int-Cyr, who will give these presents to your Majesty, will bring us,
if it pleases you, your good reply.

"London, this 16th day of December 1586.

"(Signed) DE BELLIEVRE,

"And DE L'AUBESPINE CHATEAUNEUF."

The same day, M. de Saint-Cyr and the other French lords returned to
Richmond to take this letter; but the queen would not receive them,
alleging indisposition, so that they were obliged to leave the letter
with Walsingham, her first Secretary of State, who promised them to send
the queen's answer the following day.

In spite of this promise, the French lords waited two days more: at
last, on the second day, towards evening, two English gentlemen sought
out M. de Fellievre in London, and, viva voce, without any letter to
confirm what they were charged to say, announced to him, on behalf of
their queen, that in reply to the letter that they had written her, and
to do justice to the desire they had shown to obtain for the condemned a
reprieve during which they would make known the decision to the King
of France, her Majesty would grant twelve days. As this was Elizabeth's
last word, and it was useless to lose time in pressing her further, M.
de Genlis was immediately despatched to his Majesty the King of France,
to whom, besides the long despatch of M. de Chateauneuf and de Bellievre
which he was charged to remit, he was to say 'viva voce' what he had
seen and heard relative to the affairs of Queen Mary during the whole
time he had been in England.

Henry III responded immediately with a letter containing fresh
instructions for MM. de Chateauneuf and de Bellievre; but in spite of
all the haste M. de Genlis could make, he did not reach London till the
fourteenth day--that is to say, forty-eight hours after the expiration
of the delay granted; nevertheless, as the sentence had not yet been put
into execution, MM. de Bellievre and de Chateauneuf set out at once for
Greenwich Castle, some miles from London, where the queen was keeping
Christmas, to beg her to grant them an audience, in which they could
transmit to her Majesty their king's reply; but they could obtain
nothing for four or five days; however, as they were not disheartened,
and returned unceasingly to the charge, January 6th, MM. de Bellievre
and de Chateauneuf were at last sent for by the queen.

As on the first occasion, they were introduced with all the ceremonial
in use at that time, and found Elizabeth in an audience-chamber. The
ambassadors app