I563-] THE ENGLISH A T HA VRE. of Parliament to disinherit Mary. On public ground she was anxious for the union of the realms- and pri vately she considered the Queen of Scots' claim to be the best. But the Queen of Scots, if she was to succee< to the English crown, must make up her mind to accep the Eeformation, if not as her own conviction yet as thi public law of the realm. If she chose to marry a Catholic prince, if she chose to make herself the representative o a Catholic party and policy, Parliament would unques- tionably renew the attempt to bar her title ; the country would not submit again to the Pope and the Inquisition, and Elizabeth would herself be unable to take her part further. 1
- She did not believe/ Elizabeth continued and the
clause is in her own handwriting ; ' she did not believe that the Queen of Scots meant anything against herself; ' and 'she might perhaps be borne in hand that some num- ber in England might be brought to allow } her general schemes. But she warned her sister not to be ' abused ' by 1 ' To consider her own particu- lar which, in the way of friendship towards her, we do most weigh, we do assure her by some present proof that we have in our realm, upon some small report made thereof (of the Austrian marriage), we well per- ceive that, if we do not meddle and interpose her authority, it will not he long before it shall appear that as much as wit can imagine will be used to impeach her intention for the furtherance of her title. And considering the humours of such as mind except our authority or the fear of us shall stay them their own particular, what can our sister think more hurtful to her than by this manner of proceeding by her friends that be not of her natural nation nor of her kingdom first, to endanger the amity betwixt us ; secondly, to dissolve the concord between the two nations; thirdly, to disappoint her of more than ever they shall re- cover.' Elizabeth to Randolph, Au- gust 20 : Cotton. MSS., CALIO.B. 10.
