d these privities,--that the king should
make his excuse to the queen that he would go to see his father in
Flanders, and that immediately he would return--seeing the good simple
queen is so jealous over my son. (I term it," said Bradford, "as the
letter doth.") "We," said the emperor, "shall make her agree unto all
our requests before his return, or else keep him exercised in our
affairs till we may prevail with the council, who, doubtless, will be
won with fair promises and great gifts, politicly placed in time." "In
other letters I have read the cause disputed, that the queen is bound
by the laws of God to endue her husband in all her goods and
possessions, so far as in her lieth; and they think she will do it
indeed to the uttermost of her power. No man can think evil of the
queen, though she be somewhat moved when such things are beaten into
her head with gentlemen; but whether the crown belongs to the queen or
the realm, the Spaniards know not, nor care not, though the queen, to
her damnation, disherit the right heir apparent, or break her father's
entail, made by the whole consent of the realm, which neither she nor
the realm can justly alter."[492]

[Footnote 492: Elizabeth, when she came to the
throne, refused to admit that she was under any
real obligation to Philip. She was entirely right
in her refusal. The Spaniards had sworn, if
possible, to make away "with all those which by any
means might lay claim to the crown."

"I call God to record," Bradford continues, "I have
heard it with mine ears, and seen the said persons
with mine eyes, that have said, if ever the king
obtain the crown, he would make the Lady Elizabeth
safe from ever coming to the same, or any of our
cursed nation. For they say, that if they can find
the means to keep England in subjection, they would
do more with the land than with all the rest of his
kingdoms. I speak not of any fool's communication,
but of the wisest, and that no mean persons. Yea,
and they trust that there shall means be found
before that time to despatch the Lady Elizabeth
well enough by the help of assured traitors