Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/277

EXCOMMUNICATION OF ELIZABETH. 203 passed ' he proposed to leave a memory in Scotland, whereby they and their children should be afraid to offer war to England. 1 A messenger from the Lords came to say that 'if he entered in hostile manner they would not allow it ; his mistress might not take upon herself to order the realm of Scotland/ They had written again to Elizabeth, and they required him to hold his hand till an answer could be returned. 2 Sussex, anxious to recover his credit for energy, declined to wait till his mistress had changed her mind. He replied that ' he neither dared nor would forbear to use her Majesty's forces against her rebels wheresoever they might be, or against those who had broken the peace, burned and killed her Majesty's subjects, and taken and destroyed their goods. His proceedings should be rather an execution of justice worthy to be allowed of all Scottishmen than a troubling of the amity ; and if any of their Lordships took arms in defence of their persons and brought themselves within the complice of their wickedness, he would never- theless pass forward in the performance of the Queen his Sovereign's just intentions.' 3 Despatching a courier with copies of this correspond- ence to London, he arranged the details of the invasion. The soldiers were Southerners. The Border levies, ex- posed as they would be to after vengeance, could not be relied upon to do the intended work with sufficient 1 Sussex to Cecil, April 10 : MSS. Border. 2 Petition of the Lords at Lin- lithgow, April 1 6 : MSS. Scotland. 3 Sussex to the Lords in Scot- land, April 17 : MSS. Scotland.