Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/355

1582.] through, their mistress's pleasure. It was Elizabeth alone who enabled them to accomplish any fraction of their policy; and a government by majorities, an omnipotent House of Commons, elected by household suffrage, would at any moment have condemned them to obscurity or the scaffold. That she might have done more is not absolutely certain, and were it certain, does not deprive her of credit for the much which she did. The right cause is not always the strongest, and had France and Spain once combined, the Reformation, which had been made possible by their quarrel, might have been ended by their premature reconciliation.

So at least it seemed to Elizabeth. She saw no reason to risk her throne for a cause for which at best she had but a cold concern. She preferred to lie and twist, and perjure herself and betray her friends, with a purpose at the bottom moderately upright; and nature in fitting her for her work had left her without that nice sense of honour which would have made her part too difficult. Alencon was thus installed in the Netherlands with a French army, paid jointly by Elizabeth and France. The States accepted him for the advantages which his presence promised. He was an unprincipled fool, but he was placed under the guidance of the Prince of Orange; and the Prince, who understood that he was saddled upon them to save the Queen from a husband, prepared to please her by making the best of him. Orange was well understood to be the soul of the revolt. Could Orange be removed, Philip feared little