stained the fair face of religion in queen Elizabeth's reign; yet, assuredly, those deserve to be called golden days, in which a courtier could thus express his faith in his Saviour's righteousness, and a young nobleman was not ashamed to record the saintly language of a polished friend and brother soldier. A general mourning, and a public funeral in St. Paul's Church, were unusual marks of respect; and with these the court honoured sir Philip Sidney's memory."

The aid offered to the states checked the progress of the Spaniards; but that nation suffered more from an expedition under Drake, against the Spanish colonies of Hispaniola, Carthagena, and Florida. The encouragement given by Elizabeth to her naval commanders, rapidly increased the number of efficient defenders of her realm.

In addition to the plots against Elizabeth, a design of still greater magnitude began to attract the attention of the English government in 1586. This was the preparation of the fleet known in history by the title of the Invincible Armada. Vast preparations were in progress for fitting out a naval armament in the ports of Spain and Portugal; the reasons alleged were the intentions of Philip to make a great effort to aid the war in the Low Countries, and also to send a large expedi tion to America. The first discovery of the design to invade England is said to have been made to Walsingham by a priest, one of his spies, who informed him that Philip had privately written to the pope respecting the destination of his fleet, which was unknown to his council. By a bribe given to the mistress of one of the pope's confidants, a copy of the Spanish king's letter was procured. The design was there avowed to be the invasion of England, with the death of Elizabeth, the placing of Mary on the throne, and the destruction of the Protestant faith. How far this was ascertained before the end of the year may be a question; but there can be no doubt that the preparations against England must have been in connexion with Mary Stuart. At

this crisis, a new plot was discovered, with which that princess was personally concerned.

A Rhemish priest, named William Gifford, persuaded a man named Savage, that to murder Elizabeth would be a meritorious and laudable deed, insuring him eternal happiness. Ballard, another priest, on visiting England, found the papists increasingly disposed to act against Elizabeth. He communicated with Mendoza, then Spanish ambassador in France, and Paget, the agent of the queen of Scots, who encouraged the invasion of England; but Paget gave his opinion, that no such effort could succeed, unless Elizabeth was first "taken off." Ballard was directed to return to England, to procure further information respecting English papists willing to assist an invasion. On his arrival, in the disguise of a military officer, he had conferences with Babington, a man of respectable family in Derbyshire, who had already formed schemes for liberating Mary, and was engaged in conveying her letters to the continent.

On conferring upon their plans, Babington concurred in the plot for assassinating Elizabeth, and selected five other zealous papists to be joined with Savage in his murderous attempt, which he communicated to Mary's ambassador, the bishop of Ross. But Walsingham had received an intimation of the plot; his spies were active; one of them became privy to the plans, and pretended to be an associate in the conspiracy. Walsingham, with that craft which is too common, but which must be censured as opposed to Christian principles, allowed the conspiracy to proceed, while it was watched by his emissaries. Gifford, who was concerned in communicating with Mary, betrayed her letters to Walsingham. At this time, Babington made a pretended offer that he and Ballard would become spies for the secretary, if allowed to visit the continent. Their object was to ascertain that preparations were made for the invasion, before the murder of the queen was attempted. Walsingham caused Ballard to be apprehended before he

left England; but, with consummate art, persuaded Babington this was only occasioned by the discovery that he was a priest. Babington was thus induced to cause his associates to delay the attempt at murder, which at the moment they had wished to hasten; he even consented to reside in Walsingham's house, on the pretence of arranging what his proceedings in France should be. The conspirator soon became alarmed on finding his motions strictly watched, and joined his confederates, who fled in different disguises; but all, except one, were soon discovered. They were examined, confessions were drawn from them, after which they were tried, when the seven principal conspirators pleaded guilty. Babington, Savage, Ballard, and eleven others, were executed. One expressly declared, that what he did was for his conscience' sake, not for any malice or hatred to Elizabeth; so com pletely can the bigotry of false religion blind the mind. Babington's confessions implicated Mary. He had renewed his correspondence, and had written to her an account of the murderous design, which she answered, approving the plan, arranging several matters connected with the attempt, and expressing her anxiety for the safety of the murderers, after the deed should be perpetrated. These letters passed from Chartley, where Mary then was, by a secret contrivance; being deposited in a hole in the wall by one of the servants, they were taken from thence, and delivered to the agents of Mary. Information of this way of communication being obtained, the letters and the answers were seen and copied, while passing between Mary's agents and her own servant. Thus there was treachery on both sides. Mary's fate exemplified the truth of Scripture, "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him," Prov. xxvi. 27.

