Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/262

 248 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 54. themselves.' It had been intimated to her that if a new Regency was to be appointed in the King's name, the only possible rival to Chatelherault would be his old antagonist the Earl of Lennox. He was a Catholic, but as the Queen's grandfather and the prosecutor of Both- well, his goodwill could be depended upon ; and she said that if it was absolutely necessary to choose some one, she would not refuse her sanction. 1 At the same time, as an indication of further inten- tions which she did not care to explain, she said that the state of the Border was intolerable and at all hazards must be immediately looked to. She would not allow her own rebellious subjects to use the shelter of Scottish territory to make war upon England ; and unless the Scotch council ' saw the matter redressed/ ' she would reform it herself in such sharp manner as the offenders should repent themselves, and be unable to commit the like again.' Elizabeth had created the party by whom Westmore- land and Dacres were now supported. Sir Robert Con- stable's treacheries had come to nothing, and she had a plausible excuse to undo some part at least of her own work. If she sent troops across the Border to break up the nest of marauders at Femihurst, she would virtu- ally break the power which the Protestant noblemen had most occasion to fear. She dared not interfere 1 Lennox was in London, beg- ging hard to be allowed to return to Scotland in any capacity. He ex- pected, and Lady Lennox expected, that the Prince would be murdered, and they were both anxious that, if possible, he should be brought to England. Lady Lennox to Cecil, February, 1570 : Cotton. MSS. CALIG. C. i,