Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/340

 324 REIGN OF ELIZABETH, [CH. 65. Colonel Stewart may receive such answers at her Ma- jesty's hands as may be to the King's liking and satis- faction, and the common benefit of the realm.' 1 Mendoza was of opinion that the Scots were essen- tially honest ; they were really ready, that is to say, to run Elizabeth's fortune if she would make it worth their while. The 5000^. however would not be all which she would be required to pay. An additional sum was asked for a guard about the King's person. In this de- mand too Walsingham desired the Queen to acquiesce, but she persisted against his advice on mixing the treaties with the mother with the treaty with the son. She had feared nothing so much as the association be- tween them in the Crown of Scotland ; but having as- certained that the Scots were disinclined to consent, she made it a condition of Mary Stuart's release. 2 Before she would receive the Commissioners she sent a copy of Mary Stuart's offers to James, and she asked if he would agree to the association provided it was managed by England. James, acute as he already considered him- self, fell into the snare which she had laid for him. He told Bowes ' that his mother being defeated, and desper- ate in her intended plots and purposes, and seeing how 1 Walsingham to Bowes, April 25 : MSS. Scotland. 2 ' Esta Reyna ha dicho sobre la instancia quo la do Escocia hace en su libertad, qtie aunque sea negocio tan peligroso y mal seguvo por ella, cuando esta concluyda de todo punto la associacion del Itey ce Escocia y su madre por los nobles de aquel Reyno, holgara tratar de su libertad cosa que la Reyna impidiera cuando los de Escocia lo desearen, sicndo solo el decivlo cumplimiento y palabras,' &c. Don Bernardino al Roy, 2O Maio, 1583 : MSS. Siman-