Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/517

 1566.] THE MURDER OF DARNLEY. 497 A few days after, the Earl of Bedford arrived from England ; the Parliament was then approaching its con- clusion ; the storm had subsided, and Elizabeth, free to act for herself, had commissioned Bedford to tell the Queen of Scots that her claims should be investigated as soon as possible, and ' should receive as much favour as she could desire to her contentation.' 1 The ambassador had brought with him a magnificent font of gold weigh- ing 330 ozs., as a splendid present to the heir of the English throne. The Prince, who was to have been dipped in it at his baptism, had grown too large by the delay of the ceremony ; but Elizabeth suggested that it might be used for 'the next child/ 2 The time had been when these things would have satisfied Mary Stuart's utmost hopes, and have filled her with exultation. Her thoughts, interests, and anxieties were now otherwise occupied. On the I5th, at five in the evening, the Prince was baptized by torch-light in Stirling Chapel; the service was that of the Catholic Church; the Archbishop of St Andrew's, the most abandoned of all Episcopal scoundrels, officiated, sup- ported by three of his brethren. The French ambas- sador carried the child into the aisle ; the Countess of Argyle, the same who had been present at Rizzio's murder, held him at the font as Elizabeth's representa- tive ; and three of the Scottish noblemen Eglinton, Athol, and Ross were present at the ceremony. The rest, with the English ambassador, stood outside the 1 Instructions to the Earl of Bedford going to Scotland : KEITH. 2 Ibid. VOL, vii. 32