FROM THE ASHMOLE MS. 830, F. 18, IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY, OXFORD
The manner of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, anno 1586, the 8th of February, in the presence of such whose names be underwritten.
First, after she was brought down by the Sheriff to the place prepared in the hall for the purpose, by the command of us the Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent, her Majesty's commission was openly read, and then, according to a direction given before to Mr. Doctor Fletcher, Dean of Peterborough, he was willed to use some short and pithy speech which might tend to admonish her of the dreariness of her death and the only means of salvation in Christ Jesus. As soon as he began to speak she interrupted him, saying she was a Catholick, and that it was but a folly, being so resolutely determined as she was, to move her otherwise, and that our prayers would do her little good. Nevertheless a prayer was read by the said Dean, which was pronounced (_sic_) by all the assembly, That it would please God if it were His will to send her His Spirit and true repentance to bless her Majesty and confound her enemies. During which time of prayer she, being come down with many superstitions, crosses, and a pair (praier) of beads, prayed also aloud. When the Dean had done then she openly pronounced a prayer to this effect: To beseech God to send her His Holy Spirit, and that she trusted to receive her salvation in His blood, and of His grace to be received into His kingdom. She besought God to forgive her enemies as she forgave them, and to turn His wrath from this Island, to bless the Queen's Majesty that she might serve Him, likewise to be merciful to her son, and to have compassion of His afflicted Church, and though she was not worthy to be heard, yet she had a confidence in His mercy, and prayed all the saints to pray unto her Saviour to receive her. After this, turning aside towards her servants, she desired them to pray for her that her Saviour would receive her. Then upon petition made by the executioners, she pardoned them, and said she was glad that the end of all her sorrows was so near, then she misliked the whining and weeping of her women, saying that they ought rather to thank God for her resoluteness, and so kissing them willed them to depart the scaffold, and again with a cross, with her hands towards her said servants, she bade them farewell, and so resolutely kneeled down, and having a kerchief bound over her eyes, laid down her neck, whereupon the executioners proceeded, she repeating these words, "In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum," and certain other verses of the Psalms.