45 CHAPTER III. Affairs in England-Treaty of Peace-Parma-Spanish Treachery -The Queen's Preparations-English Romanists-Their Conduct-Two Parties-Days of Fasting and Prayer. LEAVING Philip and his armada for a time, we must now return into England, to notice the Queen's preparations in this emergency. Elizabeth was exactly fitted for such circumstances as those in which the country was then placed. She was also surrounded by councillors, such as England has rarely seen. It must be regarded as a mark of God's good providence over our land, that such a sovereign should at that time have occupied the throne, and that she should have been aided by such able ministers. The selection of such men for her councils was a proof of the Queen's sagacity. How unlike were the statesmen of that day to the men by whom the throne of this country is at present surrounded! It has been remarked, that Philip's vast preparations were known to Elizabeth's ministers some time before the sailing of the armada: but it was not at first known what was the destination of the armament*. To blind the English ministers, the Duke The letter in Ellis's Collection from a person who uses the initials B. C., and whom Mr. Ellis calls an English spy, has already been mentioned. It relates to the armada, and is dated from of Parma was permitted by Philip to enter into a negotiation for peace. The intention was to amuse the Queen, in order that the armada might sail and find the country unprepared. The Spanish council hoped, by such means, to take the Queen's ministers by surprise. Elizabeth evinced the utmost readiness to enter upon a treaty. She knew what was intended by Spain, and that no result would come of negotiation: but she was anxious to gain time. Still she treated of peace with the sword in her hand; she knew the men with whom she had to deal, she was acquainted with the principles of the Church of Rome, and she understood the character of King Philip. Though the Duke of Parma intended to lull the English people into a state of security, so that no preparations might be made, yet the Queen and her ministers were as active at home as they could have been if no treaty had been set on foot. Philip, Madrid, May 28, 1588. The writer says, " And although I judge this navy (now in readiness under the Castle of Belem, expecting wind to set sail) may be in your quarters before these come to your hands, yet would I omit no occasion to write, seeing that when heretofore I was in the number of the incredulous, yet now being in place where I may hear and see, I confess to be in the wrong for now I am out of doubt they will in very deed that way." Mr. Sharon Turner, alluding to this letter, says that the writer " was no spy writing to his government. Its contents obviously show that it was addressed to some one who like himself hoped the armada would succeed."-ELLIS's Letters, Second Series, iii. 134; TURNER'S Elizabeth, 664. therefore, was disappointed in his expectations. No unsuspecting person would have imagined that Philip was contemplating the invasion of England, while he was negotiating for peace; such, however, was the case. Various matters were discussed by the parties who met each other in Flanders. The treaty was actually continued until the armada was in the British Channel; it is indeed stated, that the sound of the guns from the sea was the signal for the dismissal of the assembly. It is certain that the English plenipotentiaries did not quit Flanders until the Spanish fleet was in the Channel: "so that in August, when both fleets were upon the seas, the Queen's commissioners came home+." It has been said, that the armada appeared suddenly on our shores, in consequence of Parma's treachery, in pretending a treaty when war was determined upon. That the Duke of Parma was acting a treacherous part must be admitted by all: but it is not true that Elizabeth did not expect that the invasion would be attempted. At the same time the armada, as will appear in the narrative, was in the Channel sooner than was expected; even Parma himself was taken by surprise. Strype commences his account of the year 1588 in the following words. "We now proceed to the next year, viz., 1588, the wonderful year, as it was * CARTE, iii., 625-6; ECHARD, i., 868; RAPIN, ii., 135. commonly and deservedly called, with respect to this nation especially. "Two weighty matters now lay upon the Queen to be managed: the one was a treaty propounded to the Queen by the Duke of Parma, Governor of the Netherlands, for a truce in order to a peace between her and the King of Spain: and the other, the preserving herself and kingdoms from the intended invasion of the Spaniards*." The same writer, after mentioning that commissioners on both sides met near Ostend, remarks, "They began their treaty in April, and continued arguing all the summer: in show rather than in reality on Parma's sidet." Into this treaty then Parma entered, though there was no intention whatever of making a peace with Elizabeth. It was a piece of papal duplicity from beginning to end. Some persons might allege that the Queen also entered upon the treaty with the same object in view, namely, to deceive. But how different were the circumstances of the two parties. The Queen was * STRYPE'S Annals, vol. iii., part ii., p. 2. "This year," says the same writer in another place, was the most dangerous year of the Queen's whole reign, both for her own and the kingdom's safety, and of the present Church of England. For a dreadful invasion of this land was now resolved upon, and vast preparations making for that purpose by the Pope, and the enraged proud King of Spain, and other Popish princes in league. A vast fleet was got ready to come into our seas, breathing nothing but destruction and slaughter."—Life of Grindal, i., 524. + STRYPE'S Annals, vol. iii., part ii., p. 5. anxious to adopt any plan to delay the intended invasion; and besides, she was ready to conclude a peace with Philip on reasonable terms. Though, therefore, she had but little hope of any good result from the negotiation, yet she would have acted the part of an insane person had she refused: but Philip did not intend to conclude a peace; nor did he desire it, for he was resolved on the invasion and subjugation of England. It was not Elizabeth's interest to enter into a war with Spain; peace was her object: and she would have readily concluded a treaty with the Duke of Parma, if it could have been granted on fair and reasonable terms. In her desire for peace she was most sincere. This is admitted even by Dr. Lingard*. But the treacherous conduct of King Philip, and of his agent the Duke of Parma, is evident from certain circumstances which occurred during the treaty. These circumstances, as furnishing an illustration of the character of popery, I shall relate. Sir James Crofts, one of the Queen's Privy Council, was a man who, like Elizabeth, was always anxious for peace. The Duke of Parma succeeded in persuading this gentleman, that Philip was equally anxious to make a peace on honourable terms. During the progress of the treaty, however, the English commissioners had several illustrations of Parma's duplicity. On one occasion, while the parties were * LINGARD, V., 497. |