Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/36

1 6 REIGN OF ELIZABETH, [CH. 57. Wilson her share in the murder of Darnley. 1 It was not the least of Mary Stuart's misfortunes, that being accepted by the Pope as a confessor for the Catholic faith, she was able to dwell exclusively on the meri- torious aspect of her character ; to forget that it had other and less favourable features, and to expect the memory of the general world to be as unretentive as her own. She was unhappy also in her exaggerated belief in the power of her own eloquence, in her expect- ation that her pathetic and passionate words would pass at all times for current coin, although her letters so frequently miscarried ; and protestations of love and confidence could be contrasted too often by the persons to whom they were addressed, with expressions of con- tempt and hatred. An accident of this kind befell her in the midst of her present troubles. After chafing for a month, she sent off one of her usual rhetorical appeals to Elizabeth ; and a few days later she wrote to La Mothe, declaring that Elizabeth was all falsehood and treachery, that she would rather perish than yield and again entreating France to take her and Scotland under their protection. 2 The second letter fell into Burghley's hands. It told him nothing new, but it told him how vain was the hope that Mary Stuart could be other than herself. In this humour she was to learn that the Bishop of Ross had given way, that he had 1 The Bishop of Ross to the Queen of Scots, November 8 ; Doctor Wilson to Burghley, November 8 : Hatfidd MSS. Printed by MUBDIN. 2 Mary Stuart to Elizabetb, Oc- tober 29 ; to La Mothe, November 7: LABANOFF.