Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/202

 182 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 58 shared by Killigrew. She had charged him on no ac- count to allow her name to appear. 1 He believed he probably knew that having made up her mind that she wished the Queen of Scots to be put away, her Majesty wanted to shift upon the Scots both the deed and the reproaches of the world. He declined to make engagements beyond the letter of his instructions ; and the Regent at once drew up in writing the conditions on which he was prepared to be- come the judge and executioner of his late sovereign, i The Queen of England must openly and without reserve acknowledge the young King, and constitute herself his protector ; and the English Parliament must pass an Act declaring that the prosecution and convic- tion of Mary Stuart should not affect the claims upon the Crown which the King would inherit from his mother. A league must be made between England and the State of Scotland for resisting all those who would invade either of the realms for religion or for any other cause. The Castle of Edinburgh must be compelled or induced to submit to the King's authority ; and finally, the Earls of Huntingdon and Bedford must be present at the execution, with two or three thousand English men of war. 2 1 ' I forgot not the great charge her Majesty gave me at my coining hither, saying that no more was privy to the matter but your Hon- ours ; and I could but promise her Majesty it should be to me as my life, which I trust I have kept. If it shall be proved hereafter that 1 used her Majesty's name therein, or passed the bounds of my commission, I will never more desire favour.' Killigrew to Cecil and Leicester, November 23 : MSS. Scotland. 2 Certain notes given to Killi-