Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/185

 1 5 72 .] THE MASS A CRE OF ST BAR THOL OME W. 1 65 discontinue the protection hitherto afforded to the King of Spain's revolted subjects. A commission might sit to determine the outstanding claims of Spain and England one upon the other ; and as soon as they were settled, the ancient league could be renewed. The Catholic King would be expected to forbid the English refugees to reside any longer in his dominions, and pending the general settlement of religion, English merchants and sailors trading to Spain were not to be molested by the Inquisition as long as they complied in public with the laws/ The Duke of Alva, had he been left to his December. own judgment, would have accepted these con- ditions without scruple or hesitation. The Hollanders were preparing for a desperate resistance, and the Spanish commander estimated their ability to hold their ground against him considerably higher than Elizabeth or Burghley. But, great as his powers were, he dared- not conclude a treaty on his own authority, which would close Spain and the Low Countries against the English Catholics. To himself they had been only a source of irritation and trouble, but they were pensioners and favourites of his master ; and, before he could reply, he had to refer for instructions to Philip. The States- General of Holland made use of the delay to send a deputation to Elizabeth to entreat her not to desert them. She paused upon her answer, till Philip had de- cided ; and, to show that she was not afraid, the English fleet continued rigorously to scour the Channel, and arrest every ship on its way from Spain to Flanders.