in England, and enjoyed the rare felicity of being popular with the most opposite factions, his marriage with the queen of Scots appeared so natural, that it had occurred to several of his own friends, as well as those of Mary. Maitland, of Lethington opened the scheme to him. He set before that nobleman the glory of composing the dissensions in Scotland; and, at the same time, held to his view the prospect of reaping the succession of England. The duke readily closed with a proposal so flattering to his ambition; nor was Mary herself averse against a measure which promised so desirable a change in her condition.

But this scheme, like all those formed for the relief of the queen of Scots, had an unfortunate issue. Though the duke of Norfolk, who possessed in an eminent degree, the good graces of his sovereign, as well as the favour of the whole nation, had declared that Elizabeth's consent should be obtained before the conclusion of his marriage, he attempted previously to gain the approbation of the most considerable English nobility, as he had reason to apprehend a violent opposition from her perpetual and unrelenting jealousy of her rival; and as the nation now began to despair of the queen's marrying, and Mary's right to the succession was generally held to be undoubted, her alliance with an Englishman, and a zealous protestant, seemed so effectually to provide against all those evils, which might be apprehended from her choice of a foreign and a popish prince, that the greater part of the peers, either directly, or tacitly, approved of it as a salutary project. Even the earl of Leicester, Elizabeth's avowed favourite, seemed to enter zealously into Norfolk's interests, and wrote, with his own hand, a letter to Mary, subscribed by several other noblemen, warmly recommending the match1.

A. D. 1569.

So extensive a confederacy could not escape the vigilance of Elizabeth, or of Cecil, her prime minister, a man of the

16. Camden. Haynes. 17. Lesley. Haynes.

deepest

deepest penetration, and sincerely attached to her person and government. Norfolk, however, flattered himself, that the union of so many noblemen would make it necessary for the queen to comply; and in a matter of so much consequence to the nation, the taking a few steps without her knowledge could scarce, he thought, be reckoned criminal. But Elizabeth thought otherwise. Any measure to her appeared criminal, that tended so visibly to save the reputation and increase the power of her rival. She also saw, that, how perfect soever Norfolk's allegiance might be, and that of the greater part of the noblemen who espoused his cause, they who conducted the intrigue, had farther and more dangerous views than the relief of the queen of Scots: and she dropt several hints to the duke, that she was acquainted with his designs, warning him frequently to "beware on what pillow "he reposed his head18!" Certain intelligence of this danger. ous combination was at length given her by Leicester, who had perhaps countenanced the project with no other intention than to defeat it. The Scottish Regent, threatened with Elizabeth's displeasure, also meanly betrayed the duke; put his letters into her hands, and furnished all the information in his power. Norfolk was committed to the Tower; several other noblemen were taken into custody; and the queen of Scots was removed to Coventry, where her imprisonment was rendered more intolerable, by an excess of vigilance and rigour19.

This intrigue was no sooner discovered than an attempt was made for restoring the Scottish queen to liberty by force of arms. The earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, two of the most ancient and powerful of the English peers, were both attached to the Romish religion, and discontented with the court, where new men and new measures prevailed. Ever since Mary's arrival in England, they had warmly espoused her interest, and had even engaged in several plots

18. Camden. Spotswood.

19. Haynes.

for

for her relief. They were privy to Norfolk's scheme; but the moderation and coolness of that nobleman did not suit their ardour and impetuosity. The liberty of the Scottish queen was not their sole object: they aimed at bringing about a change in the religion, and a revolution in the government of the kingdom. For these purposes they had solicited the aid of the king of Spain, the avowed patron of popery, and the natural enemy of Elizabeth. Glad of an opportunity of disturbing the tranquillity of England, Philip ordered the duke of Alva, governor of the Low Countries, to encourage the two earls in their projected rebellion, by a promise of money and troops 20. But Elizabeth fortunately got intelligence of their design, before they were ready to take the field; and though they immediately assembled their retainers, and flew to arms, the queen acted with so much prudence and vigour, that they were obliged to disperse themselves without striking a blow". The common people retired to their houses, the leaders fled into Scotland.

