Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/27

 1569.] ENGLISH PARTIES. ! 3 reaction. The majority of the peers desired indeed to change the public policy of England, to remodel the Church so as to eject the Genevans, and to open the way for reunion with Rome, but they did not wish for a violent revolution. They were in favour of the Queen of Scots' succession, yet they wanted rather a change of administration than a change of sovereign, and were willing to leave Elizabeth in possession for her life. They would not have disturbed her at all ; they would have left the succession to nature had she consented to the Austrian marriage ; it was only when this hope failed them, and the dangers which threatened England within and without became too manifest to be over- looked, that their dissatisfaction altered its character and took the form of disloyalty. Arundel and Norfolk saw as clearly as Cecil the critical situation of the coun- try, and they wished to save it by returning to the old alliance with the house of Burgundy, by entailing the throne on Mary Stuart in despair of any other possible settlement, and, as a necessary consequence, by throw- ing a veil over her delinquencies. To these schemes Cecil was the great obstacle, and they resolved to lose no more time in removing so dangerous a counsellor from Elizabeth's cabinet. To them also the Spanish ambassador was the natural ally. His house was guarded, and their access to his person was no ktager possible ; but the arrests had thrown the trading inter- ests of half Europe into confusion ; and merchants, money-dealers, and those who seemed unconnected with politics, were admitted to see him at pleasure. Among