the intrigues of that prince, plunged him into the deepest
distress; and the king of Navarre, a professed Hugonot, being next
heir to the crown, the duke of Guise took thence occasion to revive the
Catholic league, and to urge Henry, by the most violent expedients, to
seek the exclusion of that brave and virtuous prince. Henry himself,
though a zealous Catholic, yet, because he declined complying with their
precipitate measures, became an object of aversion to the league; and as
his zeal in practising all the superstitious observances of the Romish
church, was accompanied with a very licentious conduct in private life,
the Catholic faction, in contradiction to universal experience, embraced
thence the pretext of representing his devotion as mere deceit and
hypocrisy. Finding his authority to decline, he was obliged to declare
war against the Hugonots, and to put arms into the hands of the league,
whom, both on account of their dangerous pretensions at home and their
close alliance with Philip, he secretly regarded as his more dangerous
enemies. Constrained by the same policy, he dreaded the danger of
associating himself with the revolted Protestants in the Low Countries,
and was obliged to renounce that inviting opportunity of revenging
himself for all the hostile intrigues and enterprises of Philip.

The states, reduced to this extremity, sent over a solemn embassy to
London, and made anew an offer to the queen of acknowledging her
for their sovereign, on condition of obtaining her protection and
assistance. Elizabeth's wisest counsellors were divided in opinion
with regard to the conduct which she should hold in this critical and
important emergence. Some advised her to reject the offer of the states,
and represented the imminent dangers, as well as injustice, attending
the acceptance of it. They said, that the suppression of rebellious
subjects was the common cause of all sovereigns; and any encouragement
given to the revolt of the Flemings, might prove the example of a like
pernicious license to the English; that though princes were bound by
the laws of the Supreme Being not to oppress their subjects, the people
never were entitled to forget all duty to their sovereign, or transfer,
from every fancy or disgust, or even from the justest ground of
complaint, their obedience to any other master: that the queen, in the
succors hitherto afforded the Flemings, had considered them as laboring
under oppression, not as entit