coldly cautious, whilst the French were determined and unceasing in their efforts to thwart the Archduke’s suit. De Foix spent large sums in Leicester’s interest, and Catharine de Medici showered gifts and favours upon him constantly. The moment that he was in disgrace, however, or when the Archduke’s match seemed really progressing, they played their trump card in bringing forward Charles IX. again. When Rambouillet, the French envoy to Scotland, saw Elizabeth in February he had enlarged, by the Queen-mother’s orders, upon the vigour and comeliness of the young King. The Queen was always ready to listen to talk like this, and sighed that she would like to meet him, “but,” she said, “do you think it would be a good match for the King to marry an old woman like me?” De Foix, before his departure in May, 1566, again and again referred to the matter lightly, with the evident intention of keeping it alive, to the detriment of the Archduke’s match and for the benefit of Leicester. The manœuvre was easily seen through, of course, and Guzman, in an interview with Cecil on the 18th of May, said to him, “These Frenchmen are in a fine taking when they see the Archduke’s match progressing, and at once bring forward their own king to embarrass the Queen. When they see that this trick has hindered the negotiations they take up with Leicester again, and think we do not see through them.” Cecil was of the same opinion, and said the French thought they could do as they liked when they had Robert on their side. Instead of Sackville, a Kentish gentleman named Danett was sent to the Emperor, merely as an accredited messenger, with a reply to his letter and the offer of the Garter. The letters from Danett arrived in London in June, 1566, and were of so encouraging a nature that the advocates of the Austrian match again became confident that their man would win the prize. This gave rise as usual to fresh activity on the part of the French. Catharine de Medici, in her instructions to the new ambassador, Bôchetel de la Forest, directed him to help forward Leicester’s pretensions with all his might, and thwart those of the Archduke, and Elizabeth had an interesting conversation with the ambassador’s nephew Vulcob on the subject during her progress in the autumn of 1566. The Queen was staying at Stamford, and Vulcob was charged with his uncle’s excuses for not attending her. He met Leicester at the door of the chamber, to whom he conveyed the regard and sympathy of the King and Queen-mother of France. The Earl replied that the Queen was more undecided about marrying him than ever, and he did not know what to think. He had known the Queen, he said, since they were children together, and she had always announced her intention to remain single, but if by any chance she did marry, he was sure she would marry no one but him. Vulcob was then summoned by the Queen, who at once began to dwell upon the physical qualities of Charles IX., and