e," wrote Allen, "will follow our party when they see themselves
supported by a sufficient foreign force." Against these were only "the
new nobles, who are hated in the country," and the towns. "But the
strength of England is not in its towns." All the more warlike counties
were Catholic in their sympathies; and the persecution of the recusants
had destroyed the last traces of their loyalty to the Queen. Three
hundred priests had been sent across the sea to organize the
insurrection, and they were circulating a book which Allen had lately
published "to prove that it is not only lawful but our bounden duty to
take up arms at the Pope's bidding and to fight for the Catholic faith
against the Queen and other heretics." A landing in the Pope's name
would be best, but a landing in Philip's name would be almost as secure
of success. Trained as they were now by Allen and his three hundred
priests, English Catholics "would let in Catholic auxiliaries of any
nation, for they have learned to hate their domestic heretic more than
any foreign power."

[Sidenote: Philip and France.]

What truth there was in the Jesuit view of England time was to prove.
But there can be no doubt that Philip believed it, and that the promise
of a Catholic rising was his chief inducement to attempt an invasion.
The operations of Parma therefore were suspended with a view to the
greater enterprise and vessels and supplies for the fleet which had for
three years been gathering in the Tagus were collected from every port
of the Spanish coast. Only France held Philip back. He dared not attack
England till all dread of a counter-attack from France was removed; and
though the rise of the League had seemed to secure this, its success had
now become more doubtful. The king, who had striven to embarrass it by
placing himself at its head, gathered round him the politicians and the
moderate Catholics who saw in the triumph of the new Duke of Guise the
ruin of the monarchy; while Henry of Navarre took the field at the head
of the Huguenots, and won in 1587 the victory of Coutras. Guise restored
the balance by driving the German allies of Henry from the realm; but
the Huguenots were still unconquered, and the king, standing apart, fed
a struggle which lightened for him the pressure of the League. Philip
was forced to watch the wavering fortunes of the struggle, but while he
watched, another blow fell on him from the sea. The news of the coming
Armada called Drake