Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/193

 i^Sii] VOYAGE OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 177 with liim ; that without the marriage there could be no assurance ; and that, as his brother must marry some- where, he might look to Spain if she refused him. Or again, he might say that the treaty had gone so far that it could not be broken off without discredit, and that if the marriage was dropped the enterprise in the Low Countries must be abandoned. Somers was directed to combat these arguments. Mutual interest, he could argue, was as good a foundation as marriage, and great causes were subject to great impediments. The Queen would not hear of the abandonment of the Low Countries. It would be so dangerous every way, that sooner than Mon- sieur should desert them, she would help him underhand, and if the King was forced into a war with Spain, she would contribute also underhand ' in reasonable sort.' l Somers, before speaking to the King, com- municated his errand to the friends of England in the French Council of State. ' They were appalled at it, looking for a far other answer.' 2 ' The matter of the Low Countries,' they said, ' was yet a body without a soul, and would turn to dust unless some one breathed into it.' 'Nothing would be hearkened to from her Majesty till they might know her Yea or No. If Yea, she should have what she desired, to break with Spain, or otherwise as should please her.' A league, if she wished, might be made at once offensive anft defensive, with a proviso 'that the marriage not happening it 1 Instructions to Mr Somers, June 20 : JtfSS. France. z Somers to Burghley, July 3. The words in italics were under- lined by Burghley himself- MSS. France. VOL. XL 12