ch had long prevailed between
them, became every day more inveterate and incurable. These two
princesses, in address, capacity, activity, and spirit, were nearly a
match for each other; but unhappily, Mary, besides her present forlorn
condition, was always inferior in personal conduct and discretion, as
well as in power, to her illustrious rival.

Elizabeth and Mary wrote at the same time letters to the regent.
The queen of Scots desired, that her marriage with Bothwell might be
examined, and a divorce be legally pronounced between them. The queen of
England gave Murray the choice of three conditions; that Mary should be
restored to her dignity on certain terms; that she should be associated
with her son, and the administration remain in the regent's hands, till
the young prince should come to years of discretion; or that she should
be allowed to live at liberty as a private person in Scotland, and
have an honorable settlement made in her favor.[*] Murray summoned a
convention of states, in order to deliberate on these proposals of the
two queens. No answer was made by them to Mary's letter, on pretence
that she had there employed the style of a sovereign, addressing herself
to her subjects; but in reality, because they saw that her request
was calculated to prepare the way for a marriage with Norfolk, or some
powerful prince, who could support her cause, and restore her to the
throne. They replied to Elizabeth that the two former conditions were so
derogatory to the royal authority of their prince, that they could not
so much as deliberate concerning them: the third alone could be
the subject of treaty. It was evident that Elizabeth, in proposing
conditions so unequal in their importance, invited the Scots to a
refusal of those which were most advantageous to Mary; and as it was
difficult, if not impossible, to adjust all the terms of the third, so
as to render it secure and eligible to all parties, it was concluded
that she was not sincere in any of them.[**]

* MSS. in the Advocates' Library. A. 329, p. 137, from Cott.
Lib. Catal. c. 1.

** Spotswood, p. 230, 231. Lesley, p. 71.

{1570.} It is pretended, that Murray had entered into a private
negotiation with the queen, to get Mary delivered into his hands;[*] and
as Elizabeth found the detention of her in England so dangerous, it
is probable that she would have been pleased, on any honorable or safe
terms, to rid herself of a prisoner who gave her