* * * *

"To my faithful Amias.

"Amias, my most careful servant, God reward thee treble fold in the
double for thy most troublesome charge so well discharged! If you knew,
my Amias, how kindly, besides dutifully, my grateful heart accepteth
your double labors and faithful actions, your wise orders and safe
conduct performed in so dangerous and crafty a charge, it would ease
your troubles and rejoice your heart. And (which I charge you to carry
this most just thought) that I cannot balance in any weight of my
judgement the value I prize you at: And suppose no treasure to
countervail such a faith: And condemn myself in that fault which I have
committed, if I reward not such deserts. Yea, let me lack when I have
most need, if I acknowledge not such a merit with a reward '_non omnibus
datum_.'

"But let your wicked mistress know, how with hearty sorrow her vile
deserts compel those orders; and bid her from me ask God forgiveness for
her treacherous dealing toward the saver of her life many years, to the
intolerable peril of her own. And yet, not content with so many
forgivenesses, must fall again so horribly, far passing a woman, much
more a princess. Instead of excusing thereof, not one can serve, it
being so plainly confessed by the authors of my guiltless death.

"Let repentance take place; and let not the fiend possess so as her best
part be lost. Which I pray, with hands lifted up to him that may both
save and spill. With my loving adieu and prayer for thy long life,

"Your assured and loving sovereign in heart,

by good desert induced,

"ELIZ. R."

* * * * *

Soon, after the arrival of Mary at Fotheringay, Elizabeth, according to
the provisions of the late act, issued out a commission to forty
noblemen and privy-councillors, empowering them to try and pass sentence
upon Mary daughter and heir of king James V. and late queen of Scots;
for it was thus that she was designated, with a view of intimating to
her that she was no longer to be regarded as possessing the rights of a
sovereign princess. Thirty-six of the commissioners repaired immediately
to Fotheringay, where they arrived on October 9th 1586, and cited Mary
to appear before them. This summons she refused to obey, on the double
ground, that as an absolute princess she was free from all human
jurisdiction, since kings only could be her peers; and that having been
detained in England as a prisoner, she