Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/590

 574 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. ten. 67. She desired that Bellenden might come to her to Tut- bury, and carry her complaints to Scotland. ' Untie my hands,' she cried to Elizabeth, ' and let me deal with these lying practisers. Do not tempt my son to bring a mother's malison upon him. Say plainly whether you hold him or me to be lawful Sovereign of Scotland, and whether you will treat with me or no. Let me go. Let me retire from this island to some solitude where I may prepare my soul to die. Grant this and I will sign away every right to which I or mine can claim, either now or hereafter. Now that my son has deceived me, I care no more for ambition. Rather I would have him made an example to all pos- terity of tyranny, impiety, and ingratitude. His sub- jects may deal with him as he has been advised to deal with me ; or the stranger may invade and spoil him. If earthly force be on his side, I will take God's pro- tection from him ; God will never favour impiety.' 1 To this convulsive rhetoric Elizabeth re- plied coldly that the Queen of Scots was under an entire misapprehension. 'Her son declared most positively that he had never consented to the associa- tion at all, and therefore could not have injured her as she imagined. As to her release she must be patient. Since the late attempt of Dr Parry, her subjects were more jealous for her safety. Parry had confessed that his object had been to place the Queen of Scots on the jouisse par usurpation comme il faict | 1 The Queen of Scots to Eliza- beth, March 13 23 : LABANOFF de ma couronne.' The Queen of Scots to Mauvissiere, March 12, 1585 : LABANOFF, vol. vi. vol. vi. Abridged.