Mary Queen of Scotland & the Isles (208 page)

Then, after taking a little bread and wine that Bourgoing brought her
for strength, she turned away from them and went to the oratory to
pray.

She had imagined that she would have words and words and words to say,
but instead, there were very few. Strengthen me. Thank You far this
life. Beside her, Geddon, also at the end of his days but clinging to
life, thumped his balding tail. It was that everyday sound, the
summation of all the everyday things she was leaving, that brought
tears to her eyes.

"What odd things I will miss most," she whispered.

It was past eight o'clock when the High Sheriff knocked on the chamber
door and was admitted. "Madam, the lords have sent me for you," he
said.

Mary rose and turned to him. "Yes. Let us go."

Bourgoing suddenly rushed across the room to where her old ivory
crucifix was hanging, and took it off the wall. "Carry it before her,"
he said, handing it to one of the stewards. Mary smiled; how could she
have forgotten it?

Together the company left the apartments and descended the great oak
staircase, passing the wicket gate that had served as the outer
boundaries of Mary's world, beyond which she was never permitted to
pass. Now she swept past it, supported by two of Paulet's men.

At the foot of the stairs, the Earl of Kent stopped her attendants. "No
farther! You are not to enter the Great Hall." He glared at Mary.
"You are to die alone, by the Queen's orders."

Mary's people began to cry and protest. Jane flung herself on the
floor and clutched at Mary's gown.

Fingers clinging to my goum .. . Riccio! She disengaged Jane's grip
and turned to Kent.

"Pray, sir, let them witness my end. I wish them to see how I endure
it."

"No! They will doubtless weep and wail, and distract the headsman. And
worse, they will dip their handkerchiefs in your blood, to make a holy
relic of it. We know what your religion does with such trump eries

Mary shuddered. "My lord," she said, trying to keep her voice steady,
"I will give my word, although I will be dead, that they will do none
of these things." She turned to the Earl of Shrewsbury, who had hidden
himself in the back. "I know the Queen has not given you such orders.
She, a maiden Queen, would certainly allow me the dignity of being
attended by my own women at my death."

Shrewsbury, Kent, Paulet, and Drury conferred, and at length told her
she might select six persons to accompany her.

"Then I must have Jane and Elizabeth. Andrew Melville, my master of
the household, and my physician, apothecary, and surgeon. Unless .. .
you will permit my priest to come?"

"No priest!" bellowed the Earl of Kent.

"Very well," said Mary.

Before they could proceed farther, Melville threw himself on his knees
and cried, "Woe is me! that it should be my lot to carry back such
heavy tidings to Scotland that my gracious Queen and mistress has been
beheaded in England."

"Weep not, Andrew, my good and faithful servant. I am Catholic, you
Protestant; but as there is but one Christ, I charge you in His name to
bear witness that I die firm to my religion, a true Scotswoman and a
true Frenchwoman. Commend me to my dearest and most sweet son. I give
him my blessing on earth." She made the sign of the cross in the
air.

"The time is wearing away apace!" growled the Earl of Kent. "Come!"

The procession headed by the Sheriff and his men, then Paulet and

Drury, Shrewsbury, Kent, and Beale made its way into the Great Hall.
Mary followed, determined to walk unaided. She straightened her spine
and held her head up, by sheer strength of will.

The chamber was very large, but all Mary could see was the execution
platform. She had heard it abuilding; now she beheld it.

It was about twelve feet square, with railings. It was almost a yard
high, too high for someone to mount without steps, and so a neat little
pair of steps was provided. The platform was hung all around with
black. There were objects on it: a chair, a table, a cushion, two
stools .. . and the block.

She tried to keep her heart from racing. But there had been no
preparation for this. In everything else, there was an analogy in
normal life. But there had been no way of steeling herself for the
very existence of this death-platform, no substitute to accustom
herself to.

The crowd was staring at her, watching her to see if she trembled.

Another crowd, staring as she was brought back to Edinburgh. Lord
Lindsay and Ruthven on either side, Uke Paulet and Drury .. .

Burn the whore!

Execute the traitor!

She looked straight ahead and focused on the black gathered hangings
skirting the platform. She paused at the foot of the stairs. Paulet
stood beside them and offered his hand.

"I thank you, sir," she said. "This is the last trouble I shall ever
give you."

Shrewsbury, Kent, and Beale mounted the stairs; they indicated to her
that she should be seated in the chair provided. She obeyed.

She became aware of two men dressed entirely in black. Then she saw
the axe, lying on the floor. It was the kind used to chop wood! No
sword for her. She gripped the arms of the chair.

Beale began to read the warrant for the execution to the room. Only
then did Mary look out at the people. There were more than a hundred
gathered, and they surrounded the platform on three sides.

"Now, Madam," said the Earl of Shrewsbury in a faint voice, "you see
what you have to do."

