cleanse herself from the foul stains on her reputation before the two could meet as sister queens; and so Mary had to take what solace she could from the opinion that Queen Elizabeth's minions combined to exclude her from fear of the influence she would have over their mistress if a meeting between them were permitted.1 All things considered, it was found to be, justly or unjustly, the prudent course to avoid an immediate decision as to the ultimate disposal of the refugee, and to retain her, as far as might be, in the position in which she had placed herself. One step was necessary, however, and that could not be taken without some approach to an active policy. If she were to be held in restraint, Carlisle was so near her own country that any day might bring some fresh astounding change in the eventful drama of which she was the heroine. Knollys feared that one so lithe and active might escape by such cords and drapery as the furniture of her apartment could supply.2 Besides 1 The conditions under which the expectations above referred to are to be realised are "estant en mon pays et en amitié avèques ceste royne, que les siennes ne veullent permettre me veoir de peur que je la remète en meilleur chemin, car ils ont ceste opinion que je le gouvernerois, lui complésant."-Labanoff, ii. 186. Anderson, iv. 57. Writing after she had been removed to a safer place, Knollys says, about the anxieties and difficulties at Carlisle : "The band was divided into five partes, so that the watche and wards came about every fifth nyght and every fifth daye, of the which watche and wards we had five governors. The first was Mr Reade, and Wyllyam Knollys for his learning accompanied hym; the second was Mr Morton; the third was Mr Wylford; the fourth was Barrett, Mr Reade's lieutenant; and the fifth was Weste, his ansygne-bearer, a very sufficient and carefull man also. This quene's chamber at Carlyll had a wyndow lokyng out towardes Skotland, the barrs whereof being filed asonder, out of the same she myght have ben lett downe, and then she had playne grounds before her to pass into Skotland. But nere unto the same wyndow we founde an old postern doore, that was dammed upp with a ramper of earth of the inner syde, of twenty foot broade and thirty foot deepe, betweene two walls; for the comoditie of which postern for our sallie to that wyndow wyth readye watche and warde, we dyd cutt into that rampier in forme of stayre, with a turning aboute downe to the seyde postern, and so opened the same, without the which devise we coulde not have watched and warded this quene there so safely as we dyd. Although there was another wyndow of her chamber for passing into an orchard within the small body of servants and attendants who resided with her in the castle, several Scotsmen living in Carlisle attended her as she rode out, and formed a considerable retinue. And once," as Knollys says, "she rode out a-hunting the hare, she galloping so fast upon every occasion, and her whole retinue being so well horsed, that we, upon experience thereof, doubting that upon a set course some of her friends out of Scotland might invade and assault us upon the sudden for to rescue and take her from us." To obviate this danger he came to the politic conclusion that she must excuse her protectors if they should refuse to countenance "such riding pastimes," as they created anxiety lest they should end in "the endangering of her person by some sudden invasion of her enemies." 1 To other causes of anxiety were added some suspicions about the intentions of Northumberland and several of his neighbours, all, like himself, "unsound in religion." It was ostensibly a question of etiquette whether he, as the feudal potentate of the district, was not bound in loyalty and courtesy to take on himself the especial protection of the royal fugitive; but he was so severely checked and heartily rated for his obtrusiveness on the occasion, as to show that deeper motives than an obedience to the rules of etiquette were supposed to govern him. 2 On the 14th of July she was removed to Bolton Castle, in Yorkshire, a possession of the Lord Scrope. There was here a distinct act, in which she was disposed of contrary to her will. But action had become necessary, and this was a choice among difficulties. To be permitted to return to Scotland was not her own desire-it would have been certain destruction. Either she must be sent to France, or to Scotland with an army to enforce her claims. A little petulant outbreak described by Knollys thoroughly harmonises with her position and natural expectations: "I will require the queen my good sister that either she the towne wall, and so to have slipped over the towne wall, that was very dangerous."-Wright's Queen Elizabeth, i. 290, 291. 