Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/220

 200 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 58, Morton said that he would listen to no such con- ditions. ( There could be no sound peace ' while the Castle was independent of his authority, nor could Grange, or Maitland, or any other subject of the Scotch, be permitted to make stipulations with the sovereign of another country. The Castle party persisted, declaring that if their proposals were refused they were 'prepared for all ex- tremities/ The Regent therefore requested that a force should be sent from England at once to bring them to reason ; and neither he himself, nor Killigrew, nor the officers at Berwick, anticipated that Elizabeth would make further difficulty. At last she was sup- posed to be convinced that the thing must be done. Sir William Drury wrote to Burghley for instructions, in- timating that the sooner the English troops moved forward the better. ' The inconstancy of that nation was well known/ and delay would be dangerous. 1 Morton, in talking over the state of the country with the English ambassador, confined himself to considering the measures which should be taken after the reduction of the Castle, assuming, as a matter of course, that it was really to be reduced. Both he and Killigrew were under an impression still that Elizabeth would consider her assistance well repaid if she could be relieved of the Scottish Queen. 2 1 Drury to Burghley, March 7 : MSS. Scotland. 2 Morton said that ' as long as the Scotch Queen lived there would be trouble, treason, and mischief.' Killigrew answered ' that he could help that.' Morton replied, ' that when the Castle was taken, at the