1565 permitted herself to be persuaded that Mary Stuart was CHAP VIII at last sincere. Cecil and Leicester shared her confidence or were prepared to risk the experiment; and Darnley February was allowed leave of absence for three months in the belief that it might be safely conceded. intersected by family feuds; and how disintegrating and dangerous to the Catholic party in Scotland the marriage of Mary Stuart and Darnley must have been. NOTE OF AFFAIRS IN SCOTLAND. February 3, 1564-5. 'Enemies to the Earl of LennoxAll the Protestants of that realm in general, and in special the Duke of Chatelherault, with all the Hamiltons in Clydesdale, Linlithgow, and Edinburgh; the Bishop of St. Andrew's; the Abbot of Kilwinning; the Bishop of Glasgow; all the Betons; the allies of the late Cardinal of St. Andrew's; the Laird of Borthwick, and all the Scots. The Earl of Argyle, sister's son to the Duke; all the Campbells; the Earl of Glencairn, whose eldest son is sister's son to the Duke; and all the Cunninghams. The Earl of Eglinton was never good Lennox. The Earl of Cassilis, young, and of small conduct. The remnants of Huntley's house will favour the Duke, and so will James M'Connell, and others of the Isles. The Lord James and Ledington in their hearts have misliked Lennox; unless now, in hope to continue their rule in that realm, they may be changed. The Earl of Morton, being Chancellor; the young Earl of Angus, Drumlanrig, and all the Douglasses, with the Justice Clerk; M'Gill and their alliance, if my Lady Lennox do not relinquish her title to the Earldom of Angus, 'The Earl Athol; the Earl Errol; the Lords Ruthven and Seton; the gentlemen of Lennox, and some of the Barony of Renfrew. The Laird of Tullybardine, a young head. The Queen being his chief countenance, thinketh from the Duke's overthrow, if she can bring it to pass, to advance Lennox as her heir apparent, failing of her issue. If Darnley can hit the mark, then careth my lady (Lady Lennox) neither for the Earldom of Lennox, Angus, nor lands in England, having enough that way; and if the Queen can bring it about, division shall follow. The overthrow of religion is pre February CHAP VIII Darnley therefore went his way. Elizabeth herself 1565 meanwhile, half desponding, half hopeful of the result, and perhaps to hold a salutary fear over the Queen of Scots, listened to the proposals of Catherine de Medici for her own marriage with the boy King of France. On the 24th of January the Queen-mother addressed a letter to Paul de Foix, setting forth that considering the rare excellence of the Queen of England, the position of England and France, separated as they were only by a three hours' passage, and the deep interests of both countries in their mutual prosperity, she would feel herself the happiest mother in the world if either of her sons could convert so charming a sister into a daughter equally dear.' Before Mary Stuart had given signs of an alteration of feeling, and immediately that she was made aware of the ill success of the conference at Berwick, Elizabeth had been again haunted by the nightmare of marriage. tenced; the French to be reconciled; ye suffer not that Chatelherault be overthrown, and in the end advance him who shall be enemy to this realm. It may fall out the Queen's Majesty's purpose may be followed by them of Scotland, in which case it should be well; but I in my simple opinion am in despair thereof, for they look for her where the Lord preserve her, and therefore betimes seek ways to stop the tide, and fill their hands full at home, which may well be done.'-CONWAY MSS. Rolls House. 1 'Me sentirois la plus heureuse mêre du monde si un de mes enfans d'une bien aymée sœur m' en avoit faict une très chere fille.'-Catherine de Medici to Paul de Foix. Vie de Marie Stuart. MIGNET; Appendix. Again Cecil had communicated with Maximilian, and in CHAP VIII writing to Sir Thomas Smith on the 15th of December, he had said: This also I see in the Queen's Majesty, a sufficient contentation to be moved to marry abroad; and if it may so please Almighty God to lead by the hand some meet person to come and lay hands on her to her contentation, I could then wish myself more health to endure my years somewhat longer, to enjoy such a world here as I trust will follow; otherwise I assure you as now things hang in desperation I have no comfort to live.'1 Cecil's interest was in the Archduke who was a grown man. Elizabeth, if she was obliged to marry, preferred perhaps a husband