Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/34

 fg REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 63; order for Lord Hunsdon, who was now at Berwick, to go to Holyrood and tell James once more that she saw through his purpose, and that she would use the power which God had given her to prevent it. She bade Hunsdon take money with him, bribe Argyle if possible to leave the Lennox faction, form a party among the Protestants, and hold himself ready to advance to their support if they found it necessary to take arms. But Elizabeth's politics ran for ever in a single groove. The order was drawn at her words ; but it was no sooner ready than it was qualified with additions which made it meaningless. 1 Finally her purpose evaporated, and she recalled it altogether. The next step followed as matter of course. To de- stroy Morton had been d'Aubigiiy's first object. So long as Morton lived the reaction could never be safe. His talents, and his experience, backed by help which sooner or later might come from England, would bring him back into power. He was now at Lennox's mercy. It would have been easy to try him for his late treason and to execute him with a show of fairness. But the House of Guise, under whose directions Lennox throughout was acting, had a subtler purpose, and Bowes had early ascertained the charge on which Morton would be brought to trial. To kill the Protestant chief and to stain him with the murder of Darnley would at once remove the main obstacle to Lennox's policy and the blot upon the Catholic cause; and those who, like all 1 Instructions to Lord Hunsdon, with her Majesty's additions, Novem- ber, 1580: MSS. Scotland.