Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/251

 1564.] THE EMBASSY OF DE SILVA. 231 honourable. He was glad to perceive from their letter, he said, that they were beginning to comprehend the Queen of England's real feelings. If they persisted in !;he tone which they had first assumed they would alienate England altogether. They talked of proposals to marry their mistress in this place and that ; there were pro- posals for his own mistress as well, and they would do better in confining themselves to the subject which was immediately before them. They professed to desire to know the Queen of England's real wishes. They knew them already perfectly well. His mistress had never vnried either in her words or in her intentions. She wished well to the Queen of Scots. She had no objec- tion to the Queen of Scots' recognition as second person if England could be satisfied that its liberties would not be in danger. ' And now,' Cecil said, ' in return for this you propose that the Queen's Majesty should permit your Sovereign to marry where she would, saving in some places pro- hibited, and in that consideration to give her some yearly revenue out of the realm of England, and by Parliament establish the succession of the realm to her ; and then you add that it might be the Queen's Majesty's desire would take effect. Surely, my Lord of Ledington, I see by this for it was your speech you can well tell how to make your bargain. Her Majesty will give the Earl of Leicester the highest degree that any nobleman may receive of her hand ; but you look for more you would have with him the establishment of your Sovereign's title to be declared in the second place to the Queen's