the queen secured her from all such
attempts as James was exposed to from the mutinous disposition of his
subjects; and her enemies found no other means of giving her domestic
disturbance, than by such traitorous and perfidious machinations
as ended in their own disgrace, and in the ruin of their criminal
instruments. Roderigo Lopez, a Jew, domestic physician to the queen,
being imprisoned on suspicion, confessed that he had received a bribe
to poison her from Fuentes and Ibarra, who had succeeded Parma, lately
deceased, in the government of the Netherlands; but he maintained, that
he had no other intention than to cheat Philip of his money, and never
meant to fulfil his engagement. He was, however, executed for the
conspiracy; and the queen complained to Philip of these dishonorable
attempts of his ministers, but could obtain no satisfaction.[*] York
and Williams, two English traitors, were afterwards executed for a
conspiracy with Ibarra, equally atrocious.[**]

Instead of avenging herself by retaliating in a like manner, Elizabeth
sought a more honorable vengeance, by supporting the king of France, and
assisting him in finally breaking the force of the league, which, after
the conversion of that monarch, went daily to decay, and was threatened
with speedy ruin and dissolution. Norris commanded the English forces
in Brittany, and assisted at the taking of Morlaix, Quimpercorentin, and
Brest, towns garrisoned by Spanish forces. In every action, the English,
though they had so long enjoyed domestic peace, discovered a strong
military disposition; and the queen, though herself a heroine, found
more frequent occasion to reprove her generals for encouraging their
temerity, than for countenancing their fear or caution:[***] Sir Martin
Frobisher, her brave admiral, perished, with many others, before Brest.
Morlaix had been promised to the English for a place of retreat; but the
duke d'Aumont, the French general, eluded this promise, by making it be
inserted in the capitulation that none but Catholics should be admitted
into that city.

* Camden, p. 577. Birch's Negot. p. 15. Bacon, vol. iv. p.
381.

** Camden, p. 582.

*** Camden, p. 578.

Next campaign, the French king, who had long carried on hostilities with
Philip, was at last provoked, by the taking of Chatelet and Dourlens,
and the attack of Cambray, to declare war against that monarch.
Elizabeth, being threatened with a new invasion in Engla