4 o 4 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 55. Scots, to restore the Catholic religion, and to suppress the pretensions of the Earls of Hertford and Hunting- don, who on various grounds aspire to the succession, and, being Huguenots, find favour with the heretics. ' You will make known the good and prompt dis- position of the Catholics, who are the strongest party in numbers and rank, and you will explain the oppor- tunity which is now offered for the re-establishment of the truth, through the just title of the Queen of Scots, many of the Protestants regarding religion as of less importance than the succession, and being therefore ready to support the Queen of Scots against the rival claimants.
- And since his Holiness and the Catholic King may
have hitherto been dissatisfied with me, as having in some sort affected to be a Huguenot, you will say that I have never been disloyal to the Holy See, but have desired only to hold myself in readiness (when an occasion like the present should oflPer itself) to do some service to my country and the .common weal of Chris- tendom ; 1 as the event will show if they give us now the aid for which we ask. My hope is to unite this whole island under one sovereign, and restore the ancient laws and the ancient religion. Yet, because 1 'Y quando su Santidad y el Key hasta agora hubiesen tenido al- guna sospecha de mi por no haberme declarado, antes en cierta manera mostrado set Ugonote, les signifi- carcis que no ha sido por mala voluntad que yo aya tenido a aquella Santa Sede, sino para poder, quandc el tiempo y ocasion se presentase como agora se ofresce, hacer toda esta Isla y generalmente a toda la Christiandad el relevado servicio que el mismo effecto mostrara.'
