[The next development in the situation took the form of a correspondence between Murray and Lethington, and Cecil, on December 4, 1564. Randolph wrote to Cecil "that Murray and Lethington had concluded that amity with England is fittest," and added, "No man will be more acceptable to the people than the Lord Robert. There has been more thought of Lord Darnley before his father's coming than is at present. The mother more feared a great deal than beloved." The two Scottish lords had already written to Cecil, who replied on the 16th, informing them that Elizabeth would never consent to their request, the establishment of Mary's "title to be declared by Parliament in the second place to the Queen," but "promising that she will cause inquisition to be made of their Sovereign's right; and as far as shall stand with justice and her own surety, she will abase such titles as shall be proved unjust and prejudicial to her sister's interest;" and giving them warning. "Let there not be found any intention to compass ... a kingdom and a crown, which, if it be sought for, may be sooner lost than got, and not being craved may be as soon offered as reason can require." To this Murray and Lethington replied on the 24th, asking what Cecil meant by the words "as shall stand with justice and her own surety," for they "never meant anything prejudicial to the surety of Queen Elizabeth;" stating that if Elizabeth "will nowise establish the succession of her crown," the Leicester project must fall to the ground; and urging Cecil to secrecy, for if it were discovered that they had "meddled without her Majesty's knowledge, the opening thereof" would be the ruin of them both. (Foreign Calendar, 14th, 16th, and 24th December 1564.) This episode is of importance in connection with Mary's subsequent attitude to the Darnley marriage.] _QUEEN MARY'S MERRY CONCEITS_ Queen Mary and Randolph. _Randolph to Queen Elizabeth, from Edinburgh_, February 5, 1565. _Chalmers's Queen Mary_, vol. ii. pp. 123-127. "_IT LIETH IN YOUR MISTRESS'S WILL_"