as a Papist, was clearly insulted in the proclamation.
Moray and Lethington, the latter touched by her "readiness to hear," and
her gentleness in the face of Protestant brutalities; the former,
perhaps, lured by the hope of obtaining, as the price of his alliance,
the earldom of Moray, were by the end of October still attempting to
secure amity between her and Elizabeth, and to hope for the best, rather
than drive the Queen wild by eternal taunts and menaces. The preachers
denounced her rites at Hallowmass (All Saints), and a servant of her
brother, Lord Robert, beat a priest; but men actually doubted whether
subjects might interfere between the Queen and her religion. There was a
discussion on this point between the preachers and the nobles, and the
Church in Geneva (Calvin) was to be consulted. Knox offered to write,
but Lethington said that he would write, as much stood on the
"information"; that is, on the manner of stating the question. Lethington
did not know, and Knox does not tell us in his "History" that he had
himself, a week earlier, put the matter before Calvin in his own way.
Even Lord James, he says to Calvin, though the Abdiel of godliness, "is
afraid to overthrow that idol by violence"--idolum illud missalicum.
{202}

Knox's letter to Calvin represents the Queen as alleging that he has
already answered the question, declaring that Knox's party has no right
to interfere with the Royal mass. This rumour Knox disbelieves. He adds
that Arran would have written, but was absent.

Apparently Arran did write to Calvin, anonymously, and dating from
London, November 18, 1561. The letter, really from Scotland, is in
French. The writer acknowledges the receipt, about August 20, of an
encouraging epistle from Calvin. He repeats Knox's statements, in the
main, and presses for a speedy reply. He says that he goes seldom to
Court, both on account of "that idol," and because "sobriety and virtue"
have been exiled. {203a} As Arran himself "is known to have had company
of a good handsome wench, a merchant's daughter," which led to a riot
with Bothwell, described by Randolph (December 27, 1561), his own "virtue
and sobriety" are not conspicuous. {203b} He was in Edinburgh on
November 15-19, and the London date of his anonymous letter is a blind.
{203c}

It does not appear that Calvin replied to Knox, and to the anonymous
correspondent, in whom I venture to detect Arran; or, if he answered, his
letter was pro