Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/63

 I 5 6 9 .] ENGLISH PARTIES. 49 Taking courage from Elizabeth's hesitation, Norfolk sent word to Don Gruerau that in a few days all would be over. Cecil would be deposed, and the stolen pro- perty restored. 1 After a rapid arrangement with the Bishop of Ross, and after exchanging letters with the Queen of Scots, they made up their minds to do as Norfolk's grandfather had done to Thomas Cromwell. Three times they came down to the council, intending to rise from it with Cecil a prisoner ; but three times, as Don Guerau wrote con- temptuously to Philip, ' their courage failed ; they went to work like Englishmen, who could not act like men of other countries ; they excused themselves by saying that so many of the council had dipped their hands in Spanish plunder that they could not count upon support ; but, in fact, they were poor-spirited. Like Englishmen, they would have things well done, but they would leave the doing of them to his Majesty, without risk or trouble to themselves ; and then they would give his Majesty their thanks'* They were in debt too, all of them Norfolk, Arun- 1 i Dicen el Duque y el Conde que dentro de breves dias ellos haran que la Reyna haga lo que debe, y mudaran al gobierno.' Ibid. 2 Don Guerau, in a history of the whole proceedings which he sent to Philip on the I5th of June, says expressly, 'que lo escribian & la Reyna de Escocia.' He fixes the time at which they wrote as the last week in April, and it must have been therefore to this communication that VOL. IX. Mary Stuart alluded in a letter of the 28th of April to Argyle, urging him to consent to nothing at Edin- burgh, and more distinctly in a letter of the 5th of May to Chatelherault. in which she says, ' Fear not upon my word. Bide constant and ye shall have that ye desire of one part or the other. Shortly ye shall hear more .' LABANOFF, vol. ii. 3 Don Guerau to Philip, June