"That is very easy, madam," he replied: "keep your room, on the pretext that you are indisposed, and set out incognito for Scotland, as King James V set out for France when he wanted to see Madeleine de Valois, whom he afterwards married." "Alas!" replied Elizabeth, "I would like to do so, but it is not so easy as you think.

Nevertheless, tell your queen that I love her tenderly, and that I wish we could live more in friendship than we have done up to the present".

Then passing to a subject which she seemed to have wanted to broach for a long time, "Melville," she continued, "tell me frankly, is my sister as beautiful as they say ?" "She has that reputation," replied Melville; "but I cannot give your Majesty any idea of hex beauty, having no point of comparison." "I will give you one," the queen said.

"Is she more beautiful than I ?" "Madam," replied Melville, "you are the most beautiful woman in England, and Mary Stuart is the most beautiful woman in Scotland." "Then which of the two is the taller ?" asked Elizabeth, who was not entirely satisfied by this answer, clever as it was.
"My mistress, madam," responded Melville; "I am obliged to confess it." "Then she is too tall," Elizabeth said sharply, "for I am tall enough.
And what are her favourite amusements ?" she continued.
"Madam," Melville replied, "hunting, riding, performing on the lute and the harpischord." "Is she skilled upon the latter ?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Oh yes, madam," answered Melville; "skilled enough for a queen." There the conversation stopped; but as Elizabeth was herself an excellent musician, she commanded Lord Hunsdon to bring Melville to her at a time when she was at her harpischord, so that he could hear her without her seeming to have the air of playing for him.