The World of
MARY,QUEEN OF SCOTS
„In My End is My Beginning”
MARY STUART, QUEEN OF SCOTLAND AND FRANCE
BORN: 8 DECEMBER 1542 PROCLAIMED QUEEN: 14 DECEMBER 1542 ABDICATED: 24 JULY 1567 EXECUTED: 8 FEBRUARY 1587
Daughter of James V of Scotland and Marie de Guise. Became Queen of Scots when she was six days old. First married to Francis II of France, then to Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Third marriage was to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. Mother of James VI/I. Executed by Elizabeth I at Fotheringay Castle.
THE EXECUTION OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
FEBRUARY 8TH 1587
Recorded by Robert Wynkfield; spelling modernized
Her prayers being ended, the executioners, kneeling, desired her Grace to forgive them her death: who answered, 'I forgive you with all my heart, for now, I hope, you shall make an end of all my troubles.' Then they, with her two women, helping her up, began to disrobe her of her apparel: then she, laying her crucifix upon the stool, one of the executioners took from her neck the Agnus Dei, which she, laying hands off it, gave to one of her women, and told the executioner, he should be answered money for it. Then she suffered them, with her two women, to disrobe her of her chain of pomander beads and all other apparel most willingly, and with joy rather than sorrow, helped to make unready herself, putting on a pair of sleeves with her own hands which they had pulled off, and that with some haste, as if she had longed to be gone.
All this time they were pulling off her apparel, she never changed her countenance, but with smiling cheer she uttered these words,'that she never had such grooms to make her unready, and that she never put off her clothes before such a company.'
Then she, being stripped of all her apparel saving her petticoat and kirtle, her two women beholding her made great lamentation, and crying and crossing themselves prayed in Latin. She, turning herself to them, embracing them, said these words in French, 'Ne crie vous, j'ay prome pour v
