ide, but without humility, complained
that her servants had been refused permission to follow her, and asked
that it should be granted. The lords conferred together; and a moment
after the Earl of Kent inquired which ones she desired to have,
saying she might be allowed six. So the queen chose from among the men
Bourgoin, Gordon, Gervais, and Didier; and from the women Jeanne Kennedy
and Elspeth Curle, the ones she preferred to all, though the latter was
sister to the secretary who had betrayed her. But here arose a fresh
difficulty, the earls saying that this permission did not extend to
women, women not being used to be present at such sights, and when they
were, usually upsetting everyone with cries and lamentations, and, as
soon as the decapitation was over, rushing to the scaffold to staunch
the blood with their handkerchiefs--a most unseemly proceeding.

"My lords," then said the queen, "I answer and promise for my servants,
that they will not do any of the things your honours fear. Alas! poor
people! they would be very glad to bid me farewell; and I hope that your
mistress, being a maiden queen, and accordingly sensitive for the honour
of women, has not given you such strict orders that you are unable to
grant me the little I ask; so much the more," added she in a profoundly
mournful tone, "that my rank should be taken into consideration; for
indeed I am your queen's cousin, granddaughter of Henry VII, Queen
Dowager of France and crowned Queen of Scotland."

The lords consulted together for another moment, and granted her
demands. Accordingly, two guards went up immediately to fetch the chosen
individuals.

The queen then moved on to the great hall, leaning on two of Sir Amyas
Paulet's gentlemen, accompanied and followed by the earls and lords, the
sheriff walking before her, and Andrew Melville bearing her train. Her
dress, as carefully chosen as possible, as we have said, consisted of
a coif of fine cambric, trimmed with lace, with a lace veil thrown back
and falling to the ground behind. She wore a cloak of black stamped
satin lined with black taffetas and trimmed in front with sable, with a
long train and sleeves hanging to the ground; the buttons were of jet
in the shape of acorns and surrounded with pearls, her collar in the
Italian style; her doublet was of figured black satin, and underneath
she wore stays, laced behind, in crimson satin, edged with velvet of the
same colour; a gold cross hung by a poma