Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/495

 I57I-] THE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 481 of money ; he had come to lay the Low Countries at the feet of the French King, to ask him to assist in expelling the Spaniards, and to prevail on Elizabeth's unwillingness to induce her also to give help. In re- turn, the Provinces might be divided Flanders and Hainault could be reunited to France; Brabant, Gel- derland, and Luxemburg to Germany, while England might have Holland and the islands at the mouth of the Scheldt. Could the marriage have been arranged, an aggress- ive league with this object would have unquestionably followed between England, France, and the German Protestant States; and a European revolution would have been the inevitable consequence. Without the marriage, it was doubtful whether either of the con- tracting Powers would have sufficient confidence in the other to risk a breach with Spain. It had been the traditionary policy of English statesmen to embroil France with Spain, and to make their own market out of the discord of their rivals. Catherine de Medici naturally feared that Elizabeth would ' leave her in the briars,' or perhaps purchase back Spanish friendship by turning against her, unless Elizabeth had given securi- ties for her good faith. Nevertheless it appeared on the surface as if Cathe- rine and Charles were willing to venture the experiment. The King desired Walsingham to acquaint his mistress with Count Louis's proposal. ' If she, being Lady of the Narrow Seas,' would go along with him, Charles offered to take his share of the enterprise, and to make VOL. IX. 31