Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/490

 47 f> REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 56. his mistress an honourable retreat, and Anjou's own pride came opportunely to his assistance. If the thing was not to be, religion was a fair ex- cuse on both sides ; and Anjou, in fear of ridicule, de- termined to save his credit with the Catholics by him- self making the difference of creed an insurmountable objection. He began to talk largely of his conscience. He protested that he would not marry a heretic of questionable character. The clergy and the Cardinal of Lorraine encouraged his humour, and the English am- bassador now watched it growing with secret satisfac- tion. The Queen-mother and Charles still hoped that Elizabeth could not break off. The King swore he would make those who had dared to interfere ' shorter by the head ; ' 1 Catherine used all her arts with Anjou, and ' never sobbed so much since the death of her husband ; ' and ' Monsieur himself retired to his cabinet and bestowed half a day in shedding tears/ But ' neither the King's threatening nor the Queen- mother's persuading could draw him to proceed further.' Mass or no mass, toleration or no toleration, he refused definitely to think any more of the marriage. 2 Nothing could have happened more conveniently. Except for this fit of temper the rejection would have come from England, and Walsingham congratulated himself that 'at least her Majesty's honour could be saved, and she could be thought to have proceeded with sincerity.' Elizabeth made a new danger for her 1 Walsingham to Cecil, July 30: MSS. France. 2 Walsingham to Cecil, July 27 Ibid.