Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/244

 330 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 54 slaves of a licentious woman, arid lose their immortal souls. The Bishops who had been flung into dungeons rather than forsake the truth, had followed in the foot- steps of the blessed Thomas of Canterbury. Let the Earls also imitate that admirable saint. They were his beloved Children in Christ, and he prayed them, for no perils by which they might be threatened, to desert the cause which they had taken in hand. The God in whom they trusted, the Gfod who cast Pharaoh and his chariots into the sea, was able to destroy the might of their adver- saries. The Pope himself would not only move the princes of Christendom in their behalf, but would send them at once all the money which he could provide, and in this and all other ways would assist them in their holy purpose to the utmost of his power.' l The letter never reached its destination, but fell into the hands of the Spaniards. The Bull was carried to Paris, and lay waiting for the moment when it was hoped that a war would break out between France and England, and that Catherine de Medici and the King would give their sanction without which even the Cardinal of Lorraine was afraid to act to the publica- tion of it before the world. 2 1 La carta que su Santidad es- cribio a los Condes de Northumber- land 6 Westmoreland, February 20, 1570: MSS. Simancas. 2 Philip, who was generally cre- dited with having advised Elizabeth's excommunication, was more than innocent of it. He was surprised, displeased, and suspicious, believing that it was connected in some way with a design on the part of the French Government to make an at- tempt upon England. Don Guerau sent him a copy of the Bull. ' The instrument which you have forwarded to me,' Philip wrote in reply,' the instrument declaring the Queen of England depr^-od of