tertain flattering views of futurity, to think their services ill
rewarded, to expect a better recompense from the successor; and she
should esteem herself scarcely half a sovereign over the English, if
they saw her declare her heir, and arm her rival with authority against
her own repose and safety: that she knew the inconstant nature of the
people; she was acquainted with the present divisions in religion;
she was not ignorant that the same party, which expected greater favor
during the reign of Mary, did also imagine that the title of that
princess was superior to her own: that for her part, whatever claims
were advanced, she was determined to live and die queen of England; and
after her death it was the business of others to examine who had the
best pretensions, either by the laws or by right of blood, to the
succession: that she hoped the claim of the queen of Scots would then be
found solid; and, considering the injury which she herself had received,
it was sufficient indulgence if she promised, in the mean time, to do
nothing which might in any respect weaken or invalidate it: and that
Mary, if her title were really preferable--a point which, for her own
part, she had never inquired into--possessed all advantages above her
rivals; who, destitute both of present power and of all support by
friends, would only expose themselves to inevitable ruin, by advancing
any weak, or even doubtful pretensions.[*]

These views of the queen were so prudent and judicious, that there was
no likelihood of her ever departing from them: but that she might put
the matter to a fuller proof, she offered to explain the words of the
treaty of Edinburgh, so as to leave no suspicion of their excluding
Mary's right of succession;[**] and in this form she again required her
to ratify that treaty. Matters at last came to this issue, that Mary
agreed to the proposal, and offered to renounce all present pretensions
to the crown of England, provided Elizabeth would agree to declare her
the successor.[***] But such was the jealous character of this latter
princess, that she never would consent to strengthen the interest and
authority of any claimant by fixing the succession; much less would
she make this concession in favor of a rival queen, who possessed
such plausible pretensions for the present, and who, though she might
verbally renounce them, could easily resume her claim on the first
opportunity.

* Buchanan, lib. xvii. c. 14-17. Camd