Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/273

 1 5 70. ] EXCOMMUNICA TION OF ELIZABE TH 259 His name appeared conspicuously in the depositions of the prisoners examined after the Northern rebellion/ but he had been too prudent to commit himself to open treason. He was able to represent his share of the con* spiracy as part of an honest policy conceived in Eliza- beth's interests, and Elizabeth dared not openly break with the still powerful party among the nobles to which Arundel belonged, who professed to desire nothing more than the restoration of the Queen of Scots, her recog* nition as heir-presumptive, the removal of Cecil from office, and a return to a better understanding with the Catholic Powers. With Arundel was recalled also his son-in-law Lord Lumley, and they both of them lost not an hour in renewing their treasonable communica- tions with Don Guerau and La Mothe Fenelon. They spoke in the same language which they had used before the rebellion. They meant to overthrow Cecil and Bacon, release the Duke of Norfolk, marry him to the Queen of Scots, and restore the Catholic religion. 2 The Duke of Norfolk was to be liberated as soon as possible and sent down to the Eastern counties among his own people ; and meanwhile Cecil should not be allowed to 1 Confession of Christofer Norton and Captain Styrley, April, 1570 : Domestic MSS. 2 If they could not move the Queen by fair means, they said ' qu'ils en essayeront quelque autre plus violent ; car desirant, comment quo soit, pourvoir aulx desordres de cc Koyaulme, et au faict de la Royne d'Escosse, et aulx affaires du Due de Norfolk, et encores plus expresse- ment s'ilz peuvent quant ils en auront le nioyen au restablissement de la re- ligion Catholique, pour lesquelles quatre choses ils veulent tout hazar- der.' March 27, Depeches de La Mothe Fenelon. Don Guerau wrote to Philip on the same day exactly to the same purpose.