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Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes
Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes is here in full — 273 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/54 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.
But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.
Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.
Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.
He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes is here in full — 273 sentences across 55 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/54 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.
/ɑːn ˈlændɪŋ ɑːn ðə ʃɔːrz ʌv ˈɪŋɡlənd ðə kwiːn ʌv ˈskɑːtlənd faʊnd ˈmesəndʒərz frʌm ɪˈlɪzəbəθ ɪmˈpaʊərd tuː ɪkˈspres tuː hɜːr ɔːl ðə rəˈɡret ðer ˈmɪstrəs felt ɪn ˈbiːɪŋ əˈneɪbəl tuː ədˈmɪt hɜːr tuː hɜːr ˈprezəns ɔːr tuː ɡɪv hɜːr ðə əˈfekʃənət ˈwelkəm ʃiː bɔːr hɜːr ɪn hɜːr hɑːrt/
Line 2
But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.
Line 3
Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.
Line 4
Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.
/ˈmɜːri huː nuː ɪˈlɪzəbəθs ˈsiː.krət ˌɪnˈtentʃənz wɪð rɪˈɡɑːrd tuː hɜːr ˈraɪvəl dɪd nɑːt ˈhezəteɪt ə ˈmoʊmənt/
Line 5
He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

assassination noun US /əˌsæsəˈneɪʃən/

an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation

From this reading “He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.”

casket noun US /ˈkæskət/

box in which a corpse is buried or cremated

From this reading “He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.”

commissioners noun US /kəˈmɪʃənərz/

plural of “commissioner” — a government administrator

From this reading “Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.”

Elizabeth's noun US /ɪˈlɪzəbəθs/

possessive form of “elizabeth” — daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)

From this reading “Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.”

empowered adjective US /ɪmˈpaʊərd/

invested with legal power or official authority especially as symbolized by having a scepter

From this reading “On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.”

naming noun US /ˈneɪmɪŋ/

the verbal act of naming

From this reading “Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.”

Stuart noun US /ˈstuːərt/

United States painter best known for his portraits of George Washington (1755-1828)

From this reading “Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.”

Stuart's noun US /ˈstuːərts/

possessive form of “stuart” — United States painter best known for his portraits of George Washington (1755-1828)

From this reading “Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.”

All words in this reading · 121

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

accuseverbUS /əˈkjuːz/

bring an accusation against; level a charge against

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

addedverbUS /ˈædəd/

past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

admitverbUS /ədˈmɪt/

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

affectionateadjectiveUS /əˈfekʃənət/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

appearverbUS /əˈpɪr/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

arbitress

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

assassinationnounUS /əˌsæsəˈneɪʃən/

an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

awareadjectiveUS /əˈwer/

(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

blindedadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪd/

deprived of sight

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

boreverbUS /bɔːr/

cause to be bored

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

Bothwell's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

bringingnounUS /ˈbrɪŋɪŋ/

the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

casketnounUS /ˈkæskət/

box in which a corpse is buried or cremated

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

commissionersnounUS /kəˈmɪʃənərz/

plural of “commissioner” — a government administrator

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

Darnley

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

ElizabethnounUS /ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/

daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

Elizabeth'snounUS /ɪˈlɪzəbəθs/

possessive form of “elizabeth” — daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

empoweredadjectiveUS /ɪmˈpaʊərd/

invested with legal power or official authority especially as symbolized by having a scepter

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

essentialadjectiveUS /eˈsenʃəl/

absolutely necessary; vitally necessary

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

expressverbUS /ɪkˈspres/

give expression to

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

hesitateverbUS /ˈhezəteɪt/

pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

immediatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈmiːdiːətli/

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

innocencenounUS /ˈɪnəsəns/

the quality of innocent naivete

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

intentionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈtentʃənz/

plural of “intention” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

judgeverbUS /dʒʌdʒ/

determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

justicenounUS /ˈdʒʌstəs/

the quality of being just or fair

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

landingnounUS /ˈlændɪŋ/

an intermediate platform in a staircase

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

lifetimenounUS /ˈlaɪftaɪm/

the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death)

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

MarynounUS /ˈmeri/

the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

messengersnounUS /ˈmesəndʒərz/

plural of “messenger” — a person who carries a message

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

mistressnounUS /ˈmɪstrəs/

an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

MurraynounUS /ˈmɜːri/

British classical scholar (born in Australia) who advocated the League of Nations and the United Nations (1866-1957)

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

namingnounUS /ˈneɪmɪŋ/

the verbal act of naming

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

offeredverbUS /ˈɔːfərd/

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

papersnounUS /ˈpeɪpərz/

writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

partiesnounUS /ˈpɑːrtiz/

plural of “party” — an organization to gain political power

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

presencenounUS /ˈprezəns/

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

protectionnounUS /prəˈtekʃən/

the activity of protecting someone or something

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

proveverbUS /pruːv/

be shown or be found to be

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

provedadjectiveUS /pruːvd/

established beyond doubt

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

QueennounUS /kwiːn/

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

quotedverbUS /ˈkwoʊtɪd/

past form of “quote” — repeat a passage from

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

regardnounUS /rɪˈɡɑːrd/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

regretverbUS /rəˈɡret/

feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

rivalverbUS /ˈraɪvəl/

be equal to in quality or ability

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

satisfactionnounUS /ˌsætəˈsfækʃən/

the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/

only a very short time before

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

ScotlandnounUS /ˈskɑːtlənd/

one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

shoresnounUS /ʃɔːrz/

plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

StuartnounUS /ˈstuːərt/

United States painter best known for his portraits of George Washington (1755-1828)

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

Stuart'snounUS /ˈstuːərts/

possessive form of “stuart” — United States painter best known for his portraits of George Washington (1755-1828)

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

subjectsnounUS /ˈsʌbdʒɪkts/

plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/

past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

trapnounUS /træp/

a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned

From this reading Mary Stuart was so blinded that she did not see the trap, and immediately offered to prove her innocence to the satisfaction of her sister Elizabeth; but scarcely had she in her hands Mary Stuart's letter, than from arbitress she became judge, and, naming commissioners to hear the parties, summoned Murray to appear and accuse his sister.

unableadjectiveUS /əˈneɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

versesnounUS /ˈvɜːrsəz/

plural of “verse” — literature in metrical form

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

welcomeverbUS /ˈwelkəm/

accept gladly

From this reading On landing on the shores of England, the Queen of Scotland found messengers from Elizabeth empowered to express to her all the regret their mistress felt in being unable to admit her to her presence, or to give her the affectionate welcome she bore her in her heart.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He came to England, bringing the casket containing the three letters we have quoted, some verses and some other papers which proved that the queen had not only been Bothwell's mistress during the lifetime of Darnley, but had also been aware of the assassination of her husband.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading But it was essential, they added, that first of all the queen should clear herself of the death of Darnley, whose family, being subjects of the Queen of England, had a right to her protection and justice.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Murray, who knew Elizabeth's secret intentions with regard to her rival, did not hesitate a moment.

Chapter 8 of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes by Alexandre Dumas holds 273 sentences, grouped into 55 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 8 of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes contain?

Chapter 8 holds 273 sentences of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes, unabridged, divided into 55 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes by Alexandre Dumas exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 273 sentences, grouped into 55 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 8 of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes?

Work through the 55 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 55 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes

Common questions about reading Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes by Alexandre Dumas on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes?

Yes. All 2322 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2744 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2744, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes take to read?

About 193 minutes of reading across 465 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Royal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Names
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Predestined
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Misfortune
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Stuart Celebrated Crimes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.