Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/133

 VOYAGE OF SJR FRAA T CfS DRAKE. 117 of Yalois, preferred a frank and honest league with the Princes of the Reformation, with legitimate and open war. He would have sent a hundred corsairs to the sea to sweep up Spanish commerce, lent money to the King of Navarre, landed an army in the Netherlands, and helped Morton to expel d'Aubigny. Between two honourable courses Elizabeth chose a third, as better suited to her circumstances and her tem- perament. She left Morton and the Prince of Orange to their fate. She declined to offend the French Go- vernment by assisting the Huguenots, and she fell back once more on her old schemes. Once more, she set her- self to amuse Catherine de Medici with the hope that she would marry the Duke of Alen9on, to play with him, to advance, to draw back, and meanwhile to use the chances of the political game, to tempt France, by the prospect of securing her, into open hostility with Philip. , Her ministers, who were the instruments of her diplo- macy, told her in unconcealed disgust that they would rather be sent to the Tower ; 1 but she went her own way, dragging them with her through honour and dis- honour ; and her singular fortune saved her after all from consequences which to every one but herself ap- peared inevitable. In January, 1580, Lord Burghley believed, as has been seen, that the marriage was to be mentioned no 1 'I told her Majesty when she chose to employ me in this way that I should repute it a greater favour to be committed to the Tower, unless her Majesty may grow more certain in her resolutions. Instead of amity I fear her Highness shall receive enmity.' "Walsingham to Burghley, August 21, 1581 : Printed in DlQGEri.