Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/77

 1572.] THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. 57 own ; I have done my duty in laying these considera- tions before you, to prevent the mischief which may otherwise ensue. God move you to listen, to his glory, your own credit, and the public good.' 1 Elizabeth took no immediate notice of a letter which, after the admissions of the Bishop of Ross, implied too much contempt for her understanding ; but, when Shrewsbury was summoned to London to the trial, Sadler took his place at Sheffield, and took the occasion to point out to the Queen of Scots ' that no prince, having such matter against her as the Queen of Eng- land had, would have used her so graciously/ She said, in reply, that she had done nothing against the Queen of England nothing that the Queen of England could resent. She knew nothing of Ridolfi. The Bishop of Ross was a lying priest, and she was innocent of all practices. What Norfolk might have done she could not say : Norfolk might answer for himself. 2 It was difficult to see what she hoped to gain by such words, for Sadler was not a man to be fooled out of his convictions by hard swearing. When Shrewsbury returned he brought with him Elizabeth's answer. The Queen of Scots, she said, complained of in- juries. She had herself been the first to do wrong, by laying claim to the crown. The Queen of England might have retaliated by taking her own crown from her with the consent of her subjects. When she 1 Mary Stuart to Elizabeth, De- I 2 Sadler to Cecil, January 9 : comber 25 : LABANOFF, vol. iv. I 31SS. QUEEN OF SCOTS.