Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/473

 1578.] THE ALEN^ON MARRIAGE. 453 help of the heretics there she would make herself sovereign of the whole island, and Flanders would then be unconquerable. 1 Philip's answer, when it came, illustrated and ex- plained the failures of his whole career. He understood Elizabeth. He knew that he had nothing to fear from promptitude of action with her : but neither then nor ever could he understand that there were forces working in Europe beyond the pleasure of kings and queens and princes. Every lost moment was a lost chance, yet he replied only that he would think over Guise's pro- posal. It involved grave consequences, and in a mat- ter of such moment he must proceed with a foot of lead. 2 ' I will tell you the plain truth/ said the Archbishop of Glasgow to the ambassador, ' you are so long in re- solving, and you apply your remedies so slowly, that I know not what to say to you. Affairs like these require expedition. Words will not conquer empires, you must seize the time when it comes and act/ 3 The chance offered in Scotland was gone before Philip had comprehended its existence, and Guise had not dared to move without his explicit permission. The intention of the two Earls could not long be concealed, and the Protestants who had taken 1 Vargas to Philip, August 1 7, 26, 1 5 78: 'TEULET, vol. v. 2 ' Y corao es de tanto momento y consequencia, conviene caminar en el con el pie de plomo.' Philip to Var- gas, October 27, 1578 : TEULET, vol. v. 3 Vargas to Philip, December 13 : TEULET, vol. v.