Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/375

1570.] THE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 361 The connection was princely and noble, and would draw together the 'two great realms of France and England/ ' The Queen would be delivered from the continual fear of the practices of the Queen of Scots, upon whom almost wholly depended the prosperity and adversity of her Majesty's whole life and reign/ ' The King of Spain would no more torture and imprison English subjects/ ' The Pope's malice, with his Bulls and ex- communications, and the spite of all his dependants as well in England as abroad, would be suspended and vanish in smoke. Ireland would be no longer in daily peril of revolt/ The Duke would bring a handsome revenue with him from his duchies, and should he, as perhaps he might, ' accommodate himself to the religion of England/ the Reformed faith would be established in France and throughout Christendom, ' to the honour of the Queen and the augmentation of the glory of God/ In one form or another Calais would be re- covered, and the expenses of the Government would be reduced on every side. In a word, the result to be expected from the marriage was a general return of security security at home against revolutions, security against combinations among the foreign Powers. The Queen, of course, could not be pressed to accept the Duke 'till she had assured herself of the qualities of his person/ but Cecil so confidently anticipated her acquiescence that he recommended rather the sup- pression than the display of her feelings : ' So as the French King might be made more earnest in his suit,