268 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 54.
- The Queen/ wrote Sussex, ' must discover herself
plainly to maintain the King's authority/ or England will not have a friend left in Scotland. 1 The resentment must have been foreseen and may easily have been desired by Cecil, as likely to compel Elizabeth to a decided course at last. The question of Mary Stuart's restoration was still daily debated in the council : ' Cecil and Bacon said no, the nobility said yea ; while the Queen was supposed to stand indifferent, and to wish to do what was most for her strength, if she wist what that might be.' 2 Yet it seemed as if her resolution had failed after one bold step. She continued privately to write to Maitland, and Maitland was able to give out that Mary TStuart was certainly coming back ; 3 and with this prospect the King's party felt obliged, in common prudence, to make their peace with- out longer delay. It might have been thought that Elizabeth would have had no objection. A composition, a reconciliation of parties, and a voluntary reacceptance of the deposed Queen, had been all along what she seemed to have desired. But she had conditions, neces- sary as she supposed for her own security, which she meant to make the price of Mary Stuart's release, and she could extort them only so long as a King's party continued in Scotland, whom she could threaten to sup- 1 Sussex to Cecil, April 23 : MSS. Scotland. 2 Sir Francis Engleficld to Mrs Essex, April 21 : MSS. Spain. Rolls House. 3 ' Lidington gives out plainly that the Queen of England is deter- mined to send home their Queen and maintain her faction, and this en- courages them and appals their con- trary.' Hunsdon to Cecil: MSS Border, April 23.
