth, after pronouncing a second long harangue designed to display
her own clemency, to upbraid the malice of her libellers, and to refute
the suspicion, which her conscience no doubt helped her to anticipate,
that all this irresolution was but feigned, and that the decisions of
the two houses were influenced by a secret acquaintance with her
wishes,--again dismissed their petitions without any positive answer.
Soon after, however, she permitted herself to authorize the proclamation
of the sentence, and sent lord Buckhurst, and Beal clerk of the council,
to announce it to Mary herself.

During the whole of this time, the kings of France and of Scotland were
interceding by their ambassadors for the pardon of the illustrious
prisoner. How the representations of Henry III. were received, we do not
find minutely recorded; but Elizabeth knew that they might be safely
disregarded: that monarch was himse