Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/439

 1566.] THE MURDER OF DARNLEY. 419 what he could the practices between the Queen his sovereign and the Papists of England/ 1 But Eliza- beth must accept his terms ; it was a matter with which money, in whatever quantity, had nothing to do. The practices with the English Catholics had begun again, or rather, in spite of Mary Stuart's promises to abstain from such transactions for the future, they had never ceased ; and a curious discovery was about to be made in connection with them. A report had been sent by Murray to Cecil that there was an Englishman about the Court at Holyrood who was supposed to have come there on no good errand ; he was one of the Rokebys of Yorkshire, and was closely connected with the great Catholic families there. But Cecil it seems knew more of Hokeby's doings than Murray knew. He had gone across the Border to be out of the way of the bailiffs ; and Cecil, who suspected that Mary Stuart was still playing her old game, and had before been well ac- quainted with Hokeby, sent him word l that he might purchase pardon and help if he would use his acquaint- ance in Scotland to the contentation of the Queen's Majesty/ in other words, if he would do service as a spy. Rokeby, who wanted money and had probably no honour to lose, made little objection. His brother-in- law, Lascelles, who was one of Mary Stuart's stanchest friends and correspondents, gave him letters of introduc- tion, and with these he hastened to Edinburgh, and was introduced by Sir James Melville to the Queen. Randolph to Cecil, June 13 : Scotch HISS. Ibid.