To this piece of "plain writing," the Reformers, probably at the instigation of the Lord James, sent a submissive and cringing answer. "Your Majesty," they say, "may be well assured, that in us shall be noted no blame, if that peace be not ratified to your Majesty's contentment."--"The benefit that we have received is so recent, that we cannot suddenly bury it in forgetfulness. We would desire your Majesty rather to be persuaded of us, that we, to our powers, will study to leave it in remembrance to our posterity." In other words,--Whatever our own Queen Mary may determine on doing, we shall remain steady to your interests, and would much rather quarrel with her than with you. To this state of mind had Elizabeth's machinations contrived to bring the majority of the young Queen's subjects.[30] In the meantime, Mary had sent an ambassador into England to demand a safe conduct for her approaching voyage. This was expressly refused; and Throckmorton was again ordered to request an audience with Mary, to explain the motives of this refusal. "In this conference," observes Robertson, "Mary exerted all that dignity and vigour of mind of which she was so capable, and at no period of her life, were her abilities displayed to greater advantage." Throckmorton had recourse to the endless subject of the treaty of 1560, or, as it is more commonly called, the treaty of Edinburgh, as the apology his mistress offered for having, with studied disrespect, denied the suit made by Mary's ambassador, in the presence of a numerous audience,--a direct breach of courtly etiquette. Mary, before answering Throckmorton, commanded all her attendants to retire, and then said,--"I like not to have so many witnesses of my passions as the Queen, your mistress, was content to have, when she talked with M. D'Oysel. There is nothing that doth more grieve me, than that I did so forget myself, as to require of the Queen, your mistress, that favour, which I had no need to ask. I may pass well enough home into my own realm, I think, without her passport or license; for, though the late king, your master, used all the impeachment he could, both to stay me and catch me, when I came hither, yet you know, M. l'Ambassadeur, I came hither safely, and I may have as good means to help me home again, if I could employ my friends." "It seemeth," she added, with much truth, "that the Queen, your mistress, maketh more account of the amity of my disobedient subjects, than she doth of me, their sovereign, who am her equal in degree, though inferior in wisdom and experience, her nighest kinswoman, and her next neighbour." She then proceeded very forcibly to state, once more, her reasons for refusing to ratify the treaty. It had been made, she said, during the life of Francis II., who, as her lord and husband, was more responsible for it than she. Upon his death, she ceased to look for advice to the council of France, neither her uncles nor her own subjects, nor Elizabeth herself,