Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/199

 THE RISING OF THE NORTH. 185 moreland. He had only a life interest in his estates. Richard Lambert, alone out of the seven, the Queen was advised to spare on the fair ground of good cha- racter. The most singular argument for clemency was that which was urged in behalf of the last Astolph Cleisby : he had no property, and there was thus no special in- centive for his execution ; Lord Hunsdon's son, Henry Carey, once thought of for the Queen of Scots, was a suitor for one of the three daughters and co-heiresses of Lord Coniers. It was conceived that Cleisby, 'being in great credit with all the sisters,' ' might assist if his life was spared in bringing about the match. 3 1 After some hesitation Elizabeth admitted the recom- mendations, and all the seven were spared. 2 Two sons of old Norton and two of his brothers, after long and close cross-questioning in the Tower, were tried and convicted at Westminster. Two of these JSTortons were afterwards pardoned. Two, one of whom was Christofer, the poor youth who had been bewitched by the fair eyes of the Queen of Scots at Bolton, w^is put to death at Tyburn with the usual cruelties. But so far, after all, the Queen had gained but little. The principles on which the gentlemen had been dealt with had not tended to satisfy the commons as to the equity of an administration which had hanged the poor 1 Proceedings of the Commis- sion at York : Memorials of the Re- bellion. 2 It is interesting to observe that Henry Carey did not, after all, obtain the object of his wishes. DUGDALE, vol. ii. p. 291 : Article CONIERS.