[MR] Historic Events on 8 February

[Groff, Garth (ggg9y)]

Noble Friends,

Today is the anniversary of two important events in English history, both happening during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In 1587 Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Queen_of_Scots . Mary was convicted as a conspirator in the "Babington Plot" to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and return England to Catholicism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babington_Plot .

Elizabeth had more trouble in 1601 when royal favorite Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, led an unsuccessful coup attempt against Elizabeth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Devereux,_2nd_Earl_of_Essex . The coup failed, and he was beheaded for treason on 25 February 1601. Curiously, some of Devereux's associates were later executed in the Gunpowder Plot, but that's beyond our period of interest. The story of Devereux's association with the Queen is the subject of many dramas, especially ELIZABETH AND ESSEX (Betty Davis and Errol Flynn), and forms part of the story of the recent ANONYMOUS.

Yours Aye,

Lord Mungo Napier, The Archer of Mallard Lodge
Read "The Tale of Mungo Napier":
http://people.virginia.edu/~ggg9y/napier1.html