on-intervention, which the perilous position of England seemed to her to
dictate. With the problem of Scotland and Mary Stuart yet unsolved--with a
very considerable part of the lords and commons of her own kingdom
scarcely concealing their affection for the Romish faith--she deemed it
hazardous to provoke too far the enmity of Philip the Second, her
brother-in-law, and a late suitor for her hand. As if any better way could
be found of warding off from her island the assaults of Philip than by
rendering efficient aid to Conde and Orange! As if England's dissimulation
and refusal to support the "Huguenots" and the "Gueux" in any other than
an underhand way were likely to retard the sailing of the great expedition
that was to turn the Pope's impotent threats against the "bastard of
England" into fearful realities! As if Protestantism, everywhere menaced,
could hope for glorious success in any other path than a bold and combined
defence![636] Unfortunately Elizabeth was fairly launched on a sea of
deceitful diplomacy, and not even Cecil could hold her back. She gave La
Mothe Fenelon, the French envoy, assurances that would have been most
satisfactory could he have closed his eyes to the facts that gave these
assurances the lie direct. At one time, with an appearance of sincerity,
she told the Spanish ambassador, it is true, that she could not abandon
the family of Chatillon, who had long been her friends, whilst she saw the
Guises, the declared enemies of her person and state, in such authority,
both in the council and the field; that she could not feel herself secure,
especially since a member of the French council had inadvertently dropped
the hint that, after everything had been settled at home, Charles would
turn his arms against England. She had rather, consequently, anticipate
than be anticipated.[637] But to La Mothe Fenelon himself she maintained
unblushingly that, so far from helping the French Protestants, "there was
nothing in the world of which she entertained such horror as of seeing a
body rising in rebellion against its head, and that she had no notion of
associating herself with such a monster."[638] And again and again she
protested that she was not intriguing in France--that she had sent the
Huguenots no assistance.[639] At the same time Admiral Winter had been
despatched with four or five ships of war and a fleet of merchantmen, to
carry to La Rochelle, in answer to the request of Conde and of the Queen
of