1921 ' REVIEWS OF BOOKS 267 Elder's solution of the puzzle is not satisfactory. His main theme is to lay stress upon the divergence between Spanish imperialism and dis- interested zeal for the faith, to show how Philip II aimed at a political domination of Great Britain, how British Catholicism was divided as to the admissibility of the Spanish claims, and how James of Scotland, with singular duplicity, evolved a system of defence. This cautious monarch managed to insinuate himself into most — though not all — of the catholic plots, with the result that the loyal catholics, hoping for his conversion, ceased to plot, whilst Philip, who had no mind to conduct crusades for the benefit of others, invariably withdrew. At the same time James remained officially protestant, took English money, and persecuted the catholics enough to save his face, though far too little to satisfy the presbyterian zeal of his subjects. Some good points are made. The solid weight of Scottish presbyterianism is well established — it is not the mere trade union of ministers and elders that some would have us believe. Many readers will realize with some surprise that Scottish levies, sent specifically in the name of King James, were maintaining the cause of protestantism in the Netherlands four years before Queen Elizabeth openly equipped troops for this service (pp. 69, 71). But, on the whole, the book is disappointing. From the very first the author becomes involved in an inconsistency from which he never clears himself. How far was Philip's policy purely Spanish, and how far could he rely upon a catholic league ? Upon this fundamental point, Dr. Elder speaks with two voices. As a rule he follows Father Pollen in regarding the league as of little account (p. 59), but on the other hand he assures us that ' the rising tide of the Reformation swept away the old international interests of Europe in favour of new alliances based on religion ' (p. 35) ; in another passage he writes of * Spain head of the great Catholic League ' (p. 36). In discussing d'Aubigny, he assumes (p. 78) that this mysterious figure, who merits deeper discussion, was the representative of some joint action on the part of the catholic powers ; on a subsequent page he introduces us, somewhat abruptly, to a working arrangement between the pope and Spain, who were to contribute in a fixed ratio (| to f ) towards some joint scheme ; x and, finally, when he tells us that with Mary Stuart in her grave ' the binding link had been broken ' and that ' Philip of Spain was but the leader of a forlorn hope ' (p. 141), he commits himself to a belief in the possibility of joint action by the catholic powers — a belief certainly not shared by Persons and Olivares, who, relying solely upon Spain, regarded the queen's removal as a convenience. 2 Dr. Elder exaggerates both the chances of Philip's success (pp. 45, 53) and his complete control of Mary's policy. Chapters iii and iv, in which Mary figures largely, contain no reference to Labanoff's Receuil, and though it is true that the queen became steadily more ' Spaniolised ', it is true also that she regarded negotiation with England as a useful second string — especially after the Anglo-French entente ; the scheme of ' association ' with James was a serious project. Recent 1 p. 107. The bargain was as old as 26 November/6 December 1582 : see Kretzschmar, Die Invasionsprojekte, app. 22. 2 Calendar of Span. Papers, Elizabeth, iv. 42, 43, 101.
