The Courtships of Queen Elizabeth: A history of the various negotiations for her marriage — David Hume — John Shaqi
The Courtships of Queen Elizabeth: A history of the various negotiations for her marriage
David Hume · en
that the marriage can only take place in conjunction with a joint war
of England and France against Spain in the Netherlands. She has striven
all her life, and successfully, to secure peace for her people, and
to make her marriage a war-cry would alienate them from her and it,
and she cannot do it. But still in order that he may see she has not
forsaken him, and to prevent the Spaniards from entirely having their
wicked way in the Netherlands, she is sending Walsingham to France to
persuade the King how necessary it is for him to help his brother in
his noble task. This must have appeared plain enough to the suitor as
meaning that France must pull the chestnuts out of the fire for her,
and Elizabeth probably thought it was rather too blunt, for she has
added in her own hand these words: “Ne pences pas que chose du monde me
changera de vous demourer telle que prendra toujours part de vostre
fortune, voyr la plus mauvaise; et que si le corps me soit, l’ame vous
est toute dédié, comme ces tabliers vous tesmoignent.”
When at a subsequent stage the Queen found fault with some of
Walsingham’s proceedings, he wrote to her, recapitulating her private
instructions to him on his mission, and we are therefore in possession
of her real intentions at the time.[136] He says: “The principal cause
why I was sent over was to procure a straiter degree of amity between
the King and you without marriage, and yet to carry myself in the
procuring thereof, as might not altogether break off the marriage.”
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CHAPTER XII.
Walsingham’s mission to France--His alarm of the consequences of
the Queen’s fickleness--Alençon enters Flanders--Relief of
Cambrai--Alençon entreats Elizabeth’s aid--Walsingham’s
remonstrance to the Queen for her penuriousness--Alençon
again visits England--Elizabeth’s severity to the Catholics
during his stay--Leicester’s continued intrigues--The
Queen’s solemn pledge to marry Alençon--Dismay of Leicester
and his friends--The Queen’s recantation--Arrival of
Secretary Pinart--Elizabeth’s plan to evade the marriage--
Her correspondence with Simier--He arrives in England again
--Elizabeth’s efforts to get rid of Alençon--He refuses to
leave unless she marries him--Simier’s advice to the Queen.