The choice of a pope, however, would signify little, if only the child could be born; but where was the child? The queen put it off strangely. The conference could be delayed no longer. It opened without the intended makeweight, and the court of France was less inclined to make concessions for a peace. The delay began to tell on the bourse at Antwerp. The Fuggers and the Schertzes drew their purse-strings, and made difficulties in lending more money to the emperor.[471] The plenipotentiaries had to separate after a few meetings, having effected nothing, to the especial mortification of Philip and Mary, who looked to the pacification to enable them to cure England of its unruly humours. The Duke of Alva (so rumour insisted) was to bring across the Spanish troops which were in the Low Countries, take possession of London, and force the parliament into submission.[472] The English were to be punished, for the infinite insolences in which they had indulged towards Philip's retinue, by being compelled, whether they liked it or not, to bestow upon him the crown.[473] [Footnote 471: Noailles: _Ambassades_, vol. iv. p. 313.] [Footnote 472: "Et la ou ladicte paix ou trefve adviendront ledict seigneur (l'Empereur) fera bientost apres repasser en ce royaulme le duc d'Alva avecque la plus grande part de sesdictes forces pour y fabvoriser les affaires de ce roy."--Noailles, vol. iv. p. 330.] [Footnote 473: "Il n'est rien que l'Empereur ne fasse pour venir a la paix, tant il desire avant de retourner en Espaigne de faire couronner son filz, roy de ce pays. Et pensera par meme moyen se saisir des places fortes d'icelluy et chastier des Angloys d'infinies injures qu'ilz out faict recepvoir aux Espagnols, mettant grosses garnisons en ceste ville de Londres, et aultres lieux, a quoy ces roy et royne proposent ... s'y faire obeir absolument aux parlemens, suyvant ce qu'ilz n'ont peu faire par cydevant."--Noailles, vol. iv. pp. 332, 333. In these reports the truth was anticipated but not exceeded. It will be seen that such projects were really formed at a later period.]