57 side, and left them now only to expect" an opertunity to resume their power into their owne hands, and had not differences in religion devided them among themselves, and thereby prolong'd the last gasps of expiring monarchy, they had long since exercis'd it in a fFee commonwealth. England was not an idle spectator of the greate contest betweene the Papist and Protestant, in which all Christendome seem'd to be engag'd. Dnring the reigne of Queene Elizabeth, the protestant interest, being her peculiar interest, tha t princesse became not only gloriolls in the defence of her owne realme, but in the protection she gave to the whole protestant cause, in all the neighbouring kingdomes: wherefore, as if it had bene devolv'd upon her person, the Pope shott all his an·owes at her head , and se tt on many desperate assassinations against her, which, by the good providence of God, were all frnstrated, and she not only miraculously deliver'd from those wretches, but renown'd at home and abroad for successes against her rebellious subiects in England and Ireland, and for the assistance o{ her distressed neighbours; but above all for the .mercy which it pleased God to afford her and this realme in the year 1588, when the invading Spaniard had devour'd us in his proud hopes, and by the mighty hand of God was scatter'd as a inist before the morning beames. That which kept alive the hopes of the Papists, mos t part of her reigne, was, the expectation of the Queene of Scots, who entring into confederacy with them lost her head for the forfeit, wherein the Duke of Norfolke suffer'd alsoe for her the losse of his. The Queene of England was very loath to ex'ecute this necessary iustice; l;mt the true-hearted protestants of her councell, foreseeing the sad effects that might be expected, if ever she arriv'd to the crowne, urg'd it on,' and after the death of Queene " Expect, a Latin ism; expectareJ to wait for; or I talian, aspettare id. x The signing and expediting the warrant for the execu-tion of l\1arv Queen of Scots is an enigma wh ich has employed the wi ts of many to solve-perha~s this may be the true solution of it; it is at lea:i t clear that it thus appeared to well·infol'med persons, living in times when the thing was recent, and accounts for it more naturally
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