Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/392

 376 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 66. House of Lorraine. If there be anything in me de- serving praise it is to that House, from which through my mother I derive my origin, that I attribute all. Had I, at the receipt of your letter, been in the con- dition in which M. de Mainville left me, you would have excited in my breast an ardent desire of liberty ; but God be praised I had already extricated myself by my own prudence and patience. I am now free, and eager for an opportunity to revenge myself. My mother, in a letter which I have just received from her, refers me to you for directions. You propose, I understand, to set her free and establish our united right to the English crown. I admire your object. I approve of the means which you intend to use, and which have only to be handled with dexterity. I will send you my opinion in a few days. I have much of great conse- quence to say to you, which I dare not commit to paper except in cipher.' 1 The writer of such a letter as this was not likely to take patiently a lecture upon his pliancy to evil. While it justifies Elizabeth's extreme distrust of his character, it shows also the imprudence of trifling away the con- trol over him which the raid of Huthven had placed in her hands. Having a more slender estimate of James's abilities than he had formed for himself, Guise was not anxious to take him into partnership. The escape of the young King was so recent, and the changes had been so many and so sudden, that the scheme which he had 1 James VI. to the Duke of Guise, August 9 19, 1583 : TEULET, vol. v.