Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/491

 1571. ] rHE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 477 self. As Anjou drew back, her scruples became less, and the peculiarity of her character enabled her to per- suade even herself that she had been and still continued to be willing to accept him. Had it Been so indeed, Anjou could doubtless have been whistled back to the lure. But further vacillation would have been deliber- ate suicide. Cecil was too happy that she was credit- ably extricated from a dangerous position, and however anxious he still admitted himself to be for the marriage, he showed her that it was absolutely necessary for her to make up her mind. ' Should she marry with France/ he said in an elaborate paper which he laid before her, ' many things evil digested and dangerous would, by God's providence, prove easy to be ordered the perilous causes of the Scottish Queen and Scotland, the discontent of a great number of her subjects upon sundry causes, the differences with Spain, the dangerous and unreasonable changes growing up in Ireland, and, generally, the uncertainty which obliged her to stand continually on her guard by sea and land. Her Majesty believed that a league with France would answer these purposes as well as her marriage. The league, no doubt, would be better than nothing ; but it would last only as long as France was interested in maintaining it. The danger to her from the pretended title of the Queen of Scots would continue, and probably increase. The dis- satisfaction of her subjects would increase also, and with it the Queen of Scots' faction. The uncertainty of the succession would divide England into parties, and the