Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/164

ISO REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 53 he gave a hint to two of his brothers, and Scrope had no sooner marched out of Carlisle than he was recalled by the discovery of a plot to seize the castle and murder the Bishop, in whose care it had been left. He could not venture to leave his charge with mischief at his own door ; though unable to quarrel with Dacres he durst not trust him, and was forced to remain upon the watch. Thus, if the worst came to the worst, the passage into Scotland was still open, and with the possibility of escape, the irresolution of the Earls increased. On the 1 7th the Queen's army was at Bipon. Lord Westmore- land still held the fords and bridges of the Tees, and there if anywhere a stand was to be made. North- umberland had returned to his friends, and divided, disheartened, and with dwindled numbers, the rebels held a council at Durham to decide whether they should fight or fly. Westmoreland had some courage, and sufficient sense to know, that insurrection, if it meant anything, meant battle. In the Earl of Northumber- land the blood of Hotspur had cooled to the passive temperature, which could suffer, but could not act. Except for his wife, who never left his side, he would more than once have thrown himself upon Elizabeth's clemency ; l and now, with some remains of loyalty about him, he shrunk from crossing swords with the soldiers. He had imagined that he had but to appear 1 ' His wife being the stouter of the two, doth harden and encourage him to persevere, and rideth up md down with the army, so as the grey mare is the hetter horse.' Hunsdon to Cecil, November 26 ; MSS. Border.