Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/183

 1580-] VOYAGE OF SIX FRANCIS DRAKE. 167 Time pressed however ; Hendoza's menaces October. continued; and on the 2Oth of October she told Mauvissiere that if Alen9on still wished it, and the King approved, she was ready to let the marriage take effect without further delay. 1 Perhaps she was never so near to serious consent as at this moment. Between the Low Countries, the relapse of Scotland, the Irish rebellion, the English Jesuits, and the fear of Spain, her difficulties were so many and so complicated that it seemed as if no other escape lay open to her. She bade Cobham, as if she were struggling with her destiny, try once more to persuade the French to accept instead a to requite you for. ' The poor wretch, my sick serv- ant, receiveth again his life, being as in the physician's opinion more than half dead, through your most princely love of his poor master, and holy charitable care (without respect of your own danger) of the poor wretch. "We have right Christian devotion to pray for your Highness, which God for his mercy's sake kindle in us for ever, to the end of our lives. ' I should not dissemble, my dear Sovereign, if I wrote how unpleasant and froward a countenance is grown in me through my absence from your most amiable and royal presence ; but I dare not presume to trouble your Highness with my not estim- able griefs, but in my country I dare avow this fashion will full evil be- come me. 1 hope your Highness will pardon my unsatisfied humour that knoweth not how to end such complaints as are in my thoughts ever new to begin, but duty shall do me leave to cumber your heavenlike eyes with my vain brabblings. A,'.id as most nobly your Highness preserv- eth and royally conserveth your poor . creature and vassal, so shall he live and die in pure unspotted faith to- wards you for ever. God bless your Highness with long life, and prosper you to the end in all your kingly af- fairs. At Bedford, this Wednesday morning. Would God I were worthy to write, ' Your bounden slave, ' CH. HATTON. MSS. Domestic. 1 ' Laquelle m'a asseuree vouloir et s'accorder au marriage sans aulcun longueur ny remise, si voz Majestes et Monseigneur vostre frdre n'cn faictes do vostre part.' Castelnau de Mauvissiere au Roy. October 20, 1580 : TEULET, vol. iii.