Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/508

 4S8 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 61. haps be a child. But, again, Alencon was a Papist, and would be a rallying point for the Catholics. The child was highly problematical, and parturition, at the Queen's age, was likely to be dangerous. Monsieur too for Cecil could not, like Sussex, drown his fears in foolish flattery of her Monsieur might prove an indif- ferent husband, 'and might mind more to obtain the marriage of the Scotch Queen, seeking to establish in his issue the three Crowns, France, England, and Scot- land/ Were there a hope that the Queen ' would so govern her realm and people, as she might be strong by God's goodness to withstand all attempts upon her/ would she but consider how the realm might succeed to such person as should, by the law of God and man, be meet to come to the same without violence and blood/ then ' it would be far better she should continue un- married, and prolong her years as God and nature should yield.' 1 But experience had shown the Queen's incurable distaste either for an open policy or the settlement of the succession, and, in default, the mar- riage with all its drawbacks seemed the only resource left. Simier, to reconcile the Protestants, dwelt upon the opposition of the Nuncio at Paris, the threats of ex- communication which had been muttered against Alen- con, and the anger of the Paris populace. Prejudice and passion however had taken such deep roots that nothing which he could say availed. Sir Nicholas Bacon had lately died. An opinion was found 1 Notes in Burghley's hand, March 31 : MSS. Franu.