356 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 60. I have argued with him, but he is as hard as a stone, 1 and unless we yield in this we lose England, and all will be over with Flanders. His Majesty, no doubt, should respect the Holy Office, but it cannot be right to play into the hands of God's rebels and his own. I beseech his Majesty with tears to listen to me. With- out this concession all else will be nothing. I will not give up hope. I will snatch at every twig that offers/ 2 Between his various advisers, Philip was as uncertain as Elizabeth. Alva recommended him to renew his father's old League, or make another special treaty, to stand till the Low Countries were conquered. Philip was afraid, on one side, of committing misprision of heresy ; on the other, of adding England to his other . enemies At length he gave Cobhani in writing the following answer. ' He would send an ambassador to London, and he would receive an Englishman at Madrid, but only on these conditions. His own minister must have the sacraments of the Church, as a matter of course. As positively, no unauthorized service could be permitted in Spain. The utmost indulgence which would be extended to a foreign resident would be that he should not be compelled to hear mass. It would be more agreeable to all parties therefore if the person selected could be a Catholic, otherwise the Queen must send some reasonable person well inclined to the alli- ance. The offer of mediation he was obliged to decline. If his insurgent subjects would submit unconditionally, 1 ' Esta co mo una pen a duro.' 2 Alva to Cayas, November 25 : MSS. Simancas.
