herwise join to dethrone the queen and set up another in her
place. Lord Hunsdon was on the same side, as was also the lord-admiral
(the earl of Lincoln), but less warmly. Burleigh labored to find
arguments in support of the measure, but evidently against his judgement
and to please the queen. Leicester openly professed to have changed his
opinion, "for her majesty was to be followed." Sir Walter Mildmay
reasoned freely and forcibly against the measure, on the ground of the
too advanced age of the queen, and the religion, the previous public
conduct and the family connexions of Anjou. Sir Ralph Sadler subscribed
to most of the objections of Mildmay, and brought forward additional
ones. Sir Henry Sidney approved all these, and subjoined, "that the
marriage could not be made good by all the counsel between England and
Rome; a mass might not be suffered in the court;" meaning, probably,
that the marriage rite could not by any expedient be accommodated to the
consciences of both parties and the law of England.

On the whole, with the single exception perhaps of the earl of Sussex,
those counsellors who pronounced in favor of the marriage in this
debate, did so, almost avowedly, in compliance with the wishes of the
queen, whose inclination to the alliance had become very evident since
the visit of her youthful suitor; while such as opposed it were moved by
strong and earnest convictions of the gross impropriety and thorough
unsuitableness of the match, with respect to Elizabeth herself, and the
dreadful evils which it was likely to entail on the nation. How entirely
the real sentiments of this body were adverse to the step, became
further evident when the council, instead of immediately obeying her
majesty's command, that they should come to a formal decision on the
question and acquaint her with the same, hesitated, temporized, assured
her of their readiness to be entirely guided on a matter so personal to
herself, by her feelings and wishes; requested to be further informed
what these might be, and inquired whether, under all the circumstances,
she was desirous of their coming to a full determination. "This message
was reported to her majesty in the forenoon," (October 7th 1579) "and
she allowed very well of the dutiful offer of their services.
Nevertheless, she uttered many speeches, and that not without shedding
of many tears, that she should find in her councillors, by their long
disputations, any disposition to make it