Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/21

 1580] THE JESUIT INVASION. 5 opportunity which was opening, and asked him to use his influence with his master to bring Spain at last to declare itself. The Queen of Scots acting in concert with the Guises had broken, the Archbishop said, with the French Court, and had placed herself and her cause unreservedly in the hands of the Catholic King. Her fondest hope, in which the Duke of Guise shared, was to see her son carried off to Spain, converted to the true faith there, and married, if the King so pleased, to a Spanish princess. The present circumstances of Scot- land would permit his capture if the King would receive him, and for herself, the Queen of Scots could now also, if she wished it, effect her escape, but she thought it better to remain, to run all risks, and to leave her prison only as Queen of England. 1 Don Juan, who like most of the Spanish nobles was impatient to see the King exert himself, transmitted the Archbishop's communication in the most favourable* colours. He had himself, he said, been acquainted in early life with the Queen of Scots, and he knew her to be a person of courage and ability. She was furious with the French Court for having so long neglected her; being a woman, she would not forgive, and longed to be revenged on them. 2 The movements in Ireland and Scotland were already exciting the Catholics in Eng- 1 'Dixóme assimismo que á su ama le offreriran commodidad para poderse escapar de prision, y que no lo quiere, porque pretende salir della Reyna de Inglaterra y no de otra suerte, aunque le cueste la vida.' -- Don Juan de Vargas al Rey, He- brero 13, 1580; TEULET, vol. v. 2 'Esta indignada con estos gran- demente, y como muger no perdona y desea vengarse dellos.'