Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/336

 316 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 44, of the Reformation ; Mary Stuart was chiefly interested in herself, and she was without the strength of self- command which is taught only by devotion to a cause. So confident was she that in imagination she had already seated herself on Elizabeth's throne. To the conditions of friendship offered by Tamworth, she replied in lan- guage which could scarcely have been more peremptory had she entered London at the head of a victorious army. Not condescending to notice what was demanded of herself, she required Elizabeth immediately to de- clare her by Act of Parliament next in the succession ; and failing herself and her children, to entail the crown on Lady Margaret Lennox and her children 'as the per- sons by the law of God and nature next inheritable/ The Queen of England should bind herself ' neither to do nor suffer to be done either by law or otherwise ' anything prejudicial to the Scottish title ; to abstain in future from all practices with subjects of the Scottish Crown ; to enter no league and contract 110 alliance which could affect the Queen of Scots' fortunes unfa- vourably. On these terms, but on these alone, she would consent to leave Elizabeth in undisturbed possession during her own or her children's lifetime ; she would abstain from encouraging the English Catholics to rise in rebellion in her behalf, and from inviting an inva- sion from Spain or France; 1 and she condescended to promise to throw dust in the eyes of the Protestants in both countries although she was receiving the sup- 1 Offer of the King and Queen of Scotland, by Mr Tamworth, August, 1 565 : Scotch MSS. Rolls House.