Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/494

 480 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 56. Walsingham and Burghley .were right in believing that, had the marriage taken place, the course of European history would have been different, and the power of the Papacy have been rolled back in one broad wave across the Alps and Pyrenees. The Queen having finally discovered that she was unequal to the sacrifice which was required of her, the next step was to secure the political alliance of France : and here, for a time, the success seemed considerable. The Queen-mother flattered herself with the hope that although Anjou had proved untractable, Elizabeth might yet in time accept her third son, the Due d'Alencon. The anti-Spanish party .remained in the ascendant at Court. Count Louis, at the beginning of August^ brought a petition from the Netherlands for help against Alva, and was graciously received. He had tried Eliza- beth first, but Elizabeth, fearing then that she had brought a quarrel with France upon herself, was in- tending to make up again to Spain as if, as Walsing- ham said, l Spain would forget the injuries which it had received from her.' Count Louis had asked for 50,000 crowns, which Walsingham considered ' would save the disbursing of 300,000 ; but they could not be obtained ' ' God/ as he said, ' at times blinding the hearts of princes, not suffering them to see the perils that hung over them/ 1 At Paris however Count Louis found a Government more ready to listen to him. It was not now a question Waisingham to Cecil, June 30 JUSS. France.