1563.] THE ENGLISH AT HA VRE. ^ King of Spain as spoken from their ver}' heart and soul ; they assure him that it is their universal wish, and that no obstacle can prevent it from being carried into effect if his Majesty will only consent. DE QUADRA TO PHILIP II. London, March 28. ' Maitland tells me that four or five days ago, speak- ing of the affairs of France and of the Queen of Scots' marriage, the Queen of England said that if his mistress would be guided by her she would give her a husband that should be all which she could desire ; the Queen of Scots should have Lord Robert, on whom God had bestowed so many charms that were she herself to marry she would prefer him to all the princes in the world.
- Maitland by his own account replied that her Ma-
jesty was giving a wonderful proof of her affection for the Queen his mistress in offering to bestow upon her an object so dear to herself. If his mistress came to love Lord Robert as much as her Majesty loved him, he feared even so she might not marry him for fear of de- priving her Majesty of what she so much valued. ' After more of these courtesies the Queen said, ' Would to God the Earl of Warwick was as charming as his brother we might then each have had our own/ Maitland would not understand the hint ; but she kept to the subject and went on, 'Not. that my Lord Warwick is ill-looking or ungraceful, but he is rough, and lacks the sweet delieacv of Robert ; he is brave
