by rebellious subjects, and if you have forgotten your duties to your Sovereign, I will not neglect a Queen who is my sister and neighbour." But when everything had been prepared for a formal investigation, Elizabeth, being asked by the Earl what were her plans and sentiments, answered, "she would not favour or condemn the accusers, but hear both parties and make a comparison between them."

Now, though Elizabeth was not recognised by either party as supreme judge, and in order not to give offence, avoided assuming that character; she was, at all events, in a superior position, and the fate of a kingdom which had so long resisted the powerful Kings of England, as well as that of her greatest enemy, was now placed in her hands.

On the 3d of October, 1568, the conferences began at York, the Duke of Norfolk being president; at which the deputies of Mary said, that Elizabeth's ultimate intention, doubtless, was the restoration of their Queen: they likewise the more confidently depended on a happy issue, because the Duke of Norfolk probably already had a view, one day, to marry Mary, and therefore advised the Earl of Murray (who, with several others, appeared at York to conduct the matter,) not to proceed to violent measures, and encouraged him to make some amicable arrangement. His situation became more critical when he and his adherents were ac

cused by Mary of rebellion against their lawful Queen; Murray, hereupon, gave a preliminary answer, reserving to himself the right to make further explanations; but proposed to the English commissioners the positive question, "whether, in case more decided proofs were brought, they were authorised to proceed further, and in case Mary's guilt should be proved, what Elizabeth intended to do with respect to her and to Scotland." This question, the importance of which was increased by a confidential communication of the proofs, alarmed the friends of Mary, and they earnestly laboured to effect a reconciliation between her and Murray on equitable conditions. But before this could be done, Elizabeth, probably well informed of every circumstance, especially of the secret negociation with Norfolk, removed the further investigation of the matter, in November, to Westminster; alleging, that being under her eye, the progress of the enquiry would be facilitated and accelerated.

Mary, who saw the storm gathering over her head, now ordered her commissioners not only to endeavour to come to an arrangement, but to break off the negociations as soon as any thing was adduced against her honour, rights, &c. Elizabeth, on the other hand, answered to Murray's questions, "that much as she desired Mary's justification, she considered her as unworthy of the crown if her guilt should be proved. She should then remain a

prisoner in England, or be delivered up and the present government of Scotland confirmed." Secured by this declaration, the Scotch, on the 26th of November, accused Bothwell as the principal in the murder of Darnley, and the Queen as privy and assenting to it; and three days afterwards the Earl of Lennox appeared, produced his correspondence with Mary, and demanded justice for the murder of his son. (82)

Mary's commissioners, conformably with their instructions, did not enter on the subject of this accusation; but complained, on the 3d of December, that Elizabeth had spoken to Murray, and yet persisted in refusing to see Mary. On the following day they further declared, that notwithstanding the odious accusation of Murray, the Queen had, from the very beginning, wished for an agreement, which should be equally compatible with her honour and the safety of her adversaries; and which they proposed that Elizabeth should promote upon certain conditions. The latter, perceiving in such a turn new indications of Mary's guilt, answered, "that it appeared to her by no means to be a time to attempt an arrangement, but rather to prove the falsehood of the accusations and to punish the insolence of Murray." Without regard to this warning, Mary, with general assurances of her innocence, caused the conferences to be broken off two days afterwards, in the hope that the accusation and

proof would not be proceeded with. But this hope was disappointed; for when Elizabeth now severely reprimanded the Scotch, in consequence of Mary's assertion, of having forgotten the duties of good subjects, and calumniated their Queen without justice and proof, they produced, on the 7th and 8th of December, in support of their accusation, Mary's letters and sonnets, addressed to Bothwell. Though their authenticity had already been recognised by the Scotch Parliament, (83) and was confirmed on oath by Murray and his friends, Elizabeth commissioned her Privy Counsellors, and several other persons, specially summoned for the purpose, to proceed to a more strict enquiry. After a consideration of the contents, the circumstances, the hand-writing, the orthography, &c. twenty Lords and Commoners, among whom were some Roman Catholic friends of Mary, decided that the papers produced were genuine, and declared that they had obtained so clear an insight into this important matter, and discovered so much evil, that they were in their consciences convinced that Elizabeth ought not to give any answer but one suited to the circumstances. Cecil, in particular, says in a letter, "that as a royal commissioner he will not pronounce his opinion on the matter, but that as a private individual he could not think of it without horror and detestation."

Meantime Mary's commissioners had, by her

"

express command, again declared, on the 9th of December, that she would not enter into any further discussion, declined proceeding in the business, and pronounced everything to be null and void. which had been or might in future be done, injurious to her person, honour, crown, &c. On the 16th of December, after the examination of the papers, Elizabeth answered, "that a personal interview appeared to her more unadvisable than ever, before Mary had, in some manner, justified herself. That, in fact, the affair could not be materially altered or forwarded by such an interview:" she, however, wished for this justification, and proposed to her three different ways of attaining it; either to send a confidential person for this purpose to Elizabeth, or Elizabeth would send one to her, or her agents might make a declaration in Westminster before the commissioners. But Mary would not agree to any of these proposals, and again. caused complaints to be made of the mode of proceeding hitherto observed, and requested permission to go either to France or Scotland. Hereupon Elizabeth wrote to her, without mentioning the last demand, "that she should consider how much injury she did herself in the eyes of all the world, if, under the pretext that she would speak to Elizabeth, she refused, in the present state of affairs, to make any defence. That nothing was more calculated to lead to her condemnation than her refusal