dying Saviour into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit; and so the cart was drawn away, and he quietly expired. His quarters were set up on four of the gates of the city, and his head on London bridge. He suffered February 1, 1645, aged 50.

3. John Nelson, Priest.

John Nelson was the son of sir N. Nelson, knight, and was born at Shelton, near York. At the age of forty years he went over to Douay, to qualify himself there, by virtue and learning, for the priestly office, and was ordained in June, 1576. On the seventh of November, in the same year, he was sent upon the English mission, and was taken in London, on the 1st of December, in the year following. After five or six days confinement, he was examined before the high commissioners, who tendered him the oath of supremacy, which he refused to take, alleging that he never heard or read that any lay prince could have the supremacy of Christ's church. He was asked, for the purpose of ensnaring him, to say whether the queen, Elizabeth, was a schismatic or no? He answered, “ He could not tell, because he knew not her mind in setting forth, or maintaining of, the religion now publicly used in England." The commissioners observed, that the queen did both promulgate and maintain it; and again pressed him to declare his sentiments. Unwilling to exasperate the queen, yet more unwilling to offend God and his conscience, Mr. Nelson answered conditionally. "If," said he," she be the setter forth and defender of this religion, now practised in England, then she is a schismatic and a heretic." Having extorted this answer from him, they said he had spoken enough, and he was sent back to prison. In about seven weeks he was brought to trial, when the same questions being put, and the same answers given, he was found guilty of high treason, and the sentence of death was pronounced upon him on the 1st of February, 1578. On the 3d of the same month he was taken to Tyburn, and there hanged, bowelled, and quartered. He was cut down before he was half dead, and his lips were seen to move while the hangman was ripping him up, and plucking out his heart. His four quarters were hanged on the four gates of the city, and his head set upon London bridge.

4. John Speed, Layman.

He was executed at Durham on the 4th of February, 1594. His guilt was, the aiding and assisting of priests, whom he used to serve in guiding and conducting from one Catholic house to another. He died with great constancy, and might have saved his life if he would have conformed to the new doctrines, which clearly prove that he suffered for conscience sake, and for nothing else.

7. Thomas Sherwood, Scholar.

Thomas Sherwood was born in London, of pious Catholic parents, and became a student in Douay college, some time about the year 1576. While a student he returned to London, in order to settle his affairs, and during his stay he frequented the house of lady Tregony, a virtuous Catholic, who had a son of dissipated habits, and of course not partial to the religion of his mother. This young libertine conceived a

deadly hatred against Mr. Sherwood, and one day meeting him in the streets, he cried out "Stop the traitor, stop the traitor," and caused him to be apprehended. The only charge which Tregony could allege against Mr. Sherwood was, that he suspected him to be a papist. On this the Justice before whom he was taken began to examine him on the point of supremacy, to whom he gave similar answers as Mr. Nelson did. He was thereupon committed and cast into a filthy dungeon in the Tower, where he was most cruelly racked, or order to make him discover where he had heard mass,

Mr. Sherwood suffered these tortures with a greatness of soul not surpassed by the primitive martyrs, and could not be induced to betray or bring any one into danger.-After six months' cruel suffering, which he bore with invincible patience, he was brought to trial, and condemned to die, for denying the pope's supremacy. He suffered at Tyburn, on the 7th of February, 1578, and was dismembered while he was yet alive.

- This beautiful and accomplished princess was daughter to James the fifth, king of Scots, great grand-daughter to Henry the seventh, king of England, by his eldest daughter, and mother of James the first, who succeeded Elizabeth, the murderer of his royal parent, to the throne of England. We have given an account of the treatment she received from her brutal and rebellious reforming fanatical subjects in our second volume, page 255.-Her character has been most ably vindicated from the foul aspersions thrown upon it by hireling writers, by two respectable and gifted clergymen of the Protestant church, from which it is clear, that, whatever her butchers might pretend, her constant adherence to the Catholic faith was the chief if not the sole cause of her death. After suffering an imprisonment of eighteen years duration, in Fotheringhay castle, in Northamptonshire, during which sham plots and

