ognition of his right to that succession, in a great measure to
Cecil's elaborate and careful preparations. It was therefore natural
enough that Cecil's position as chief minister should be confirmed at
the beginning of the new reign: but this fact drove two important
parties into opposition to the new order of things. The Earl of
Northumberland, Lord Grey, Lord Cobham, and Sir Walter Raleigh found
themselves deprived of all chance of obtaining power, and the Catholics
gradually realised that their position was not likely to be
substantially improved. Northumberland indeed was won back by promises
of royal favour, but Raleigh was deprived of his captainship of the
Royal Guards and his post of Warden of the Stannaries, whilst his
monopoly in wine was threatened. The all-important question of foreign
politics formed a centre on which the international struggle for power
turned. James himself was a stranger to the national hatred for the
Spaniards which had hitherto been Raleigh's guiding principle. Cecil was
probably more anxious for peace than anything else, though desirous to
do all he could to advance the power of the Netherlands and hold the
Spaniards in check. Meanwhile the various foreign powers concerned
prepared to make what profit they could out of the altered state of
England. A mission from the Netherlands effected practically nothing.
The Duke of Sully, the ambassador from Henry IV. of France, obtained
some assistance towards prolonging the defence of Ostend against the
Spanish forces. The Archduke Albert[2] sent the Duke of Aremberg, not to
negotiate, but to protract the time till the Court of Spain could decide
upon a policy.

Northumberland, together with Raleigh and Cobham, seem to have made
overtures to Sully which were rejected, on which the two latter
transferred their attentions to the Spanish interest, and certainly put
themselves into communication with Aremberg. Meanwhile an extreme and
apparently weak party among the Catholics entered into an obscure and
violent undertaking popularly known as the 'surprising' or 'Bye' plot as
contrasted with Raleigh's, known as the 'Main.' Watson, a secular
priest, whose main motive, in Professor Gardiner's view, was a hatred of
the Jesuits, had taken a leading part in reconciling the English
Catholics to James's accession. Irritated by the exaction of fines for
recusancy instituted at the beginning of the new reign, he allied
himself with Clarke, another priest, S