Of Honour and Innocence: Royal Correspondence and the Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots

This article considers the diplomatic tension caused by the discovery of Mary Queen of Scots’ involvement in the Babington Plot and how it was negotiated in the correspondence of Queen Elizabeth of England and King James VI of Scotland. Rhetorical strategies of honour and innocence were utilised within these letters to create narratives that sought to balance the needs of both monarchs and their kingdoms. While the correspondence did not prevent the suspension of relations between the kingdoms following Mary’s execution, they did play a vital role in restoring it shortly before the coming of the Spanish Armada in 1588