Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/31

 158.] THE JESUIT INVASION. nection with England and its Sovereign. But Morton, though unprincipled as a man, was singularly steady to his political convictions. He was firmly convinced that the interests of Scotland lay in an alliance, not with France, but with England. He believed that Elizabeth could not now desert him, and he continued to listen to her wavering messages till he too, like every other Scot who had run her fortune, perished in his confidence. She had not absolutely decided on deserting him. Had she decided anything and given him timely notice of it, he might have fled. Her infirmity of purpose un- fortunately took shape in language as violent as her action was weak. She thundered out threats at James that ' if he would not follow her counsel she would work him more prejudice than in his young years he could understand.' 1 In the morning in the Council Chamber she made up her mind to be brave. Her resolutions were undone at night by the whispers of the ladies 'of the bedchamber, sworn friends of Mary Stuart. All would go well, wrote Bowes, if she would be but firm, ' while drifts and faintness would utterly overthrow the cause.' 2 Every one but Elizabeth saw through the situation. The council dreaded, not unjustly, that the patience of the loyal Scots would be tried too far, that the English party among them would fell in pieces, and that England would then inevitably be invaded. The council represented to her that if ' Lennox were suffered to continue in his greatness/ he would destroy 1 "Walsingham to Bowes, Sep- tember 10: 3fSS. Scotland. 2 Bowes to "Walsingham, Sep. tember 12 : MSS. Ibid.