n fact； where Spain was held either to have no rights； or to have forfeited them by tyranny。 But Spain itself had been respected by England； as England had by Spain； and trade to Spanish ports went on as usual； till； in the year 1585； the Spaniard； without warning； laid an embargo on all English ships coming to his European shores。 They were to be seized； it seemed； to form part of an enormous armament； which was to attack and crush； once and for allwhom？ The rebellious Netherlanders； said the Spaniards： but the queen； the ministry； and； when it was just not too late； the people of England； thought otherwise。 England was the destined victim； so； instead of negotiating； in order to avoid fighting； they fought in order to produce negotiation。 Drake； Frobisher； and Carlisle； as we have seen； swept the Spanish Main with fire and sword； stopping the Indian supplies； while Walsingham （craftiest； and yet most honest of mortals） prevented； by some mysterious financial operation； the Venetian merchants from repairing the Spaniards' loss by a loan； and no Armada came that year。
In the meanwhile； the Jesuits； here and abroad； made no secret； among their own dupes； of the real objects of the Spanish armament。 The impious heretics；the Drakes and Raleighs； Grenvilles and Cavendishes； Hawkinses and Frobishers； who had dared to violate that hidden sanctuary of just half the globe； which the pope had bestowed on the defender of the true faith；a shameful ruin； a terrible death awaited them； when their sacrilegious barks should sink beneath the thunder of Spanish cannon； blessed by the pope； and sanctified with holy water and prayer to the service of 〃God and his Mother。〃 Yes； they would fall； and England with them。 The proud islanders； who had dared to rebel against St。 Peter； and to cast off the worship of 〃Mary；〃 should bow their necks once more under the yoke of the Gospel。 Their so…called queen； illegitimate； excommunicate； contumacious； the abettor of free…trade； the defender of the Netherlands； the pillar of false doctrine throughout Europe； should be sent in chains across the Alps； to sue for her life at the feet of the injured and long…suffering father of mankind； while his nominee took her place upon the throne which she had long since forfeited by her heresy。
〃What nobler work？ How could the Church of God be more gloriously propagated？ How could higher merit be obtained by faithful Catholics？ It must succeed。 Spain was invincible in valor； inexhaustible in wealth。 Heaven itself offered them an opportunity。 They had nothing now to fear from the Turk； for they had concluded a truce with him； nothing from the French； for they were embroiled in civil war。 The heavens themselves had called upon Spain to fulfil her heavenly mission； and restore to the Church's crown this brightest and richest of her lost jewels。 The heavens themselves called to a new crusade。 The saints； whose altars the English had rifled and profaned； called them to a new crusade。 The Virgin Queen of Heaven； whose boundless stores of grace the English spurned； called them to a new crusade。 Justly incensed at her own wrongs and indignities； that 'ever…gracious Virgin； refuge of sinners； and mother of fair love； and holy hope；' adjured by their knightly honor all valiant cavaliers to do battle in her cause against the impious harlot who assumed her titles； received from her idolatrous flatterers the homage due to Mary alone； and even （for Father Parsons had asserted it； therefore it must be true） had caused her name to be substituted for that of Mary in the Litanies of the Church。 Let all who wore within a manly heart； without a manly sword； look on the woes of 'Mary；' her shame； her tears； her blushes； her heart pierced through with daily wounds； from heretic tongues； and choose between her and Elizabeth！〃
So said Parsons； Allen； and dozens more； and said more than this； too； and much which one had rather not repeat； and were somewhat surprised and mortified to find that their hearers； though they granted the premises； were too dull or carnal to arrive at the same conclusion。 The English lay Romanists； almost to a man； had hearts sounder than their heads； and； howsoever illogically； could not help holding to the strange superstition that； being Englishmen； they were bound to fight for England。 So the hapless Jesuits； who had been boasting for years past that the persecuted faithful throughout the island would rise as one man to fight under the blessed banner of the pope and Spain； found that the faithful； like Demas of old； forsook them and 〃went after this present world；〃 having no objection； of course； to the restoration of Popery： but preferring some more comfortable method than an invasion which would inevitably rob them of their ancestral lands and would seat needy and greedy Castilians in their old country houses； to treat their tenants as they had treated the Indians of Hispaniola； and them as they had treated the caciques。
