Series 3 > Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington plot

clxxxii MARY STUART AND THE BABINGTON PLOT
way in which the plot had been commenced, carried on,
or detected ; nothing about the Queen of Scots ; and we
now know that Elizabeth gave orders that this was to be
so, because she feared that some friend of Mary might be
so irritated thereby as to murder her forthwith.1 She was
still under the spell of fear, which Walsingham had cast
over her.
For the same reason she insisted to Lord Burghley that
‘ for more terror ’ some extra torment should be added to
the already appalling sentence of quartering alive.2 The
execution was therefore conducted slowly ; but the public
was shocked, and ne^ct day the culprits were allowed to
hang till they were dead. Yet the printed account of the
executions attributes this clemency to Elizabeth. ‘ The
Queen being informed of the severity used in the executions
the day before, and detesting such cruelty, gave express
orders that these should be used more favourably.’ 3
It is an open question whether we should regard this
as a mere flourish of flattery, or as a sober record of yet
another volte face on Elizabeth’s part, during this period
of excitement.
As soon as the conspirators had suffered, the question
of Mary’s execution began to be agitated. As we have
heard, Walsingham was keeping in the background, and
Lord Burghley was given the lead. • And now was felt the
ill effect of the references to Burghley’s friendliness in the
secret correspondence. They had been begun by Morgan,
and Walsingham had (3 May) ‘ Salved that packet that
toucheth “ the great person ” (i.e Burghley), as neither
he nor the cause shall take lack.’ 4 That is to say,
while showing Elizabeth the intercepted letters, he had
kept back that particular letter lest her jealousy should
1 Bardon Papers, p. 45.
8 State Trials, p. 135.
8 Ibid., and p. 47.
4 Morris, p. 189.