1566.] THE MURD ER OF DA RNLE Y. 413 tending reformation of religion/ There were too many persons in England and Scotland who were interested in dividing the Protestant noblemen from the English Court. The Queen's words were carried round to rend still further what remained of the old alliance ; and Randolph, discredited on all sides, could but protest to Cecil against the enormous mischief which Elizabeth's want of caution was producing. 1 It appeared as_i~the .Quem had veered . x , """I r~ April. round once more ana was again throwing her- self wholly into Mary Hliinrt'a interests. She replied to the letter which the Queen of Scots addressed to her from Dunbar by sending Melville to Scotland with assurances of sympathy and help ; she wrote to Darnley advising him ' to please the Queen of Scots in all things/ and telling him that she would take it as an injury to herself if he offended her again ; she advised Murray 1 to be faithful to the Queen his sovereign ' under pain of her own displeasure. 2 As to the second set of fugi- tives who had taken shelter in England Morton, Ruthven, and the rest she told Bedford that she would neither acquit nor condemn them till she was more fully informed of their conduct, and that for the present they might remain under his protection ; 3 but she insisted that they must move to a distance from the frontier, and Melville was allowed to promise Mary Stuart ' that they should meet with nothing but rigour/ 1 Randolph to Cecil, June 17. The letter is addressed significantly 'To Mr Secretary's self, and only for himself.' Burghley Papcrs^'ol. i. 2 Sir R. Melville to Elizabeth, April I : Scotch MSS. Rolls House. 3 Elizabeth to Bedford, Aril 2 : MS. Ibid.
