Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/502

 482 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 61. were preparing to revolt to Parma; and two months later, the whole "Walloon States, Artois, Hainault, Lille, Douay, and Naraur, finding themselves forsaken by France, gathered into a separate confederacy and sub- mitted to Spain. The Frisian and Batavian provinces formed themselves immediately after into the union of Utrecht ; and Flanders and Brabant, lying between the two combinations, were themselves divided in sympathy, and became the arena of the war. The business of Parma was to reduce the great cities of those States which still held for the patriots, Maestrecht, Mechlin, Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, and Antwerp. Elizabeth, supposing the work would occupy some years, abandoned them entirely to their own resources. Walsingham, Cobham, and Davison were recalled, the Prince of Orange was left face to face with his enemy, while she on her part pre- pared for her campaign with Alencon. Having thrown up the Provinces at her bidding, the Duke pressed naturally for his reward. Catherine de Medici wrote to Walsingham in affected rapture at her son's prospects. 1 Elizabeth wished him to come at once to England, and he declared himself ready and anxious. But before committing his reputation, he preferred to see his way more clearly, and proposed to send first a gentleman of his household, M. Simier, to learn his real chances. The Queen did not like the change. Agents implied business ; she had secured her first object, and the marriage not being so pressingly necessary, she had 1 Catherine de Medici to Walsingham, September 13 : MSS. France.