denote: Mary in England.]

The presence of Alva in Flanders was a far less peril than the presence
of Mary in Carlisle. To restore her, as she demanded, by force of arms
was impossible. If Elizabeth was zealous for the cause of monarchy, she
had no mind to crush the nobles who had given her security against her
rival simply to seat that rival triumphantly on the throne. On the other
hand to retain her in England was to furnish a centre for revolt. Mary
herself indeed threatened that "if they kept her prisoner they should
have enough to do with her." If the Queen would not aid in her
restoration to the throne, she demanded a free passage to France. But
compliance with such a request would have given the Guises a terrible
weapon against Elizabeth and have ensured French intervention in
Scotland. For a while Elizabeth hoped to bring Murray to receive Mary
back peaceably as Queen. But the regent refused to sacrifice himself and
the realm to Elizabeth's policy. When the Duke of Norfolk with other
commissioners appeared at York to hold a formal enquiry into Mary's
conduct with a view to her restoration, Murray openly charged the Queen
with a share in the murder of her husband, and he produced letters from
her to Bothwell, which if genuine substantiated the charge. Till Mary
was cleared of guilt, Murray would hear nothing of her return, and Mary
refused to submit to such a trial as would clear her. So eager however
was Elizabeth to get rid of the pressing peril of her presence in
England that Mary's refusal to submit to any trial only drove her to
fresh devices for her restoration. She urged upon Murray the suppression
of the graver charges, and upon Mary the leaving Murray in actual
possession of the royal power as the price of her return. Neither
however would listen to terms which sacrificed both to Elizabeth's
self-interest. The Regent persisted in charging the Queen with murder
and adultery. Mary refused either to answer or to abdicate in favour of
her infant son.

[Sidenote: Elizabeth's difficulties.]

The triumph indeed of her bold policy was best advanced, as the Queen of
Scots had no doubt foreseen, by simple inaction. Her misfortunes, her
resolute denials, were gradually wiping away the stain of her guilt and
winning back the Catholics of England to her cause. Already there were
plans for her marriage with Norfolk, the head of the English nobles, as
for her marriage with the heir of the Hamiltons. The first match m