n Elizabeth, whom Knox pithily
describes as 'neither good Protestant nor yet resolute Papist,' was not
disposed to help any one to marry before herself, least of all her
lovely cousin. And the Scottish statesmen, Moray and Maitland, like her
own English advisers often, were now so driven to desperation by
Elizabeth's vacillations that they had actually--possibly with the hope
of frightening her--pressed both at home and abroad the project of
marrying the Queen of Scots to the heir of Spain! This apparently came
to the knowledge of Knox along with the refusal to meet his hopes on the
part of the Scots Parliament; and now his cup was full. Lord James
Stewart, by this time the Earl of Moray, son-in-law of the Earl
Marischal, and gifted with great estates of the forfeited Earl of
Huntly, had been his chief friend. But 'familiarly after that time they
spake not together more than a year and a half; for the said John, by
his letter, gave a discharge to the said Earl of all farther
intromission or care with his affairs.' In this stately letter Knox
recalled all their past career in common, and added that, seeing his
hopes had been disappointed,

'I commit you to your own wit, and to the conducting of those
who better please you. I praise my God, I this day leave you
victor of your enemies, promoted to great honours, and in credit
and authority with your sovereign. If so ye long continue, none
within the realm shall be more glad than I shall be; but if that
after this ye shall decay (as I fear that ye shall) then call to
mind by what means God exalted you.'

But the pulpit remained to him, and the pulpit in those days had
sometimes to combine the functions of free Parliament and free press.
Knox went into St Giles', and in a great sermon before the assembled
Lords, from whose retrospective eloquence we have already quoted,[111]
he drove right at the heart of the situation.

'And now, my Lords, to put end to all, I hear of the Queen's
marriage; dukes, brethren to emperors, and kings, all strive for
the best game. But this, my Lords, will I say--note the day, and
bear witness after--whensoever the nobility of Scotland,
professing the Lord Jesus, consent that an infidel (and all
Papists are infidels) shall be head to your Sovereign, ye do as
far as in you lieth to banish Christ Jesus from this realm; ye
bring God's vengeance upon the country, a plague upon
yoursel