426 Belsham’s Comparison between Robertson and Hume. 
glosses to cover her exceptionable con- 
duct, 
which must either be the effect or the 
eause of the most shameful enormities.” 
This reasoning, with much more that 
immediately follows, cannot fail to con- 
vince all unprejudiced persons of the 
guilt of Mary. 
too forcible to be counteracted, or the 
weight of the impression diminished by 
the most subtle and ingenious sophis- 
try. 
Ili. It appears that, as to the first of 
those points, respecting which we pro- 
posed to institute a comparison between 
these illustrious historians, there exists 
some considerable shades of difference. 
Dr. Robertson is the zealous advocate of 
Mary against all who impeach the purity 
of her “conduct, in relation to Rizzio, 
whilst Mr. Hume maintains a cautious 
and guarded silence upon the subject. 
By affecting, however, to conceal his opi- 
nion, he intimates but too plainly how 
unfavourable that opinion really is. On 
the second point, the sentiments of these 
great writers almost entirely coincide ; 
and the queen’s conduct is represented 
by both of them as totally depraved and 
abandoned. But on thethird and last of 
these questions, that which regards Queen 
Mary’s knowledge and approbation of 
Babington’s plot for the assassination of 
Elizabeth, we shall find their conclusions 
completely and avowedly at variance. 
Let us first then advert to Dr. Robert- 
son’s view and representation of the sub- 
ject. 
After narrating the circumstances of 
Babington’s conspiracy, and its happy 
discove ery by the sagacity of Walsingham, 
the historian thus expresses himself :— 
* The frantic zeal of a few rash young 
men accounts sufficiently for all the w ild 
and wicked designs which they had form- 
ed. But this was not the light in which 
Elizabeth and her ministers chose to 
place the conspiracy. They wished to 
ersuade the nation, that Babington and 
fis associates should be considered merely 
as instruments employed by the queen of 
Scots, the real, though secret, author of so 
many attempts against the ‘life of Eliza- 
beth, and the peace of her kingdoms. 
They produced letters, which they as- 
cribed to her in support of this charge.” 
Two of them were addressed to Babing- 
~ ton with several to Mendoza, Paget, En- 
glefield, &c. Tt was given out that in 
these letters Mary approved of the con- 
Spiracy, and even of the assassination: 
that she diected them to proceed. with 
she betrays a neglect of fame, 
The circumstances are 
[Bech ¥ 
the utmost circumspection, and not to 
take arms until forei en arenes were . 
ready to join them, &c. ‘¢ All these cir 
cumstances were opened at the trial of 
the conspirators : and while the nation 
was under the influence of those terrors 
which the association had raised, and the 
late danger had augmented, they were 
believed without hesitation or enquiry, 
and spread a general alarm.” Book vn. 
pe St-a8 
At the trial of Mary, which took place 
at Fotheringay, copies of the letters in 
question were produced. 
confession, those of Ballard, Savage, and 
the other conspirators, together with the 
declarations of Nau and Curle, her se- 
cretaries, were read, and the whole ranged 
in the most specious order which the are. 
of lawyers could devise, and heightened 
by ever , aes their eloquence could 
add.” 
“Tn ne. ‘defence, the queen absolutely 
denied any correspondence with Babing- 
ton or Ballard; copies only of her pre- 
tended letters to them were produced, 
though nothing less than her hand-writ- 
ing, or subscription, was sufficient to 
convict her of such an odious crime, No 
proof could be brought that their letters. 
were delivered into her hands, or that 
any answer was returned by her direc- 
tion. The confessions of wretches con- 
denned and executed for such a detest- 
able action, were of little weight. Fear, 
or hope, might extort from them many 
as Babington’ S- 
things: inconsistent with truth, nor ought ~ ( 
the honour of a queen to he ‘stained b 
such vile testimony. 
her secretaries was not more conclusive ; 
promises ¢ and threats might easily over- 
come the resolution of two-strangers. In 
order to screen themselves, they might 
throw the blame on her; but they could 
discover nothing to her prejudice without 
violating, in the first place, the oath of 
fidelity which they had sworn to her; and 
‘their perjury in one instance rendered 
them unworthy of credit im another.” 
She concluded ‘her defence in the follow- 
ing dignified — atleeting terms :— 
‘Worn out as I now am with cares and 
suticrings, the prospect of a crown is not 
so Inviting that I should ruin my soul in 
order to obtain it. Tam no stranger to 
the feelings of humanity, nor unacquaint- 
ed with the duties of religion, and abhor 
the detestable crime of assassination as 
equally repugnant to both. And if ever 
I have given consent, by my words, or 
even by my thoughts, to any attempt 
against the life of the eee of England, 
far 
The declaration of . 
