Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/349

 1 573-] THE SPANISH TREATY, 329 from Rochelle after a fruitless four months' siege, in which he lost twenty thousand men ; and the throne of Poland falling vacant, and the Queen-mother coveting it for her second son, the Court swung round. Peace was patched up, leaving Catholics and Huguenots as they stood before the massacre. Catherine made ad- vances again to the Prince of Orange and Count Louis, and by their help she secured the election. Anjou left France for his new kingdom, only to be recalled to it a few months after by his brother's death. The sickly princes of the House of Valois followed each other fast to the tomb. But the Queen-mother continued to rule, and in her hatred of Spain stretched out her hand to Orange, who, desperate of other help, seemed inclined to let the past be past and accept it, bloodstained as it was. He had offered the sovereignty of the States to Eliza- beth. In possession of Holland and Zealand, he had told her that she would be ' head of the religion ' and mistress of the seas. The rest of the States would re- volt from Spain and come to her devotion, and no enemy would dare to quarrel with her. If she refused, they would not submit to the Spaniards ; they were pre- pared to die first if necessary ; but he warned her fully that before they were destroyed ' they would entangle the country with such a devil as should root out thence the name of Spaniards for ever.' ' The French King was ready to help them, and to the French King they would go.' 1 Mr Herle and the Prince of Orange, June n, 1573 : MSS. Flanders.