1570 July CHAP XIX revolution a shout of triumph shot through Mary Stuart's party, and a cry as despairing from the Lords. Buccleuch and Fernihurst, unable to restrain their delight, dashed into Northumberland, and carried off a great booty of cattle,' which they divided in triumph among the ruins of Jedburgh; and Sussex, in reporting this affair, told his mistress with some irony, that it was rather late, after all that she had made him do, to be talking of the restoration.1 Chatelherault sent to France and Spain to say that now 'with small support he would requite the Queen of England for her deceitful doings;'2 while Randolph from the other side had to write that the poor King would stand up naked for all that would be left to him. The Lords would seek their own at the Scotch Queen's hands. They had no confidence in the Queen of England, that had so often changed her course, and, though sore against their wills, they would now live with murderers and traitors to obey her whom neither by law, duty, nor conscience they held themselves bound to obey.' 3 They did indeed at last make Lennox Regent, but this in itself, unless followed up by other measures, would do little to hold the party together. Each of the Lords prepared to make his own terms for himself, and whatever happened, Elizabeth in Randolph's opinion would not have a friend left in Scotland to serve her turn.' 4 The ministers of the Kirk and their congregations alone showed heart or courage. The General Assembly, forsaken as they were, met at Edinburgh, and passed a resolution that whatever England might say, Mary 1 Sussex to Elizabeth, July 8.MSS. Border. 2 Commission from the Duke of Chatelherault, July 1570.-MSS. Scotland. 3 Randolph to Hunsdon and Sussex, July 5.-MSS. Ibid. Randolph to Sussex, July 8.-Ibid. 1570 July Stuart should be no Queen of theirs. Every pulpit in CHAP XIX Scotland should ring with her enormities. If the Lords and gentlemen interfered they should be excommunicate and held as rotten members unworthy of the society of Christ's body.'1 For the dissatisfaction in Scotland, however, Elizabeth cared but little while she felt secure of France; and even Philip, it now seemed, unless the chance offered itself to revolutionize England, might defy the Pope and his excommunication, and try to bribe over his sister-inlaw to himself from her treaty with Charles and Catherine. Towards Spain the aggressions of the privateers had rather increased than diminished. Elizabeth was well aware that for the safety of the realm against invasion she must chiefly depend upon the force which she could keep in the Channel, and that it was safer as well as cheaper to encourage the voluntary action of her subjects than to rely entirely upon her own fleet. In dealing with French ships there had been more or less forbearance; when the tone of the French Government was friendly an intimation was sent to the ports to let them pass, but on the whole little difference had been made. The sea-going population regarded Papists generally as their natural enemies and their legitimate prey. Forty or fifty sail-corsairs or privateers, according to the point of view from which they were regarded-held the coast from Dover to Penzance. The crews were English, French, or Flemish, united by a common creed and a common pursuit. They shifted their flags as suited their convenience, now sailing under a commission from the Prince of Orange, now from the Queen of Navarre. They had friends and stores in every English harbour, and since the publication 1 Determination of the General Assembly, July 7.-MSS. Scotland. 1570 CHAP XIX of the Bull their trade had gone on more furiously than ever. Every day prizes were brought in to Plymouth, Dover, or Southampton, the cargoes were sold, the ships armed and refitted. July The prisoners taken had met with the same mercy which Protestants in the Netherlands experienced from Alva, or the landless wretches in Yorkshire and Durham after the rebellion. At the end of July three richly laden traders on their way from Flanders to Spain were captured outside the Goodwins. They had made a fight for it, and the crews one and all were flung into the sea.1 With peace in France the whole of these wild marauders would be diverted upon Spain. Don Guerau wrote that Hawkins was fitting out a squadron to cruise for the gold fleet; and that the Government took no pains to prevent their depredations. It is certain that Philip had not as yet deserved at Elizabeth's hands so inveterate an animosity. For political reasons he had prevented France from declaring war against her. He had shown extraordinary forbearance in enduring injuries to which a great Power like Spain could scarcely submit without dishonour. He had empowered Alva to act in concert with the English 1 'De presente se satisfacen contener en este estrecho mas de cuarenta velas de armada como he avisado, en nombre del de Oranges, y de la Duquesa de Vendosme, y de Chastillon, que estan por todos estos puertos y entran y salen á su voluntad; y van en cada nao muchos Ingleses, de manera que estos son amigos de los piratas publicos enemigos nuestros y los favorecen, acogen y regalan, robando nos cada dia quantas naos pasan por este estrecho; y lo peor es que luego las arman y engrossan con ellas la armada. Continuan en tomar presas, y de pocos dias acá han tomado tres urcas muy ricas que iban á España de Flandes, y por haberse puesto á defensa, se dice que han muerto toda la gente y traen vendiendo las mercaderias por estos puertos.'Antonio de Guaras á Cayas, Junio 30 y Julio 23. MSS. Simancas. Compare La Mothe, Dépéches, July 25. 1570 July Catholics if he saw a fair opportunity; but the seizure CHAP XIX of his treasure would have justified more immediate and decisive measures; and the discretion which he had left to Alva could have been no more than an excuse to his own subjects for his inaction, for he knew Alva to be as reluctant to move as himself. The Spanish nation was furious. The feelings of the proud and bigoted Castilians found expression in the intrigues of the ambassadors in England and in the successive entreaties of De Feria, the Bishop of Aquila, and now again Don Guerau for a descent from Flanders upon the English coast. But Philip lagged behind his people, and Alva knew or feared that if he struck at England France would send an army over the Rhine and the Netherlands would again be on fire. The danger of this last contingency was increased by the prospect of a reconciliation between the Court of Paris and the Huguenots. If the leaders of the League came back to power, the anti-Spanish policy of Francis and Henry would revive; and in the event of a rupture with France, the Netherlands could not possibly be held unless Elizabeth was at least neutral. Could a revolution be accomplished in England as easily as Don Guerau imagined, then indeed his difficulties would have disappeared; but Philip was less sanguine than his ambassador. With the first hint that peace in France was possible, he sent word to Elizabeth through Don Francis de Alava, that if the alliance between the Crowns of England and Spain was broken, it should be through no fault of his. 1 'Que por mi parte no se romperá la antigua amistad y aliança que entre nosotros hay, sino que se la conservaremos con toda buena cor When the Bull respondencia y que ella debe hacer 1570 July CHAP XIX of Excommunication was published he had directed Alva generally to do what he could for the Queen of Scots.1 Elizabeth might die or be murdered, and it was necessary to be prepared for all contingencies. But, as has been already seen, he expressed the most serious displeasure at the step which the Pope had taken. He still hoped, he said, that his differences with Elizabeth might be composed in any way rather than by force; and the Duke of Alva, in explaining the cause of the preparations in the Scheldt, regretted that explanation should have been necessary between countries which were naturally friends, and added that 'since the Pope had been stalled he had done nothing that had so much displeased the King his master as the late declaration.' 2 It must not be supposed that either the King or Alva cared at all for Elizabeth herself. Yet the Duke's private correspondence with Philip shows that both of them were sincerely desirous to avoid a collision with her. They distrusted the accounts which they received from the sanguine Catholics in England. 'I am afraid of Don Guerau,' the Duke wrote frankly to Alava. 'I cannot satisfy myself that he understands those English. I am doing what I can for the Queen of Scots. My master expressly desires me to assist her; but his wish is that the two Queens should be reconciled, and that both should feel themselves under an |