Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/117

1569.] THE RISING OF THE NORTH. 103 if the Scots were now allowed to do what before they desired to do, if Mary Stuart was replaced in their hands, and was brought publicly to the bar in her own country. 1 It has been already mentioned that Sir H. Carey had been sent down to consult the Regent. This plan it is at least likely that he was secretly instructed to propose. Meanwhile Cecil set himself to discover whether Norfolk's conduct had further bearings than as yet he knew of. His position was critical in the extreme. Half the council the Reactionaries, Conservatives, Moderates, Semi- Catholics, or by whatever name they may be called were in disgrace. Leicester, then as ever useless for any honourable purpose, was a dead weight upon his hands, and he was left alone with those who along with himself were dreaded as the advocates of revolution the Lord Keeper, the Earl of Bedford, Sir Walter Mildmay, Sir Francis Knowles, and Sir Ralph Sadler. These half-dozen men, among whom Bedford alone possessed pretensions to high birth, had to undertake the examination of the noblemen who had so lately sat at the same table with them. The first interviews were said to have been sufficiently stormy. 2 Pembroke avowed his desire for the Norfolk marriage, 1 This Avas certainly thought of, although it does not appear among Cecil's notes. Sir Henry Neville writing to him on the 4th of October says : ' The trial of the murder must needs be a safety unto the Queen, and such a defacing unto the other as I think Avill pluck away that love that all your other devices will not.' Domestic MSS. Rolls House. 2 ' Pasaron entre ellos muchas palabras de passion.' Don Guerau to Philip, October 8: MSS. Siman- MM,