Section 162 A Royal Judgment
A man and his wife named Lambrun had been many years in the service of the unfortunate Queen Mary Stuart, and were sincerely attached to her. The tragical death of that princess had such an effect on the husband that he did not long survive her, and the1 widow, Margaret Lambrun, resolved to revenge, upon2 Queen Elizabeth, the3 death of two persons so dear to her. She (S. 5, N. 2) therefore disguised4 herself in man’s clothes, bought (S. 58, N. 8) a brace5 of pistols, and went6 to (S. 72, N. 4) London. Soon after, when the queen7 appeared in8 public, Margaret endeavoured to9 make her way through the crowd in order to shoot her10; but one of the pistols fell11, and she was immediately apprehended.
The12 queen, being informed of the circumstance13, ordered14 the man to be brought before her, and said to him: “Well, Sir, who are you15? and why do you seek16 to kill me?”—“Madam,” replied Margaret, “I am a woman; I was a long time in the service of Queen Mary Stuart, whom you put17 to death unjustly; her execution caused18 the death of my dear husband, who was sincerely attached to her; and my affection for both of them has excited19 me to revenge.”—“And how do you think I ought to deal20 with you?” asked Elizabeth.—“Do you speak as a queen or as a judge?” returned Margaret.—“As a queen.”—“Then you ought to pardon21 me,” was the answer.—“And what security22 can you give me that you will not attempt16 my life again?”—“Madam, a23 pardon granted upon conditions ceases to be a favour24.”—“Well then,” said the queen, “I pardon you, and trust to your gratitude for25 my safety.”—P. Sadler.
Notes
1 = his.
2 an, with the Dat. of the def. art. The words ‘upon — Elizabeth’ must be placed before the supine. Comp. App. § 1.
3 We lament the death of the two boys so dear to us, wir beweinen den Tod der beiden uns so teuren Knaben.
4 to disguise oneself in man’s clothes, sich als Mann verkleiden.
5 = a pair.
6 sich begeben, insep. comp. str. v. refl.
7 Here place the adverbs ‘soon after’.
8 öffentlich.
9 to make one’s way, sich einen Weg bahnen.
10 to shoot a person, auf einen schießen.
11 entfiel ihr.
12 Construe accord. to S. 55, N. 1, and S. 4, N. 4, (man).
13 Vorfall, m.
14 ließ sie den Mann vor sich führen.
15 Use the 2nd pers. pl. (Ihr) here and in the following passages, since that was the pronoun generally used in addressing persons in olden times.
16 to seek to kill a person (or to attempt a person’s life), einem nach dem Leben trachten.
17 to put a person to death unjustly, einen ungerechterweise hinrichten lassen.
18 This caused the death of our child, dies kostete unserem Kinde das Leben. The insertion of the adv. auch after the verb ‘caused’ would considerably improve the German rendering.
19 to excite a person to revenge, einen zur Rache antreiben. Use the Impf.
20 verfahren.
21 begnadigen, v. tr.
22 Bürgschaft, f.
23 a — conditions, eine bedingungsweise Begnadigung.
24 Gnade, f.
25 hinsichtlich, followed by the Gen. The words ‘to (auf) your gratitude’ are best placed at the end.