Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/283

 i SOS-1 THE EMBASSY OF DE SILVA. 261 rather see God followed wholly or Baal followed wholly ; ' it was dangerous to urge a necessity in things which God's word did set at liberty.' 1 Far worse was the effect in Scotland. The rigid Cal- vinists, who had long watched Elizabeth with jealous eyes, clamoured that she was showing herself at last in her true colours. { Posts and packets flying daily in the air,' brought such news as lost her and lost England ' the hearts of all the godly.' No imagination was too extravagant to receive credit. The two Queens were supposed to be in a secret league for the overthrow of the truth, and Darnley's return was interpreted as part of an insidious policy at once ' to match the Queen of Scots meanly and poorly,' and to confirm her in her evil ways 1 by marrying her to a Papist.' The ' godly ' exclaimed in anguish ' that no hope was left of any sure establishment of Christ's religion, but all was turned to confusion.' yond measure infinite ; ' and Mary Stuart's desire to obtain liberty of conscience for the Catholics and tl^e increasing favour which she showed to Darnley, were alike set down to Elizabeth. The Leicester scandals were revived with new anec- dotes to confirm them. 2 The Protestants, goaded into, 1 The Archbishop of Armagh to Cecil, 1565: Irish MSS. Rolls 2 'It is in every man's mouth that lately the Duke of Norfolk's Grace and my Lord of Leicester playing at tennis, the Queen beholding them, and my Lord Ro- bert, being very hot and sweating, took the Queen's napkin out of her hand and wiped his face, which the Duke seeing said he was too saucy, and swore he would lay his racket upon his face. Hereupon arose a
 * The evil effect ' on men's minds was described ' as be-*