the Dauphin of France, openly assumed the arms and title of English royalty. This act of hostility Elizabeth never forgot. When Mary returned to Scotland, some ineffectual attempts were made to induce Elizabeth to recognize her as presumptive successor to the English throne; but Elizabeth then, as ever afterwards, displayed the greatest aversion to the nomination of a successor. The matter was suffered to rest, and the two queens lived together in apparent amity. The Queen of England always evinced a weak jealousy of Mary's superior personal charms, and attempted a rivalry in that respect, as mean as it was hopeless. Another weakness of hers was a propensity to adopt court favourites, whom she selected rather on account of their external accomplishments than their merit. This foible was sometimes detrimental to her state affairs; though she generally gave her ministers and counsellors, who were chosen for their real merit, a due superiority in business affairs over her favourites.
One of the most conspicuous of these, Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who obtained a great ascendancy over her, aspired to her hand; but she checked his presumption, and proposed him as a husband to the queen of Scotland, whom she had thwarted in every attempt she made to ally herself to a foreign potentate. But when Mary seemed disposed to listen favourably to this proposal, Elizabeth interfered and prevented her rival from taking away her favourite. Elizabeth and her ministers had also fomented those political dissensions which gave Mary so much disquiet.
In 1568, Mary fled from Scotland, and took refuge in England, having previously informed Elizabeth of her determination. The English queen resolved to detain her rival in perpetual imprisonment; in consequence of which two or three rebellions were excited by the Catholics of England, but these were soon quelled by the prompt measures of Elizabeth.
The Puritan party began at this time to give the queen some uneasiness; for with a haughty and arbitrary temper, and a high idea of her prerogative, she was greatly offended by the spirit of civil liberty which, from their earliest rise, marked the Puritans. Elizabeth, however, understood so well the art of making concessions, and at the same time of supporting her dignity, that though she ruled her people with a rigorous hand, she always retained their confidence and affection. Her wise frugality prevented her from being burdensome to the nation; and she is a singular instance of a sovereign who returned a portion of the people's grants. The principal pecuniary cause of complaint in her reign arose from her custom of rewarding her courtiers with monopolies.
One of the most singular instances of contention between feminine weakness and the political prudence of Elizabeth, was her conduct with respect to her suitor, the Duke d'Anjou, youngest brother of Charles the Ninth of France. This prince, about twenty-five years younger than herself, had been encouraged to come over to England, to prosecute his courtship in person. The negotiations for the marriage were nearly completed; and the queen was seen, in public, to take a ring from her own finger, and put it on his, as a pledge of their union. At length, perhaps in consequence of the great dislike of the nation to the match, she suddenly broke off the affair, and sent back the enraged prince to his government of the Netherlands.
