And notwithstanding, as she was naturally slow to anger, she had this custome, that she never would enter unadvisedly, or without premeditation, into any action: so she began to weighe in her minde, whether it were better to put her to death, or to let her live. From putting her to death she was disswaded,
_By her owne naturall clemency, not to use cruelty to her who was a Princesse, and her next kinswoman; from the feare that she had, Histories should make her infamous to posterities, and from the dangers which might fall upon her, as from the part of the King of_ Scotland, _who then was the next in succession to the Crowne of_ England; _so also from the Catholick Princes, and from desperate people, who would attempt anything._
From pardoning of her likewise, she foresaw no lesse danger to ensue:
_That the Nobility which had given the sentence against her, would covertly seeke to regaine the favour of her and her sonne; and that could not be done without danger to herselfe. That her own subjects would take it ill when they perceive their labour to be lost; and though then they were carefull for her wellfare, yet hereafter they might grow carelesse; and that many would change their religion, and become Popish, upon a supposition of greater hopes, seeing her preserved, as it were, by fatall providence, to inherite the Kingdome of_ England. _That the Jesuites and Seminaries, whose eyes were all cast upon her, seeing her sickly, and not like to live long, would be so much the more busie to procure the death of Q._ Elizabeth, _to set up their religion_.
Her Courtiers propounded also to her domesticall examples, because that that which is warranted by president,[42] is the more tolerable: As
_what comportment the Kings of_ England _(for their securities) have had with their competitors, namely_ Henry _the first with_ Robert _his elder brother_, Edw. _the third, or rather his mother, with_ Edward _the second_, Henry _the fourth with_ Richard _the second_, Edward _the fourth with_ Hen. _the sixt, with his sonne the Prince of_ Wales, _and_ George _of_ Clarence, _and_ Henry _the eighth with_ De-la-Poole _Earle of_ Suffolk, _with_ Margaret _of_ Salisbury _and_ Courtney _Marquesse of_ Exeter: _all which (in comparison of their offences) dyed for very sleight matters._