Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/229

 1564-] THE EMBASSY OF DE SILVA. 209 Lennox; her chief anxiety was now to prevent the Austrian marriage, and to induce Philip, though she could not marry his son, to continue to watch over her interests. In September the Spanish ambassador IE Paris wrote that his steps were haunted by Beton, Mary's minister ; he had met the advances made to him with coldness and indifference ; but Beton had pressed upon him with unwearied assiduity ; l desiring, as it appeared afterwards, to learn what Philip would do for his mistress in the event of her marriage with Darnley. At the same time it was necessary to soothe Elizabeth, lest she might withdraw her protection, and allow Parliament to settle the succession unfavourably to the Scottish claims. Maitland therefore having forfeited Cecil's confidence, the Queen of Scots obtained the services of a man who, without the faintest preten- sions to statesmanship, was as skilled an intriguer as Europe possessed. Sixteen years had passed since Sir James Melville had gone as a boy with Monluc, Bishop of Valence, to the Irish Castle, where Monluc by his light ways was brought to shame. From the Bishop, Melville had passed to the Constable Montmorency. Erom Montmorency he had gone to the Elector Pala- tine, and had worked himself into a backstairs intimacy with European courts and princes. Mary Stuart her- self had probably known him in France ; and in the spring of 1564 she wrote to request him to return to 1 Don F. de Alava to Philip II., Styjtember 20, 1564: TEULET, vol. VOL. VII. 14