hrow on Mary's conduct, any opposition
to their sovereign was totally unjustifiable, and incompatible with all
order and good government: that it belonged not to them to reform, much
less to punish, the maleadministration of their prince; and the only
arms which subjects could in any case lawfully employ against the
supreme authority, were entreaties, counsels, and representations: that
if these expedients failed, they were next to appeal by their prayers to
Heaven, and to wait with patience till the Almighty, in whose hands are
the hearts of princes, should be pleased to turn them to justice and
to mercy. That she inculcated not this doctrine because she herself was
interested in its observance, but because it was universally received in
all well-governed states, and was essential to the preservation of civil
society: that she required them to restore their queen to liberty; and
promised, in that case, to concur with them in all proper expedients for
regulating the government, for punishing the king's murderers, and for
guarding the life and liberty of the infant prince: and that, if
the services which she had lately rendered the Scottish nation, in
protecting them from foreign usurpation, were duly considered by them,
they would repose confidence in her good offices, and would esteem
themselves blameworthy in having hitherto made no application to her.[*]

Elizabeth, besides these remonstrances, sent by Throgmorton some
articles of accommodation, which he was to propose to both parties,
as expedients for the settlement of public affairs; and though these
articles contained some important restraints on the sovereign power,
they were in the main calculated for Mary's advantage, and were
sufficiently indulgent to her.[**] The associated lords, who determined
to proceed with greater severity, were apprehensive of Elizabeth's
partiality; and being sensible that Mary would take courage from the
protection of that powerful princess,[***] they thought proper, after
several affected delays, to refuse the English ambassador all access
to her. There were four different schemes proposed in Scotland for the
treatment of the captive queen: one, that she should be restored to her
authority under very strict limitations: the second, that she should be
obliged to resign her crown to the prince, be banished the kingdom,
and be confined either to France or England; with assurances from the
sovereign in whose dominions she should reside,