historical and critical, into the Evidence
against Mary Queen of Scots, and has attempted to refute the foregoing
narrative. He quotes a single passage of the narrative, in which Mary is
said simply to refuse answering; and then a single passage from Goodall,
in which she boasts simply that she will answer; and he very civilly,
and almost directly, calls the author a liar, on account of this
pretended contradiction. That whole Inquiry, from beginning to end,
is composed of such scandalous artifices; and from this instance, the
reader may judge of the candor, fair dealing, veracity, and good manners
of the inquirer. There are indeed three events in our history, which may
be regarded as touchstones of party-men. An English whig, who asserts
the reality of the Popish plot, an Irish Catholic, who denies the
massacre in 1641, and a Scotch Jacobite, who maintains the innocence of
Queen Mary, must be considered as men beyond the reach of argument or
reason, and must be left to their prejudices.]

[Footnote 15: NOTE O, p. 129. By Murden's state papers, published after
the writing of this history, it appears that an agreement had been made
between Elizabeth and the regent for the delivering up of Mary to him.
The queen afterwards sent down Killigrew to the earl of Marre, when
regent, offering to put Mary into his hands. Killigrew was instructed to
take good security from the regent that that queen should be tried
for her crimes, and that the sentence should be executed upon her. It
appears that Marre rejected the offer, because we hear no more of it.]

[Footnote 16: NOTE P, p. 130. Sir James Melvil (p. 108, 109) ascribes
to Elizabeth a positive design of animating the Scotch factions against
each other; but his evidence is too inconsiderable to counterbalance
many other authorities, and is, indeed, contrary to her subsequent
conduct, as well as her interest, and the necessity of her situation.
It was plainly her interest that the king's party should prevail, and
nothing could have engaged her to stop their progress, or even forbear
openly assisting them, but her intention of still amusing the queen
of Scots, by the hopes of being peaceably restored to her throne. See,
further Strype, vol. ii. Append. p. 20.]

[Footnote 17: NOTE Q, p. 187. That the queen's negotiations for marrying
the duke of Anjou were not feigned nor political, appears clearly
from many circumstances; particularly from a passage in Dr. Forbes's
manusc