Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 3.djvu/572

552 send him into England, and dared as little to punish him themselves. They temporized, they hesitated, and at length, taking refuge in inertia, they would not release their prisoner, but they left the country to suffer and grow impatient.

On the 12th of March, while the interdict was still in force, the Estates assembled at Edinburgh to consider the state of the realm and the English treaties. At the outset the prospect still promised fairly. The nomination of Arran to the regency was confirmed; and on the first day of the session 'the Lords of the Articles, after they had heard my Lord Governor's mind, having consideration of the adversity of times bye gone, and of the dangerous appearances of skaith of the time instant and sicklike to come, concluded that an ample commission should be made and sent with ambassadors to the King of England, for taking, treating, and concluding of peace perpetual; that another commission should be made to the same ambassadors, to conclude a marriage betwixt the Queen of Scotland and Edward Prince of Wales, apparent heritor of England.'

So far all was well. A general acquiescence was admitted in the King of England's views. But similar negotiations twenty years before had advanced to the admission of the principle. It appeared rapidly that the same' struggle would repeat itself in the discussion of