Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/478

 462 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 66 felt always for those who had ill-used her, especially for JKnox and Buchanan. "When Fontenay indicated what might be in store for him, he trembled and was evi- dently frightened. He promised to pass the Association Act; but Fontenay's impression was that, so long as Arran and his infamous wife were in favour, it could never be. Both the Earl and Countess were clever, subtle, avaricious, ambitious persons, extremely adroit, untroubled with scruples, and utterly opposed to Mary Stuart's restoration in any form or shape. A fourth point was marriage. James had promised to let his mother choose his bride for him, and he gave fresh assurances to the same purpose. Yet Fontenay learnt that he was actually speculating on a marriage with Elizabeth, as his surest road to the English crown. 1 She was old and would soon die, and he would then be his own master. Or, again, there was another plan, that he should marry Elizabeth's cousin, Lord Hunsdon's daughter, with a condition of being declared next heii in England ; Lady Arran pointedly telling Fontenaj that the King need not wait for his mother's death, and had but to separate his cause from hers to obtain a de- claration in his favour immediately. Once more Mary Stuart had desired that James would present a formal demand to Elizabeth for her re- 1 ' Madame, non obstant ceste honneste response, Sir R. Melville et aultres conseillers d'Estat m'ont as- seure qu'il faict traicter par Gray son marriage avec la Royne d' Angle- terre. Le Comte d' Arran luy ayant persuade de le faire s'il se veult as- seurer la couronue d'Angleterre.' Fontenay to the Queen of Scots, August 5 15 : MSS. MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.