truction, to be issued at the
right moment. If his Holiness desires to see it we will have it
translated into Latin for his use.
'Before the enterprise is undertaken the sentence of excommunication and
deposition ought to be reissued, with special clauses.
'It must be published in all adjoining Catholic countries; all Catholic
kings and princes must be admonished to forbid every description of
intercourse with the pretended Queen and her heretic subjects, and
themselves especially to make or observe no treaties with her, to send
no embassies to her and admit none; to render no help to her of any sort
or kind.
'Besides those who will be our friends for religion's sake we shall
have others with us--neutrals or heretics of milder sort, or atheists,
with whom England now abounds, who will join us in the interest of the
Queen of Scots. Among them are the Marquis of Winchester, the Earls of
Shrewsbury, Derby, Oxford, Rutland, and several other peers. The Queen
of Scots herself will be of infinite assistance to us in securing these.
She knows who are her secret friends. She has been able so far, and we
trust will always be able, to communicate with them. She will see that
they are ready at the right time. She has often written to me to say
that she hopes that she will be able to escape when the time comes. In
her last letter she urges me to be vehement with his Holiness in pushing
on the enterprise, and bids him have no concern for her own safety. She
believes that she can care for herself. If not, she says she will lose
her life willingly in a cause so sacred.
'The enemies that we shall have to deal with are the more determined
heretics whom we call Puritans, and certain creatures of the Queen, the
Earls of Leicester and Huntingdon, and a few others. They will have an
advantage in the money in the Treasury, the public arms and stores, and
the army and navy, but none of them have ever seen a camp. The leaders
have been nuzzled in love-making and Court pleasures, and they will all
fly at the first shock of war. They have not a man who can command in
the field. In the whole realm there are but two fortresses which could
stand a three days' siege. The people are enervated by long peace, and,
except a few who have served with the heretics in Flanders, cannot bear
their arms. Of those few some are dead and some have deserted to the
Prince of Parma, a clear proof of the real disposition to revolt. There
is abundance of food
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