Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/52

38 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [ci-i. 52. principle is detestation of the Catholic faith, and as he has never been on the Continent, he thinks that Eng- land is all the world/ 1 If England was to go to war, Cecil still preferred Spain as an enemy to France. He was determined that there should be no reconciliation, except on terms which would make the Catholics despair ever more of Philip's assistance. He had brought his mistress to the edge of absolute rupture, but there she paused ; ' the word war was dreadful to her/ 2 It meant expenses, it meant loans from the Jews, it meant taxation and its consequent un- popularity. She could not bear to hear of it, and here therefore, on her weak side, Cecil's enemies had the ad- vantage. If she desired peace it was obvious to tell her that she must take measures to preserve peace; and many a storm had Cecil to encounter, as she wavered between her opposite advisers. In extremities Eliza- beth did not stay to pick her words. ' She cursed those who had tempted her to take the Spanish treasure : she wished the Devil had flown away with them.' 3 But the happy inconsistencies of her character kept her con- duct firm while her speech varied. She could not bring apartarse un solo punto del parecer de Sicel.' Don Guerau to Cayas ? February 28 : MSS. Simanca,s. 1 This is a mistake Cecil accom- panied Lord Paget to the Low Countries in 1554 to bring back Cardinal Pole. 2 ' No quiere oyr hablar de guerra ' -was the report of a spy to Don Guerau. According to La Mothe her constant words in the council were : ' Je ne veulx point la guerre, je ne veulx point la guerre.' De'peches, April 20. 3 ' La Eeyna maldice & todos los que le hablaron en el arresto del dinero, diciendo que queria que antes los hubiera llevado el Diablo, porque vee bien que estas cosas la podrian hacer caer en una guerra.' Dcscifrada del Italiano, March 15 MSS. Simancas.