approach towards the destined limit of her long and splendid course.
Notwithstanding the respectful observances by which James exerted
himself to disguise his impatience for her death, particular incidents
occurred from time to time to aggravate her suspicion and exasperate her
animosity; and the present year was productive of some remarkable
circumstances of this nature. The queen had long been displeased at the
indulgence exercised by the king of Scots towards certain catholic
noblemen by whom a treasonable correspondence had been carried on with
Spain and a very dangerous conspiracy formed against his person and
government. Such misplaced lenity, combined with certain negotiations
which he carried on with the catholic princes of Europe, she regarded as
evincing a purpose to secure to himself an interest with the popish
party in England as well as Scotland, which she could not view without
anxiety: And her worst apprehensions were now confirmed by the
information which reached her from two different quarters, that James,
in a very respectful letter to the pope, had given him assurance under
his own hand of his resolution to treat his catholic subjects with
indulgence, at the same time requesting that his holiness would give a
cardinal's hat to Drummond bishop of Vaison. Almost at the same time,
one Valentine Thomas, apprehended in London for a theft, accused the
king of Scots of some evil designs against herself. Explanations however
being demanded, James solemnly disavowed the letter to the pope, which
he treated as a forgery and imposture; though circumstances which came
out several years afterwards render the king's veracity in this point
very questionable.

To the charge brought by Thomas, he returned a denial, probably better
founded; and required that the accuser should be arraigned in presence
of some commissioner whom he should send: but Elizabeth, less jealous of
his dealings with the papal party now that she no longer dreaded a
Spanish invasion, judged it more prudent to bury the whole matter in
silence, and resumed, in the tone of friendship, the correspondence
which she regularly maintained with her kinsman.

This correspondence, which still exists in MS. in the Salisbury
collection, is rendered obscure and sometimes unintelligible by its
reference to verbal messages which the bearers of the letters were
commissioned to deliver: but several of those of Elizabeth afford a rich
display of character. She so