"Do your duty," said Mary. She felt a great peace flooding her; she
smiled.

Just then a portly churchman, in full vestments, leaned over the
platform. "I am the Dean of Peterborough!" he said in ringing tones.
"It is not too late to embrace the true faith! Yea, the Reformed
Religion, which hath "

Not this! She was taken aback; never had she expected this, at this
time.

"Mr. Dean, trouble not yourself, nor me," said Mary, "for know that I
am settled in the ancient Catholic and Roman faith, in defence whereof,
by God's grace, I mind to spend my blood."

"Have a care over your soul, soon to be departing from out of your
body! Change your opinion, and repent you of your former wickedness!"
he cried.

"Good Mr. Dean," she said, "trouble not yourself anymore about this
matter. I was born in this religion, have lived in this religion, and
am resolved to die in this religion."

"Madam, even now, Madam, doth God Almighty open a door unto you; shut
not this door by the hardness of your heart "

His voice faded and was replaced by John Knox's: Conscience requires
knowledge, and I fear that right knowledge you have not.. ..

Shrewsbury interrupted the Dean. "Madam, we will pray along with the
Dean for you."

Mary smiled at him. "If you will pray for me, I thank you. But I will
not join with you in your manner of prayer; I cannot, as we are not of
the same religion."

Shrewsbury attempted to hush the Dean, but Kent urged him on. The Dean
raised his arms and boomed out, "Open, we beseech thee, thine eyes of
mercy, and behold this person appointed to death, whose eyes of
understanding and spiritual light thou hast hitherto shut up "

He was pronouncing a curse! Mary shut her ears to it and began to pray
in Latin, letting the ancient words drown out his cruel pronouncements.
She slid off the stool and onto her knees.

"Conserva me, Doming, quoniam speravi in Te...."

Preserve me, O God, for in Thee have I put my trust.. ..

She prayed louder, until her words drowned out the Dean's ranting in
her own ears. She heard him no more; she was bathed once more in the
radiant peace she had come near to losing.

She stood, gripping the crucifix, and, holding it aloft, cried, "As Thy
arms, O Christ, were extended on the cross, even so receive me, and
blot out all my sins with Thy most precious blood." The crucifix
seemed to shimmer, and behind it she could see the walls of the room at
St.-Pierre. It was all one; time dissolved.

"Leave this trumpery!" The Earl of Kent attempted to wrest away the
crucifix. But Mary folded it against her breast.

The Dean retreated; the two executioners now came forward and knelt in
front of her. "Forgive us," they said.

She looked down at their strong forearms, thicker than her neck. "I
forgive you and all the world with all my heart," she said. "For I
hope this death will make an end to all my troubles."

They rose. "Shall we help you make ready?" they asked politely.

"Nay, I am not accustomed to such grooms," she answered, again with a
smile. She turned and looked out at the crowd. "Nor to undressing
before so great a company." She motioned to Jane and Elizabeth, who
were kneeling at the foot of the platform. "I have need of you," she
said.

The two women rose and mounted the platform, but as they approached,
they burst into tears.

"Do not weep," she said. "I am very happy to leave this world. You
ought to rejoice to see me die in so good a cause. Are you not ashamed
to weep? Nay, if you do not stop these lamentations, I must send you
away, for you know I promised you would not behave so."

As she spoke, she removed her crucifix and rosaries and handed them to
Jane. The executioner tried to take them, but Mary reproved him.

Carefully, with trembling hands, Jane and Elizabeth unbuttoned the
black gown and revealed the crimson one underneath. The crowd drew its
breath. They brought her the sleeves and she attached them, so she was
now a glare of crimson even down to her fingers. Jane removed her veil
and headdress, setting them on the little stool.

Mary kissed her ivory crucifix good-bye, and laid it down alongside her
other things on the stool, placing her book of hours with it. Then she
took up the gold-bordered kerchief with which her eyes would be
covered, and handed it silently to Jane.

Behind all the people she could see the leaping flames of the fire that
burned in the fireplace in the cold room.

My last sight. Golden flames and black clothes. But there is no sight
more worthy than any other, and none which compktely satisfies the
desire to continue looking.

Jane dissolved in tears and could not fasten the cloth.

Hurry, blank out the sight, do not prolong it!

But the shaking hands just trembled in front of Mary's eyes.

"Hush," said Mary. "I have promised for you. Weep not, but pray for
me."

Mary had to help her fasten it; it tied behind the head, and a portion
of it covered her hair as well, so it was as if she wore a turban.

Now she could see nothing. She heard them breathing beside her, then
the sound of them being led away and down the stairs.

Someone helped her to kneel on a cushion, which she knew was by the
block. She settled herself on it and then stretched out her hands,
groping for the block. She felt its hard edge underneath the cloth
covering. She stretched her neck out and put her chin in the hollow
meant for it.