Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/373

 1575-] THE SPANISH TREATY. 353 Elizabeth might be negotiated with at Brussels, or an emissary might be sent to London, but Madrid was the second city of the Catholic world. Shocked at the dreadful presence of the accursed thing among them, the council even reopened the whole question of the alliance. Hopper, President of the council for the Netherlands, admitted that Elizabeth had grounds of complaint. Her life had been attempted, and she knew it, 1 but she was a schismatic, and no fit ally for Spain. 'The honour of God/ he argued, 'forbade ambiguous friendships. She had been at the bottom of all the confusion in Europe. The rebels were now at their last gasp, and his Majesty should trust in God and finish the work/ Quiroga, Archbishop of Toledo and Inquisitor- Gene- ral, took the same view. ' The Queen of England/ he said, ' neither was nor ever could be an honest friend of Spain. She was a tyrant, and had murdered Catholics. She had revolutionized Scotland, and would never cease to trouble the world. Her present overtures were deceit. She knew Chapin's intentions against her, and women and princes never forgave/ 2 Then Alva rose. Alva, with his experience of Haar- lem and Leyden, knew bet-ter the resources } 7 et remain- ing to the rebellion, and understood better also the per- sonal disposition of Elizabeth. ' Diplomacy was not action/ he urged ; 'and the alliance which he recom- 1 ' Tanto mas habiendose ella offendido una vez por haber entendi- do que se machinaba algo contra s-u Hopperus : M8S. Simancas. 2 ' Y que en fin Dona y Corona nunca perdona.' Parecer de Qui- persona y Reyno.' Parecer de roga : MSS. Ibid. VOL. X. 2;