La Mole travelled post night and day, and arrived in London only on the fourth day after he had left Paris: he brought flattering letters of introduction from Walsingham, Montmorenci, and Coligny, whose main hope it is clear to see by his letter, now rested upon Alençon’s marriage with the Queen. La Mole arrived in London on the 27th of July, and on the following night at eleven o’clock Burleigh had a long private interview with him and La Mothe Fénélon at the house of the latter. The Queen was on her progress towards the splendid visit to Kenilworth, and it was some days before her decision with regard to receiving La Mole could arrive. He started from London with La Mothe Fénélon on the 1st of August, and reached the Queen on the night of the 3rd, Sunday. He was at once secretly introduced into the Queen’s chamber, Leicester, Smith, and La Mothe Fénélon alone being present. The Queen, we are told, was full of graciousness and caresses,[77] for the envoy was young and gallant, but she could hardly have been pleased with his mission. “His King,” he said, “could not openly declare himself in the matter of Flanders, as she desired ... as otherwise it would provoke a league of the Pope, the King of Spain, the Venetians, and others against which he could not defend himself. He was against any rash action. The King of Portugal had a large force of 12,000 or 15,000 men, and he was assured the Duke of Savoy was fully armed--all this must be considered before any bold step was taken.”[78] The next day La Mole went openly to the palace ostensibly only as an emissary from Alençon, “with all the tricks and ceremonies of the French and these people. He is still at Court, being feasted and made much of.”[79] The Queen, indeed, was so pleased with him that she carried him to Kenilworth where a grand supper was given specially in his honour, at which Elizabeth herself presided and drank the young envoy’s health. The next day he and La Mothe were entertained at dinner by Cecil, and Elizabeth was again present. After dinner she fully explained her new position towards the Alençon match with her usual nimble _volte face_, to suit the changed circumstances. La Mothe Fénélon gives an account of the conversation as if the Queen’s expressions were quite spontaneous; but it is instructive to note that everything she said was carefully drawn up by Cecil, and the interesting paper is still at Hatfield.[80] They (the French), she said, had quite misunderstood Walsingham. It would have been absurd for her to have said that her marriage with Alençon was impossible and immediately afterwards to have suggested a meeting between them. She only raised certain difficulties as to their ages, religion, and the like, but these might doubtless be overcome. And so she again holds out her hand, smooths away obstacles, suggests a meeting between the Duke and herself, proposes the adoption of the Anjou articles, with the exception of religion, which she and Alençon