Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/193

 1572.] THE MASSACRE OF ST BARTHOLOMEW. 173 with, a coldness amounting almost to contempt, he dis- cussed and pulled to pieces the objections of Philip to renewing his intercourse with the Queen. no treaty, English pirates would still prey on Spanish commerce, and English Protestants would send help to the Prince of Orange. It might be so. But connivance was less dangerous than open and avowed support. His Majesty was afraid of discouraging the English Catholics. But if, for the sake of the English Catholics, he was to lose the Low Countries, not much would be gained to the Ca- tholic cause ; and, after all, the treaty was no such con- siderable thing, nor would there be any necessity for observing it with particular strictness. Kings of course, like other people, ought to keep their words. But throughout his life/ the Duke of Alva said, 'he had observed that the dealings of princes with one another depended on conditions different from those which de- termined the obligations of private gentlemen. He had learnt that lesson from the conduct of that noble cavalier and great prince, his Majesty's noble father the Em- peror. 1 The present difficulties would never have arisen surance he might have that ray Lord of Westmoreland would perform what he said. I told his Excellency that his word was the word of a nobleman : and his Excellency's an- swer to me was that his word was the word of a nobleman out of his country, and not like his word who is'a nobleman in his country and in favour with his piince ; which was as profound a sentence as ever I heard/ Ed. Woodshaw to Burgh- lcv > J 573 : MSS. Flanders. 1 ' Entendi que las negociacione* de los reyes pendian de muy dif- ferentes cabos que los negocios de los particulares caballeros que anda- mos por el mundo, y desta manera lo vi tratar & su Padre de V. Mag d que era tan gran caballero y tan
 * The King/ he said, ' appeared to fear that, treaty or