the Church there would recommend to
be done. But the question was never put, being transferred to
Lethington's hands, then back again to those of Knox, perhaps a mere
expedient to still an unprofitable discussion rather than a serious
proposal.

While these questions were being hotly and angrily discussed on all
sides, the preachers and their party growing more and more pertinacious,
the lords impatient, angry, chafed and fretted beyond bearing by the
ever-recurring question in which they were no doubt conscious, with an
additional prick of irritation, that they were abandoning their own
side, Mary, still fearing no evil, very conciliatory to all about her,
and entirely convinced no doubt of winning the day, went lightly upon
her way, hunting, hawking, riding, making long journeys about the
kingdom, enjoying a life which, if more sombre and poor outwardly, was
far more original, unusual, and diverting than the luxurious life of the
French Court under the shadow of a malign and powerful mother-in-law. It
did not seem perhaps of great importance to her that the preachers
should breathe anathemas against every one who tolerated the mass in her
private chapel, or that the lords and their most brilliant spokesman,
her secretary Lethington, should threaten to stop the Assemblies of the
Church in retaliation. The war of letters, addresses, proclamations,
which arose once more between the contending parties is wonderful in an
age which might have been thought more given to the sword than the pen.
But it at last became evident that something must be done in one way or
the other to stop the mouth of the indomitable Knox, with whom were all
the central mass of the people, not high enough to be moved by the
influences of the Court, not low enough to fluctuate with every fickle
popular fancy. Finally it was decided that the Queen should issue a
decree for a valuation of all ecclesiastical possessions in Scotland--a
necessary preliminary measure, but turned into foolishness by the
stipulation that these possessions should be divided into three parts,
two to remain with the present possessors, while the remaining portion
should be divided between the ministers and herself. This proposed
arrangement, with which naturally every one was discontented, called
forth a flight of furious jests. "Good-morrow, my lords of the
Twa-pairts," said Huntly to the array, spiritual and secular, who were
to retain the lion's share; while, on the other