REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. and restore the French alliance. Argyle, 1 who inherit- ed his brother's dislike of England, and Athol, who, notwithstanding his conformity in 1573, remained a Catholic, were its first leaders. They pretended griev- ances of their own without betraying their further purpose. They called their clans under arms ; and when the Regent invited them to produce their com- plaints legally before a court of justice, they refused. Uncertain what this new movement meant, Elizabeth thought as usual of holding a balance between the two parties. She sent Morton a present of jewels. She professed herself ready to make the league which she had refused four years before. 2 But she ordered him peremptorily to make up his differences with Argyle and Athol ; she threatened, if he attempted to use force against them, herself to take the part of the Earls. 3 So ambiguous an interposition was worse than in- action. It tied the Regent's hands, and directly en- couraged the revolt, although that revolt was directed not primarily against Morton, but against heresy and the English alliance ; and the result expected and hoped for by the Queen of Scots and her friends was, that Morton would be disgusted at last, and would become French like the rest. 4 So far he disappointed their 1 Colin, sixth Earl, brother of Archibald, who died in 1575. 2 ' Remembering an overture made by the Regent, A 1574, for a mutual league between the countries for the defence of our common reli- gion, you shall now endeavour to further the same as much as ytm possibly can,' Instructions to Ran- dolph, January 30, 1578: MSS. Scotland. 3 Ibid. 4 Mary Stuart to the Archbishop of Glasgow, April 10, 1578 : LA- BANOFF, Vol. V.
