Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/549

 1584-] THE BOND OF ASSOCIATION. 533 parent was disliked.' To decide between Mary and James, or to decide generally for or against the Scotch line, was obviously impolitic. The object was rather to save the country from danger of anarchy, and to ' takn precautions that no one attempting any wicked act should profit by it.' The perils to the Queen & 'either from those who would have change of religion or would take the crown from her.' The first could be met by a clause attached to the coronation oath, bind- ing the Sovereign to maintain the Establishment ; the second by a provisional Government to come into exist- ence on the Queen's death, and to continue till the crime had been punished and the conflicting titles adjudicated upon. The sudden cessation of authority would thus be avoided ; the machinery of administration would con- tinue unchanged ; and as soon as execution had been done upon the assassins and their accomplices, then and. not till then the claims of the various pretenders could be laid before Parliament, the allegations on all sides quietly heard, and ' preference, in order of considera- tion,' might be allowed to the person ' whose name the Queen should leave in writing as by herself thought worthy of favour.' Under this arrangement Elizabeth's special fear would be avoided. She would remain for her life the sole object of her people's affection. Treason would be prevented by the certainty that it would forfeit its reward ; and ' the sinister opinion of foreign nations, that her Majesty sought only her own safety, without regard to the peril of her realm, would be by that Act confuted.'