It was determined that Mary should be proceeded against, as sufficient proofs of her concurrence in Bab ington's plans had been found. Sir Thomas Gorges

"

was sent to Chartley to make the communication to her; he did so when she was on horseback preparing for the chase, and conducted her to Tixall. She attempted to resist, but in vain. Her apartments were searched, her papers were seized, and her secretaries sent to London to be examined, after which she was reconducted to Chartley, from whence, in a few days, she was removed to Fotheringay, in Northamptonshire. There was clear proof that she corresponded with Babington, had been informed of his murderous designs, and had written to him approving of them, directing that her liberation should be attempted immediately after the design on which "the six gentlemen were at work," as she phrased it. The letters did not rest only on Babington's evidence; a rough draft of Mary's reply, in her own writing, was found among her papers, made for one of her secretaries to copy in the cypher used in the correspondence.

The course now usually adopted by Mary's advocates is, to admit the murderous plot of Babington and his associates, and that Mary participated in the plan for an invasion; but to deny that she was aware of the intention to murder Elizabeth, alleging that her letters, or the parts of her letters, which establish her guilt, and her knowledge of the plot, were fabricated by her enemies to involve her in the charge. But there are no circumstances which bear out this statement, excepting her own denial; and she extended this still further, asserting a direct falsehood in the first instance. If probabilities are balanced, there can be no reason to suppose one part of the design would be communicated to her, while the most efficient part of the proceeding was not mentioned: and it was impossible for her to think that an insurrection or invasion could be successful, unless the life of Elizabeth could be sacrificed. But the matter does not rest on such probabilities, however convincing they may be. The written documents are only met by a mere assertion, that her secretaries played her false, which is entirely unsupported, and

which Mary herself did not venture to allege; nor were they called to account by her friends as guilty of such a proceeding, though they lived several years afterwards. The conduct of Walsingham in suffering the plot to go forward, and that persons should be induced to join it, after it was known to him, is wholly indefensible, except on the ground of meeting craft by craft, a course that ought never to be attempted; but still it offers no excuse for Mary. Elizabeth and her ministers may be blamed for allowing her to proceed in these guilty conspiracies, but it was in her mind to do so: the plot originated with her partisans, and it was taken up by her in a manner which showed her readiness to join in treacherous and atrocious designs. This was her disposition; it fully bore out the observation of the French king, that she would not cease from her plots till they brought ruin upon her. The association already mentioned was a warning for her to desist from any such proceedings. How different was the course pursued by David towards Saul! Though the latter daily sought David's life, he would not sanction any attempt against the king, even in self-defence. He looked to the Lord for deliverance out of all his tribulation, and he was not disappointed, as he recorded in the beautiful language of the eighteenth Psalm.

any

Elizabeth and her ministers resolved to bring Mary to trial, as an offender against the law passed two years before. There can be no doubt that the fatal result to the prisoner was looked for, nor can there be doubt of her guilt according to that law: but it is equally to be admitted, that she ought not to have been put to death under its enactments; they went too far. A commission was issued to forty-six peers, privy councillors, and judges. Thirty-six arrived at Fotheringay, on October 11. Mary refused to plead, declaring that, as an independent monarch, she was not answerable to the judicature of another country. To this was replied, that every one, while in a country, was answerable to its laws; and she was warned, that refusal to