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RELATIONS OF ENGLAND AND SPAIN.

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Some of the laity, who in their station forwarded the persecution which has rendered queen Mary's reign for ever infamous, entered fully into this fear; and if Elizabeth was not brought to the scaffold, or made away with in confinement, it was not for want of wicked counsellors, or fitting keepers. One who was in authority is said to have declared in his place that there would never be " any quiet commonwealth in England unless her head were stricken from the shoulders *; and "it would make a pitiful story to recite what examinations and rackings of poor men there were to find out that knife which should cut her throat." To the honour of the Spaniards, in that persecuting age, it ought never to be forgotten in this country, that their good offices were effectually interposed in her behalf, and that Philip "showed himself in that matter a very friend." Nor will it be regarded by an equitable mind as any impeachment of his motives, that the part which he took on this occasion was that of sound policy, if policy alone had influenced him. Let him have credit for justice in this instance, if not for humanity! He had some great qualities, and some good ones; and his worst actions must be imputed to a deluded conscience, acting under a mistaken sense of religious duty.

If Elizabeth had been at that time cut off, Mary Stuart, then dauphiness, would have become presumptive heiress to the crown of England; and her succession, by uniting England, Scotland, and Ireland to the crown of France, would have been, of all possible contingencies, the most injurious to the interests of Spain. That contingency became more probable upon queen Mary's death; and it seemed as if the French government, in pursuit of its ambitious hopes, was too impatient to wait for it, for Henri II. commanded that

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Fox, iii. 797. 794. 798. The queen's feelings toward her sister are truly stated by Ribadeneira, who had opportunity of knowing them well, and who may be believed when he had no motive for writing falsely; "una muger, he says, speaking of Elizabeth, "que ella nunca tuvo por hermana, sino por bastarda y enemiga suya, y de la religion catolica; y que siempre temio que la avia de arruynar y destruyr, y a quien por estas causas desseó y procuró excluyr de la succession del reyno." Hist. Eccl. de Inglaterra, l.ii. c. 19.

the dauphin and dauphiness should, in all public instruments, style themselves by the grace of God king and queen of Scotland, England, and Ireland.* The arms of England, quartered with those of Scotland, were set forth every where in their household stuff, and painted upon the walls, and wrought into the heralds' coats of arms; and by his agents at Rome, Henry ceased not to importune the pope that he would pronounce Elizabeth a heretic and illegitimate, and Mary of Scotland to be the lawful queen of England. But here both Philip and the emperor, earnestly, though closely, interfered. The question of illegitimacy no longer touched the pride, or affected the interests, of their house; and that of heresy even Spain and Austria could be contented to postpone, rather than allow the power of France to be aggrandised. Philip, therefore, ceased not secretly to oppose the practices of the French at the papal court, even when he refused to renew the league made of old between the kings of England and his forefathers, and sent back his insignia of the garter, whereby he seemed quite to renounce amity with the English. Still there remained the bond of mutual interest between Philip and Elizabeth, and not, it may be believed, without some sense of grateful remembrance on one part, and of personal respect on both. That bond was broken by the decease of Francis II., a few months after his succeeding to the throne; and no kindly feelings, in a man of Philip's temperament, could long withstand that bigotry which was in him a principle and passion, principle, indeed, to which, under a dreadful persuasion of duty, he would have made any sacrifice. The first animosity that he felt was excited by a trifling circumstance.

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Pollini. Istoria Eccles. della Revol. d'Inghilterra, p. 406. deed from this title and arms, which through the persuasion of the Guises, Henry king of France had imposed upon the queen of Scots, being now in her tender age, flowed as from a fountain all the calamities wherein she was afterwards wrapt. For hereupon queen Elizabeth bare both enmity to the Guises, and secret grudge against her, which the subtile malice of men on both sides cherished, emulation growing be twixt them, and new occasions daily arising, in such sort that it could not be extinguished but by death. For a kingdom brooketh no companion; and majesty more heavily taketh injuries to heart." Camden, 34.

PHILIP'S FIRST DISPLEASURE.

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He requested, through his ambassador, that four persons, who had withdrawn themselves without license into his dominions, for religion's sake, might be exempted from the existing laws, and permitted to remain there.* One of these persons was grandmother to the condesa de Feria; another was an old lady who had been much in queen Mary's confidence, and used to distribute her private alms to those of her own sex; the other two were men "most devoted to the popish religion, and most dear to the Spaniard." A distinction might well have been made between these persons, especially in the first instance, where there existed so valid a plea. Elizabeth, however, replied, it was without example that such a licence of perpetual absence from their own country should be granted to women; and though it seemed in itself a matter of no moment, yet she thought it a thing not to be granted, "seeing the private benefit to the individuals would not be so great as the hurt to the community, when others should take courage by their example." The conde de Feria + resented this refusal as a private injury, though made upon public grounds: he caused a servant of the English ambassador to be seized by the inquisition, and "kindled the coals of the displeased king's mind, his wife in vain labouring to the contrary."

