1561.—June 13. Mary's Intentions Regarding Religion on her Return.
Throckmorton to the Queen. Foreign Calendar, Elizabeth.
"Well," said she {Mary}, "I will be plain with you, and tell you what I would all the world should think of me. The religion that I profess I take to be most acceptable to God, and, indeed, neither do I know, nor desire to know, any other. Constancy doth become most folks well, but none better than princes and such as hath rule over realms, and especially in the matter of religion. I have been brought up in this religion, and who might credit me in anything if I should show myself light in this case?"
REQUEST FOR A PASSPORT
Ibid., July 11.
The Queen of Scotland, Queen Dowager of France, desires to obtain the following from her good sister, the Queen of England, and has charged M. D'Oysel to the same effect:—
1. A passport for her, with a clause that if she arrives in any part of England, she may tarry there, and purchase provisions and necessaries, and if it seems good to her, that she may leave her ships and pass by land to Scotland.
2. Another safe conduct for her to pass through England to Scotland with her train, and one hundred horses, mules, &c.
3. Another safe conduct, with commission for the said M. D'Oysel to go and return through England to Scotland.
[D'Oysel had an interview with Elizabeth, who inquired about the ratification of the Treaty of Edinburgh, and declined to grant the safe-conduct "except she (Mary) shall first accord to do those things that by her promise, under her hand and seal, she is bound to do."—Foreign Calendar, July 13th, 1561.]
A WORDY WARFARE