Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/259

 THE JESUITS IN SCOTLAND. He must not quarrel with France, but lie must not be too intimate with it. He must keep before his eye the old league with the House of Burgundy, and rely first on Spain. 1 Seton, after twelve years' unsuccessful diplomatizing at Paris, was perfectly ready to exchange France for the Catholic King. He entered heartily into Crichton's suggestions. He promised to speak to his master, and explain to him the benefit to his prospects which he might expect from his conversion. He undertook that the Jesuit preachers, when they came, should find the soil prepared for them. With this answer, Crichton went back to London, to find Campian and many more of his friends executed, and the Jesuits generally in hysterical exhilaration at the testimony which had been given to the faith. He communicated with Parsons and Mendoza, and then crossed the Channel with Parsons, to arrange the details of the Scotch mission. It was thought at first that Parsons should go : but Parsons could not be spared from England, nor would Englishmen be otherwise the best qualified to convert Scots especially as, in the words of Mary Stuart, who was consulted, they could not speak the language. So it was decided that Crich- ton should go again. 1 The reader will observe the single eye with which Mendoza re- garded the interests of Spain. He was at this very moment advising Philip to renew the league with Eli- sabeth. He had been taken into counsel in drawing the message of the Jesuit, so that whether Elizabeth held her ground or was overthrown by a revolution Spain could still se- cure the English alliance.