478 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 56. people, all alike, would become against nature careless of her Majesty's felicity. If however these considera- tions did not satisfy her that the marriage was abso- lutely necessary, if she was not positively and finally determined to go through with it, she had better leave it as it stood ; she had better persist in her answer that she could not allow the Duke to have private mass, how secret soever ; so it would appear that the only cause of the interruption of the marriage was the scruple of her conscience, which, being offended, she could never live in quietness. In that case she must look about her for some other means to preserve her state, surety, and life ; and how her Majesty would obtain a remedy for her perils, he thought was only in the knowledge of Almighty Grod. If, on the other hand, for the urgent, necessary, and honourable causes many times plainly, earnestly, and at length delivered to her Majesty, she could bring herself to take the Duke of Anjou for her husband, then, no doubt, without oifending her best subjects, as she had affected to fear she might do, or without seeming to consent that there should be two kinds of religion in England, means could be found to settle all conditions to the satisfaction of both countries.' l The game had been played to the latest moment and was now dropped : Elizabeth talked, protested, played with the idea, and affected to be anxious that the marriage should be brought about ; but she held 1 Cecil to Elizabeth, August 31, condensed : MSS. France.
