REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 57. Europe had recovered from the paralysis into which they had been thrown by the first burst of the Reform- ation. A general spirit of disloyalty had penetrated every section of society : the leaders were arrested, but a dangerous humour was abroad, in the North especially, which at any moment might break again into flame ; l and, since Pembroke's death, Elizabeth had no one in her council who could be relied on to command in the field with any general sympathy from the country. Her ministers were chiefly civilians who had risen from the ranks with the new order of things. Leicester was detested and despised, and was half a traitor to boot ; Bedford was in bad health ; Bacon was a mere lawyer ; Cecil was infinitely able and infinitely popular with the Protestants, but he was not a soldier, and by the Catholics he was as much hated as Cromwell had been. If it came to blows it might well be doubted whether men like these could hold their ground against the retainers of the hereditary English chiefs, around whose persons was concentrated the traditional loyalty of centuries. Such men as Norfolk and Arundel were as sovereigns in their own counties. To the Howards and Fitzalans the Tudors themselves were but the mush- room growth of yesterday; and to attempt to crush treason by force when the leading nobles were at the 1 'The people have been put in comfort of a change, and now they stand but looking for one that would say Hisse. These counties are most apt to evil, as where the practising Papists have most their conventicles.' Thomas Ashton of Shrewsbury to Burghley, October 23 : MSS. Do- mestic.
