CHAP IX 1566 February Randolph is expelled land. Darnley promised in return that the banished noblemen should have free remission of all their faults' as soon as the possession of the crown matrimonial enabled him to pardon them, and till he obtained it he undertook to prevent their impeachment. The lords might return at once to Scotland, in full possession of their lands, titles, and goods.' If they were meddled with he would stand by them to the uttermost, and religion should be established as they desired.1 Copies of these articles were carried by swift messengers to Newcastle. Ritzio's name was not mentioned; there was nothing in them to show that more was intended than a forcible revolution on the meeting of Parliament; and such as they were they were promptly signed by Murray and his friends. Argyle subscribed, Maitland subscribed, Ruthven subscribed; Morton hesitated-but at the crisis of his uncertainty Mary Stuart innocently carried out her threat of depriving him of the Chancellorship, and he added his name in a paroxysm of anger. It need not be supposed that the further secret was unknown to any of them; but it was undesirable to commit the darker features of the plot to formal writing. Meanwhile the Queen of Scots, all unconscious of the from Scot- deadly coil which was gathering round her, had chosen the moment to order Randolph to leave Scotland. She entertained not the faintest suspicion of the conspiracy, but she knew that the English ambassador had shared Murray's secrets, that he had been Elizabeth's instrument in keeping alive in Scotland the Protestant faction, and that so long as he remained the party whom she most detested would have a nucleus to gather round. 1 Bond subscribed March 6, 1566.-Scotch MSS. Rolls House. 1566 Believing that she could do nothing which Elizabeth CHAP IX would dare to resent, she called him before the Council, charged him with holding intercourse with her rebels, February and bade him begone.' The opportunity was ill selected, for Elizabeth had been for some time recovering her firmness; she had sent Murray money for his private necessities; in the middle of February she had so far overcome both her economy and her timidity, that she supplied him with a thousand pounds 'to be employed in the common cause and maintenance of religion;" and before she heard of the treatment of Randolph she had taken courage to write with something of her old manner to the Queen of Scots herself. 'She had not intended,' she said, 'to have written on the subject again to her, but hearing that her intercession hitherto in favour of the lords had been not only fruitless, but that at the approaching Parliament the Queen of Scots meant to proceed to the worst extremities, she would no longer forbear to speak her mind.' The Earl of Murray had risen in arms against her only to prevent her marriage, and for the defence of his own life. from the malice which was borne him. He was the truest and best of her subjects, and therefore, she said, in the interest of both the realms we are moved to require you to have that regard that the Earl and others with him may be received to your grace, or if not that you will forbear proceeding against him and the others until some better opportunity move you to show them favour." In this mood Elizabeth was not inclined to bear with CHAP IX patience the dismissal of her ambassador. Proudly and 1566 coldly she replied to Mary Stuart's announcement of March what she had done, that inasmuch as the Queen of Scots had been pleased to break the usages of nations and pass this affront upon her as this was the fruit of the long forbearance which she had herself shown-she would be better advised before she entered into any further correspondence; she would take such measures as might be necessary for her own defence; and for the Earl of Murray, to deal plainly, she could not for her honour and for the opinion she had of his sincerity and loyalty towards his country, but see him relieved in England, whereof she thought it convenient to advertise the Queen of Scots: if harm came of it, she trusted God would convert the evil to those that were the cause of it.' 91 The first, and probably the second, of these letters never reached their destination: the events which were going forward in Scotland rendered entreaty and menace in behalf of Murray alike unnecessary." Randolph, though ordered off, was unwilling to go till he saw the execution of the plot: he made excuses for remaining till an escort came to his door with orders to see him over the frontiers, and he was compelled to obey. Bothwell met him on the road to Berwick with apologies and protests; but Randolph said he knew that Bothwell and one other-no doubt Ritzio-were those who had advised his expulsion. They desired to force Elizabeth to declare war, when Bothwell hoped to win his spurs. 1 Elizabeth to the Queen of Scots, March 3.-LANSDOWNE MSS. 8. 2 A great business is in hand in Scotland, which will bring about the recall of the Earl of Murray, so that we have forborne to forward 1566 March Far enough was the Queen of Scots from the triumphant CHAP IX war which she was imagining; far enough was Bothwell from his spurs, and Ritzio from his Chancellorship and the investiture of the lands of Murray. The mine was dug, the train was laid, the match was lighted to scatter them and their projects all to the winds. The Parliament was summoned for Monday the 11th of February; on the 12th the Bill of Attainder against the lords was to be brought forward and pressed to immediate completion. On Friday the 8th the conspirators sent a safe-conduct, signed by Darnley, to bring Murray back to Scotland. Lord Hume had been gained over, and had undertaken to escort his party through the marches; and before the Earl and his companions could reach Edinburgh all would be over.1 The outline of the intended proceedings was sketched by Randolph for Cecil's information on his arrival at Berwick. BEDFORD AND RANDOLPH TO CECIL.2 Berwick, March 6. a a The Lord Darnley, weary of bearing the name of king, and not having the honour pertaining to such dignity, is in league with certain of the lords for a great attempt, whereby the noblemen now out of their country may without great difficulty be restored, and in the end tranquillity ensue in that country. Somewhat, we are sure, you have heard of diverse discords and jars between the Queen and her husband; partly for that she hath refused him the crown matrimonial, partly for that he hath assured knowledge of such usage of himself as 1 Bedford and Randolph to Cecil and Leicester, March 8.-Scotch MSS. Rolls House. 2 MS. Ibid. sent to Cecil. 1566 March CHAP IX altogether is intolerable to be borne, which if it were not over-well known we would both be very loath that it could be true. To take away this occasion of slander he is himself determined to be at the apprehension and execution of him whom he is able manifestly to charge with the crime, and to have done him the most dishonour that can be to any man, much more being as he is. We need not more plainly describe the person-you have heard of the man whom we mean. Meeting of the Scotch The time of execution and performance of these matters is before the Parliament, as near as it is. To this determination there are privy in Scotland these-Argyle, Morton, Ruthven, Boyd, and Lidington; in England these-Murray, Grange, Rothes, myself (Bedford), and the writer hereof (Randolph). 'If the Queen will not yield to persuasion, we know not how they propose to proceed. If she make a power at home she will be fought with; if she seek aid from abroad the country will be placed at the Queen's Majesty's disposal to deal as she think fit.' In the blindness of confidence, and to prevent the Parliament. chance of failure in Parliament, Mary Stuart had collected the surviving peers of the old 'spiritual estate,' the Catholic bishops and abbots, and placed them in the antient manner,' intending, as she herself declared,' 'to have done some good anent the restoring the auld religion, and to have proceeded against the rebels according to their demerits.' On Thursday the 7th she presided in person at the choice of the Lords of the Articles, naming with her own mouth 'such as would say what she thought expedient to the forfeiture of the The Queen of Scots to the Archbishop of Glasgow, April 2.—KEITH, |