Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/336

 322 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 54. earnestly I will not say passionately, persuaded her at that time to do for her own surety, the benefit of Scotland, and the continuing of amity between both the realms, there had been worse done to your Queen than either her Majesty or any subject of England whom you take to be least free from passions could be induced to think meet to be done/ l Maitland did not care to prolong the argument. He said he was ready to answer for his conduct to his own mistress when she pleased to call him to account for it, and he was working loyally to deserve the pardon which she had long before bestowed upon him. Sussex sent the correspondence to the Court, and Elizabeth com- plimented him for having come off with honour from an encounter with one whom she called ' the flower of the wits of Scotland/ 'She was more pleased with him/ she said, 'than if he had won an action in the field ; ' ' she always thought him wise, but had never seen a more absolute proof of it ; he had overmatched and confounded Lidington, not only with the truth, but with the sharp good order in which he had ex- pounded it.' 2 Still unless Mary Stuart got herself killed, Elizabeth had determined to send her back, and was not again in- clined to change her mind. She said only she would have conditions which should enable her to 'command their observance ; ' she did not mean to depend on promises ; besides hostages she would have some castle or castles 1 Sussex to Maitland, July 29 : I 2 Elizabeth to Sussex, August MSS. Scotland. 1 1 : MSS. Scotland.