But though Philip became more and more estranged

"For by the ancient laws of England it was provided, under pain of confiscation of goods and lands, that none but the great noblemen of the land and merchants should without the king's special licence depart the realm, nor abide in foreign countries beyond a time prefixed, and this, either for the recovery of their health in a hotter climate, or for the more plentiful adorning of their wits in the universities, or else to learn the discipline of the wars." Camden, 46.

No doubt he felt that he had rendered himself personally obnoxious to Elizabeth, for refusing, though residing at London as Philip's representative, to be present at her coronation; which refusal, Ribadeneira says, he made como cavallero catolico y valeroso. For he enquired, "si se avian de guardar en la coronacion todas las ceremonias de los otros reyes Christianos conforme al uso de nuestra santa madre yglesia Romana, y como supiesse que avia de aver alguna alteracion, nunca se pudo acabar con el que assistiesse a la solennedad, ni estuviesse en la yglesia, ni en publico, ni encubierto, ni con los otros grandes del reyno, ni aparte en un tablado que le quisieron hazer, por no autorizar con su presencia aquel auto impio, y dar exemplo del recato y circunspecion que en semejantes cosas, por pequenas que parezcan, deven tener los catolicos para no contaminarse." 1. 2. c. 22.

from Elizabeth, that wise queen avoided all occasion for a breach with Spain; and when her ambassador, sir Thomas Chaloner, who when employed in Germany had found nothing but courtesy there, requested to be recalled, because his coffers had been searched, she admonished him, that an ambassador must take all things in good part, so as his prince's honour were not directly violated. Early, however, in her reign, "finding the realm greatly unfurnished of armour, munitions, and powder," she began to provide against war, that she "might the more quietly enjoy peace." Arms and weapons were purchased for her at Antwerp; but the Spaniards refused to allow the exportation, in policy, not with any hostile disposition at that time. They were procured, therefore, from Germany, at great cost, but so largely that the land was said never to have been so amply stored at any former time with "all kinds of convenient armour and weapons." "Very many pieces of great ordnance of brass and iron she cast; and God," says Camden, "as if he favoured what she undertook, discovered a most rich vein of pure and native brass, which had been long time neglected, near Keswick *, in Cumberland, which abundantly sufficed for that use, and afforded brass to other countries also. The stone, also, called lapis calaminaris, which is most necessary for the brass works, was now, by God's favour, first found in England, and that in abundance. And she, also, was the first that procured gunpowder to be made in England, that she might not both pray and pay for it too to her neighbours. The noblemen, too, and common people, with no less cheerful diligence, provided them arms every where; so as in noblemen's houses most complete armories were furnished. Musters and views of arms were often kept, and the youth trained to the science of war, and audacity of skirmish

* In his Britannia Camden says, "that this place was formerly noted for mines, as appears by a certain charter of Edward IV." And Philemon Holland adds, that the miners "have here their smelting-house by Derwent side, which with his forcible stream and their ingenious inventions, serveth them in notable stead for easy bellows-works, hammer-works, forge-works, and saving of boards, not without admiration of those that_behold it." These works, however, were on the side of the Greta, not the Derwent.

INCREASE OF SHIPPING.

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ing. In those days, also, the queen restrained, by a
strict proclamation, the covetousness of merchants, which
supplied munition for war to the emperor of Russia
against the Polonians, and also to the enemies of Chris-
tendom."
." For the better maintenance and increase of
the navy, the free exportation of herrings and all other
sea fish, in English bottoms, was allowed for four years,
and so farther during pleasure: a partial exemption
from impressment was granted to all fishermen; and
for their encouragement and "the repairing of port towns
and navigation," Wednesdays, as well as Saturdays,
were ordered to be observed as fish-days, under penalty
of a heavy fine; and this, it was stated, was meant
politicly, not for any superstition to be maintained in
the choice of meats." + Her navy was, ere long, so well
appointed, that she had no need (like her father and
predecessors) to hire ships from Hamburgh, Lubec,
Dantzic, Genoa, and Venice. "Foreigners named her
the restorer of the glory of shipping, and the queen of
the north sea." For the protection of the fleet she
built Upnore Castle; and she increased the sailors' pay.
"The wealthier inhabitants of the sea coast," says Cam-
den, "in imitation of their princess, built ships of war,
striving who should exceed; insomuch that the queen's
navy, joined with her subjects' shipping, was, in short
time, so puissant, that it was able to bring forth 20,000
fighting men for sea service."+

1566.

The world in those days offered occupation enough A. D. to restless spirits. At one time many of the young English gentry, "who, according to their innate courage, thought themselves born to arms, not to idleness," repaired to Hungary, as volunteers against the Turks. A few years later they began to flock into the Low Countries, taking different sides, some for principle, others preferring that service in which best entertainment was to be found; the far greater number, however, engaged in the protestant cause, the strong feeling that had been excited by the Marian persecution in their

* Camden, 56. Holinshed, 202.

+ Eliz. C. 5.

Camden, 56.

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