But though the hearts of men in that ungodly age were too hard to melt at the supposed woes of the Mary who reigned above； and too dull to turn rebels and traitors for the sake of those thrones and principalities in supra…lunar spheres which might be in her gift： yet there was a Mary who reigned （or ought to reign） below； whose woes （like her gifts） were somewhat more palpable to the carnal sense。 A Mary who； having every comfort and luxury （including hounds and horses） found for her by the English Government； at an expense which would be now equal to some twenty thousand a year； could afford to employ the whole of her jointure as Queen Dowager of France （probably equal to fifty thousand a year more）； in plotting the destruction of the said government； and the murder of its queen； a Mary who； if she prospered as she ought； might have dukedoms； and earldoms； fair lands and castles to bestow on her faithful servants； a Mary； finally； who contrived by means of an angel face； a serpent tongue； and a heart （as she said herself） as hard as a diamond； to make every weak man fall in love with her； and； what was worse； fancy more or less that she was in love with him。
Of her the Jesuits were not unmindful； and found it convenient； indeed； to forget awhile the sorrows of the Queen of Heaven in those of the Queen of Scots。 Not that they cared much for those sorrows； but they were an excellent stock…in…trade。 She was a Romanist； she was 〃beautiful and unfortunate；〃 a virtue which； like charity； hides the multitude of sins； and therefore she was a convenient card to play in the great game of Rome against the Queen and people of England； and played the poor card was； till it got torn up by over…using。 Into her merits or demerits I do not enter deeply here。 Let her rest in peace。
To all which the people of England made a most practical and terrible answer。 From the highest noble to the lowest peasant； arose one simultaneous plebiscitum： 〃We are tired of these seventeen years of chicanery and terror。 This woman must die： or the commonweal of England perish！〃 We all know which of the two alternatives was chosen。
All Europe stood aghast： but rather with astonishment at English audacity； than with horror at English wickedness。 Mary's own French kinsfolk had openly given her up as too bad to be excused； much less assisted。 Her own son blustered a little to the English ambassador； for the majesty of kings was invaded： whereon Walsingham said in open council； that 〃the queen should send him a couple of hounds； and that would set all right。〃 Which sage advice （being acted on； and some deer sent over and above） was so successful that the pious mourner； having run off （Randolph says； like a baby to see the deer in their cart）； returned for answer that he would 〃thereafter depend wholly upon her majesty； and serve her fortune against all the world； and that he only wanted now two of her majesty's yeoman prickers； and a couple of her grooms of the deer。〃 The Spaniard was not sorry on the whole for the catastrophe； for all that had kept him from conquering England long ago was the fear lest； after it was done； he might have had to put the crown thereof on Mary's head； instead of his own。 But Mary's death was as convenient a stalking…horse to him as to the pope； and now the Armada was coming in earnest。
Elizabeth began negotiating； but fancy not that she does nothing more； as the following letter testifies； written about midsummer； 1587。
〃F。 Drake to Captain Amyas Leigh。 This with haste。
〃DEAR LAD；
〃As I said to her most glorious majesty； I say to you now。 There are two ways of facing an enemy。 The one to stand off； and cry； 'Try that again； and I'll strike thee'； the other to strike him first； and then； 'Try that at all； and I'll strike thee again。' Of which latter counsel her majesty so far approves； that I go forthwith （tell it not in Gath） down the coast； to singe the king of Spain's beard （so I termed it to her majesty； she laughing）； in which if I leave so much as a fishing…boat afloat from the Groyne unto Cadiz； it will not be with my good will； who intend that if he come this year； he shall come by swimming and not by sailing。 So if you are still the man I have known you； bring a good ship round to Plymouth within the month； and away with me for hard blows and hard money； the feel of both of which you know pretty well by now。
〃Thine lovingly；
〃F。 Drake。〃
Amyas clutched his locks over this letter； and smoked more tobacco the day he got it than had ever before been consumed at once in England。 But he kept true to his promise； and this was his reply：
〃Amyas Leigh to the Worshipful Sir F。 Drake； Admiral of her Majesty's Fleet in Plymouth。
〃MOST HONORED SIR；
〃A magician keeps me here； in bilboes for which you have no picklock； namely； a mother who forbids。 The loss is mine： but Antichrist I can fight any year （for he will not die this bout； nor the next）； while my motherbut I will not trouble your patience more than to ask from you to get me news； if you can； from any prisoners of one Don Guzman Maria Magdalena Sotomayor de Soto； whether he is in Spain or in the Indies； and what the villain does； and where he is to be found。 This only I entreat of you； and so remain behind with a heavy he