Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/89

 1572-3 THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. 69 ability among them, and of him Eandolph said, ' he had never found in so weak a body a man less mindful of God or unnatural to his country/ They said that they were ready for peace, but peace on their own conditions, which would virtually give the control of Scotland to themselves. They would not acknowledge either King or Kegent. Most of them had been concerned in the murders of Murray or Lennox, and they insisted on being secured from undesirable consequences; it was plain to Eandolph ' that if they were able to set till the devils in hell loose to make mischief,' they would not leave one untied. At length they drew up a paper of conditions, such as Maitland knew would be likely to work upon Eliza- beth, in which, while declining to make concessions to the other party, they affected to throw themselves en- tirely upon the Queen of England's discretion. They offered that the Government of Scotland should be vested in a council of Nobles whom Elizabeth should name, and that difficult questions should be referred to her arbitration. Nothing, seemingly, could be more fair nothing, read by the light of Seton's papers, could be more profoundly treacherous. They desired, as Burgh- ley saw, merely to keep their hold upon the country till Alva came, and the game would then be their own. 1 1 Terras sent from the Castle, with marginal notes in Lord Burghley's hand. RURGHLEY'S NOTES. ARTICLES. Corpus sine capite. I Government to be composed of the Lords of both sides, to be chosen indifferently by the Queen of England.