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 1565.] THE EMBASSY OF DE STLVA. 273 sign it on his allegiance. He asked for time : she said no time could be allowed because others were waiting for his example. Murray's character, so much debated among histo- rians, was, in the eye of those who knew him, a very simple one. He was true, faithful, honourable, earnest, stout both for the defence of God's glory and to save his sovereign's honour ; and he was fearful that her doings might make a breach of amity between the two realms. l For five years he had laboured to reconcile two oppos- ing duties : he was a zealous Protestant, but he had saved his sister from persecution, and had quarrelled with his friends in her defence ; he had maintained her claims on the English succession with the loyalty of a Scot ; he had united his special patriotism with as noble an anxiety for the spiritual freedom of the united realms. Few men had resisted more temptations to play a selfish game than Murray ; none had carried themselves with more conspicuous uprightness in a difficult and most trying service. To the last, and long after he had known the direction in which his sister's aims were tending, he had shielded her with his name, he had as- sisted her with his counsels, he had striven hard to save her from the sinister and dangerous advisers to whom she was secretly listening: but he could hesitate no longer ; under the miserable influence of Rizzio and her foreign correspondents, she was bringing revolution and civil war upon Scotland, and the choice was forced upon 1 Randolph to Cecil, May 21 Scotch MSS. Rolls House. VOL. VII. 18