Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/399

 1S83-] EXPULSION OF MENDOZA. Court. His dislike of his mission made him ill ; and lie lingered long upon the road. Believing France to be secure, and that Guise could not move without his master's consent, he would have preferred to see James ' go his own way and taste the fruits of his folly.' l ' The Court was ruled by those who were devoted to the King's mother, directed by her counsel, and hated by the people,' 2 ' and was wholly bent upon a violent Course ; ' but the ministers of the Kirk could be relied upon ; ' the burroughs, who lived by traffic, and were grown wealthy by long-continued peace with England, would not willingly hear of a breach ; ' ' the existing state could not long continue,' 3 and if neither France nor England interposed, Walsingham thought the Scots might be safely left to settle their own differ- ences. He found James at Perth. The Earl of Arran waj now his first favourite as Lennox had formerly been, and by Arran and Colonel Stewart he was ruled When Walsingham was introduced, the King began with complaints. The Queen, he said, found fault witS his councillors ; what had she to do with his council lors ? he made no objection to hers. Walsingham, out of humour already, told him that ' if he made so little account of her Majesty she would leave him to his own direction ; ' England had no need of his friendship, nor had he come to seek it ; he was sent ' to charge him 1 "Walsingham to Bowes, August 2030 : ItfSS. Scotland. 2 Walsingham to Burghley, Au- gust 30 September 9 : MSS. Ibid. 3 Same to the same, September 616: MSS. Ibid.