Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/540

 526 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 56. of Scotland will not fail to sue where they may best.' 1 Lord Seton fell back on Brussels. The friends of Mary Stuart in Scotland followed the lead of the Eng- lish Lords, and, deserted by France, flung themselves upon Alva and Spain. The coldness of the French Court gave fresh facilities for the organization of the intended invasion. Should accident prevent a landing at Harwich, the coast of Aberdeen was close at hand and always open, and the presence of a' Spanish army in the island was all that was needed to call the Catholics to the field. Meanwhile, till the Spaniards were ready it was necessary to keep Elizabeth in play, and to prevent her from executing her threat of reducing the castle of Edinburgh. Her determined moods seldom lasted more than a few days, and Maitland' s pen was called into requisition to soothe her into a false se- curity. Maitland had a singular influence over Elizabeth. She corresponded with him in private, and while Cecil was threatening him in her name, she was herself un- saying Cecil's language behind the scenes. Whatever may have been her secret purpose in so doing, she allowed him to see that she did not desire to interfere if she could help it, and that she would welcome any open- ing which he could make for her to escape from the ne- cessity which was being forced upon her. Maitland be- lieved her incapable, through her vacillation, of any 1 Seton to Maitland. May 31 : MSS. Scotland.