Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/134

 U4 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 57. The fearful effects were nearer than Walsingham believed. Elizabeth at first encouraged de la Mole to hope, and both he and La Mothe wrote to Paris in good spirits. A little after, she sent Walsingham a letter of the old sort, that she would and that she would not : that perhaps she would : that she must see Alencon, and that she could then make up her mind. Sir Thomas Smith, by the same post, begged that Alencon would come over, l else nothing was to be looked for but con- tinual dalliance and doubtfulness ; ' and Burghley added to the packet a letter to Coligny which was never to reach his hand. ' "What God shall please to do in the cause I know not/ he said, ' but I see the marriage of my lady and Queen is of more moment to the weal, both particularly of this realm and publicly of Christendom for the benefit of religion, than I fear our sins will suffer us to receive. But as hitherto our good God hath mightily preserved this our estate, so I trust the same will not leave His marvellous work, but will bring it to some further per- fection. Herein I trust that you will employ your help there, and I, for my poor part, will do my best here.' 1 The date of this letter was the 22nd of August. While Cecil was writing it, the Admiral was lying wounded in his bed. Before the couriers reached Paris he was dead, and the gutters in the streets were running with Huguenot blood. Elizabeth had trifled too long. 7 ; Walsingham to Sir T. Smith, | Leicester, August 10 : DIGGES. August 10 ; "Walsingham to Burgh- j ' Burghley to Coligny, August ley, August 10 j Walsingham to ! 22 : MSS. France.