Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/554

 $38 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 67. council of estate in life, no lawful generals, no lieu- tenants, no colonels or captains to guide them in action ; no presidents, no sheriffs, no judges, no justices, no officers, with authority to maintain justice or preserve peace, or with lawful power direct such a distracted chaos of armed men, confusedly rising even at the time when most need should be of greatest government, direction, and justice, to suppress factions, decide claims, and defend the realm from invasion of strangers ; when swarms of needy soldiers, abounding in the realms about us, will come flying over to possess and prey upon our felicitous wealth and riches, whenever such an opportunity by our civil debates, yea bella plusquam civilia, shall be offered.' * In the face of such dread possibilities, no session 'of twenty days, no mere proposal to legalize the association, would meet the just demands of England. The very existence of the Empire was held to be at stake : ' one frightful thought possessed every loyal mind, that those hell-hounds, the Jesuits, knowing themselves to be united, and good subjects distracted and doubtful/ would strike at the Queen and plunge the country into anarchy. ' They held and taught that it was not lawful only but meritorious to kill excommunicated princes.' Fear could not daunt them. ' The immediate prospect of the paradise which they were to win ' enabled them to contemn death and triumph in torments. No pre- 1 Dangers which may ensue from the Oath of Association, if it he not qualified with a convenient Act of Parliament, 1584-5 : mestic. MSS. Do-