Swetkowitz was a Lutheran, and on Whit Sunday attended Protestant service with the Queen, who after dinner had an interesting conversation with him, in which he promised that the new Emperor would not stand so much upon his dignity as his father had done, and would let the Archduke come and see her as he (the Archduke) greatly wished to do. She blushed with pleasure at this, and said that if they liked one another the matter could soon be settled. What was uppermost in her mind, however, was seen in her next remark: “I pray you tell me, have you heard from any one that the Earl of Leicester is not dealing favourably with this affair or is opposing it in any way?” He replied that on the contrary Leicester had been most favourable, and had even himself written to the Emperor urging the match. He pointed out to her that it was not surprising that the public considered the match probable, as if she married out of England there was no other prince of suitable age whom she could marry. “But,” she said, “I have never said yet that I would not marry the Earl of Leicester.” This rather damped Swetkowitz, and Guzman was further confirmed in his opinion that the whole negotiation was dishonest and for the benefit of Leicester, who was now leaning more towards French interests at Court. Guzman distrusted and disliked him, but thought necessary to feign approval of his suit, in order to have a claim upon his gratitude; and Swetkowitz, who was duly informed of this, consequently had great doubts of the sincerity of Spanish support in the Archduke’s pretensions. This caused a coolness between the two ambassadors, and somewhat paralysed the action of Swetkowitz, who said that as soon as he was satisfied that the King of Spain really favoured the match he, Swetkowitz, had means for bringing it about. At an interview Guzman had with the Queen she expressed her doubts about the _bona fides_ of Philip’s approval and tried to draw the Spanish ambassador into some clear expression of it. He told her that if she decided to marry one of her own subjects he, Guzman, could not forget the interests of his friend (_i.e._, Leicester), but if she chose a foreign prince he begged her not to overlook the house of Austria, as he had said before. “That is true,” she replied, “but you said the house of Spain.” He told her she was mistaken. He had no reason for saying Spain, as his master was head of the house of Austria, and he did not particularise or exclude any member of his house. This was sufficiently indefinite, and conveyed to the Queen the impression which was intended; namely, that either match could only be effected by her coming to an arrangement with Spain. She replied that she thanked the ambassador for his kind remark about his friend, and left Philip to thank him for the rest. “This makes it evident to me,” he wrote to the King, “that Lord Robert’s affair is not off, and I have many reasons for being doubtful about