Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 3.djvu/584

564, in the event of his fidelity, for an alliance between the son whom Mary of Guise pretended that he designed for the young Queen, and the Lady Elizabeth. The suggestion was now brought forward as an experiment of the Earl's honesty, and, to Sadler's surprise, was received with cordial gratitude. The Regent did not deny that he had thought of the other connection, before the King's wishes were made known to him; but he had relinquished all expectation of it, and was delighted at the honour of the King's offer.

These things made in the Earl's favour; but the atmosphere was impregnated with lies. Lord Fleming declared that Arran had said to him 'that sooner than the Queen should marry into England, he would carry her away into the Isles;' Arran evidently dreaded the Cardinal; the Cardinal, as Sir George Douglas as well as the Queen now protested, was in his heart devoted to England; and even at times Sadler himself found the Regent 'utterly determined to abide the extremity of war rather than condescend to the accomplishment of the King's desires.'

If the Scottish question had waited for its solution till the intentions of the nobles could be discovered from their language, the perplexity threatened to be of long continuance. But, in the mean time, Henry had submitted a definite demand to the Scottish Parliament, and they had returned him a definite answer. The despatch of it had been delayed; but the questionable