1 Wright's Queen Elizabeth, i. 284. 2 Ibid., i. 272 et seq. will let me go into France, or that she will put me into Dumbarton, unless she will hold me as a prisoner; for I am sure,' sayeth she, 'that her highness will not of her honour put me into my Lord of Murray's hands.' Hereby we might gather that although she would be put into Dumbarton, that she dare not well go thither of herself if she were at liberty; and, saith she, 'I will seek aid forthwith at other princes' hands that will help me-namely, the French king and the King of Spain-whatsoever come of me, because I have promised my people to give them aid by August.' The little scene closes thus: "" And,' saith she, 'I have made great wars in Scotland, and I pray God I make no troubles in other realms also;' and parting from us, she said that if we did detain her as a prisoner we should have much ado with her." 1 The removal was managed with decorum. Both parties understood each other; and Queen Mary, having no choice but compliance, ostensibly concurred in the propriety of a change of residence, and was escorted to her new home with all available ceremonial. The change was a great relief to Knollys, whose last anxiety was about the journey. He had the satisfaction of reporting that "there hath been no repair unto her by the way, as might have been looked for;" and the structure of the new prison was eminently satisfactory: "This house appeareth to be very strong, very fair, and very stately, after the old manner of building; and is the highest-walled house that I have seen, and hath but one entrance thereinto; and half the number of these soldiers may better watch and ward the same than the whole number thereof could do at Carlisle Castle." 2 1 Wright's Queen Elizabeth, i. 286. 2 Ibid., 290. 395 CHAPTER LI. REGENCY OF MURRAY. (Continued.) THE EFFECT ON THE COURT OF ENGLAND-FLEMING, HERRIES, AND ENGLAND-HER LET us now turn aside from the fugitive and her personal adventures, to look at a train of transactions of a different character. They are to be found in materials more like a lawsuit, than a romance with a wandering princess for its heroine; but they are full of matter bearing on the facts and spirit of the history of the time, and on the character and conduct of those who acted in it. Directly after her flight, Queen Mary had sent two of her faithful followers to represent her interests at the Court of Elizabeth-the Lord Fleming and the Lord Herries. Fleming's object was stated to be, to pass from England to France to inform the French king of Queen Mary's arrival in England, "and to thank him for his offers made to her, and to move him to send no succours into Scotland as beforetime she had solicited." He was told that there was no necessity for such a mission. De Beaumont, the ambassador from France, who had rendered court to Mary at Hamilton, had just returned after having seen all. The French Government were well aware that she had gone to England; and as to the plea that it was desirable to warn France not to send any forces to Scotland, that was a matter in which the Queen of England was as deeply interested as her sister; but the English Government felt no anxiety. There was thus no reason why Fleming should go to France. It is clear that if Queen Mary could have sent a messenger to France in any other manner, she would not have appealed to her sister's aid. Fleming felt the object of his mission to be so important that he still pressed for a safe-conduct to France. He was met by some touches of diplomatic sarcasm; but enough was let out to show him that there were formidable suspicions about the nature of the real object of sending to the Court of France one who had at his disposal a strong fortress commanding one of the chief sea-gates of Scotland: "The common opinion was well known that his special errand, he being Captain of Dumbarton, was to fetch Frenchmen by sea to Scotland, whereof the world, by former certain experience, might well judge what great troubles might ensue fit for England to regard." True, the Queen of England was not afraid of any actual mischief from his negotiations; but "she desired not to be thought in the judgment of the world improvident, how improvident soever she might be indeed." So Fleming was desired to abandon his mission if "he meant to avoid the opinion of an evil meaning." Thus Cecil and his friends having, as they believed, baffled a deep design, thought they might conclude the farce by a touch of light irony, which they might have omitted had they known all. Queen Mary found other emissaries. The letters to her friends in France already referred to, describing her deplorable condition, and crying out for armed assistance, were written after the refusal |