Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/102

 $2 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. s1- Catholic reaction, and labouring nobly to save the fruits of the great movement of the past half century from being drowned in blood. ' They were going ' so ran the instructions of the French Government to the two Envoys ' they were going to England to complete a treaty which had been the subject of so much anxious expectation ; and after receiving the oath of the Queen, they would offer her, in his Majesty's name, the hand of his youngest brother. Marriage, they would say, was the surest bond of treaties. The King had thought at one time that a union might be brought about between the Due d'Anjou and the Queen of England ; objections had arisen from differences of religion, which could not be overcome ; but being unable to part with his hope, he desired now to make a second proposal of the Due d'Alen9on, who was better fitted in many ways for her Majesty's accept- ance.' The Envoys would dwell on the benefits which might be confidently expected from such a union. They would say, that there was nothing in the world for which the King and the Queen his mother were more ardently anxious ; and so sincere was Charles in his eagerness, that in the belief that Leicester was still the secret obstacle, Montmorency was empowered to offer the favourite the hand of a Princess of the House of Bourbon as the price of his support. 1 They arrived in London to witness the opening of the most remarkable Parliament which had met since ' Commission to Montmorency and M. de Foix going to England, April 5 : LA. MOTHE, vol. vii.