our. ' 1 It appears as if she had persuaded him that she had looked the Darnley marriage in the face and had turned away from it as too full of danger; and even Cecil was so far convinced that he entered in his diary at the date of these letters- Mr Randolph writeth at length of the Queen of Scots' allowance of my Lord of Leicester, and giveth great appearance of success in the marriage.' 2 February. On the 6th of February Randolph wrote again to Leicester as if there was no longer any doubt that he would be accepted. This Queen,' he said, 'is now content to give good ear to her Majesty's suit in your behalf; she judges you worthy to be husband to any Queen.'' And though Randolph himself still vaguely anticipated evil, and though other persons who understood the state of things in Scotland shared his misgivings, Elizabeth permitted herself to be persuaded 4 1 Maitland to Cecil, January 16 and February 1: MS. Rolls House. NOTE OF AFFAIRS IN SCOTLAND. February 3, 1564-5. 'Enemies to the Earl of Lennox 2 Cecil's Diary, February 5. 3 Randolph to Leicester, Feb--All the Protestants of that realm ruary 6: WRIGHT, vol. i. 4 Among the Conway MSS. there is a remarkable paper, unsigned and unaddressed, on the Lennox question in Scotland, and on the views supposed to be entertained by Lady Lennox and her husband. It shows how remarkably the religious parties were 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. 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 Cun that Mary Stuart was at last sincere. Cecil and Leicester shared her confidence or were prepared to risk the ex ninghams. 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, which I suppose, in respect of the greater advancement, she hath already promised. The Lords Maxwell and Erskine, allied to Argyle. Livingstone is friend to the Duke, and Fleming likewise. Borthwick will hang with the Douglasses. The Earl of Montrose and the Leslies, being Protestants. 'Of these [some] may be won, partly in hope that Darnley will embrace religion, which I doubt will never be, partly by preferment of spiritual lands, partly by money, and partly but in fear by the authority and in respect of other insolent pre tences. 'Friends hoped upon it— 'The Humes and the Kers, albeit they will choose the best side. The Earl of Bothwell, of no force now. '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 pretenced; the French to be reconciled; their aid again to be craved; and if they can, they intend to pretend title here in England, where they make account upon friends. Whenas they have Lennox, Darnley, and the mother within their border, whatsoever flourishing words be used for the shift, either here or in Scotland, by Lady Lennox, her son, or husband, their hearts portend enmity to our Sovereign and division to her realm. They are only bent to please and revenge the Queen of Scots' quarrel, and to follow her ways, who remembereth, as I am informed, her mother, her uncle Guise, and her own pretences. This realm hath a faction to serve their turn. Betwixt Chatelherault and Lennox, take heed that ye suffer not that Chatelherault be overthrown, and in periment; and Darnley was allowed leave of absence for three months in the belief that it might be safely conceded. Darnley therefore went his way. Elizabeth herself 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.1 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. Again Cecil had communicated with Maximilian, 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 mère du monde si un de mes enfans d'une bien aymée sœur m'en avoit faict une très chère fille.'-Catherine de Medici to Paul de Foix. Vie de | Marie Stuart: MIGNET; Appendix. 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 connection for a time would be a form. When Paul de Foix read Catherine's letter to her she coloured, expressed herself warmly grateful for an offer of which she felt herself unworthy, and wished that she had been ten years younger. She feared, she said, that if at her age she married any one so young as the King 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. 1 Cecil to Sir T. Smith, December 15: WRIGHT, vol. i. 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 prefer an Englishman for her; but she had no subject in England of adequate rank except the Earl of Arundel, 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 |