foreigner.[390] Had there been unity of purpose and design among the leaders, and above all, had Courtenay possessed one spark of courage, their success would have been certain. But some were for immediate action, while others had regard to the bad and almost impassable state of the country roads, and to the difficulty of a combined movement in mid-winter. Finally, it was decided that nothing should be done till the spring, when Philip was expected to arrive. At the first sign of his approach, they were to arm, oppose his landing, marry Elizabeth to Courtenay, and have them proclaimed King and Queen in Devonshire. But the suspicions of the Council were roused by the visits to Elizabeth of a mysterious person, representing himself to be a French pastor. He had several conferences with her, the officers of her household taking him for an emissary of the disaffected. The Council urged Mary to secure Elizabeth’s person, but in vain, and Gardiner sent a message to the Princess, entreating her to be loyal to the Queen.[391] Elizabeth immediately posed as a victim, but Courtenay was wax in the Chancellor’s hands. Gardiner summoned him to an interview, and began by reproaching the thankless recipient of Mary’s bounty with his manner of life, and with the company he frequented, warning him that if he continued to forget his duty to the Queen, he would assuredly have cause for repentance. He should be on his guard, the Chancellor insinuated, against the French, and other interested people, adding that her Majesty wished that he should go and make the acquaintance of the Emperor. Hereupon Courtenay became alarmed, fancying himself already handed over to the just punishment of his crime. He pretended to confess all, declared that certain persons had tried to persuade him of things touching religion and the Queen’s marriage, but that he had been unwilling to listen to them; that he had resolved to live and die in the Queen’s service; that a marriage with Madam Elizabeth had been proposed to him, but that he would rather be sent back to the Tower than be united to her; and that he was willing to accept the proposed mission to the Low Countries.[392] This was all that Renard committed to writing of the interview, but the news spread like wildfire among the conspirators, that Courtenay had revealed the plot, and de Noailles informed Henry of the fact. Renard as usual importuned Gardiner for Elizabeth’s imprisonment, but the Chancellor made an evasive answer, to the effect that he would see to it when the Prince of Spain should be in England. The plotters decided to bring matters to an immediate crisis, although it was fully six weeks before the time fixed for action. On leaving London, Wyatt and Croft resolved to warn Elizabeth, but the letter which Wyatt wrote to her fell into the hands of the Council. In this letter, he urged her for greater safety to leave her house at Ashridge, and to retire to her castle of Donnington, thirty