thereof."* It is not easy to determine which when he was condemned to death for atwas the more revolting, the sovereign who tacking and wounding an unarmed man commanded, c or the minister who became with his drawn sword. The queen pardoned the vehicle of this base experiment. The him, and gave him a license to travel. He queen of Scots, who saw the ax suspended went abroad as a spy of Walsingham. His over her head, made new efforts to obtain mission was known, and he was shunned her freedom from Elizabeth. She sent her by the Catholic fugitives of England whom secretary, Naue, with terms of submission he met on the continent. He, however, reso implicit, that Elizabeth gave her hopes. conciled himself to the church of Rome at But that princess, who knew well how to Paris, proceeded to Milan, justified himself throw the responsibility of odious measures to the inquisition, and went to Venice, where from herself upon her instruments, excited, he met father Palmio, "a grave and learned underhand, a clamor among her partisans in Jesuit." By conversing with Palmio about Scotland, against both the liberty and life the oppressed state of the English Catholics, of the queen of Scots. and perusing the book De Persecutione The bond in which the associators obliged Anglicana, he conceived the idea of killthemselves was immediately converted into ing the queen of England their persecutor, an act of parliament, summoned for the "if the same might be well warranted in purpose. The act provided, that any person religion and conscience by the pope, or some by, or for, whom rebellion should be excited, learned divines." Father Palmio “made it or the queen's life attacked, might be tried clear to him" that his purpose was well warby commission under the great seal, and ranted, commended his devotion, and introadjudged to capital punishment; and if the duced him to cardinal Campeggio, the papal queen's life should be taken away, then any nuncio at Venice. The nuncio made him person by or for whom such act was com- and his design known to the pope, who mitted, should be capitally punished, and gave him a passport to Rome through the the issue of such person cut off from the secretary, cardinal Como;-and in short, succession to the crown. It is unnecessary after three years' wandering in Italy and to point out the monstrous hardship of mak- France, conferring with others, and rumiing the queen of Scots, a prisoner in the nating with himself on his project of assas hands of Elizabeth, responsible for acts done sinating queen Elizabeth, he returned to for her, or in her name. The contingent England. It may be inferred, from his conexclusion of her son from the succession fession, that all this time he had been corwas ascribed to Leicester, who had views responding as a spy with Walsingham; and, for himself, or his brother-in-law lord Hun- on his arrival in England, he appears to tingdon, upon the crown. have scarcely known himself whether he A new penal statute was passed at the was a spy or a conspirator. The character same time against Jesuits and seminary of a spy obtained him easy access not only priests. They were subjected to the penalties to Walsingham but to the queen. It was of high treason if they did not quit the king- also most probably for his services in that dom within forty days; and all who harbored character that he was placed in the house them were declared guilty of felony. Wil- of commons, and so easily restored to his liam Parry, a Welsh member, denounced seat by the privy council, after his attack the bill in the house of commons as cruel, upon the bill in progress against Jesuits. bloody, desperate, and of pernicious con- He had communicated his design to Neville, sequence to the English nation. Called upon who entered into it, and both bound themto give his reasons, he declined doing so, selves in an oath of secrecy and fidelity. except before the council, and was commit- Parry at the same time represented this ted; but, upon explanation to the council, very Neville to the minister as a dangerous was restored to his seat. This fact, it may malcontent, upon whom a watchful eye be observed in passing, shows how powerless should be kept; and, to guard the queen the house of commons must have been against his own purposes, he never went when the council governed its proceedings into her presence without having laid aside and privileges! his dagger. After he had been some time Parry was not long restored when Ed- in England, cardinal Como wrote him a letmund Neville accused him of a plot to as- ter from Rome" commending and allowing" sassinate the queen. There is something his design, absolving him in the pope's name truly anomalous in the purposes and char- of all his sins, and "willing him to go for acter of Parry, as they may be collected ward in the name of God." It reached him, from his voluntary confession to Walsing- he says, in March, 1583, "whilst he was ham, Hatton, and Lord Hunsdon. He was suing for St. Catherine's at Greenwich." in the queen's service from 1570 to 1580, This was eleven month before his arrest in * Sir R. Sadler's State Papers, ii. 430. February, 1584. "That letter," he continues, "I showed to some in court, who imparted it to the queen.' "It might be was removed. One of these indulgences suspected, that he made the letter known appears to have been his allowing her to go as a contrivance to insure his safety and de-out and enjoy the amusement of his hawks.