Editing Mary, Queen of Scots (section)

=== Execution ===

{{Main|Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots}}

[[File:ExecutionOf MaryQueenOfScots DrawingBy RobertBeale 1587.png|thumb|The execution scene, drawn by eyewitness [[Robert Beale (diplomat)|Robert Beale]]]]

At Fotheringhay, on the evening of 7 February 1587, Mary was told she was to be executed the next morning.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=531}}; {{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=498}}; {{Harvnb|Weir|2008|p=508}}</ref> She spent the last hours of her life in prayer, distributing her belongings to her household, and writing her will and a letter to the King of France.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|pp=533–534}}; {{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=500}}</ref> The [[Scaffold (execution site)|scaffold]] that was erected in the [[Great Hall]] was draped in black cloth. It was reached by two or three steps, and furnished with the block, a cushion for her to kneel on, and three stools for her and the earls of [[George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury|Shrewsbury]] and [[Henry Grey, 6th Earl of Kent|Kent]], who were there to witness the execution.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=537}}; {{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=4}}</ref>

The executioner Bull and his assistant knelt before her and asked forgiveness, as it was typical for the executioner to request the pardon of the one being put to death. Mary replied, "I forgive you with all my heart, for now, I hope, you shall make an end of all my troubles."<ref>{{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=7}}; {{Harvnb|Lewis|1999|p=118}}</ref> Her servants, [[Jane Kennedy (courtier)|Jane Kennedy]] and [[Gilbert Curle|Elizabeth Curle]], and the executioners helped Mary remove her outer garments, revealing a velvet petticoat and a pair of sleeves in crimson brown, the [[liturgical colour]] of martyrdom in the Catholic Church,<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=538}}; {{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=7}}; {{Harvnb|Weir|2008|p=209}}; {{Harvnb|Wormald|1988|p=187}}</ref> with a black satin bodice and black trimmings.<ref>Morris, John (ed.) (1874). [https://archive.org/details/letterbooksofsir00poulrich ''Letter Book of Amias Paulet''], pp. 368–369</ref> She was blindfolded by Kennedy with a white veil embroidered in gold, knelt down on the cushion in front of the block on which she positioned her head, and stretched out her arms. Her last words were, ''In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum'' ("Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit").<ref>{{Harvnb|Guy|2004|pp=7–8}}</ref>

Mary was not beheaded with a single strike. The first blow missed her neck and struck the back of her head. The second blow severed the neck, except for a small bit of sinew, which the executioner cut through using the axe. Afterwards, he held her head aloft and declared "God save the Queen." At that moment, the auburn tresses in his hand turned out to be a wig and the head fell to the ground, revealing that Mary had very short, grey hair.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=539}}; {{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=8}}</ref> Cecil's nephew, who was present at the execution, reported to his uncle that after her death, "Her lips stirred up and down a quarter of an hour after her head was cut off" and that a small dog owned by the queen emerged from hiding among her skirts<ref name="Fraser540">{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=540}}; {{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=9}}</ref>—though eyewitness Emanuel Tomascon does not include those details in his "exhaustive report".<ref name=fugger>{{cite book |last=Tomascon |first=Emanuel |chapter=79. Execution of Mary Stuart |editor-last=von Klarwill |editor-first=Victor |title=The Fugger Newsletters |publisher=John Lane The Bodley Head |location=London |year=1924 |pages=97–105}}</ref>

[[File:Tomb effigy of Mary, Queen of Scots (copy).jpg|thumb|A copy of Mary's effigy, [[National Museum of Scotland]]. The original, by [[Cornelius Cure]], is in [[Westminster Abbey]].]]

When the news of the execution reached Elizabeth, she became indignant and asserted that Davison had disobeyed her instructions not to part with the warrant and that the Privy Council had acted without her authority.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=541}}</ref> Elizabeth's vacillation and deliberately vague instructions gave her [[plausible deniability]] to attempt to avoid the direct stain of Mary's blood.<ref>{{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=497}}</ref> Davison was arrested, thrown into the [[Tower of London]], and found guilty of [[Misprision#Positive misprision|misprision]]. He was released nineteen months later, after Cecil and Walsingham interceded on his behalf.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hutchinson |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Hutchinson (historian) |year=2006 |title=Elizabeth's Spy Master: Francis Walsingham and the secret war that saved England |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |location=London |isbn=978-0-297-84613-0 |pages=196–201}}</ref>

Mary's request to be buried in France was refused by Elizabeth.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=532}}</ref> Her body was embalmed and left in a secure lead coffin until her [[Funeral of Mary, Queen of Scots|burial in a Protestant service]] at [[Peterborough Cathedral]] in late July 1587.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|pp=542, 546–547}}; {{Harvnb|Weir|2008|p=509}}</ref> Her entrails, removed as part of the embalming process, were buried secretly within Fotheringhay Castle.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=541}}; {{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=9}}</ref> Her body was exhumed in 1612 when her son, [[James VI and I]], ordered that she be reinterred in [[Westminster Abbey]] in a chapel opposite the tomb of Elizabeth.<ref>{{Harvnb|Guy|2004|p=504}}; {{Harvnb|Weir|2008|p=509}}</ref> In 1867, her tomb was opened in an attempt to ascertain the resting place of her son, James I of England. He was ultimately found with [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]]. Many of her other descendants, including [[Elizabeth of Bohemia]], [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine]] and the children of [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain]], were interred in her vault.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fraser|1994|p=554}}</ref>