308 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 44. would be gone for ever. Randolph told her she was ' abused.' She threatened that if the English Parlia- ment meddled with the rights either of herself or of Darnley, she would ( seek friends elsewhere/ and would not fail to find them. Randolph knew Mary well and knew her manner. He saw that she was hesitating, and he once more attempted expostulation. * The Queen of England/ he truly said, ' had been her kindest friend. She might have compelled her to ratify the Treaty of Edinburgh : but she had passed it over ; she had defended her claims when the Scotch succession had not another supporter ; unless she had taken the crown from off her own head and given it to her, she could have done no more than she had done/ Mary appeared to be moved. She asked if nothing could induce Elizabeth toJJ.a Darnley. Randolph replied that after the attitude which she had assumed, the conditions would be strin- gent. A declaration would have to be made by herself and the Scotch Parliament that she made no preten- sions to the English crown during the life of Eliza- beth or her children ; she must restore to her council the Protestant noblemen with whom she had quarrelled ; and she must conform l to the religion established by law in Scotland. 2 1 It is interesting to observe how the current of the Reformation had wept Elizabeth forward in spite of uerself. 2 ' Qu'elle entretienne la religion qui est aujourdhuy aii Royaulme, et en ce faysant recoyve, en sa bonne grace, et en leur premier estat cenlx qu'elle a aliene d'elle ; etqu'elle luy face declaration, autorisee par son