ġ ceive the government. But it appears that Sir Amias Paulet was appointed to suche communicated it in the visionary expect-ceed him. Elizabeth after some time would ation of its producing upon Elizabeth an no longer trust the vigilance or faith of one effect favorable to the Catholics, and thus person. She joined Sir Drue Drury in the releasing him from "his vows in heaven, commission with Paulet. Both were Puriand his letters and promises on earth." tans, and protected by Leicester. Paulet "What it wrought or may work,” he says, would not permit his prisoner to distribute "in her majesty, God knoweth: only this I popish alms to the neighboring poor; she know, that it confirmed my resolution to kill was confined at Tutbury in apartments so her, and made it clear to my conscience damp and pervious to the wind that she that it was lawful and meritorious; and yet lost the use of her limbs. Even before she I was determined never to do it if either came into the hands of her new jailers, her policy, practice, persuasion, or motion in state of health was pitiable. "I find her," parliament, could prevail. I feared to be says Sadler,|| "much altered from what she tempted, and, therefore, when I came near was when I was first acquainted with her. her, I left my dagger at home." The con- She is not yet able to strain her left foot flicts in the mind of this wretched man are to the ground, and to her very great grief, an instructive commentary upon persecuting not without tears, findeth it wasted and laws. The very enactments by which Eliza- shrunk of its natural measure.” In a further beth thought to repress conspiracy made stage, and a state still more deplorable, Parry an assassin; Walsingham's system she appealed to Elizabeth, who did not even of secret denunciation by informers and notice her appeal. It was rumored that spies brought the assassin within reach of Leicester sent assassins to dispatch her, but her bosom; and if nature made him lay that Paulet and Drury, whose integrity aside his dagger, it was only because Eliza- was severe as their Puritanism, refused beth's code of persecution and her ministers' them admission. Her fate was now apstate-practices had not yet wholly corrupted proaching its crisis, and her miseries their nature and extinguished humanity in him. close. Upon the death of Westmoreland in exile, The intrigues of Elizabeth and her Neville, his next heir, entertained hopes of council in Scotland against their unhappy his inheritance, and to recommend himself prisoner properly belong to the history of denounced Parry. The queen supposed that that kingdom, and have, therefore, been Parry, who had already denounced him, had passed over. T Scotland, poor, barbarous, and been merely sounding him in his capacity remote from the centre of European politics, of a spy, and instructed Walsingham to was not the less the theatre of European ask him whether he had been making a intrigue. The king of Spain and the pope proposition to take her life by way of ex- occasionally, the king of France almost periment to any person. Not seeing the constantly, caballed against Elizabeth. The drift of the question, he answered in the fall of Morton broke up her supremacy. negative; and after his voluntary confession, She made several efforts to recover it with and several letters avowing his crime to the imperfect success. At last, in the month queen and ministers, he was convicted and of June, 1586, her minister, Randolph, sucexecuted. ceeded in negotiating a treaty of "stricter Parry, in his confession, expressly ac-amity" with James, in spite of the remonquitted the queen of Scots of any knowledge strances and intrigues of the French amof his designs. She was equally innocent bassador, Corcelles, and of every feeling of of the conspiracy of Throgmorton, if he decency or duty to James's unhappy mother, really conspired, which is at least doubtful. whom, at the pleasure of Elizabeth, he exThe queen of Scots offered to Elizabeth cluded from its provisions. One of the every security, renouncing absolutely the historic accusations against the queen of crown of Scotland, and succession to that of Scots is, that she conspired with foreign England, in favor of her son; her health powers to disinherit her son. This treaty was breaking down rapidly; and yet her was the provocation, and justified her. Ă imprisonment was only the more rigorous, son so unfilial had no claim upon a mother, -her general treatment the more con- whom he abandoned to her enemies, in temptuous and cruel. Sir Ralph Sadler was not long her jailer, when at his own entreaty, and in consequence of indulgences granted by him to his prisoner, he § Sadler's State Papers, ii. 539. || Ibid. 460. T See History of Scotland, by Sir Walter Scott, CABINET CYCLOPEDIA. The transactions in Ireland have also been passed over, because the history of that