Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/177

 1580.] VOYAGE OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 161 The Duke of Alva marched on Oporto, and in a single battle annihilated all resistance. Don Antonio fled, with a price upon his head, carrying nothing with hint but the Braganza jewels ; and Philip, by the summer of 1580, found himself with his immense preparations unexhausted, the resources of Portugal added to his own, and his fleet and army free to move in any and all directions. It was impossible either for France or England to look with calmness on so large an increase to their rival's power. It was no time to stand on nice punctilios, and the Alencon negotiation was renewed with no certain idea how it was to end. Letters and presents were in- terchanged. The Duke was told that if he continued faithful he should have his reward at last, and he on his side fed himself with the hope that if not King of Eng- land he might, Avith Elizabeth's help, become King ol > the Netherlands, or even wrest from the House of Haps- burg the Imperial crown itself. 1 So passed the spring, amidst interchanges of diplo- matic coquetries ; Alencon looking wistfully at the Low Countries, and the French and English Governments each trying to persuade the other to take an open part in the war. Mauvissiere advised the Queen to send Leicester with an army against Parma ; Elizabeth hinted to Alencon that she objected no longer to the entry of 1 ' Que el bianco al que mira Alen<jon es ser elegido por Rcy de Romanes, y por este desea el casa- micnto y procura tener a sud devo- tion a los Protestantes de Alemania con ayudar a los rebeldes de Fian- des.' Don B. de Mendoza al Rey, 27 Hebrero, 1581 : MSS. Simancas. Opposite to this passage Philip wrote ' Ojo, 1 VOL. XI. 11