Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/108

88 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 57 depended on the energy to which. Elizabeth could be roused. Neither Charles nor Catherine would risk the chances of a European war by the side of a woman whose life at best was all they had to trust to, and whose purposes seemed variable as the wind. The agitation of the House of Commons continued, and the Queen at length was forced in some degree to give way. She persisted still that the Bill of At- tainder should be dropped ; she said ' she could not put to death the bird that had flown to her for succour from the hawk ; ' but she sent the Commons word that she would not resist a measure of inferior severity. The answer did not satisfy them. While the Queen of Scots lived no Succession Bill would make her a single degree less formidable. They continued to insist upon hard measures ; and on the morning of the 28th of May a message came from the Palace that the Queen would receive a deputation from the two Houses and hear what they had to say. Court and Parliament were early in their habits, and at eight o'clock the Joint Committee which had recommended the attainder were in Elizabeth's presence. They said briefly that God had given them a Sove- reign with whose administration they were generally satisfied, and that they did not desire to lose her. The Lady Mary Stuart, a Queen of late times, but through her own acts justly deprived of that dignity, had taken refuge in her Majesty's dominions, her Majesty having once already saved her from certain penalties which ' by her horrible doings ' she had entirely deserved.