country is in the hands of one whose genius and patriotism constitute him one of its brightest ornaments-Mr. Moore. violation of the sacredness of nature, and and rebellion alone are the topics menher distress. One article of the treaty, tioned: there is not the slightest allusion and, perhaps, the essential one, was the to the assassination of Elizabeth. The only payment of a pension by Elizabeth to James, charge given to Ballard, he says, is that, who appears to have been as mean in his in the enterprise for the deliverance of the youth as in his more advanced age. In the queen of Scots, particular care should be same month of June exploded the conspiracy had of the safety of her person. Ballard, which was made the pretext for taking however, returned to England, and comaway his mother's miserable life on the municated his own and Savage's design scaffold. upon the queen's life to Anthony Babington, Leicester's bond of association for the a young Catholic of ardent temper and protection of Elizabeth against popish con- accomplished talents. Babington had been spirators, and the act of parliament, in already in correspondence with the queen which it was authorized and embodied, of Scots, and discontinued it from jealousy were engines framed for as direct agency of some preference shown by her to another in the execution of the queen of Scots as partisan, named Folijambe.‡ Persuaded by the executioner, the ax, and the block. The Ballard to join in the plot against the act provided, that any person having claim queen's life, he proposed that it should be to the succession, by or for whom rebellion executed, not by Savage alone, but, to was raised, or the queen's life conspired render success certain, by six resolute against, should be tried by commissioners; gentlemen, of whom Savage should be and if proved guilty, adjudged to death. one. He further devised a plan for the After this act, there was nothing wanting projected invasion, and liberation of the but a conspiracy. It soon presented itself. queen of Scots. For the latter purpose, he An English exile, or adventurer, named associated with himself several persons of Savage, who had served the king of Spain respectable condition, his private friends or in the Low Countries, was persuaded by zealous adherents, real or supposed, to her three priests of the seminary of Rheims, cause. Among them were Winsor (brother named Gifford, Gilbert Gifford, and Hodgson, of lord Winsor), Salisbury, Tilney, Tichthat the pope's bull against Elizabeth ren- bourne, Abington, Gage, Travers, Charnock, dered the taking of her life meritorious in Jones, Barnwell, Dunn, and Polly. the sight of God. Devoting himself to Three very distinct elements entered crime and martyrdom, Savage made a vow into the composition of this plot,-the deto kill the queen. About the same time a voted satellites of the see of Rome; Engpriest, named Ballard, returned from a mis-lish Catholics, inflamed by religious zeal, sion in England to France, with a companion enthusiastic temperament, and persecution; and confidant named Maude. Ballard moved and the spies of Walsingham. Gilbert Gifthe Spanish ambassador at Paris to take ad- ford at Rheims, the fountain-head; Maude, vantage of the employment of the queen's who accompanied Ballard from England to best troops in the Low Countries, by an France; and Polly, who was among the invasion of England. The ambassador readi- chief confederates of Babington, were spies ly entered into his views, and communicated in the pay of the minister. Polly had inthem to the king of Spain. Charles Paget, troduced himself in the preceding year, brother of lord Paget, a Catholic exile, and at Paris, to Morgan, a zealous partisan of a disinterested as well as devoted adherent the queen of Scots, and her agent in France; of the queen of Scots, who had introduced was recommended by him as a trusty person Ballard to the Spanish ambassador,* de- to his mistress; and became, in the course clared, says Camden, that invasion would of 1585, the medium of correspondence be fruitless whilst Elizabeth lived; and, with her.|| What the proportionate share accordingly, Ballard proceeded in the dis- of Walsingham was in generating this guise of a military officer to England, for tripartite conspiracy, which exploded so the purpose of rendering the projected in- opportunely for him, would be a curious vasion successful, by taking the queen's life. matter of speculation and research. If one Carte, Hume, and other writers, repeat this of the most reputable biographers of the imputation upon the memory of Charles queen of Scots may be credited, Gilbert Paget, after Camden, who appears to have Gifford was his spy during two years before, had no authority beyond the suspicious one and made more than one visit to England, of Ballard's confession. But it should be under an assumed name and character, to remembered that in the letter of Charles stimulate Savage to perform his vow. Paget himself to the queen of Scots,† narrating the arrival of Ballard in Paris, and his interview with the ambassador, invasion *Murdin, State Papers, 519. See Murdin, State Papers, 513. § See State Trials, vol. i. Trial of Babington, &c. See Murdin, State Papers, 532. Letter of Mary, Queen of Scots, to Thomas Morgan. ¶ Jebb's Life of Mary, Queen of Scots. After several meetings of the conspirators about to set out for France. Babington, in London, during the months of June and alarmed, it would appear, only for the sucJuly, their respective parts were assigned. cess of the plot, not for the safety of his Savage claimed that of assassinating the own person, went to Savage, and said, queen for himself alone, without which he "Ballard is taken-what remedy now?" thought he should not faithfully perform his " No remedy," said Savage, "but to kill her sworn vow.