15650 THE EMBASSY OF DE SILVA. 267 land's subsequent conduct that although ready to go with his mistress to the edge of a rupture with Eliza- beth he was not prepared for open defiance. Elizabeth's conduct had been so strange and uncertain that it was possible that she might make no difficulty. Even the Spanish ambassador believed that although she would prefer Leicester, yet sooner than quarrel with the Queen, of Scots she would agree to the marriage with Darnley ; and with a faint impression that it might be so Mait- land had accepted the commission. Yet either Mait- land betrayed his trust, or Elizabeth already knew all that he had to tell her : immediately after his arrival de Silva reported that the Queen of England 'had changed her mind ; ' 1 while Mary Stuart, as soon as she was freed from the restraint of Maitland's presence, no longer concealed that she had made up her mind irre- vocably whether Elizabeth consented or refused. Letters from Randolph followed close behind Mait- land to say that the marriage was openly declared ; Lady Lennox even told de Silva that she believed it had secretly taken place ; and amidsi^the exultation of^ the Catholics a general expectation spread through England that 'the good time was at hand when the King of Spain and the Queen of Scots would give them back their own again/ 2 Nor were their hopes without sound foundation. Mary Stuart, as soon as her resolution was taken, de- 1 ' A lo que he podido en tender esta Reyna se ha mncho alterado de este negocio.' Do Silva to Philip, April 25 : MS. Simnncas. Ibid.
