Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/242

222 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. fen. 43. fortunes, whom, if it might lie in her power, she would make owner and heir of her own kingdom. She had already placed a check on all other pretenders to the succession ; and whatever sovereign might do in the direction of the matter for her sister's advantage should not be wanting. If after her recognition the Queen of Scots should desire to reside in England she would her- self bear the charge of the family both of her and of the Earl of Leicester as should be meet for one sister to do for another.' But Elizabeth admitted that before the recognition could be carried through Parliament the Queen of Scots must first accept the indispensable condition. She should receive the prize which hung before her eyes only when she was Leicester's wife, and till that time she must be contented with a promise that she should not be disappointed. ' If she require to be assured first/ Elizabeth continued with an appearance of mournful sincerity, if she will not marry till an Act of Succession in her favour has been actually passed, 'you may of yourselves say it may work in us some scruple to imagine that in all this friendship nothing is more minded than how to possess that which we have ; and that it is but a sorrowful song to pretend more shortness of our life than is cause, or as though if God would change our determination in not desiring to marry, we should not by likelihood have children. We can mean no better than we do to our sister ; we doubt not that she shall quietly enjoy all that is due to her, and the more readier we are so to do, because we are so naturally