* Babington overcame his scru- presently." "Then," replied Babington, ples, and consented to share the deed with "go to the court to-morrow, and execute Tilney, Tichbourne, Charnock, Barnwell, the fact." Savage said he was too ill-clothed and Abington. By a strange mixture of to be admitted to the queen's presence. vanity and fury, Babington had his picture Babington gave him what money he had, drawn, with the six assassins grouped and his ring, to provide himself. Walsingaround him, and the inscription "Hi mihi sunt comites quos ipsa pericula jungunt." ham removed Babington's alarm, by saying that Ballard was taken up through mistake as a seminary priest; and Babington reThis motto, however, he exchanged, as being turned to his original design of having the too explicit, for "Quorsum hæc alio prope- queen assassinated by the party of six. Babrantibus," a sort of rebuke of his own ington, finding himself more strictly watchweakness. So completely were the con-ed by the servants of Walsingham, had his spirators within the eye and grasp of the suspicions excited. A note from the coungovernment, that the picture was shown cil, directing that he should be more closely to the queen; who recognized Barnwell observed, was brought to Scudamore, Walonly, from having seen him on business from singham's secretary; who opened and read the earl of Kildare. Barnwell said, on his it with so little care that Babington glanced trial, that the queen, upon seeing him at the contents over his shoulder. He afwhilst she took the air on foot at Rich- fected entire security until the next night, mond, looked fearlessly in his face, and when he escaped from a tavern, where he said to Hatton and others who attended her, was supping with the persons appointed to "Am I not prettily escorted, without one watch him by Walsingham. Babington man having a sword by his side?” gave the alarm: a proclamation was at the The invasion was to proceed concur- same time issued; and the conspirators, after rently with the plot against the queen's lurking for some days, the greater number life. Babington resolved to expedite it by in St. John's Wood and Harrow, were, with sending Ballard to France, and by proceed- the exception of Winsor, apprehended, coning thither himself soon after. Having pro-demned, and executed. Seven out of fourcured Ballard a license to go abroad under teen made confession of their crime,— an assumed name, he obtained for himself an whether voluntarily or on the rack, remains introduction to Walsingham, as a person a disputed question. wanting a license to go to France, and will- This execution of minor criminals was ing to send the minister useful information. but a preliminary to the sacrifice of the It was through Polly that Babington ob- grand victim. On Christmas-day, 1585, the tained access to Walsingham. How Polly queen of Scots, in a deplorable state of accounted for his influence does not appear. bodily infirmity, was removed from Tutbury By a sort of infatuation not uncommon in to Chartley. Her jailer, Paulet, in a letter conspiracy, Babington trusted him, not- to Walsingham, complained of his trouble withstanding the cautions against him given in moving her baggage, consisting "in by Naue, the queen of Scots' secretary, apparel, books, and such like trash."¶ On and his suspicious eagerness in precipi- the 8th of August, 1586, she was taken tating the assassination of the queen. from Chartley to Tixhall, and brought back Walsingham commended Babington's de- on the 30th. She found on her return that sign to travel; told him he should have a her cabinets had been broken open, her license; and, to prevent suspicion of their papers carried off by commissioners, and relations from his being seen to make him her two secretaries, Ñaue and Curle, taken frequent visits, proposed that Babington into custody. should reside in his house. The proposition So completely was the queen of Scots cut was accepted; and the conspirator was thus off from all communication with the world, constantly under the eye of the minister. Ballard was taken into custody as he was * State Trials, vol. i. Trial of Babington, &c. Camd. Ann. Camden gives this only as hearsay, "Has tabu. las interceptas ferunt reginæque clam ostensas." Annal. § Camd. Ann. that she knew nothing of the apprehension of Babington and his accomplices, when it was the common theme of the people. She was informed for the first time by Sir Thomas Gorges, who had been sent for Savage's confession, State