Mary's sentiments having been communicated to Elizabeth, she wrote Mary as follows:—
“You have in various ways and manners attempted to take my life and bring my kingdom to destruction by bloodshed. I have never proceeded harshly against you, but, on the contrary, protected and maintained you like myself. These treasons will be proved to you and will be made manifest. Yet it is my will that you answer the nobles and peers of the kingdom as if I myself were present. I therefore require, charge, and command you, that you make answer, for I have been well informed of your arrogance. Act candidly, and you will receive the greater favour of me.”[19]
“Sir Walter Mildmay repeated her conversation and then went and reported it to the Council, which was assembled in a chamber adjoining. This finished, all separated, and went to their places of abode. Paulet, Barker, and Stallenge came to the Queen from the Council, who having heard Her Majesty's answer to Elizabeth's letter found it good to have it written and communicated to her that she might verify it. Therefore Barker on his knees read it to her, rewritten in a good style without anything forgotten except that she wished to speak to Elizabeth. She verbally approved it without any signature.
“_Thursday, 13th October._—Paulet, Barker, and Stallenge came to her about ten o'clock in order to ask if it would please her to hear the commissioners, who wished to speak to her. Being willing, they entered her chamber each in their order with great ceremony, one marching before the other bearing seals or the arms of the Chancellor. Then the Chancellor, speaking first, said he came by command of the Queen of England, she being informed that the Queen of Scots was charged with some plot or enterprise against her person or estate, with authority to examine her on certain charges, and upon her answer to proceed as the Council were disposed. She told them that she had seen the letter of the Queen of England, and that she had replied to it the day before. She said this with tears, moving everyone to pity. Burghley, a very vehement man, speaking for the others, said that the Council had seen the answer and he had taken the advice of the law doctors who were versed in civil and canonical law, who after deliberation had found that, notwithstanding her answer, he must proceed with the examination, and therefore the lords had come to examine her; that she might say whether she would hear them or not, because if she refused they would proceed according to their commission. Her Majesty remonstrated about her rank and that she was not a subject, to which they replied that Elizabeth recognised no Queen in her kingdom but herself. As to them, they would not speak to her as to a subject; they knew well her origin and rank; that their commission was not to give way to this, only to examine her upon international and civil and canonical laws. After some conversation touching her bad treatment and the severity she had endured, the commissioners, seeing she would not consent to be examined because she was not a subject, went away. After dinner she made some memorandums with her own hand to refresh her memory when the commissioners returned, as she could not remember everything. Her heart swelled with affliction; her spirits seemed to awaken and become stronger, so that she was able to debate the cause when she was rudely assailed by the commissioners, and said more than she had written. These returned after dinner, when she demanded the indictment of the Queen; what she meant by the word 'protection'; why she (the Queen of Scots) had come into England, and with what intention. Burghley, who always did the speaking, was irritated, and said that he had seen the letter, and what had been written had explained itself. It would be presumptuous to undertake to interpret the letters of his mistress. That did not belong to them. The Queen said he was not so ignorant of the mind of Elizabeth as not to know her will and intention. If he had power to interpret to the Council he had also power and authority to interpret the Queen's letter to her. Burghley denying that he had power to do so, said he knew well the Queen's intention, namely, that everyone in her kingdom should be subject to the laws, and what he wished to know was whether she would listen to the commissioners or not, or that they might proceed without her. She said she knew this letter was the invention of Walsingham, who had confessed to being her enemy; that she had suspected him as such, and he knew well what he had done against her and her son. Thereupon they debated among themselves if Walsingham was in London when the letter was written, but they came to no decision.