Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/449

 1578.] THE ALENCON MARRIAGE. 429 equally to take their places in the field; disclaimed their obligations, and determined in spite of Papist and Pro- testant to remain friends. Six years had now passed since the expulsion of J)on Guerau de Espes, and the experiment of a Spanish ambassador resident in London was about to be tried once more. Whatever may have been the reason of the delay, Don Bernardino received his commission at last, and set out for England in the middle of March. The selection of a nobleman of so high rank was in itself a compliment. The house of Mendoza was the most illustrious in Spain. Don Bernardino's father, Don Alonzo Count of Coruna, was a favourite of Charles V. ; his mother was a Ximenez, niece of the great Car- dinal. He had himself been first Philip's Master of the Horse, and then had held a distinguished command in the Low Countries. His instructions were profoundly conciliatory. He brought no private directions to make a party in England or to encourage rebellion, or lead the Catholics to expect intervention. He was strictly forbidden to do anything of which the Queen could complain. He was sent to remove her alarms, to satisfy her that she need not fear Spain unless she herself desired a quarrel, and he was empowered to promise all concessions in the Low Countries which she could reasonably demand, the withdrawal once more of the Spanish forces, the restoration of the States' privileges, the reinstatement of the provincial governments even the recall of Don John and the appointment of a suc- cessor of whose designs there could be no suspicion provided liberty of conscience was not mentioned, and