The Bond of Association created a legal mechanism to execute Mary Queen of Scots for any assassination of Elizabeth, regardless of her knowledge.
After the Throckmorton Plot, Burghley and Walsingham drafted the Bond of Association—a legal instrument ensuring that Mary would face execution if Elizabeth were assassinated, even without direct involvement. ✦ AI generated
Tom Holland · The Rest Is History · 2026-08-06 · original ↗
starts at this moment · 59:17
And it is with these goals in mind that in the wake of Throckmorton's execution, Burleigh and Walsingham draw up a really remarkable document. And this is what comes to be called the Bond of Association. And it begins with a very simple but ingenious provision. And this provision is that anyone who is responsible for the death of Elizabeth will be ineligible to succeed her. And this will become law. Mary isn't mentioned by name, but she doesn't need to be mentioned by name. It's obviously targeted at her. And by the time this Bond of Association is signed off by the Privy Council at a meeting in Hampton Court on the 19th of October 1584, a further crucial provision has been added. And this states that anyone who is responsible for the death of Elizabeth will be put to death whether they were aware of the assassination plot or not. So, just to spell out what that means. If a Catholic assassin kills Elizabeth with the aim of putting Mary Queen of Scots on the English throne, Mary will be subject to death even if she didn't know anything about the assassination plot.
verbatim transcript · starts at 59:17
59:17access to the outside world. But that's not enough because Burghley and Walsingham, they really need to find a way to bring Mary to trial, to sentence, to execution. And it is with these goals in mind that in the wake of Throckmorton's execution, Burleigh and Walsingham draw up a really remarkable document. And this is what comes to be called the Bond of Association. And it begins with a very
59:43simple but ingenious provision. And this provision is that anyone who is responsible for the death of Elizabeth will be ineligible to succeed her. And this will become law. Mary isn't mentioned by name, but she doesn't need to be mentioned by name. It's obviously targeted at her. And by the time this Bond of Association is signed off by the Privy Council at a meeting in Hampton Court on the 19th of
60:09October 1584, a further crucial provision has been added. And this states that anyone who is responsible for the death of Elizabeth will be put to death whether they were aware of the assassination plot or not. So, just to spell out what that means. Yeah. If a Catholic [laughter] assassin kills Elizabeth with the aim of putting Mary Queen of Scots on the English throne, Mary will be subject to death
60:38even if she didn't know anything about the assassination plot. >> And is it just aimed at Mary, do you think, or is it aimed at other people as well? >> No, it's just aimed at Mary. >> Right. >> And the Privy Council, when they sign this off as law, they know that and they also know that effectively they are formally committing themselves to a kind of lynch
60:55law. And they then send it out into the streets of London and the kingdom beyond, and thousands and thousands of loyal Englishmen and women add their signatures to this Bond of Association, and if they're illiterate, then they sign it with their cross. And amazingly, on the 5th of January 1585, Mary Queen of Scots herself puts her name to this Bond. >> See, I think that's smart politics from