". To this declaration, the Master of Gray
replied: "That since it was thus, he was, in this case, ordered by his
master to say that they protested in the name of King James that all that
had been done against his mother was of no account, seeing that Queen
Elizabeth had no authority over a queen, as she was her equal in rank and
birth; that accordingly they declared that immediately after their
return, and when their master should know the result of their mission, he
would assemble his Parliament and send messengers to all the Christian
princes, to take counsel with them as to what could be done to avenge her
whom they could not save."

Then Elizabeth again flew into a passion, saying that they had certainly
not received from their king a mission to speak to her in such a way; but
they thereupon offered to give her this protest in writing under their
signatures; to which Elizabeth replied that she would send an ambassador
to arrange all that with her good friend and ally, the King of Scotland.
But the envoys then said that their master would not listen to anyone
before their return. Upon which Elizabeth begged them not to go away at
once, because she had not yet come to her final decision upon this
matter. On the evening following this audience, Lord Hingley having come
to see the Master of Gray, and having seemed to notice some handsome
pistols which came from Italy, Gray, directly he had gone, asked this
nobleman's cousin to take them to him as a gift from him. Delighted with
this pleasant commission, the young man wished to perform it the same
evening, and went to the queen's palace, where his relative was staying,
to give him the present which he had been told to take to him. But
hardly had he passed through a few rooms than he was arrested, searched,
and the arms he was taking were found upon him. Although these were not
loaded, he was immediately arrested; only he was not taken to the Tower,
but kept a prisoner in his own room.

Next day there was a rumour that the Scotch ambassadors had wanted to
assassinate the queen in their turn, and that pistols, given by the
Master of Gray himself, had been found on the assassin.

This bad faith could not but open the envoys' eyes. Convinced at last
that they could do nothing for poor Mary Stuart, they left her to her
fate, and set out next day for Scotland.

Scarcely were they gone than Elizabeth sent her secretary, Davison, to
Sir Amyas Paulet. He was instructe