Series 3 > Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington plot

46 MARY STUART AND THE BABINGTON PLOT
pose, who be already, and how far every one [is] privy
hereunto.1
End. by Phelippes.—Postscript of the Scottish Quenes
lettre to Babington.
No. 15
ANTHONY BABINGTON TO QUEEN MARY
[London, 3/13 August 1586.]
R.O. Mary Queen of Scots, xix. n. 10. Official copy, marked iv, and contains
the authentication. ‘This is the true copie of the last lettre which I wrote
vnto the Queen of Scotes, Anthonie Babington.’
Your letters I receaved not vntil the xxix01 of July.
The cause was my absence from Lichfield contrarie to
promise. Howe dangerous the cause thereof was by my
next letters shalbee imparted.2 In the meane time your
Maiestie maie vnderstand that one Mawde (that came out
of ffrance with Ballard, who came from Mendoza concern¬
ing this affaire) is discovered to be for this State. Ballard
acquainted him with the cause of his comming, and hath
emploied him of late into Scotland with letters. By whose
trecherie vnto [what]3 extreame danger my self haue
been, and the whole plott is like to bee brought, and by
what meanes we haue in parte prevented, and purpose by
gods assistance to redresse the rest, your Maiestie shalbee
by my next 4 enformed.
Till when, my soveraigne, for his sake that preserveth
your Maiestie for our common good, dismaie not, neither
doubt of happie issue. It is goddes cause, the churches
and your Maiesties, an enterprise honorable before god
and man, vndertaken vpon zeale and devotion, free from
1 The composition of this postscript should be compared with the
beginning of Mary’s letter, where she makes much the same request.
Her style, it will be seen, is queenly and sincere : here there are constant
repetitions and a want of all inspiration. When once the cloven hoof is
recognised here, its trail will be recognised throughout the postscript.
2 Bardon adds ‘ at large.’
3 Here the text reads ‘ my,’ so also xix. n, and xix. 12, and the Bardon
text. But the sense requires ‘ what,’ and it is probable that we should read
‘ this treachery,’ for ‘ whose treachery.' 4 Bardon here adds ‘ letter.’