deed, and proposed to deliver up Mary to Mar, on the understanding that she should be immediately killed.  Mar, who was an honourable man, declined to listen to the proposal.  But, after his death, which occurred in October, 1572, the new regent, the Earl of Morton, professed his willingness to undertake the accomplishment of the deed, if Elizabeth would openly acknowledge it.  This she refused to do, and the plot failed.  It is characteristic that the last Douglas to play an important part in Scottish history should be the leading actor in such a plot as this.

The castle of Edinburgh fell in June, 1573, and with its surrender passed away Mary’s last chance in Scotland.  Morton held the regency till 1578, when he was forced to resign, and the young king, now twelve years old, became the nominal ruler.  In 1581, Morton was condemned to death as “airt and pairt” in Darnley’s murder, and Elizabeth failed in her efforts to save him.  Mary entered into negotiations with Elizabeth for her release and return to Scotland as joint-sovereign with James VI, and the English queen played with her prisoner, while, all the time, she was discussing projects for her death.  The key to the policy of James is his desire to secure the succession to the English crown.  To that end he was willing to sacrifice all other considerations; nor had he, on other grounds, any desire to share his throne with his mother.  In 1585, he negotiated a league with England, which, however, contained a provision that “the said league be without prejudice in any sort to any former league or alliance betwixt this realm and any other auld friends and confederates thereof, except only in matters of religion, wheranent we do fully consent the league be defensive and offensive”.  As we are at the era of religious wars, the latter section of the clause goes far to neutralize the former.  Scotland was at last at the disposal of the sovereign of England.  Even the tragedy of Fotheringay scarcely produced a passing coldness.  On the 8th February, 1587, Elizabeth’s warrant was carried out, and Mary’s head fell on the block.  She was accused of plotting for her own escape and against Elizabeth’s life.  It is probable that she had so plotted, and it would be childish to express surprise or indignation.  The English queen, on her part, had injured her kinswoman too deeply to render it possible to be generous now.  Mary had sent her, on her arrival in England, “a diamond jewel, which”, as she afterwards reminded her, “I received as a token from you, and with assurance to be succoured against my rebels, and even that, on my retiring towards you, you would come to the very frontiers in order to assist me, which had been confirmed to me by divers messengers".[81] Had the protection thus promised been vouchsafed, it might have spared Elizabeth many years of trouble.  But it was now too late, and the relentless logic of events forced her to complete the tale of her treachery and injustice by a deed which she herself could not