losest relation
to the French Reformed! Sermons were delivered from the pulpits
against these proceedings of the government.

But if the active alliance of France against Spain and Austria was
secured by this immense sacrifice, what could have appeared more
natural than to employ the whole strength of that country for the
restoration of the Count Palatine, which the French saw to be
advantageous to themselves, and for the support of German
Protestantism? In pursuance of the stipulations which had been made
the King of Denmark was already in the field: his troops had already
fought hand to hand at Nienburg in the circle of Lower Saxony with
the forces of the League which were pressing forward into that
country. He was strong in cavalry but weak in infantry: the German
envoys who were present in England insisted that gallant English
troops should be sent to his assistance, and that the fleet which was
ready for service should be ordered to the Weser; for that the support
which the fleet would give to the King would encourage him to advance
with good heart. And then, as they added with extravagant hopefulness,
the King of Sweden, who had already offered his aid, would come
forward actively, if only he had some security; the Elector of
Brandenburg, who had just married his sister to the King of Sweden,
would declare himself; the Prince of Transylvania, who was connected
with the same family, would force his way into Bohemia: every one
would withstand the League and compel it to restore the lands occupied
by it to their former sovereigns, and to the religion hitherto
professed in them.

But Buckingham had as little sympathy with the German as with the
French Protestants: his passionate ambition was to make the Spaniards
directly feel the weight of his hatred. For this purpose he had just
concluded an offensive and defensive alliance with the United
Provinces; even the great maritime interests of England were
themselves a reason for opposing Spain. At all events, in the autumn
of 1625 he despatched the fleet, not to the Weser, which appeared to
him almost unworthy of this great expedition, but against the coasts
of the Spanish peninsula. Orders were given to it to enter the mouth
of the Guadalquivir, and to alarm Seville, or else to take the town of
Cadiz, for which object it had on board a considerable number of land
troops; or, finally, to lie in wait for the Spanish fleet laden with
silver, and to bring home the cargo a