Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/535

 1584-] THE BOND OF ASSOCIA TION. 5'9 ately, and copies were sent round the English counties to the lords lieutenants and the mayors of the towns, with invitations to every loyal subject to enroll his name. The country replied with acclamations, undistui'bed by a dissentient voice. The loyal signed in a passion of de- light ; the disloyal because they dared not refuse. Lord Derby, whose name was on the insurrectionary list, summoned the suspected gentry of Lancashire and Cheshire to Chester Cathedral. The Earl on his knees received the oath from the Bishop the Bishop and Lord Strange received the oath from the Earl and then in groups of six the entire company swore after them, 'not one byword or countenance seeming malcontent.' 1 The scene at Chester was repeated or paralleled in every city in England. It was an intimation on the part of the nation to the Queen of Scots that she should have no access to the throne by way of assassination. Parlia- ment was summoned to give the association the author- ity of law, and further, since it was to Parliament that the Queen of Scots affected always to refer her claim, it was assembled ' for the disabling of such as, pretending title to the crown, should seek to disturb her Majesty's possession during her life.' 2 Elizabeth meanwhile prepared to consider the pro- posals which were about to be made to her by the Queen of Scots on one side and by James on the other, and to treat with one or with both, either jointly or severally, 1 Lord Derby to the Earl of Lei- cester, November 7 17: MSS. Domestic. 2 Walsingham to Sadler, October 1727: XSS. MARY QUEEN or SCOTS,