FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332   333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   346   347   348   349  
350   351   352   353   354   355   356   357   358   359   360   361   362   363   364   365   366   367   368   369   370   371   372   373   374   >>   >|  
n--as they expressed themselves. "Her Majesty," said he, "is well disposed to permit some exercise of their religion to the Papists. So far as regards my own feelings, if we were now in the beginning, of the reformation, and the papacy were still entire, I should willingly concede such exercise; but now that the Papacy has been overthrown, I think it would not be safe to give such permission. When we were disputing, at the time of the pacification of Ghent, whether the Popish religion should be partially permitted, the Prince of Orange was of the affirmative opinion; but I, who was then at Antwerp, entertained the contrary conviction." "But," said one of the deputies--pleased to find that Walsingham was more of their way of thinking on religious toleration than the great Prince of Orange had been, or than Maurice and Barneveld then were--"but her Majesty will, we hope, follow the advice of her good and faithful counsellors." "To tell you the truth," answered Sir Francis, "great princes are not always inspired with a sincere and upright zeal;"--it was the third time he had made this observation"--although, so far as regards the maintenance of the religion in the Netherlands, that is a matter of necessity. Of that there is no fear, since otherwise all the pious would depart, and none would remain but Papists, and, what is more, enemies of England. Therefore the Queen is aware that the religion must be maintained." He then advised the deputies to hand in the memorial to her Majesty, without any long speeches, for which there was then no time or opportunity; and it was subsequently arranged that they should be presented to the Queen as she would be mounting her horse at St. James's to ride to Richmond. Accordingly on the 15th July, as her Majesty came forth at the gate, with a throng of nobles and ladies--some about to accompany her and some bidding her adieu--the deputies fell on their knees before her. Notwithstanding the advice of Walsingham, Daniel de Dieu was bent upon an oration. "Oh illustrious Queen!" he began, "the churches of the United Netherlands----" He had got no further, when the Queen, interrupting, exclaimed, "Oh! I beg you--at another time--I cannot now listen to a speech. Let me see the memorial." Daniel de Dieu then humbly presented that document, which her Majesty graciously received, and then, getting on horseback, rode off to Richmond.' The memorial was in the nature of an exhor
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   325   326   327   328   329   330   331   332   333   334   335   336   337   338   339   340   341   342   343   344   345   346   347   348   349  
350   351   352   353   354   355   356   357   358   359   360   361   362   363   364   365   366   367   368   369   370   371   372   373   374   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Majesty

 

religion

 
deputies
 

memorial

 

Orange

 
Netherlands
 
Daniel
 
advice
 

Richmond

 

presented


Walsingham
 

Prince

 

Papists

 
exercise
 
arranged
 
subsequently
 
opportunity
 

horseback

 

received

 
mounting

Therefore

 

nature

 

England

 

enemies

 

remain

 
Accordingly
 

advised

 

maintained

 

speeches

 

exclaimed


depart

 

Notwithstanding

 
interrupting
 

churches

 

United

 

illustrious

 

oration

 
humbly
 

document

 

graciously


throng

 

listen

 

accompany

 

bidding

 

ladies

 
nobles
 
speech
 

Francis

 

disputing

 

pacification