Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/581

 IS8S-] THE BOND OF ASSOCIATION. 565 be. 1 The mistake was shortlived, and Sextus became as eager as his predecessor for ' the enterprise of England ' ; but differences of opinion had meanwhile sprung up in the College of Cardinals, which prevented his ill-will from taking shape. They could not agree in the per- son who was to take Elizabeth's place. Some were for Mary Stuart ; some were for James ; some secretly perhaps for Philip ; and again one party wished to see heresy extinguished first in France ; others would save France at the expense of its neighbours, and adhered to the old plan of sending Guise to Scotland. 2 But these uncertainties could not be of long continu- ance, and the practical danger was becoming more and more imminent. Parma's army was before Antwerp. A bridge thrown over the river, which desperate at- tempts had been made in vain to break, cut off the city from supplies. Famine was doing its work, and the surrender had become a question of weeks, or at best of months. The fall of Antwerp was expected to be the signal for a general submission of the Provinces, 1 ' Dixdme su Santidad en esta platica suelto que esperaba que la Reyna de Inglaterra habia de hacer alguna cosa buena. Apretele con repreguntar para entender si tenia algunas platicas 6 intelligencia con ella. Dixome que no, pcro que era tanto lo que tenia a los Catolicos y lo poco que se confiabade loshereges, que le hacia esperar esto. Despues supe del Cardinal de Como, como el Nuncio de Francia escribia que habia eabido de una persona b. quien el Em- bajador de Inglaterra habia dicho, que quando corviese turbio tenia su ama el remedio en la niano, con solo oyrunamisa.' El Conde de Olivare/ al Key, 4 Junio, 1585: MSS. Siman- ens. This passage is valuable, as showing how thoroughly, notwith- standing the shrieks pf the Jesuits, the heads of the Church understood and appreciated Elizabeth's tolerant policy. 2 Olivarez to Philip, July 5 15 : MSS. Simancat.