CHAPTER XLV. THE MURDER OF DARNLEY. THE murder of Eizzio had deranged Mary Stuari/s projects in Scotland, and had obliged her to post- pone her intended restoration of Catholicism ; but her hold on parties in England was rather increased than injured by the interruption of a policy which would have alarmed the moderate Protestants. The extreme Puritans still desired to see the succession decided in favour of the children of Lady Catherine Grey ; but their influence in the State had been steadily diminish- ing as the Marian horrors receded further into the distance. The majority of the peers, the country gentlemen, the lawyers and the judges, were in favour of the pretensions which were recommended at once by justice and by the solid interests of the realm. The union of the crowns of Scotland and England was the most serious desire of the wisest of Elizabeth's states- men, and the marriage of Mary Stuart with Darnley had removed the prejudice which had attached before to her alien birth.
