Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/120

 io6 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 53. strong as ever. The Duke still expected that he would reap the fruit of all this, and least of all would he part with his hope of Mary Stuart. But he desired to re- cover his liberty. Lies cost Norfolk nothing. He was ready to say whatever would answer his purpose. He feared only that if he gave the Queen the promise which she demanded from him, Mary Stuart herself might take him at his word, or the Bishop of Ross per- haps, in irritation at his apostasy, might tell secrets which would be dangerous to him if revealed. He drew up therefore, in the most complete form, the required renunciation ; he gave emphasis to his professions by the most elaborate asseverations of good faith ; and while he sent the original of this document to Elizabeth, he forwarded a copy of it to the Bishop of Ross, desir- ing him to tell his mistress, that he had yielded only in order to escape from the Tower, and that he had no intention of observing an engagement which had been extorted from him by violence. 1 Could Norfolk have known the supreme willingness with which Mary Stuart had been ready to throw him 1 * One great fault I committed. When I should send in my submis- sion to her Majesty, thinking that it would not long be kept close but go abroad, fearing that if it should come to the Bishop's ears- he would in a rage accuse me of my writings, to prevent the same I sent the copy of it to him, to see, before I sent it to her Majesty, saying that necessity 4rove me to signify this or else I was like to lie here while I lived ; and therefore I desired him that he would not mislike thereof, and that he would also write to the Queen of Scots in that behalf that I did it of necessity and not willingly. I, trust- ing in worldly policy, have sped like a mired horse the further he plungeth the further he is mired.' Confession of the Duke of Norfolk : MSS. MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.