Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/362

 342 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 44- an. explanation of their desertion. Murray himself and the Abbot of Kilwinning were chosen as the representa- tives of the rest ; and Bedford, after an affectation of opposition which he did not carry beyond a form, sent to the Queen on the iyth of October to prepare for their appearance in London. Pressed by the conse- quences of her own faults Elizabeth would have con- cealed her conduct if possible from her own eyes ; least, of all did she desire to have it thrown in her teeth before all the world. She had assured Paul de Foix at last that she would give the lords no help, and would wait to be attacked. She wished to keep clear of every overt act which would justify the Queen of Scots in appealing to France and Spain. She had persuaded .herself that Mary Stuart's army would disperse in a few days for want of supplies, that the lords would re- turn over the Border as easily as they had crossed it ; l and that she could assist them with money behind the scenes without openly committing herself. These plans and hopes would be fatally disconcerted by Murray's appearance at the Court, and she sent Bedford's courier flying back to him with an instant and angry command to prevent so untoward a casualty. She had said again and again that ' she would give no aid that should break the peace/ The coming up of the Earl of Murray ' would give manifest cause of just complaint to the Queen of Scots ; J and she added with curious self- exposure, ' neither are these kind of matters in 1 Paul de Foix to the King of France, October 16 : TEULET, vol. ii.