vile insinuations against her character were invented and circulated, for the purpose of exciting popular fury towards this ill-fated princess, and screening the barbarous designs of her enemies, it was resolved to bring her to trial. But how this was to be done there were different opinions among Elizabeth's counsellors. Mary was an independent sovereign, and came to England to claim protection as a queen, not to be treated as a criminal. Then again it was disputed as to what law she should be tried under. The old law of treason of Edward the third would not convict her, and therefore it was determined to have her arraigned under a new law, passed in the twenty-seventh year of Elizabeth against Jesuits and priests. This plainly shews that religion and not treason was the offence of this Catholic queen. Commissioners were accordingly ap-pointed by the virgin Bess to bring her royal cousin to trial, to which the latter objected, but was at length induced to appear. As was to be expected, she was found guilty, notwithstanding her solemn protestations and the absence of all proof of guilt.-Camden, the panegyrist of Elizabeth, says, the verdict and sentence depended wholly upon the credit of her secretaries, who were not brought face to face, in violation of an act passed in the 13th year of Elizabeth. Though sentence was passed upon the unfortunate Mary, it was not immediately published. When the sentence had been approved by parliament, the royal victim was apprized of it, and at the same time given to understand, that as long as she lived, the Protestant religion could not be secure in England. On receiving this information, she rejoiced exceedingly to learn that she was deemed worthy to suffer for her faith, and requested to be allowed a confessor, to administer the sacraments to her, but this request was most cruelly and shamefully denied her.-A bishop and a dean of the new church were recommended to her, but these she utterly rejected, and sharply taxed them with bigotted intolerance and cruelty in thus denying her the rights of conscience.-It is pretended that the execution of this charming but luckless queen took place without the privity of her remorseless rival Elizabeth; but it is acknowledged that she commanded the warrant to be drawn up for her execution.-When the news was announced to Mary that she was to suffer the next day, she received the information with a dignified mind, and undauntedly said, “I did not think the queen my sister would have consented to my death, who am not subject to your law and jurisdiction; but seeing her pleasure is so, death shall be to me most welcome; neither is that soul worthy of the high and everlasting joys above, whose body cannot endure one stroke of the executioner." She again desired that she might have her confessor to prepare her soul for death, and was again most inhumanly refused. The bishop or dean of Peterborough was recommended to her, which she indignantly rejecting, the earl of Kent said, "Your life will be the death of our religion, as contrariwise your death will be the life thereof."-She constantly asserted her innocence, and the revenge of the wrong done her she left to God.-Perceiving her servants, both men and women, weeping and lamenting, she comforted them with the greatest magnanimity and courage, telling them to cease mourning and rejoice, for that she was now about to depart out of a world of miseries." They say," said she to Burgoyne, her physician, "that I must die because I have plotted against the queen's life; yet the

earl of Kent tells me that there is no other cause of my death but that they are afraid of their religion because of me. Neither hath my offence against the queen, but their fear of me drawn this end upon me, while some under the colour of religion and the public good ain at their own private respects and advantages."-Towards the end of supper, of which she partook sparingly, she drank to all her servants, who pledged her upon their knees, mingling their tears with their wine, and begging pardon for their neglect of their duty; as she also did in like manner of them.-What a scene was this to behold? Here we see a beloved mistress and a queen lamented by her faithful servants, and at the same time behaving towards them with the most condescending tenderness and affability, which nothing but the divine essence of the Catholic faith could inspire, and teach both parties to conduct themselves with perfect charity and affection in their respective situations. The account of her execution we shall give from Camden's History of Elizabeth, which is the best we have yet seen, and which we are convinced will interest the reader, who cannot fail to sympathise, even at this distant date, in the fate of so beauteous and virtuous a princess.

