Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/348

 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 44. was the largest man, and that seemed to have been the chief bond of connection between them. The lady was perhaps anxious for a husband and knew that Elizabeth would keep her single till she died. Discovery followed ^before worse had happened than the ceremony. The burly sergeant porter was sent to the Fleet to grow thin on discipline and low diet ; the Lady Mary went into private confinement ; and both were only too eager to release each other and escape from punishment. The bishops were set to work by the council to undo the knot and found it no easy matter. 1 Elizabeth had a fresh excuse for her detestation of the Greys and a fresh topic on which to descant in illustration of the iniquities of matrimony. De Mauvissiere meanwhile, undeterred by the Queen of Scots' message, had made his way to Edinburgh, but only to find that he had come upon a useless errand. The Earl of, Bothwell had rejoined Mary Stuart in tke middle of her triumph, ' a man/ said Randolph, ' fit to be made a minister of any shameful act against God or man ; ' 2 and Both well's hatred for Murray drew him closer than ever to Mary's side. In the full confidence _pf success and surrounded by persons whose whole aim was to feed the fire of her passion, she would listen, to no- thing which de Mauvissiere could urge^. In vain he warned her~oTthe experience of France ; in vain ho re- 1 Privy Council Register, Au- gust, 1565. Proceedings of council on the marriage of the Lady Mary Grey: MS. Domestic, L Rolls House. I ishop of Lone on to- Cecil : MS. Ibid. 2 Randolph to Cecil, September 20 : ' o'ch MtS. Eolls Hous :