Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/449

 1584.] EXPULSION OF MENDOZA. 433 the French crown independent of Spain altogether. 1 Mauvissiere, who had been the minister of the An- glo-French alliance, and had hitherto clung to Elizabeth, had begun to doubt her stability, and to hint that James's star was perhaps the rising one. ' The Queen of Scots/ he wrote to Catherine, 'is a thorn in this Queen's foot. Every moment she suffers from it, but she cannot pluck it out. She lost Scotland when she lost Morton. None but he could have mastered the young King ; and the young King means to be monarch of this island, as one day he will and must be.' 2 Rumours reached de Tassis that the conspirators, weary of his master's delay, were turning their thoughts in a direction mischievous to Spanish interests, and he made haste 3 to send word to Philip. Mauvissiere's prophecy was right, but the day of its fulfilment was still far distant, and the jealousies which had so long protected Elizabeth continued to paralyze her enemies. Both Spain and France, it was thought, could have agreed to trust the Duke of Guise, but opposite policies and opposite principles ravelled out the coalition as fast as it was woven. The King of Spain, like de Tassis, insisted on the immediate conversion of James, and per- haps was not anxious at heart that James should comply. 1 Words of Lord Seton to the Queen-mother, April 9 19, 1584 : TEULET, vol. iii. 2 Mauvissiere to the Queen- mother, March 30 April 9 ; TEU- LET, vol. iii. fianc,a que andan entre los Escoceses ent'adados de la dilacion platicas, de ver si seria posible guiar este negocio por otras manos que las de Vuestra Majestad.' J. B. de Tassis al Key, 1727 de Maio : TEULET, vol. v. ' Melino ha me dicho en con-. VOL. xi. 28