Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/81

r 1569.] ENGLISH PARTIES. 67 divorcement was utterly rejected/ The reading of Mary Stuart's commission was received with an up- roar which Maitland in vain endeavoured to allay ; and ' it was declared treason to reason for the future for the Queen's authority.' 1 Elizabeth received the resolution of the convention with an anger which she did not care to conceal. Then, as always, when she was alarmed for her own comfort, she saw in Mary Stuart an injured Sovereign, and in Murray a disobedient traitor. Then, as always, she was unable to remember that the Scots were no subjects of hers. She dismissed the bearer of the message upon the spot, bidding him go back and say to the Regent, that he must consider better of his proceed- ings, and as he meant to have the continuance of her favour, he must satisfy her speedily in some more sub- stantial manner. ' Otherwise/ she wrote to Murray herself, 'you shall occasion us, without any further delay, to proceed of ourselves to make such a deter- mination with the Queen of Scots as we shall find honourable and meet for ourselves ; and in so doing, con- sidering we perceive by your manner of dealing you only respect yourself and no other party, we doubt how you will like it : and then, though you shall afterwards yield to more conformity, it may prove too late and not recoverable by repentance.' 2 A few days after a report came that Murray was preparing to recover Dumbarton, and to 1 Hunsdon to Cecil, August 5 : I a Elizabeth to Murray, August MSS. Scotland. 12 : MS8. Scotland.