Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/346

 330 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 65. June. Then was then, and now was now. She complained to Burghley of the Scotch beggars, who were using religion as a pretext to rob her treasury. Walsingham, with some warmth, tried to bring her to be more reasonable ; but at times she had the very insanity of avarice. ' Her servants and favourites,' she said, ' professed to love her for her high qualities, Alengon for her beauty, and the Scots for her crown ; but they all meant the same in the end. They wanted nothing but her money, and they should not have it.' 1 Walsingham carried her refusal to Stewart. He said she would live to repent it, at a time perhaps when there would be no remedy. Again and most solemnly he remonstrated. At last he brought the Queen to say that she would allow James half the pension which he had asked for two thousand five hundred pounds but not a farthing more could be extorted from her ; and even this Wal- singham doubted if she would really pay. 2 The Commissioners didnot waste time in endeavouring to move her further, and in fierce resentment returned to Scotland. James, accepting this second refusal either 1 ' Le respondio que sus criados domesticos y favoridos profesaban amalla por sus buenas partcs, Alen- (jou por su persona, y los Escoceses por su corona, y si bien eran estas tres causas diferentes, venian todas a parar a uu fin, que era pedille dinero, que ella defenderia.' Don Ber- nardino al Key, 4 Junio : MSS. Si- mancas. 2 ' Thus you see, notwithstanding it importeth us greatly to yield all contentment to that nation, how we stick at trifles. I pray God we per- form the rest of things promised. Walsingham to Bowes, May 29 : MSS. Scotland,