Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/367

C570-] THE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 353 and his old friends ' alienated and clean gone from her Majesty's service.' They talked again of revolting to France. They said ' they would reconcile themselves secretly with their own Queen.' l Instead of commis- sioners to treat, they sent up the Commendator of Dum- fermline to conjure Elizabeth, in the name of honour, justice, and prudence, to reconsider what she was doing. The agitation produced no apparent change in Eliza- beth's resolution. She said that she did not mean to do anything unjust ; she was willing to listen to the Regent's objections ; but ' unless he could fortify his cause with such evident reasons as her Majesty might with conscience satisfy herself and with honour answer to the world,' the treaty for the restitution must go forward. In the mean time however a negotiation was in secret progress which, if successful, might obtain a more favourable hearing for Lennox's remonstrances. The peace was concluded in France, between the Court and the Huguenots, on the loth of August. As is usu- ally the case after civil convulsions, a desire naturally arose to heal the internal wounds of the country by ' re- moving the war elsewhere/ Whether England or Spain was to be the object of hostility, depended on whether the Catholics lost or retained their hold over Charles and Catherine. On the one side they might attempt the release of Mary Stuart and her marriage with the Duke 1 Lennox to Elizabeth, October 1 6 ; Randolph to Sussex, October 13 ; Sussex to Cecil, November 18 : MSS. Scotland. 16; Randolph to Cecil November VOL. ix. 23