Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/27

 i58o.j THE JESUIT INVASION. able.' There was a party still well inclined to England, but they would run no risks without knowing her Ma- jesty's 'resolute purpose.' And so little hope had Morton from his past experience, that after a few weeks' delay, he told Bowes that ' he looked not for any season- able resolution from her,' and must provide for his own safety. Such words could bear but one meaning. He implied .that he must desert England altogether, and throw his weight and name into the other scale. Bowes, more faithful to his mistress than to Morton, continued to keep him in play by promises which he knew would never be fulfilled ; so ' handled the matter ' that the difficulties seemed rather to be raised on his side than the Queen's. 1 He tried, and Elizabeth herself tried, to tempt Morton into some dangerous enterprise, either the seizure of James'sperson, or the sending d'Aubigny out of the world, or into something in which when once involved he would be compelled for his own sake to persevere. She wrote to him in her own hand, professing to warn him of a con- spiracy for his own destruction, begging him to lay his mind frankly open to her, and promising that ' upon in- telligence received from him, she would not fail to put in execution whatever should by him be thought meet.' ? Morton saw the snare and declined to be caught. He ' took the letter in very evil part.' ' He thought it de- 1 ' If Her Majesty please not to lend any money as is desired, then the matter must he handled with expe- dition and Some cunning to persuade that the lets and impediments thereof may arise and come from themselves.' Bowes to "Walsingham, June 15 > MSS. Scotland. 2 Elizabeth to Morton, June 22, 1580 : MSS. Ibid.