Mary Queen of Scots and Her Accusers (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869. Excerpt: ... APPENDIX. APPENDIX A. The Earl Of Sussex to Sir William Cecil--See Lodge, Illustrations of British History, i. 458. Upon your request and promise made in your letters of the 16th, I will write to you fully what by any means I conceive in this great matter, although the greatness of the cause, in respect of the person whose it is, the inconstancy and subtleness of the people with whom we deal, and the little account made always of my simple judgment, give me good occasion of silence. And, therefore (except it be to the queen's majesty, from whom I would not wish any thought of my heart to be hidden), I look for performance of your promise. This matter must at length take end, either by finding the Scotch queen guilty of the crimes that are objected against her, or by some manner of composition with a show of saving her honour. The first, I think, will hardly be attempted, for two causes: the one, for that if her adverse party accuse her of the murder by producing of her letters, she will deny them, and accuse the most of them of manifest consent to the murder, hardly to be denied; so as, upon the trial on both sides, her proofs will judicially fall best out, as it is thought. The other, for that their young king is of tender and weak years and state of body; and if God should call him, and their queen were judicially defaced and dishonoured, and her son, in respect of her wickedness, admitted to the crown, Hamilton, upon his death, should succeed; which, as Murray's faction utterly detest, so, after her public defamation, they dare not (to avoid Hamilton) receive her again for fear of revenge. And, therefore, to avoid these great perils, they surely intend (so far as by any means 1 can discover) to labour a composition; wherein Lydington was a dealer here;...