Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/337

 THE JESUIT'S IN SCOTLAND. 321 Mendoza took credit to himself for the cleverness of his answer. His object was to prevent her from leaving England for fear lest she should fall back upon France ; and he had argued on the grounds of her own interest instead of betraying his anxiety for Spain. 1 She per- haps saw that he was not entirely frank with her ; she could hardly have failed to observe- that he said nothing about the Duke of Guise. She thanked him for his advice, and agreed that England was the best place for her ; but she wished evidently to make him feel that she had resources besides Spain, and that if Spain wished for her friendship, it must exert itself. Eliza- beth, she told him, so far as she could herself see, was dealing honestly and kindly with her. 2 Her cousin of Guise, she added (careless of the reflection which she was passing on her own good faith in the matter), had written to her to say that he was as determined as ever on the invasion of England, and as soon as ever his arrange- ments were completed, was coming over in person. 3 1 ' He usado del mayor artiiicio que he podido en. el signiticalle no estar la cosa mejor por todo buen re- specto que el no ausentar su persona de la Isla, desamparando esta causa, y esto proponiendole todas las partes donde puede tener libertad y incon- venientes que hay en ellas, para que vistos, juzgue ser mi parecer mas conforme razon que dirigido solo & la mira del servicio de V. Mag d, no necesitandola a vivir perpetualmente & prision ni tampoco a que por salir della arrisque lo que tan de yeras ha de procurer conseguir, teniendo tan VOL. XI. ciertas esperanzas en el.' Mendoza al Rey, 6 Mayo, 1583: MSS. Si- mancas. 9 'La Reyne m'a escripte une fort honneste et gracieuse lettre, et jusques ici les diets commissionaires ne m'ont demonstre que toute ap- parence de bien. Dieu veuille tout conduire a son honneur et gloire plus que & mon estat et content- ment.' Mary Stuart to Don Ber- nardino, June 5. Cipher : MSS. Ibid. 3 ' Par les derniers paquetz que j'ay re^ue de France, mon cousin 21