dares not decide nor even evince a preference.... The principal Roman Catholics of this court show much zeal, but they are men of words more than of deeds.” In the evening of the 23d, Alva was again summoned to the queen’s presence; he found her walking alone with her daughter in a long gallery. Isabella pressed her to dismiss L’Hopital, the chancellor: “I am persuaded,” she continued, “that so long as he is maintained in his present post, your good subjects alone will have reason to dread and fear, while the bad will find shelter and countenance.” To which Catherine replied: “I can not admit the truth of my daughter’s observations.” Alva, to excuse her, added: “The queen my mistress has only pressed your majesty thus hardly because the king my master wishes to ascertain positively from your majesty and the king your son whether it is the intention of your majesties to put down heresy or not, as in either case my master will know how to govern his conduct.” To this Catherine replied, with no little haughtiness: “The council will give the reply demanded by my son the Catholic king.” The last conference was held on the 28th June, and at it were present the king and the two queens, Anjou, Alva, Don Juan Manrique, Don Francisco Alava, Montpensier, the Cardinals of Bourbon, Guise, and Lorraine, and the Constable Montmorency. After some remarks about accepting the canons of the Council of Trent, the discussion turned on the best mode of settling the religious differences. The Duke of Alva said: “It seems to me that this is not the moment to root out the evil with the sword, or to treat it merely with mildness and dissimulation; for, on the one hand, my master can hardly approve that your majesty should raise an army and lead it against your own subjects, and, on the other, there seems no sufficient reason for leaving those unpunished who are too audacious. I would not set religion on the uncertain footing of the chances of a war, in which one evil accident may throw all into the greatest danger.... Some persons, as I have been told, have advised your majesty to take up arms against those of the religion. I have not come to France to do it so bad a service, nor would the king my master have sent me for such a purpose.”[365] Cardinal Granvelle was of the same opinion; there were safer ways of getting rid of troublesome enemies than by war: the government had only to seize five or six of the chief Huguenots and cut off their heads.[366] That the King of Spain entertained similar views we learn from his remarks to Sigismond Cavalli, the Venetian embassador, that the French troubles were owing to the neglect of the advice he had given them years before.[367] Neither Charles nor Catherine would make any promises; they thought the state of France was satisfactory, but would willingly listen to any suggestions and deliberate very carefully upon them. For one incident of the conference we are indebted to Prince