Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/96

76 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 57. reopened her proposal for the Alencon marriage. She undertook that there should be no difficulties with re- ligion. The Duke, she said, should order himself as the Queen pleased. The objections on the score of age were so strong in the case of Anjou, that the slight addition to them was of little or no moment. A marriage with either of the two brothers would not have been thought of except for political reasons ; and it made little differ- ence whether Elizabeth was twice as old as her intended bridegroom, or his senior only by sixteen years. Sir Thomas Smith was decidedly of opinion that his mistress ought to close with an offer which promised such splen- did results. The marriage once completed, the war for the liberation of Flanders would immediately begin. There was no doubt of the sincerity of the King, ' who was of like disposition towards Elizabeth as was his grandfather towards her father;' 'and if her Majesty would proceed to take profit of the time, she might have what amity she would/ and might dictate the future of Europe. Only he told Burghley that there must be no de- lay. ' Her Majesty must show herself more resolute than she had done in the other matter, or it would breed offence/ * The Queen of Scots would be no obstacle. When Sir Thomas Smith informed Charles that she would proba- bly be put to death, the King shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. When her later performances were detailed to him, he merely answered ' that he saw she would never rest till she had lost her head ; he had 1 Sir T. Smitli to Burghley, January 9, 10, 1 1 : MSS. France.