Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/313

 1565.] THE DARNLEY MARRIAGE. 293 her claims 011 the lands of Angus by Lady Margaret, had won to Darnley's side the powerful and dangerous Earl of Morton, and had alienated from Murray the kindred houses of Ruth veil and Lindsay. There was no longer an Ar ran marriage to cajole the patriotism of the many noblemen to whom the glory of Scotland was dearer than their creed ; and all those whose hearts were set on winning for a Scotch prince or princess the English succession were now devoted to their Queen. Thus the Duke of Chatelherault with the original group who had formed the nucleus of the Congregation Murray, Argyle, Gleiicairn, Boyd, and Ochiltree found themselves alone against the whole power of their country. Secure oil the side of France, Elizabeth would have been less uneasy at the weakness of the Protestants, had the loyalty of her own subjects been open to no sus- picion ; but the state of England was hardly more satis- factory than that of Scotland. In 1560 the recent loss of Calais and the danger of foreign invasion had united the nation in defence of its independence. Two-thirds of the peers were opposed at heart to Cecil's policy ; but the menaces of France had roused the patriotism of the nation. Spain was then perplexed and neutral ; and the Catholics had for a time been paralyzed by the recent memories of the Marian persecution. Xow, although the dangers were the same, Elizabeth's embarrassments were incomparably greater. T^e studied trifling with which she had disregarded the general anxiety for her marriage had created a party for the