of knowledge might not come to the queen mother's
ears, of whom the queen's majesty thinketh thus: That if she did
understand it were a matter wherein her majesty might be pleasured, she
would offer to send one to the queen's majesty. Nevertheless, if it
cannot be so obtained by this indirect means, then her majesty would
have you devise some other good means to obtain one that were skilful.

"I have stayed your son from going hence now these two days, upon the
queen's commandment, for that she would have him to have as much of the
truth of the circumstances of the murder of the king of Scots as might
be; and hitherto the same is hard to come by, other than in a
generality.... The queen's majesty sent yesterday my lady Howard and my
wife to the lady Lenox to the Tower, to open this matter unto her, who
could not by any means be kept from such passions of mind as the
horribleness of the fact did require. And this last night were with her
the said lady, the dean of Westminster, and Dr. Huick, and I hope her
majesty will show some favorable compassion of the said lady, whom any
humane nature must needs pity[64]."

[Note 64: "Scrinia Ceciliana."]

* * * * *

The liberation of the countess followed; and the earl her husband soon
after gratified Elizabeth's desire to interfere, by invoking her
assistance to procure, by representations to Mary, some extension of the
unusually short time within which he was required to bring forward his
proofs against Bothwell, whom he had accused of the assassination of his
son.

This petition produced a very earnest letter from one queen to the
other; in which Elizabeth plainly represented to her royal sister, that
the refusal of such a request to the father of her husband would bring
her into greater suspicion than, as she hoped, she was aware, or would
be willing to hear; adding, "For the love of God, madam, use such
sincerity and prudence in this case, which touches you so nearly, that
all the world may have reason to judge you innocent of so enormous a
crime; a thing which unless you do, you will be worthily blotted out
from the rank of princesses, and rendered, not undeservedly, the
opprobrium of the vulgar; rather than which fate should befal you, I
should wish you an honorable sepulture instead of a stained life[65]."

[Note 65: See the French original in Robertson's "Hist. of
Scotland," vol. iii. Append. xix.]

But to these and all other represen