5Q2 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 67 ment could induce her to consent. The most which she could be brought to contemplate was that, as if weary of inactivity and hopeless of pardon, they should apply to her for passports to go abroad, and that, when started upon their journey, they might change their route for the Border without her own appearing to have sanctioned their return to Scotland. To sustain the farce, and protect herself further, she applied through "Wotton for James's permission to them to go to Germany. 1 But even so she ' still varied in her purpose.' Wal- singham had been unable to convince her that she was really in danger. ' She was carried away with the hope that the treaty would have cured all/ or that there would be a fresh explosion in France. 2 At length she was made to see that the Duke of Guise was really meditating an immediate descent on Scot- land. In James's sincerity she had no belief at any time, further than she could hold him by his interest. Walsingham believed him to be false in religion ; 3 and to lose the Master of Gray was a risk too formidable to be ventured. ' After mature deliberation she began to fall to resolution.' * Wotton still pressed for haste. ' Protraction of time,' he wrote in cipher, ' is very dangerous,' ' celerity must be the word.' 5 Huntly, 1 Walsingham to Wotton, Sep- tember 24 October 4 : MSS. Scot- land. Elizabeth to James, Novem- ber 1020 : MSS. Ibid.
- Walsingham to Wotton, Sep-
tember 24 October 4 : MSS. Ibid. 3 ' The bruits given out by the Papists, both here and there, touch- ing the King, I do assure you are not without cause, for he doth but dissemble in religion, whatsoever he professeth to the contrary.' Ibid. 4 Wotton to Walsingham, Octo- ber 515 : MSS. Ibid. 5 Wotton to Walsingham, Oc- tober 717: MSS. Ibid. From
