Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/248

234 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 54. ation, let the Queen of Scots be removed out of the country.' l Don Guerau had been scrupulously secret about the intended escape ; but a hint of the plot reached Cecil from Paris. On inquiry at Tutbury, suspicious ' prac- tices ' were discovered among the servants, and the guard at the castle was instantly doubled. The locks were taken from the Queen's door, that her rooms might be examined at any hour of the day or night, if ' sudden >danger should chance ; ' and a sign ificant in- timation was given to her, that if she tried to fly it might be dangerous. 2 Elizabeth herself too prepared for the worst. Though knowing nothing of the excom- munication, she had reason enough to believe that the warnings of Sir Henry Norris might be well founded. There was a general impression that on the events of the year that was opening the fate of the Eeformation depended and with the Reformation, of her own throne. La Mothe Feneloii continued to demand the release or the restoration of Mary Stuart, and it seemed only too likely that a declaration of war would follow unless the Government gave way. The treasury was poorly provided. Elizabeth shrunk from encountering a Parliament with no husband at her side, and with the succession still unsettled ; and without a Parliament she could neither raise a subsidy nor confiscate the 1 Xorris to Cecil, January 2, January 27, March I, March 9, March 15 ; Norris to Elizabeth, February <J, March 9 : MSS. France, Rolls House. 2 John Bateman to Cecil, March ic "9 : MSS. QUEEN OF SCOTS.