Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/61

I572-] THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. Husband, and her Conspiracy, Adultery, and Pretended Marriage with the Earl Bothwell.' Copies were circu- lated in Scotland, England, and the European Courts. La Mothe complained to Elizabeth, but the Queen de- clined to interfere. 1 She had shielded the Queen of Scots too long for her own safety, and Mary Stuart's mode of recognizing the obligation was not calculated to encourage her to persist further. Sir Thomas Smith, who had gone to Paris to assist Walsingham in the negotiation of the league, explained to the French council, that the time for forbearance was passed ; that the English Government was now resolute ; and that if the Queen of Scots gave any more trouble, the diffi- culties about her would be promptly ended. 2 1 Among the copies sent to France one was given to ' one Montaigne of Montpellier,' supposed then to be writing 'The Universal History of the Times.' Killigrewto Cecil, Jan- uary 10. Montaigne had been a pupil of Buchanan. ' The Universal Story ' was perhaps merged in the work of his friend de Thou. 2 ' I was fain to declare unto them all her behaviour, her adul- teries, the killing of her husband twice (if it might be) with poison, and as some say strangling, besides fire and gunpowder, the shameful marrying of her adulterer and mur- derer of her husband who had a wife living, her deposing by the nobility and Act of Parliament. Yet the Queen's Majesty would not believe it, but had it heard again in London ; and though the thing was too mani- fest, yet for respect that she was a Queen of her alliance, her Majesty would not condemn her and would not absolve her. They seemed at last so persuaded that they durst not deny her evil deeds and deservings, but because she was married here and of parentage, the King could know no other King nor Queen ill Scotland but her ; and if she had done evil there was somewhat to be borne because she was kept so long in prison. ' That is true, quoth I, ' Flectere si nequeo Superos Acheronta movebo ; ' | but if the Devil be called to help, it is reason she has the Devil's reward. In sum, rather than this should trouble the treaty, or the realm of Scotland be in longer dissention for i this cause, or the Queen my mistress