with whom her connexion for a time would be a form. 1565 February de Medici proposes a between she marriage that Elizabeth and the When Paul de Foix read Catherine's letter to her, she Catherine coloured, expressed herself warmly grateful for an offer of which she felt herself unworthy, and wished that had been ten years younger. She feared, she said, if at her age she married any one so young as the King King of of France, it would be with her as it had been with her sister and King Philip. In a few years she would find herself a discontented old woman, deserted by a husband who was weary of her. The ambassador politely objected. She might have children to give stability to the throne; virtue never grew old, and her greatness would for ever make her loved. She said she would sooner die than be a neglected wife, and yet while conscious of its absurdity she allowed the thought to rest before her. She admitted that her subjects desired her to marry. They would perhaps 1 Cecil to Sir T. Smith, December 15.-WRIGHT, vol. i. France. CHAP VIII prefer an Englishman for her; but she had no subject in 1565 England of adequate rank except the Earl of Arundel, February and Arundel she could not endure. She could have loved the noble Earl of Leicester, but her subjects objected, and she was bound to consult their wishes. So with a promise to consider the proposal she graciously dismissed de Foix and proceeded to consult Cecil. The careful Cecil with methodical gravity paraded the obvious objections, the inequality of age, the danger should the marriage prove fruitful of the absorption of England into France, the risk of being involved in continental wars, and the innovations which might be attempted upon English liberty and English law. Elizabeth admitted the force of these considerations, but she would not regard them as decisive. De Foix suggested that the crown of England might be entailed on the second son, or the second child; and Catherine de Medici herself, excited by Elizabeth's uncertainty, became more pressing than ever, and made light of difficulties. She even tempted Cecil with splendid offers if he would recommend the French alliance, and do her a pleasure; but she had mistaken the temperament which she was addressing. Cecil answered like himself that he thought neither of how to gratify the Queen of France nor of any gift or recompense which might accrue to himself; his sole care was for the service of God, the weal of his mistress, and the interests of the realm; if the marriage would further these it should have his hearty support, if otherwise no second consideration could move him." The Queen-mother was too eager to be daunted. The Queen of Spain was coming in the course of the spring 'to Bayonne on a visit to her mother. Some marriage in 1 MIGNET'S Mary Stuart; Appendix. 1565 March Philip's interest would then probably be proposed for CHAP VIII her son; and while de Foix was working on Elizabeth, Catherine herself continued to press upon the English ambassador, and to urge the necessity of an immediate resolution.1 Elizabeth really thought for the time that unless she could succeed with Mary Stuart her choice lay only between the Archduke and the King of France. She told de Silva in March that she must marry or she could not face another Parliament, while she durst not marry Leicester for fear of an insurrection.2 Catherine de Medici knew the necessity which was bearing upon her, and laboured hard with Sir Thomas Smith to remove the objections raised by Cecil. Age was nothing, she said. If the Queen of England was contented with the age of her son, he would find no fault with hers. Elizabeth professed to fear that a marriage with the King of France might oblige her to be often absent from England. Catherine could see no difficulty in governing England by a viceroy; and it was to no purpose that Smith urged that the English people were less easy to govern than the French, and that their princes had trouble enough to manage them though they remained always at home. He told Cathe 1 Sir Thomas Smith reports a singular Order of Council for the behaviour of the French Court, in preparation for the Queen of Spain's visit: Orders are taken in the Court that no gentleman shall entertain with talk any of the Queen's maids except it be in the Queen's presence, or except he be married. And if any demoiselle do sit upon a form or stool, he may sit by her, but not lie along as the fashion was afore in 2 De Silva to Philip, March 17.— |