, that he would himself take a
journey to England, attended by other commissioners, and would willingly
submit the determination of his cause to Elizabeth.[**]

Lord Herreis now perceived that his mistress had advanced too far in
her concessions: he endeavored to maintain, that Mary could not, without
diminution of her royal dignity, submit to a contest with her rebellious
subjects before a foreign prince: and he required either present aid
from England, or liberty for his queen to pass over into France. Being
pressed, however, with the former agreement before the English council,
he again renewed his consent; but in a few days he began anew to recoil;
and it was with some difficulty that he was brought to acquiesce in the
first determination.[***] These fluctuations, which were incessantly
renewed, showed his visible reluctance to the measures pursued by the
court of England.

* Anderson, vol. iv. p. 10, 55, 87.

** Anderson, vol. iv. p. 13-16.

*** Anderson, vol. iv. p. 16-20.

The queen of Scots discovered no less aversion to the trial proposed;
and it required all the artifice and prudence of Elizabeth to make her
persevere in the agreement to which she had at first consented. This
latter princess still said to her, that she desired not without Mary's
consent and approbation to enter into the question, and pretended only
as a friend to hear her justification: that she was confident there
would be found no difficulty in refuting all the calumnies of her
enemies; and even if her apology should fall short of full conviction,
Elizabeth was determined to support her cause, and procure her some
reasonable terms of accommodation; and that it was never meant, that she
should be cited to a trial on the accusation of her rebellious subjects;
but, on the contrary, that they should be summoned to appear, and to
justify themselves for their conduct towards her.[*] Allured by these
plausible professions, the queen of Scots agreed to vindicate herself by
her own commissioners, before commissioners appointed by Elizabeth.

During these transactions, Lord Scrope and Sir Francis Knolles, who
resided with Mary at Carlisle, had leisure to study her character, and
to make report of it to Elizabeth. Unbroken by her misfortunes, resolute
in her purpose, active in her enterprises, she aspired to nothing but
victory; and was determined to endure any extremity, to undergo any
difficulty, and to try every fortune, rather