1558. Accession--Mary Stewart's Claim--Strength of Elizabeth's Position-- Sir William Cecil--Finance--Philip II. and Elizabeth's Marriage--The Religious Question--A Protestant Policy--1559. Parliament: Act of Supremacy--The Prayer-Book--France and Peace--State of Scotland--Arran and Elizabeth--The Archduke Charles--Wynter in the Forth--1560. Difficulties of France--Vacillations of Elizabeth--Siege of Leith--Treaty of Edinburgh-- Elizabeth's Methods--The Dudley Imbroglio--The Huguenots--The Pope--1561. Return of Mary to Scotland. CHAPTER XVII ELIZABETH (ii), 1561-1568-QUEENS AND SUITORS 1561. The Situation--Council of Trent--France; State of Parties--1561-8. France: Catholics and Huguenots --The Netherlands: Philip's Policy--Prelude to War--1561. The Queens' suitors--1562. Mary in Scotland--1562-3. Elizabeth and the Huguenots--The English Succession-1564. Darnley and Others--1565. The Darnley Marriage-- Mary and Murray--1566. The Murder of Rizzio--1567. Kirk o' Field--The Bothwell Marriage--Mary at Loch Leven--Murray Regent--1568. Langside, and the Flight to England--1562-8. Protestantism of Elizabeth's Government-- Religious Parties--1566-7. Parliament and the Queen's Marriage--The Queen and the Archduke. CHAPTER XVIII ELIZABETH (iii), 1568-1572--THE CATHOLIC CHALLENGE 1568. Mary in England--A Commission of Enquiry--Proceedings at York--Attitude of Philip--The Commission at Westminster--Comment on the Enquiry--Seizure of Spanish Treasure--1569. The Incident passed over--The Northern Rebellion--1570. Murder of Murray--The Bull of Deposition--The Anjou Match--1570-1. The Ridolfi Plot--1571. Parliament--Collapse of the Anjou Match--The Ridolfi Plot Develops--1572. Parliament and Mary Stewart--Lepanto--The Netherlands Revolt--The Alençon Match--St. Bartholomew. CHAPTER XIX ELIZABETH (iv), 1572-1578--VARIUM ET MUTABILE Elizabeth's Diplomacy--The Queen's Subjects--Development of Protestantism--1572. Katharine de Medici --The Aim of Elizabeth--England and the Massacre--Spain seeks Amity--1573. A Spanish Alliance--Scotland: End of the Marian Party--The Netherlands, France, and Spain--The Netherlands, England, and Spain--1574. Amicable Relations of England and Spain--1575. A Deadlock--1576. Attitude of the Nation--The Queen evades War--Alençon and the Huguenots--The Netherlands and Don John--Elizabeth's Attitude--1577. The Political Kaleidoscope--The Archduke Matthias--1578. Mendoza--Orange and Alençon--Death of Don John-- NOTE: The Portuguese Succession. CHAPTER XX ELIZABETH (v), 1558-1578--IRISH AND ENGLISH 1549-58--1558. Shan O'Neill-- The Antrim Scots--1560-1. Shan and the Government--1562. Shan in England-- 1563-5. Shan's supremacy in Ulster recognised--1566. Sir Henry Sidney Deputy--Overthrow of O'Neill--Catholicism in Irish Politics--1568. The Colonising of Munster--1569. Insurrection in Munster--Ireland and Philip-- Experimental Presidencies--1573-4. Essex in Ulster--1576-8. Sidney's second Deputyship. CHAPTER XXI