Elizabeth was so well pleased with the Duke of Norfolk's behaviour, during this insurrection, that she released him from the Tower, and allowed him to live in his own house, though under some shew of confinement. But the queen of Scots, with whom he promised to hold no farther correspondence, was only more strictly guarded; and Elizabeth, sensible of the danger of detaining her any longer in England, resolved to give up Mary into the hands of the Regent, whose security, no less than the English queen's, depended on preventing her from ascending the throne. The negociation for this purpose had been carried some length, when it was discovered by the vigilance of Lesley, bishop of Ross, who, together with the French and Spanish ambassadors, remonstrated against the infamy of such a transaction. A delay was by that means procured; and the violent death of the Regent, who was shot, in revenge of a

A. D. 1570.

20. Carte, vol. iii.

21. Camden.

domestic

domestic injury, by a gentleman of the name of Hamilton, prevented the revival of the project22.

On the death of the earl of Murray, who was a man of vigour and abilities, but of an austere and unamiable character, Scotland relapsed into a state of anarchy. The queen's party seemed for a time to prevail; but, at length, through the interposition of Elizabeth, who accompanied her recommendation with an armed force, the earl of Lennox, the king's grandfather, was elected regent; and Mary, after being amused during ten months, by a deceitful negociation, and the hopes of liberty, found herself under stricter custody than ever, and without any hopes of escaping from it23. In that joyless situation we must leave her for a while, and take a view of the civil wars on the continent, the issue of which nearly concerned both the British queens.

Elizabeth was sensible, that, as the head of the Protestant party, her safety in a great measure, depended on the continuance of the commotions in France and the Low Countries. She therefore contributed, as we have seen, both secretly and openly, to enable and encourage the reformers to support the struggle, while she watched the motions of the Catholics with a jealous eye. And an event happened about this time, which increased her vigilance. Pope Pius V. A. D. 1571. after having endeavoured in vain to conciliate, by gentle means, the friendship of Elizabeth, issued a bull of excommunication against her; depriving her of all title to

22. Carte. vol. iii. Anderson, vol. iii. Part of Hamilton's estate had been bestowed upon one of the regent's favourites, who seized his house and turned out his wife naked, in a cold night, into the fields; where, before morning, she became furiously mad. From that moment he vowed revenge against the earl of Murray. Party rage strengthened and inflamed his pri vate resentment; and the maxims of that age justified the most desperate course he could take to obtain vengeance. He followed the Regent for some time, watching an opportunity to strike the blow; and at last shot him from a window as he was passing through Linlithgow, in his way from Stirling to Edinburgh. Crawfurd's Mem. Buchanan. Robertson.

23. Spotswood, Lesley.

the

the crown, and absolving her subjects from their oath of allegiance. This bull, which had no doubt been fulminated at the instigation of the Catholic princes, was affixed to the gates of the bishop of London's palace, by one John Felton, a zealous Papist; who, scorning either to flee or deny the fact, was seized, condemned, and executed. He not only suffered with constancy, but seemed to consider death, in such a cause, as a triumph24.

Thus roused by the violent spirit of popery, Elizabeth, who had never been remiss, fixed her eye more steadily on the religious wars in France and the Low Countries. The league concerted at Bayonne, as has been already noticed, for the extermination of the Protestants, had not been concluded so secretly, but intelligence of it had reached Conde, Coligny, and other leaders of that party in France. Finding the measures of the court correspond with their suspicions, they determined to prevent the cruel perfidy of their enemies, and to strike a blow before the Catholics were aware of the danger. In consequence of this resolution, they formed, in 1567, the bold design of surprising the king and queen-mother, who were living in security, at Monceaux, in Brie; and had not the court received some accidental information of the conspiracy, which induced them to remove to Meaux, and been besides protected by a body of Swiss, who came hastily to their relief, and conducted them with great intrepidity to Paris, they must have fallen, without resistance, into the hands of the Hugonots25.

A battle was soon after fought in the plains of St. Denis ; where, though the old constable Montmorency, the general of the Catholics, was slain, the Hugonots were defeated, by reason of their inferiority in numbers. Conde, however, still undismayed, collected his broken troops; and, having received a strong reinforcement of German Protestants, appeared again in the field at the head of a formidable force.

24. Camden, p. 428.

25. Davila, lib. iv. Mezeray, tom. v.