Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/594

 578 REIGN Of ELIZABETH. [CH. 67. been the excuse for the apathy towards herself, and she well knew how lightly James would turn wherever in- terest clearly pointed. For her there was to be no for- giveness. The letters which she had written to Mau- vissiere consenting to the treaty had scandalized the Pope and Philip, ready as they both were to catch at any cause of offence with her. La Rue said he had told them that she had been only dissembling, but it had made no difference. If she played false with Elizabeth, they refused to trust her themselves. La Rue advised her, if she wished to recover their confidence, to de- mand instant admission into the League, and to throw herself without reserve on the Duke of Guise. ' If/ he wrote, ' your Majesty continue as you have begun,, there is not a man living who can aid you. Believe those who next to God have no object but your good. Would to Heaven, Madam, that I could have but three hours' speech with you, and that you. would condescend to listen while I was plain with you. Before all things, Madam, reconcile yourself to God and His divine Mo- ther, and the Princes Catholic, and then, with God's grace, there will be a remedy found for all.' 1 On the eve of the expected triumph of the Catholic cause, it was a sore thing for the Queen of Scots to find her intelligence cut off, her means of righting her- self taken away, and to be left thus to digest her wretchedness. Many a fierce complaint she poured out against the misery of her abode, many an entreaty to 1 La Rue to the Queen of Scots, May 8 18, i 585 : MSS. MAKY QUEEN OF SCOTS.