throwing out hints by which the archduke was
encouraged to renew his suit to herself. Provoked, as he asserts, by
this duplicity, of which she soon received certain information, Mary
returned a sharp answer to a letter from her kinswoman of seemingly
friendly advice, and hence had ensued a coldness and a cessation of
intercourse between them. But Mary, "fearing that if their discord
continued it would cut off all correspondence between her and her
friends in England," thought good, a few weeks after Melvil had returned
to Scotland, to dispatch him again towards London, "to deal with the
queen of England, with the Spanish ambassador, and with my lady
Margaret Douglas, and with sundry friends she had in England of
different opinions."

It was the interest of neither sovereign at this time to be on bad terms
with the other; and their respective ministers and secretaries being
also agreed among themselves to maintain harmony between the countries,
the excuses and explanations of Melvil were allowed to pass current, and
the demonstrations of amity were resumed between the hostile queens.

Some particulars of the reception of this envoy at the English court are
curious, and may probably be relied on. "Being arrived at London I
lodged near the court, which was at Westminster. My host immediately
gave advertisement of my coming, and that same night her majesty sent
Mr. Hatton, afterwards governor of the isle of Wight, to welcome me, and
to show me that the next morning she would give me audience in her
garden at eight of the clock." "The next morning Mr. Hatton and Mr.
Randolph, late agent for the queen of England in Scotland, came to my
lodging to convey me to her majesty, who was, as they said, already in
the garden. With them came a servant of my lord Robert's with a horse
and foot-mantle of velvet, laced with gold, for me to ride upon. Which
servant, with the said horse, waited upon me all the time that I
remained there."

At a subsequent interview, "the old friendship being renewed, Elizabeth
inquired if the queen had sent any answer to the proposition of marriage
made to her by Mr. Randolph. I answered, as I had been instructed, that
my mistress thought little or nothing thereof, but attended the meeting
of some commissioners upon the borders... to confer and treat upon all
such matters of greatest importance, as should be judged to concern the
quiet of both countries, and the satisfaction of both their majesties'
min