Chapter 16 Summary

Catholics massacre large numbers of Protestants at the "Massacre of St. Bartholomew" in France. One Privy Council member tells the French ambassador that this is the greatest crime since the Crucifixion. Pressure mounts for execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. Elizabeth wants to sends Mary to Scotland to be executed by Scottish law, but Elizabeth's emissary is killed, and this plan fails.

Elizabeth's love Leichester, who has the reputation of a lecher, secretly poisons Lord Sheffield and pledges to marry his widow while continuing his relationship with Elizabeth. Leichester privately marries this woman four days before the first of his son, with her doctor witnessing the ceremony.

Chapter 16 Analysis

French Catholics again demonstrate their hatred of Protestants, creating yet more demands within England for execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, thereby eliminating a Catholic claimant to the English Throne.