Trials, vol. i. Paulet to Walsingham, MSS. State Paper Office, cited by Chalmers, Life of Mary, Queen of Scots. the purpose. Acting doubtless upon his The joy of Elizabeth, when her victim instructions to take her by surprise, he told was safely lodged at the last stage of her her the news abruptly, as she was setting captivity and life, knew no bounds. "Amias, out in the morning from Chartley to take my most faithful servant, God reward thee!" an airing, as she supposed, without the is the opening of her letter to the obdurate bounds of her prison. She was conducted jailer. Forty-two commissioners) were apby daily stages from the house of one gen-pointed by her to proceed to Fotheringay. tleman to another, under pretence of doing Thirty of these arrived on the 11th of Ocher honor, without the remotest idea of tober. Next day they sent Mildmay, Powlet, her destination, until she found herself, on and Barker-the last a public notary-to the 26th of September, lodged within the place in the hands of the queen of Scots fatal walls of Fotheringay Castle. At Foth- a letter from Elizabeth, charging her with eringay she continued ignorant of the storm being accessary to the conspiracy of Babalready gathered above her head. The ington, and informing her of the commiscouncil of Elizabeth meantime had been de- sion issued for her trial. She read the letter liberating what should be her doom. Some with composure, and replied to those who would have her committed to closer con- presented it with firmness and dignity,— finement, which, with her bodily infirmities, "That it grieved her to find her most dear would soon destroy her; others would have sister misinformed of her; that she was kept her dispatched by poison. The recommend- in prison until she was wholly deprived of ation of poison is ascribed to Leicester,* the use of her limbs, though she had offered and the practice was generally supposed fa- the most reasonable conditions for her libmiliar to him. This minion of Elizabeth, erty; that she was forewarned of her who combined the want of capacity, cour- danger, but did not expect death from one age, and every virtue, with an utter profli- so nearly allied to her in blood; that it gacy of life, affected Puritanism, and em- seemed strange to her the queen should ployed in his letters the scriptural vocabu- command her to appear personally, when lary and tone of that sect. Finding Wal- she was an absolute [independent] queen; singham averse to the use of poison, he that she would never do that which would sent a divine to satisfy him of its Christian prejudice her own majesty, and the majesty lawfulness. Both the slow torture of close of other princes, and of her son; that her confinement, and the quick dispatch by mind was not dejected, nor would she sink poison, were abandoned; and it was resolved under calamity; that the laws of England to proceed against her by criminal trial. were unknown to her, she was destitute of A new question is stated to have arisen counsel, her papers were taken away, and in the council-whether she should be ar- no man dared step forth as her advocate; raigned under the 25th Edward III., or the that she had excited no man against the 27th Elizabeth. The latter, as might be queen; but that she denied not having reexpected, was preferred. It is strange that commended herself and her cause to foreign any doubt should have arisen, when the princes." The messengers returned with statute was passed for the very purpose of her answer; and came back next day to forfeiting her life. The final resolution was ask, in the name of the commissioners, to proceed against her by commission, under whether she persisted in it. She replied the 27th Elizabeth, by the style and title of that she did, and wished only to add,—“That Mary Stuart, daughter and heir of James whereas the queen had written she was VI. king of Scots, and commonly called subject to the laws of England, because she queen of Scots and dowager of France. lived under their protection, she would anPaulet meanwhile, "in case he heard any swer that she came to England to crave noise or disturbance in her lodgings, or in aid, and had ever since been detained in the place where she was, had orders to kill prison, and had not the protection of the her, without waiting for any further power laws; nay, more, that she never could unor command; and, in fact, upon the chimney derstand from any man what manner of laws of her room taking fire, and his imagining those were." "There is in this last observait had been done by design to serve for a tion equal justice and finesse. She had signal, he actually appointed four of his scarcely known any other law in England servants (who afterwards confessed it) to than the despotic hatred of Elizabeth. kill her in her antechamber if she made the least offer to escape, or to get out of the house of Fotheringay."‡ In the evening of the same day, "there came to her certain selected persons from among the commissioners, with men learned in the civil and canon law."-The chan § Their names will be found in Camden and the State Trials. State Trials, vol. i. Proceedings against Mary, Queen of Scots. |