Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/40

 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 57. beth ' might find herself forsaken/ ' an opinion which would prove dangerous/ It would be better to assume that negotiation to have come to an amicable end, and ' to hide the imperfections of both parties, not knowing what would follow.' l Mary Stuart's intrigues with Spain however had created a violent exasperation at the French Court, had given a fresh impulse to the war party, and made the King and the Queen-mother more anxious than ever for Elizabeth's alliance. To all en- treaties to send help to Mary Stuart in Scotland, the King now returned only cold denials. The Admiral was sent for to Paris : Catherine de Medici took him in her arms and kissed him, and Charles received him as if among his subjects there was not one whom he so much honoured. 2 The Queen-mother, after being as- sured by Walsingham that no wanton or needless ob- jections would be raised, resolved formally to propose Alencon in the place of his brother ; and she desired La Mothe to tell Elizabeth that, although religious differences had interfered with the marriage which she had before hoped to arrange, she had another son who would be troubled with no scruples. Anjou was seven- teen years younger than the Queen of England, Alen9on was two years younger than his brother ; and de Foix feared that the substitution ' would but breed disdain ; ' but Elizabeth was far too adroit to make so poor a use of her advantage. Her wish was to escape ' "Walsingham to Cecil, Septem- ber 26 and October 8 : MSS. France. 2 La Mothe Fenelon au Roy, September 30: Depeches, vol. iv. La Roy au M. de la Mothe Fene- lon, October 20 ; Ibid., vol. vii.