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moen ＇interest＇ at Court would have saved me！
Well； we know what the Laird of Dunipace did about it。
‘‘As to these women who was challenged with me；'' the confession
goes on；
I will also tell my mind concerning them。 God forgive the nurse； for
she helped me too well in mine evil purpose； for when I told her I was
minded to do so she consented to the doing of it； and upon Tuesday； when
the turn was done； when I sent her to seek the man who would do it； she
said； ‘‘ I shall go and seek him； and if I get him not I shall seek another！
And if I get none I shall do it myself！''
Here the writer of the Memorial interpolates the remark； ‘‘This the
nurse also confessed； being asked of it before her death。'' It is a
misfortune； equalling that of the lack of information regarding the
character of Jean's husband； that there is so little about the character of the
nurse。 She was； it is to be presumed； an older woman than her mistress；
probably nurse to Jean in her infancy。 One can imagine her （the stupid
creature！） up in arms against Kincaid for his treatment of her ‘‘bonny
lamb；'' without the sense to see whither she was urging her young mistress；
blind to the consequences； but ‘‘nursing her wrath'' and striding
purposefully from Warriston to Holyroodhouse on her strong plebeian legs；
not once but several times； in search of Weir！ What is known in Scotland
as a ‘limmer；' obviously。
‘‘As for the two other women；'' Jean continues；
I request that you neither put them to death nor any torture； because I
testify they are both innocent； and knew nothing of this deed before it was
done； and the mean time of doing it； and that they knew they durst not tell；
for fear； for I compelled them to dissemble。 As for mine own part； I
thank my God a thousand times that I am so touched with the sense of that
sin now： for I confess this also to you； that when that horrible murder was
committed first； that I might seem to be innocent； I laboured to counterfeit
weeping； but； do what I could； I could not find a tear。
Of the whole confession that last is the most revealing touch。 It is
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hardly just to fall into pity for Jean simply because she was young and
lovely。 Her crime was a bad one； much more deliberate than many that；
in the same age； took women of lower rank in life than Jean to the crueller
end of the stake。 In the several days during which she was sending for
Weir； but failing to have speech with him； she had time to review her
intention of having her husband murdered。 If the nurse was the prime
mover in the plot Jean was an unrelenting abettor。 It may have been in
her calculations before； as well as after； the deed itself that the interest of
her father and family at Court would save her； should the deed have come
to light as murder。 Even in these days； when justice is so much more
seasoned with mercy to women murderers； a woman in Jean's case； with
such strong evidence of premeditation against her； would only narrowly
escape the hangman； if she escaped him at all。 But that confession of
trying to pretend weeping and being unable to find tears is a revelation。 I
can think of nothing more indicative of terror and misery in a woman than
that she should want to cry and be unable to。 Your genuinely hypocritical
murderer； male as well as female； can always work up self…pity easily and
induce the streaming eye。
It is from internal evidences such as this that one may conclude the
repentance of Jean Livingstone； as shown in her confession； to have been
sincere。 There was； we are informed by the memorialist； nothing
maudlin in her conduct after condemnation。 Once she got over her first
obduracy； induced； one would imagine； by the shock of seeing the
realization of what she had planned but never pictured； the murder itself；
and probably by the desertion of her by her father and kindred； her
repentance was ‘‘cheerful'' and ‘‘unfeigned。'' They were tough…minded
men； those Scots divines who ministered to her at the last； too stern in
their theology to be misled by any pretence at finding grace。 And no
pretty ways of Jean's would have deceived them。 The constancy of
behaviour which is vouched for； not only by the memorialist but by other
writers； stayed with her until the axe fell。
％ III
‘‘She was but a woman and a bairn； being the age of twenty…one
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
years；'' says the Memorial。 But； ‘‘in the whole way； as she went to the
place of execution； she behaved herself so cheerfully as if she had been
going to her wedding； and not to her death。 When she came to the
scaffold； and was carried up upon it； she looked up to ‘‘the Maiden'' with
two longsome looks； for she had never seen it before。''
The minister…memorialist； who attended her on the scaffold； says that
all who saw Jean would bear record with himself that her countenance
alone would have aroused emotion； even if she had never spoken a word。
‘‘For there appeared such majesty in her countenance and visage； and such
a heavenly courage in her gesture； that many said； ‘That woman is
ravished by a higher spirit than a man or woman's！' ''
As for the Declaration and Confession which； according to custom；
Jean made from the four corners of the scaffold； the memorialist does not
pretend to give it verbatim。 It was； he says； almost in a form of words；
and he gives the sum of it thus：
The occasion of my coming here is to show that I am； and have been；
a great sinner； and hath offended the Lord's Majesty； especially； of the
cruel murdering of mine own husband； which； albeit I did not with mine
own hands； for I never laid mine hands upon him all the time that he was
murdering； yet I was the deviser of it； and so the committer。 But my God
hath been always merciful to me； and hath given me repentance for my
sins； and I hope for mercy and grace at his Majesty's hands； for his dear
son Jesus Christ's sake。 And the Lord hath brought me hither to be an
example to you； that you may not fall into the like sin as I have done。
And I pray God； for his mercy； to keep all his faithful people from falling
into the like inconvenient as I have done！ And therefore I desire you all
to pray to God for me； that he would be merciful to me！
One wonders just how much of Jean's own words the minister…
memorialist got into this； his sum of her confession。 Her speech would
be coloured inevitably by the phrasing she had caught from her spiritual
advisers； and the sum of it would almost unavoidably have something of
the memorialist's own fashion of thought。 I would give a good deal to
know if Jean did actually refer to the Almighty as ‘‘the Lord's Majes