The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part D.: From Elizabeth to James I. — David Hume — John Shaqi
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part D.: From Elizabeth to James I.
David Hume · en
But Elizabeth had not leisure to exert fully her efforts in favor of
Mary. The regent made haste to assemble forces; and notwithstanding that
his army was inferior in number to that of the queen of Scots, he took
the field against her. A battle was fought at Langside, near Glasgow,
which was entirely decisive in favor of the regent; and though Murray,
after his victory, stopped the bloodshed, yet was the action followed
by a total dispersion of the queen’s party. That unhappy princess fled
southwards from the field of battle with great precipitation, and came
with a few attendants to the borders of England. She here deliberated
concerning her next measures, which would probably prove so important to
her future happiness or misery. She found it impossible to remain in her
own kingdom: she had an aversion, in her present wretched condition,
to return into France, where she had formerly appeared with so much
splendor; and she was not, besides, provided with a vessel which could
safely convey her thither: the late generous behavior of Elizabeth made
her hope for protection, and even assistance, from that quarter;[**] and
as the present fears from her domestic enemies were the most urgent,
she overlooked all other considerations, and embraced the resolution
of taking shelter in England. She embarked on board a fishing-boat in
Galloway, and landed the same day at Workington, in Cumberland,
about thirty miles from Carlisle, whence she immediately despatched
a messenger to London, notifying her arrival, desiring leave to
visit Elizabeth, and craving her protection, in consequence of former
professions of friendship made her by that princess.
Elizabeth now found herself in a situation when it was become necessary
to take some decisive resolution with regard to her treatment of the
queen of Scots; and as she had hitherto, contrary to the opinion of
Cecil, attended more to the motives of generosity than of policy,[***]
she was engaged by that prudent minister to weigh anew all the
considerations which occurred in this critical conjuncture.
* Keith, p. 473, in the notes. Anderson, vol. iv. p, 26.
** Jebb’s Collection, vol. i. p. 420.
*** Cabala, p. 140.