1572.] THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. 65 difficulties, in detail, in the proposed reconciliation, and Elizabeth was willing to go on indefinitely allowing these points to be argued over. It was to no purpose that she was warned of the intrigues going forward at Brussels ; of the danger of delay ; of the certainty that when her troops were once in motion the Castle would be surrendered at discretion. The Queen only recalled the permission to use force which she had given to Huns- don; and Hunsdon vainly told her that she was throwing away time, words, and money in endeavouring to deal with the difficulty in any other way. 1 So the wretched uncertainty drove on. After three months' debate, it came to this. Elizabeth would not restore Mary Stuart, but would consent that during the King's minority the administration should be divided between the two factions ; and she insisted that all the estates and offices which had been taken from the Queen's friends should be given back to them. The Regent na- turally replied that he and those who had acted with him had ruined themselves to maintain the King's au- thority as much in Elizabeth's interest as their own and that those who had raised the civil war ought to pay for it. 2 Elizabeth might have met this objection send no forces. I pray God when they shall find that her Majesty will send no forces that they make not another alteration among themselves stnally to her Majesty's contentment.' Himsden to Burghley, December 4 MSS. Scotland. - Mar to Hunsdon, January 15: MSS, Scotland. 1 ' They of the Castle will not yield to persuasions or threatenings. I would her Majesty had used some other instrument to make demon- strations of having the Castle by force ; for it is neither honourable to her nor credit to me, and doth verify their saying. They did always af- firm arid give out that what shew soever her Majesty made she would VOL. x.
