Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/23

 1580.] THE JESUIT INVASION. 7 to the support of Sanders, and the public feeling of Europe was expected to compel the King of Spain to take a share, whether he desired it or not, in so saintly an enterprise. 1 However de Vargas might insist on secrecy, it was impossible, when the plot began to take form, for the nature of it to escape the English Government. In the Cabinets of Cardinals and Kings, in the cells at Rheims, in the purlieus of the Paris legation, or hanging about the posthouses in France, Walsingham's spies were everywhere. As soon as ever the plans of the con- spirators became intrusted to letters, transcripts found their way to London, and the meaning of d'Aubigny's presence in Scotland, which Walsingharn suspected from the first, ceased to be a mystery. Elizabeth as usual fell into a passion of alarm. She had herself caused the mischief : she was ready now to promise anything to repair it. Lists of noblemen were* drawn out who were to be ' entertained ' with pensions, when there was no longer a chance that the pensions would be received. The Calvinists, so lately despised and hated, became objects of new interest ; and Captain Errington was sent down to Scotland ' to incense the ministers and others well affected in religion against d'Aubigny, assuring them that he was a most danger- ous practiser against the King's government, under colour of renouncing his Catholic religion.' 2 Every day 1 Copie d'une lettru mandee al evesque de Glasgow, 1580 : MSf 1. MAUY QUEEN OF SCOTS. 2 Mission of Captain Errington, 1580: MSS. Scotland.