Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/53

ENGLISH PARTIES, 39 April. herself to unclasp her hold on the money. She felt that come what would, she could not afford to yield to fear, and she was proud of the wild achievements of her sailors. When Don Guerau complained of the plunder in the Channel, Cecil gave the proud answer, that the Queen of England was sovereign of the narrow seas, and he would make her rule acknow- ledged there. Don Guerau said, that ' the sea was too fickle an element for a lady's sceptre ; ' but Elizabeth, however she might complain, was substantially of Cecil's opinion, and refused to interfere with him. 1 At this crisis arrived the untimely news of the battle of Jarnac. 2 The winter had been passed in a series of desultory skirmishes, which on the whole had been favourable to the Huguenots. Conde had readvanced to the Loire. The Due de Deux Fonts was preparing to come to his assistance out of Germany ; and it seemed as if the war, especially with Elizabeth's help, might still be indefinitely prolonged, when Conde was unex- pectedly forced into an action at Jarnac, between An- gouleme and Cognac ; and there, besides losing a battle, lost his life. In itself the defeat was of no consequence. The Admiral easily rallied the Huguenot army. He kept the field, and was not obliged to retire from any im- portant position. Conde was in himself worth but little ; his place of command was better filled by the young 1 ' Respondiome Sicel que queria hacer a la Reyna de Tnglaterra Senora deste Mare con supremo dominio. Yo le dixe que era muy inconstante este elemento por quercr lo predominar la serenissima Reyna.' Don Guerau to Philip, April 23. 2 March 13.