"Your Highness," said he, "never was a sovereign in a more difficult position. You stand alone without an honest adviser in the land. See how easily your councilors who were Protestants one year ago have now become Catholics. Will they not as readily become Protestants again, if they have good hope of farther advancement under the Princess Elizabeth? You are surrounded by enemies. There are those who do not love the true church, and there are the rebels who followed Northumberland; Lady Jane and the Princess Elizabeth stand ready for their hand. Then there are France and Scotland; the Scotch queen would willingly add England to her domain. In Spain lies your only hope." "Even if what you say is true," she responded, "I am not a young girl whose hand is to be disposed of at the will of her father, I must see the prince before I decide." "Pardon, your Majesty," said the ambassador, "but the emperor will never permit that his son and heir should be exhibited before the court as a candidate for your Majesty's hand, and perchance be rejected before the eyes of Europe. A man's face is a token of the man, shall a portrait of the prince be sent you?" The queen agreed, and the picture was sent. It portrayed a young man with blue eyes, yellow hair and beard, and a rather gloomy expression; but the face must have pleased the queen, for when Parliament again begged her to marry none but an Englishman, it was too late. Two days earlier she had in the presence of the Spanish ambassador taken a solemn oath that she would wed no other man than Prince Philip of Spain. Nothing was talked of in the kingdom but the Spanish marriage. "It is a poor business," said one. "King Henry is but seven years dead, and his kingdom will soon be only a province of Spain." "Not so fast," rejoined the other. "Spain is the richest country in Europe. I wish I had but the twentieth part of the gold that comes from the New World in one of those high-decked galleons of hers." "For the queen to marry Philip will bring it no nearer to us," retorted the first. "Why not, my friend? Will not freedom to trade help to fill our empty treasury? Spain is a strong ally. Let France and Scotland attack us, and it will be well to have a helper with ships and treasure." "Ships and treasure will not give us freedom," declared the first. "Better be poor than be ruled by Spain. I'm as true a Catholic as you, but no wish have I to see the torture chamber of Spain brought into England. Philip's own subjects detest him."