“She replied that she was as free from any engagement to marry as on the day she was born, no matter what the world might think or say, but she had quite made up her mind to marry nobody whom she had not seen or known, and consequently she might be obliged to marry in England, in which case she thought she could find no person more fitting than Lord Robert. She did not wish people to say that she had married of her own desire, but that her friends and neighbouring princes should persuade her to do so.” “This,” said she, “is what Robert wants; as for me, I ask for nothing.” Seeing that the Bishop still held off and refused to budge, she said it was of no consequence at all. It was only for appearance’ sake. She could as well marry without Philip’s approval as with it, but if she did, Robert would have but small reason to serve the interests of Spain. “I answered her in a joking way,” said the Bishop, “and told her not to dilly-dally any longer, but to satisfy Lord Robert at once ... and so I passed over the question of the letter.” He, no doubt correctly, surmised that the letter was wanted merely for the purpose of mollifying the Catholics towards Dudley, and plainly told Philip that if he were not prepared to force Catholicism upon England by an invasion, there was no reason why the letter should not be sent, as it would at all events please somebody, whilst his present attitude of reserve pleased no one, and the English Catholics would never move without active help. The letter, however, was never written, and three months afterwards the Bishop himself had altered his opinion about it. In April, 1562, he writes to Granvelle that the time had now gone by for Philip to help Robert, as the Catholics were against him, and instead of their being propitiated they would be alienated thereby. “The Queen,” he says, “desires not to act in accord with his Majesty, as will have been seen by her behaviour in this case and all others. I have already pointed out that the letter they requested was only to smooth over all difficulties here and carry out their own intentions.” Quadra was now completely undeceived, and declined to be snared again with matrimonial negotiations. Indeed, for the present, the point upon which European policy pivoted was not the marriage of Elizabeth, which had now grown stale, but that of the widowed Mary Stuart in Scotland. The persevering Eric XIV., after yet one more repulse from the Queen Elizabeth, had sent to propose to Mary--which, however, did not prevent his ambassador in London from politely suggesting a match with one of the daughters of the Emperor--Darnley, the Earl of Arran, Don Carlos, and even the Archduke Charles, were already being dangled before Mary’s eyes. Her uncles, the Guises, were in an atmosphere of intrigue on the subject, and there was hardly a Court in Europe that had not its own candidate for the Scottish Queen’s hand. Elizabeth’s great efforts, seconded by those of James Stuart (afterwards the Regent