Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/292

 276 REIGN Of ELIZABETH. [CH. 63. have gladly assisted them. But he was most unwilling also to offend Elizabeth. 1 Mauvissiere told him that if France interfered, England would interfere, even if war should come of it ; and Mauvissiere therefore was left to do what he could by diplomacy. Elizabeth conceived that as long as France was neutral, she was obliged to abstain from the appearance of intervention herself. Dn hearing of James's capture, she sent down Sir Greorge Carey to the Lords with a message half approv- ing and half in blame. She did not mislike what they had done in itself, she said, but she disapproved the manner of the execution, the time and the other cir- cumstances, ' which carried show as though it had been intended purposely to her Majesty's disgrace.' She hoped however ' to find at their hands all good offices tending to the amity between the realms,' and she was content therefore to leave them to themselves. 8 Her secret feelings were far less agreeable; much had been done, but more had been promised, and she had expected a more complete return for her money. All the mischief had arisen from Arran and Lennox ; their deaths had been part of the programme which Angus had arranged with her ; and Lennox was at large and apparently unsought after, and Arran had been in Angus's hands, and had been spared. Leicester wrote privately to complain. ' Her Majesty,' he said,. ' wondered Angus could be so slack in a matter which 1 The King and the Queen- mother, September 5, 8 * TEULET, vol. Hi. - Instructions to Mr Carey hy the Queen, August 30,: MSS* Scot- land.