Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/288

 268 RETGN OF RLI7.ARRTTL [CH. 43. spatched a messenger post haste to Spain to acquaint Philip with it and to tell him that she depended on his support. The messenger met the Duke of Alva at Bayonne, where the Duke answered for his master in terms which corresponded to her warmest hopes. ' I replied/ wrote Alva in a despatch to Philip, 'that I had your Majesty's instructions to inform the Queen of Scots of your Majesty's interest in her welfare ; I said that your Majesty earnestly desired to see her in the great position to which she aspired ; and you were as- sured that both for herself and for the realm she could not do better than marry the young Lennox. 'Your Majesty, I continued, recommended her to conduct herself with great caution and dissimulation to- wards the Queen of England, and for the present espe- cially to refrain from pressing her in the matter of the succession. The Queen of England might in that case do something prejudicial to the Queen of Scots' interests, and either declare war against her or else listen to the proposals of the Queen-mother of France and marry the young King. If the Queen of -Scots would follow your Majesty's advice your Majesty would so direct and sup- port her that when she least expected it she would find herself in possession of all that she desired.' * The messenger flung himself at Alva's feet and wept for joy. His mistress, he said, had never in her life received such happy news as these words would convey to her; and he promised that she would act 1 Alva to Philip, June ; TKULET, vol. v.