Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/320

 <oo KK1GN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 44. kidnap, the English Government, lie said, 'could not and would not refuse their own in what sort soever they came.' l The Queen of Scots was not long in receiving intelli- gence of what the lords intended against her. She sent a message to her brother requesting that he would meet her at Perth. As he was mounting his horse a hint was given him that if he went he would not return alive, and that Parnley and Rizzio had formed a plan to kill him. He withdrew to his mother's castle at Lochleven and published the occasion of his disobedi- ence. Mary Stuart replied with a countercharge that jhe Earl of Murray had proposed to take her prisoner ftnd carry off Darnley to England. Both stories were probably true : Murray's offer to Randolph is sufficient evidence against himself. Lord Darnley's conspiracy against the Earl was no more than legitimate retalia- tion. Civil war was fast approaching ; and it is im- possible to acquit ElizabettTof having done her_best to foster jt. Afraid to takean open part lest she should ! have an insurrection on her own hands at home, she was ready to employ to the uttermost the assistance of the Queen of Scots' own subjects, and she trusted to diplomacy or accident to extricate herself from the con- sequences. On receiving Randolph's letter, which explained with sufficient clearness the intentions of the Protestant noblemen, she not only did not find fault with the en- 1 Randolph to Cecil, July 2 and July 4 : Cotton. MSS. CAI.IG. B. id. Printed in KEITH.