Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/361

 o74-] THE SPANISH TREATY. 34* in London. For Spain to consent, in defiance of the Pope, to a closer alliance with an excommunicated sove- reign would be a significant fact which would have its weight with the English Catholics; and the nation generally had not yet come to look on Spaniards as enemies. The old connection was still far more popular than the new friendship with France ; and even with the Protestants the horrors of St Bartholomew had eclipsed the doings of -the Blood Council. Philip, it was said in London, never made an unjust war. Philip was true in word and deed, and in his severities respect- ed the usages of humanity. 1 The Spanish party carried the day. De Yaldez passed up the Channel unmolested to give Orange what every one expected must be his final blow; while Don Bernardino de Mendoza, Philip's master of the horse, came across from Brussels with a complimentary letter to Elizabeth, bringing with him also, in evidence of- his master's sincerity, several hun- dred Englishmen who had been taken prisoners in Hol- land. Nor was this all. The King had consented, at Alva's entreaty, that the Catholic refugees should be forbidden to remain in his dominions. The condition, so long 1 La Mothe Fenelon says it was argued in the English council, ' Qu'il ne s'estoit veu ni ne se voyoit rien au Roy d'Espaigne pour quoy la Royne leur Mestresse deubt rejetter son amitie, ny luy denier la sienne, puisqu'il la venoit rechercher. Car il s'estoit tousjours monstre prince veritable et certain, plein de graiide moderation etd'integrite ; qui n'avoit poinct meu de guerres injustes ni qui ne feussent necessaires et n'avoit use en icelles ni fraude ni mauvaise foy ni exerce aulcuns actes cruels qui feussent hors du debvoir de la guerre nicontre les termesde la jus- tice.' Depeches, vol. vi. p. 217, &c.