Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/35

 1 5 69. ] ENGLISH PA R TTES. 2 1 nearly identical, that Cecil himself could scarcely have been unconscious of the resemblance. He had inherited Cromwell's policy, in all points except its violence. His hands were as yet pure from blood, and he had not sought those invidious personal honours which had set the blood of the old peers on fire. In all else he had trodden in the same steps, and had brought upon him- self the same hatred. But besides these two schemes, there was a third, in which the chameleon Norfolk was wearing far different colours. Like a prudent gambler, he did not risk his fortune on the success of a single speculation. It is necessary to go a little back. It will be remembered that the conference at York was broken up, on the report reaching the Queen that a marriage was talked of between Norfolk and the Queen of Scots. The Duke returned to London, staggered by the sight of the letters to Bothwell, and disinclined for the adventure. He complained to Elizabeth perhaps in good faith of the stories which were abroad about him ; ' he reported matters of the Queen of Scots to think her not meet to be had by him in marriage/ and protested that he had no intentions of the kind. Elizabeth, not altogether satisfied, and knowing the inducements which had been and would again be held out to him, said, 'that although he did now mislike of it, yet he might percase be induced to like of it, for the benefit of the Bealm, or percase for her own safety/ Norfolk answered boldly, ' that no reason could move him to like her that had been a competitor for