Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/177

 1572.] THE MASSACRE OF ST BARTHOLOMEW. 157 where in arms. Rochelle closed its gates, and the great towns of Languedoc and Guienne followed their ex- ample. Montgomery, with help in England, re-estab- lished the privateer fleet of the south ; and the Queen- mother, bankrupt in money and credit, had to begin the old work over again with twenty Colignys in the field for one, to clamour in the midst of the world's scorn that the massacre was an accident, and to sue in the very dirt to Elizabeth for her consent still to be her grandchild's godmother, 1 to let the treaty stand, and to entertain Alencon's suit. But her efforts were for the most part useless. Wal- singham was not recalled, but the intercourse between the two Courts was reduced to cold courtesy. The Queen-mother's anxiety was construed into a further step in the conspiracy, and for a second noces Galliqiic* to be enacted in England. Confidence in France was gone, and English states- men had now to decide whether they should maintain or desert the Netherlands. It was seen that they at first thought the alternative would not be offered them ; that they would have war immediately on their hands with France and Spain combined. But they soon perceived that of this there was at least no immediate danger ; while the prospects of Orange were certainly not favour- able enough to tempt Elizabeth unnecessarily to his side. On the news of the massacre, his army had at once dissolved. He had himself retired into Holland, 1 The Queen-mother and the King to La Mothe Fenelon, September and October : Depeches, v.ol. vii.