nt
between Elizabeth and Mary, by virtue of which the former consented to
withdraw her troops from the country on the engagement of the latter
that no French forces should enter it in support of her title. After
this settlement, Elizabeth returned to her usual ambiguous dealing in
the affairs of Scotland; and so far from insisting that Lenox should be
named regent, she sent a request to the heads of the king's party that
they would refrain for a time from the nomination of any person to that
office. In consequence of this mandate, which they dared not disobey,
Lenox was only chosen lieutenant for a time; an appointment which served
equally well the purposes of the English queen.

Connected with all the other measures adopted by the zeal of the great
catholic combination for the destruction of Elizabeth and the ruin of
the protestant cause, was one from which their own narrow prejudices or
sanguine wishes, rather than any just views of the state of public
opinion in England, led them to anticipate important results. This was
the publication of a papal bull solemnly anathematizing the queen, and
dispensing her subjects from their oath of allegiance. A fanatic named
Fulton was found willing to earn the crown of martyrdom by affixing this
instrument to the gate of the bishop of London's palace. He was taken
in the fact, and suffered the penalty of treason without exciting a
murmur among the people. A trifling insurrection in Norfolk ensued, of
which however the papal bull was not openly assigned as the motive, and
which was speedily suppressed with the punishment of a few of the
offenders according to law. Even the catholic subjects of Elizabeth for
the most part abhorred the idea of lifting their hands against her
government and the peace of their native land; and several of them were
now found among the foremost and most sincere in their offers of service
against the disaffected.

On the whole, the result of the great trial of the hearts of her people
afforded to the queen by the alarms of this anxious period, was
satisfactory beyond all example. Henceforth she knew, and the world
knew, the firmness of that rock on which her throne was planted;--based
on religion, supported by wisdom and fortitude and adorned by every
attractive art, it stood dear and venerable to her people, defying the
assaults of her baffled and malignant enemies. The anniversary of her
accession began this year to be celebrated by popular festivals a