"The fatal day now being come," writes Camden, "which was the 8th of February, she dressed herself as gorgeously and curiously as she was wont to do upon festival days; and, calling her servants together, commanded her will to be read, prayed them to take their legacies in good part, for her ability would not extend to giving them any greater matters. Then fixing her mind wholly upon God in her oratory or ordinary place of prayer, with sighs, groans, and prayers, she begged his divine grace and favour, till such time as Thomas Andrews, sheriff of the county, acquainted her that she must now come forth. And forth she came, with state, countenance and presence majestically composed, a chearful look, and a matron-like and modest habit; her head covered with a linen veil, and that hanging down to the ground, her prayer-beads hanging at her girdle, and carrying a crucifix of ivory in her hands. In the porch she was received by the earls and other noblemen, where Melvin, her servant, falling upon his knees, and pouring forth tears, bewailed his hard lot, that he was to carry into Scotland the woful tidings of the unhappy fate of his lady and mistress. She thus comforted him: Lament not, but rather rejoice; thou shalt by and by see Mary Stuart freed from all her cares. Tell them that I die constant in my religion, and firm in my fidelity and affection towards Scotland and France. God forgive them who have thirsted after my blood as harts do after the fountain. Thou, O God, who art truth itself, and perfectly and truly understandeth the inward thoughts of my heart, knoweth how greatly I have desired that the kingdoms of England and Scotland might be united into one. Commend me to my son, and assure him that I have done nothing which may be prejudicial to the kingdom of Scotland; admonish him to hold in amity and friendship with the queen of England; and see thou do him faithful service.'

"And now the tears trickling down, she bad Melvin several times farewell, who wept as fast as she. Then turning to the earls, she prayed them that her servants might be civilly dealt withall; that they might enjoy the legacies she had bequeathed them by will and testament; that they might stand by her at her death: and might be sent

back into their own country with letters of safe conduct.' The former requests they granted: but that they should stand by her at her death, the earl of Kent shewed himself somewhat unwilling, fearing some superstition. 'Fear it not (said she) these harmless souls only desire to take their last farewell of me. I know my sister Elizabeth would not have denied me so small à matter, that my women should be then present, were it but for the honour of the female sex. I am her near kinswoman, descended from Henry the seventh, queen dowager of France, and anointed queen of Scots.'

"When she had said thus much, and turned herself aside, it was at last granted that such of her servants as she should name should be then present. She named Melvin, Burgoyne her physician, her apothecary, her chirurgeon, two waiting-women, and others; of whom Melvin bare up her train. So the gentlemen, two earls, and the sheriffs of the shire going before her, she came to the scaffold at the upper end of the hall; on which was placed a chair, a cushion, and a block, all covered with black cloth. As soon as she was set down, and silence commanded, Beale read the warrant : she heard it attentively, yet as if her thoughts were taken up with somewhat else. Then Fletcher, dean of Peterborough, began a long speech to her touching the condition of her life past, present, and to come. She interrupted him once or twice as he was speaking, prayed him not to trouble him felf, protesting that she was firmly fixed and resolved in the ancient Roman Catholic religion, and for it was ready to shed her last blood.' When he earnestly persuaded her to true repentance, and to put her whole trust in Christ by an assured faith; she answered, that 'in that religion she was both born and bred, and was now ready to die.' The earls said they would pray for her to whom she said, 'that she would give them hearty thanks if they would pray with her; but to join (said she) in prayer with you who are of another profession, would be in me a heinous sin.' Then they appointed the dean to pray; with whom while the multitude that stood round about were praying, she fell down upon her knees, and, holding the crucifix before her in her hands, prayed in latin with her servants out of the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.'

"After the dean had made an end of praying, she in English words recommended the church, her son, and queen Elizabeth, to God, beseeching him to turn away his wrath from this island; and professing that she reposed her hope of salvation in the blood of Christ, (lifting up the crucifix) she called upon the celestial choir of saints to make intercession to him for her: she forgave all her enemies, and kissing the crucifix, and signing herself with the cross, she said,' As thy arms, O Christ, were spread out upon the cross, so receive me with the stretched-out arms of thy mercy, and forgive my sins.' Then the executioners asked her forgiveness, which she granted them. And when her women-servants had taken off her upper garment (which she was eager and hasty to have done) wailing and lamenting the while, she kissed them, and signing them with the cross, with a cheerful countenance bade them forbear their womanish lamentations; for now she should rest from all her sorrows. In like manner turning to her men servants, who also wept, she signed them likewise with the cross, and smiling bade them farewell. And now having covered her face with a linen handkerchief, and laying