Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/366

352 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 55. labour for that marriage if Norfolk do cause employ him ; and in the mean time I will deal as of myself to knit the knot of sure friendship between Norfolk and him, for he shows himself very plain to me in many things/ 1 By arts which the circumstances justified, Cecil evi- dently had wound himself into the partial confidence both of the Queen of Scots and of her minister. They had tempted his loyalty and fell into their own snare, and he had discovered thus much at least, that the marriage which Norfolk had professedly ceased to think of was still in steady contemplation. At the end of a fortnight he returned to London, and the two parties in Scotland were requested to send up their respective commissioners without further delay. The representa- tives of the Queen were immediately ready. Lord Liv- ingston and the Bishop of Galloway were selected to act with the Bishop of Ross. The Regent and his friends, who had persuaded themselves that the danger was passing over, were in despair. They again reminded Elizabeth of her promises at Westminster. ' They said that they were so amazed and astonished that they knew not what counsel to take/ ' Surety there could be none/ they said, * either for themselves or England, if the Queen of Scots was restored.' Douglas of Lochleven swore he would not keep the Earl of Northumberland a prisoner any longer to please Elizabeth. Randolph applied for his recall, ' finding his credit clean decayed/ 1 MS. endorsed in Cecil's hand, I of Norfolk,' October n : MSS. The Bishop of Ross to the Duke I MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.