Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/244

 224 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 43 for their mistress unless her title was first fully admitted and confirmed. Darnley's name was not mentioned ; but ' it was through the mouths of all men that it was a thing concluded in the Queen's heart ; ' and Randolph was under the mistaken impression that Maitland was as much in favour of it as his mistress. 1 'Their object/ Randolph, on the 7th of November, wrote to Elizabeth, ' is to have the Lord Darnley rather offered by your Majesty than de- sired of themselves ; ' ' but your Majesty I am assured will consider the unfitness of the match for greater causes than I can think of any of which not the least will be the loss of many a godly man's heart that by your Majesty enjoy eth now the liberty of their country, and know but in how short a time they shall lose the same if your Majesty give your consent to match her with such an one as either by dissention at home or lack of knowledge of God and his word may persecute them that profess the same.' 2 The Scotch Protestants comprehended instinctively the thousand dangers to which they would be exposed. [The House of Lennox was the hereditary enemy of the 'Hamiltons, who had headed the Revolution of 1559. Darnley was known to be a Catholic ; and his marriage with Mary Stuart was well understood to mean a i Catholic revolution. ' The terrible fear is so entered into their hearts/ continued Randolph, ' that the Queen tendeth only to 1 Randolph to Cecil, October 31 : Scotch MSS. Rolls House. 2 Scotch MSS. Rolls House.