Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/100

 8o REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 41. To Philip's letter a few lines were added by the Duke of Alva : ALVA TO THE BISHOP OF AQUILA. June i 6. 'Although his Majesty in his own letter has told you how important it is to be secret in the affair of the marriage of the Queen of Scots, I cannot but myself reiterate the same caution. The world must know nothing till all is actually over, or no good will come of it. 'You will therefore charge those with whom you have to deal to allow no hint of our purpose to trans- pire. You will let us know step by step how the nego- tiation proceeds, and his Majesty will take measures accordingly/ -No answer could have promised better for Mary Stuart's hopes; but it had been long in coming, and the diplomacy of conspiracy was restless and feverish. Maitland, after his visit to France, returned to London in July to learn what de Quadra had heard. He had as yet heard nothing, and Maitland' s views meanwhile had been qualified by a conversation with Catherine de Medici. The Queen-mother, as able to shield herself behind Fer- dinand's and Philip's letters. Arch- bishop Parker also lent his assist- ance. In a circular to his brother bishops he desired them, with the Queen's and Cecil's connivance, not to offer tho oath to any one a second time without referring to himself; ' not,' he said, ' that he had warrant to stay the execution of impartial laws,' but being ready ' to jeopard his private estimation if the purpose which the Queen would have done, might be performed.' STRYPE'S Life of Parker, vol. i. pp. 249, 250.