Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/314

 300 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 54. disposition to quarrel with. England in the interests of the Catholic religion. In vain the despairing Nuncio preached upon the impiety of making peace with here- tics. In vain Don Francis de Alava promised help from Spain, and the clergy of Paris offered to pay the expenses of the army for eight months if the King would persevere. He said he would have no more war with his subjects, and Protestants and Catholics should cut each others' throats no longer. 1 The change relieved Elizabeth from the fears " of a crusade, and while it increased the chances of a quarrel between France and Spain, it enabled her to hope that between France and herself there might now be a cor- dial alliance. She would thus be secure against inva- sion, and her own subjects would lose the temptation to mutiny. The danger from the release of the Queen of Scots would be diminished or reduced to nothing, if the direction of French policy was in the hands of the ene- mies of the Guises ; and while Charles and Catherine still continued to intercede for her, the guarantees which they were ready to give that she should not abuse her freedom could now be depended upon. Thus again the wind swung round. Cornwallis and Southampton were set at liberty. A tripartite treaty was proposed between France, England, and Scotland, a condition of which was to be the Queen of Scots' restoration ; and Elizabeth said that she would be satis- fied with sufficient securities for her own title, the sur- Norris to Elizabeth, July 23 ; MSS. France.