Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/365

1575-1 THE SPANISH TREATY. 345 father would not have borne, nor will I bear it, and umess your King takes better order with these men, I must imprison subjects of his in return/ ' Understand me/ she continued, * you know the proverb old wine, old bread, and an old friend. The French say, our re- conciliation cannot stand. Let the King and me prove their word false.' 1 A special minister was sent to Ma- drid, to insist on concession, and Sir Henry Cobham, who had been dismissed from the Spanish Court four years before with scanty courtesy, was pointedly se- lected for the purpose. Elizabeth too, on her part, was ready to do what she could to gratify Philip, and she took the opportunity of showing him that the English for whom she demanded toleration, were not the heretics with whom they were confounded. Among the fugitives from the Provinces, who had taken refuge in England, was a congregation of Anabaptists wretches abhorred in the eyes of all orthodox Anglicans. Twenty-seven of them were ar- rested in Aldgate, and brought to trial for blasphemous opinions on the nature of Christ's Ma y *5- body. Four of them carried faggots at Paul's Cross, recanted, and were pardoned. Eleven who were ob- stinate were condemned in the Bishop of London's court, and delivered over to the secular arm. The in- congruous element of Elizabeth's council would have perhaps been split in pieces by an execution on so large a scale. ' Great pains were taken' to move them. One more Do Guaras to Cay as, January, 1575 : MSS. Simancas.