Latin prayer. The dean soon brought his
ministrations to a close, and then Mary prayed for some time, in a
distinct and fervent voice, in English, the large company listening
with breathless attention. She prayed for her own soul, and that she
might have comfort from heaven in the agony of death. She implored
God's blessing upon France; upon Scotland; upon England; upon Queen
Elizabeth; and, more than all, upon her son. During this time she
held the ivory crucifix in her hand, clasping it and raising it from
time to time toward heaven.

When her prayer was ended, she rose, and, with the assistance of her
attendants, took off her veil, and such other parts of her dress as
it was necessary to remove in order to leave the neck bare, and then
she kneeled forward and laid her head upon the block. The agitation
of the assembly became extreme. Some turned away from the scene faint
and sick at heart; some looked more eagerly and intensely at the
group upon the scaffold; some wept and sobbed aloud. The assistant
executioner put Mary's two hands together and held them; the other
raised his axe, and, after the horrid sound of two or three
successive blows, the assistant held up the dissevered head, saying,
"So perish all Queen Elizabeth's enemies."

The assembly dispersed. The body was taken into an adjoining
apartment, and prepared for interment. Mary's attendants wished to
have it delivered to them, that they might comply with her dying
request to convey it to France; but they were told that they could
not be allowed to do so. The body was interred with great pomp and
ceremony in the Cathedral at Peterborough, where it remained in
peace for many years.

* * * * *

Now that the deed was done, the great problem with Elizabeth was, of
course, to avert the consequences of the terrible displeasure and
thirst for revenge which she might naturally suppose it would awaken
in Scotland and in France. She succeeded very well in accomplishing
this. As soon as she heard of the execution of Mary, she expressed
the utmost surprise, grief, and indignation. She said that she had,
indeed, signed the death warrant, but it was not her intention at all
to have it executed; and that, when she delivered it to the officer,
she charged him not to let it go out of his possession. This the
officer denied. Elizabeth insisted, and punished the officer by a
long imprisonment, and perpetual disgrace, for his pretended offen