Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/94

 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 63. Jesuits, was equally resolved to treat them merely as traitors, and to keep religion out of the field. Anything which would give a Protestant character to the measure about to be proposed she looked upon as specially ob- jectionable. She sent for Popham, who the next day told the House that she was greatly displeased and that she required them to recall their resolutions. When they hesitated Knowles rose again and addressed them in the Queen's name. She was splenetic even when she was wise. She knew that she could depend on their loyalty, but she liked to treat them as schoolboys. She desired them to understand that ' she did not disallow fasting and prayer, using the same in her own person.' ' She acquitted them of malice but condemned them of errour and unadvisedness.' After 'her lenity to the brother of the man who had made the motion, that a second Wentworth should be heard and followed she interpreted to be great unthankfulness/ They were still inclining to be mutinous when Sir Nicholas St Leger opened a way for them to yield with dignity. He spoke of ' the great affection ' which the House bore to the Queen, the imperfection of all estates, and chiefly fasting and humiliation to go out of use.' He considered however that they would do well to submit in the pre- sent instance, with the hope 'that both her Majesty and others would repent all defaults and humble themselves to God in sackcloth and ashes.' l So expressed, the 1 Proceedings of the House of Commons in the matter of the Fast, January, 1581 ; MSS. Domestic. Compare D'Ewes' Journals, 1580-81.
 * the faults of the bishops who had suffered the duty of