frustrated Dudley’s plan. Francis II., Mary Stuart’s husband, was now dead, and France was ruled by the Queen-mother Catharine de Medici, whose tenure of power largely depended upon Huguenot support. So to her was sent the Puritan Earl of Bedford to suggest joint action with England in relation to the Council and religious affairs generally as a countercheck to Dudley, and Cecil himself began to intervene in the negotiations with the Bishop. He urged the latter to get his master to write a letter to the Queen recommending the marriage, in terms that he knew were impossible, and when the Bishop asked him point blank whether this was the Queen’s message or his own, he begged that a modest maiden like her Majesty might not be driven into a corner and made to appear anxious for her own marriage. He further said the intention was to summon Parliament, and lay the King’s letter before it as an inducement for them to adopt the marriage with Dudley--a course which he knew well would have an entirely opposite effect. The Bishop soon saw the drift. “The sum of it all is that Cecil and these heretics wish to keep the Queen bound and subject to their heresies, and although she sees that they treat her badly, and especially the preachers, she dares not go against Cecil’s advice, as she fears both sides would then rise up against her. Robert is very much displeased at all this, and has used great efforts to cause the Queen to make a stand and free herself from the tyranny of these people and throw herself entirely on your Majesty’s favour. I do not think, however, that he has been able to prevail, as he is faint-hearted and his favour is founded on vanity.” Sidney, Pembroke, and others, urged Dudley to action, but, infatuated as the Queen was with him, she knew what a weak reed he was in Council, and always checked herself in her passion to take the wise advice of Cecil. For some weeks, however, the Bishop was deceived. A great show of cordiality was made towards him; the Catholic nobles and bishops, persuaded that Dudley’s suit was being pushed by Spain, began to gather round the favourite, and ostensible preparations were made for receiving the Pope’s Nuncio in England with the invitation to the Council of Trent. The Bishop wrote to the King that, at last Dudley “appeared to have made up his mind to be a worthy man and gain respect.” Dudley was now more emphatic than before of his intention to restore the Catholic religion in England, and the Protestant party took fright. Greatly to Quadra’s indignation public opinion was excited against himself as the promoter of a plot to restore Catholicism; the Nuncio was informed that he would not be allowed to land in England, the Queen refused to send envoys to the Council of Trent, Sidney was hurried off to his Government in Wales, and, by the end of April, Cecil’s underhand diplomacy had triumphed and Dudley’s plan to force the Queen into a marriage by the aid of the Catholics was frustrated.