Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/144

 '30 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. . 53. spared from their posts. The Earl of Murray had pro- posed in August to set in order the Scotch Border. It will be remembered that Elizabeth, just then in pique at Murray for refusing to receive back his sister, had or- dered the Wardens, if the Hegent molested any gentle- men inclined to Mary Stuart, to receive and protect them. The Kers and the Scotts were thus left undisturbed, and ' the Earls had so practised with them that the Wardens had more need of men themselves than were able to spare any to send elsewhere ; ' l Northumberland had been in communication through the autumn ' with all the dangerous lords and gentlemen ' between Forth and Tweed ; the powder- train of the general conspiracy had been laid throughout the island wherever Mary Stuart had a friend. Sir George Bowes flung himself into Barncastle, with a few score servants and followers. Lord Darcy held Pomfret, and trusted faintly that if the Queen would send him money he might be able to stop the passage over the Don. But there was no force anywhere which could meet the rebels in the field. On the I9th they were at Ripon, on the 2oth at Knaresborough and Bor- rowbridge, on the 23rd they had passed York. Their main body was at Wetherby and Tadcaster, their ad- vanced horse were far down across the Ouse. 2 The barns were full, the farm-yards well stocked ; the cattle which had fattened in the summer were not yet fallen off in flesh, and food was abundant. They moved on at 1 Forster to Bowes, November 25 : Memorials of the Rebellion. 2 Sussex to the Queen, November 24 : Border MSS.