agents through whom to communicate with the Queen of Scotland.

The Emperor also, you will observe, after what has passed between the Cardinal of Lorraine and himself,1 can know nothing of the wishes of the Queen of Scots herself or of her subjects; he looks on his son's affair as already settled; and I may say for myself that were there any likelihood of that marriage taking effect I should prefer it to the other. I should not move in the matter at all till the Emperor was undeceived were it not for what you tell me of the unwillingness of that Queen and her advisers to accept the Archduke, and of the small advantage which they anticipate from the Austrian connection.

2

'I am alarmed especially at the possibility of her marrying a French King again, for I cannot but remember the trouble which her last alliance in that quarter occasioned me. Should she marry in that quarter, I know but too well that at no distant time I shall be forced into war to protect the Queen of England from an invasion such as was intended before; and you can judge yourself whether that is an event to which I can look with pleasure.

The Cardinal of Lorraine, in a personal interview with Ferdinand, had proposed a marriage between his niece and the Archduke Charles.

2 A note in the margin of the letter, in Philip's autograph, shows his extreme slowness and caution :De punto en punto me vieis avisando

de lo que en esto pasará, sin venir à convencion ninguna; mas de entender lo que arriba se dice, hasta que yo os avise de lo que en ello se me ofriciese y se hubiese de hacer; aunque podreis asegurarlos que mi intencion es la que aqui se dice.'

'You will ascertain what support the Scots can count upon in England, and you will not prevent them from increasing their party; but you will not involve yourself with any particular person further than you have already done. Let them do the work by themselves, let them gain what friends they can among the Catholics and others whom they trust. If anything is discovered it must be their affair and not mine.

'As for what you say of the dependence of the English Catholics upon me, I am anxious to do the very utmost which I can for them. You will animate and console them as usual; only of all things in the world you must be careful not to let your own hand be seen. You know what would follow.

'I am very sorry for the Act which the Queen has obtained from Parliament against those who will not accept her as Head of the Anglican Church. The bishops and other Catholics are now in danger of death. They have begun already, you tell me, with the Bishop of London.

'I am glad to hear that the Emperor has remonstrated, though I fear it will do little good. I have myself also written to the Queen; and you will yourself do and say whatever promises to be most effective to make them change their purpose. I know that I can depend on you in this, feeling as you do so acutely about it.' 1

'Ferdinand, immediately on the passing of the Act, wrote to beg that no violence might be used towards

the Catholic bishops. The ingenuity of the lawyers might have been less successful had not Elizabeth been

To Philip's letter a few lines were added by the Duke of Alva:

ALVA TO THE BISHOP OF AQUILA.

June 16.

'Although his Majesty in his own letter has told you how important it is to be secret in the affair of the marriage of the Queen of Scots, I cannot but myself reiterate the same caution. The world must know nothing till all is actually over, or no good will come of it.

'You will therefore charge those with whom you have to deal to allow no hint of our purpose to transpire. You will let us know step by step how the negotiation proceeds, and his Majesty will take measures accordingly.'

No answer could have promised better for Mary Stuart's hopes; but it had been long in coming, and the diplomacy of conspiracy was restless and feverish. Maitland, after his visit to France, returned to July. London in July to learn what de Quadra had heard. He had as yet heard nothing, and Maitland's views meanwhile had been qualified by a conversation with Catherine de Medici. The Queen-mother, as

able to shield herself behind Fer- | 'not,' he said, 'that he had warrant dinand's and Philip's letters. Arch- to stay the execution of impartial bishop Parker also lent his assist-laws,' but being ready to jeopard ance. In a circular to his brother his private estimation if the purpose bishops he desired them, with the which the Queen would have done, Queen's and Cecil's connivance, not might be performed.' — STRYPE'S to offer the oath to any one a second Life of Parker, vol. i. pp. 249, 250. time without referring to himself;

Philip had foreseen, dreaded nothing so much as this Spanish marriage; and to prevent it she had promised that if the Queen of Scots would remain unmarried for two years, Charles the Ninth and the crown of France would again be at her service. Construing Philip's silence unfavourably, Maitland allowed de Quadra to see that he thought well of the French connection. In vain de Quadra spoke of the Archduke Charles. Maitland would not hear of him unless with a distinct understanding that Philip would make his mistress Queen of England. It was yet possible too for the Queen of Scots to extort favourable terms from Elizabeth.

Before Maitland returned to Scotland, Elizabeth in her parting interview bade him tell Mary Stuart that if she married into the houses of Austria, France, or Spain, she would take it as an act of war.1 She would prefer a marriage at home for her. But there were the Protestant Princes; there was the King of Denmark; there was the Duke of Ferrara: any one of these she might choose, or any French nobleman not of royal rank, and she should be named successor at once.

Maitland entered too far into these views for de Quadra's peace. He feared that Mary Stuart herself in her passionate desire for recognition might consent after all to some marriage detrimental to the interests of Catholicism, and in dread of such a catastrophe, and

2

1 'No podria de dejarla de tener por enemiga.'-De Quadra to Philip, June 26: MS. Simancas.

no haga aquella Reyna condescender en algun casamiento menos conveniente á las cosas de la religion.'-De Quadra to Philip, June 26: MS.

2. Es de temer que la golosina de ser declarada sucesora deste Reyno | Simancas.

VOL. VII.

6

not trusting Maitland, the Spanish ambassador, on his own responsibility, sent an English friend to lay before her the wishes of the Catholics, and to assure her that whether she obtained the Prince of Spain, or accepted the Archduke Charles, Philip in either case would support her claims in England by arms.1

At this crisis the letters of Philip and Alva reached London. De Quadra regretted that his commission was so cautiously worded; but he lost not a moment in despatching his own secretary, Luis de Paz, to Holyrood. As a blind to the English Government he sent him first to Chester, under pretence of inquiring into the seizure of a Spanish ship by pirates. At Chester de Paz found that the pirates in question were Scots-and went on as if to seek redress at Edinburgh. There he saw Mary Stuart, Maitland, and Murray. His message was received with delight by all of them. The Queen of Scots wrote to the Duchess of Parma, relinquishing with eager gratitude every other prospect for herself. The Bishop of Ross hurried off to London to de Quadra to agree to all conditions which Philip might ask. The long and dangerous labours of the indefatigable ambassador were at last, it seemed, about to prosper and bear fruit-when in the moment of success he was taken away. Luis de Paz returned to London on the 26th of August to find him dying. He knew me,' Luis

August.

"

Que tenga fuerzas para conseguir su derecho á este Reyno.'-MS. Simancas.

2 Note of the mission of Luis de Paz to Scotland, by Diego Perez: MIGNET'S Life of Mary Stuart. Appendix C.