The duke of Anjou was, at this period, struggling to acquire the sovereignty of the Netherlands, and under his banner were arrayed an immense number of the French nobles. To the members of the house of Lorraine he was inveterately hostile; for he looked upon them as his personal enemies, and as having been authors of the many mortifications which he had undergone. To prevent him from entering France, for the purpose of succouring his brother Henry, was, therefore, an object of primary importance; as, if that were not attained, their project of dethroning the king, or at least becoming viceroys over him, could scarcely hope for success. Morality was, in those days, at so low an ebb among the great, that it is probable the Guises would have felt but few scruples in accomplishing their purpose by the death of the duke; though, avowedly, their sole aim was to shut him out of France, by closing against him the northern frontier and the ports of Britanny. The daring spirit and desperate situation of Salcede—for he was deeply involved in debt—pointed him out to the Guises as a fit instrument. The duke of Guise tempted him by a solemn assurance, that the king of Spain would reward him with rank and occupation proportioned to the magnitude of his services; and he backed his arguments and promises by descanting on the benefit which the catholic religion would derive from ruining the duke of Anjou. His eloquence prevailed, and Salcede unreluctantly devoted himself to the furtherance of the treasonable scheme. It was arranged, that the Guises should secretly furnish funds for raising a regiment, to be commanded by Salcede, and that he should then proceed to the duke of Anjou, and offer to bring to his banner a chosen body of men, who would engage to remain under it for several months. No doubt was entertained that, as the duke was scantily provided with money, was, in consequence, daily deserted by some of his troops, and had no great confidence in the Belgians, he would gladly accept this offer; and would either entrust the new corps with the keeping of some important fortress, or reserve it as a guard for his own person. In either case, the conspirators could turn the circumstance to account. The seizure of Dunkirk and Cambray were the main points to which Salcede’s attention was to be directed; but he was also to do his best to shake the fidelity of Anjou’s officers, and, of course, was to act as spy for the Spanish monarch. The prince of Parma, meanwhile, was gradually to approach Calais, the governor of which town, it is said, had promised to betray his trust. The sudden loss of Calais would, it was imagined, so terrify Henry, that he would give the supreme command of his forces to the duke of Guise; the French accomplices of the Guises would then rise in arms; and the plan of subverting the government would be easily executed.