418 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [011.45. ' She had been right sorry for the trouble both of him and his friends ; she had done all that in honour she could do, omitting nothing for the Earl of Murray's preservation but open hostility; she trusted therefore that he would alter his mind and withdraw him from the favouring of that principal rebel being sworn cruel adversary to the state of all true religion.' If possible Randolph was to move Argyle by reasoning and remon- strance; if he failed, ' sooner than O'Neil should receive any aid from thence she would be content to have some portion of money bestowed secretly by way of reward to the hindrance of it.' And yet, she said her thrifty nature coming up again the money was not to be pro- mised if the Earl could be prevailed on otherwise ; ' of the matter of money she rather made mention as of a thing for Randolph to think upon until he heard farther from her than that he should deal with any person therein.' l But Elizabeth was not to escape so easily, and Ar gyle's resentment had reached a heat which a more open hand than Elizabeth's would have failed.to cool. Murray was ready to forget his own wrongs, but Argyle would not forget them for him, and would not forget his other friends. c If the Queen of England/ the proud M'Callum-More replied, ' would interfere in behalf of the banished lords, and would undertake that in Scotland there should be no change of religion,' he on his part ' would become O'Neil's enemy, and hinder 1 Elizabeth to Randolph, May 23: Scotch MSS. Rolls House, and Lansdowne MSS. 9.
