438 REIGN OF ELIZABETH, [CH. 61. he said, ' found great fault with her Majesty's un- certainties, promising, and drawing back/ It was 'unwise/ 'impolitic/ 'unjust to the States/ 'and the way to overthrow religion/ ' If the Queen meant only practice, she ought to have warned them, and to have let them try other means for their safety.' l Alencon was indisputably going, let the conse- quences be what they might. It was a volunteer en- terprise in which the French Crown was not formally compromised; but when the Spanish ambassador at Paris remonstrated with the King, he refused to inter- fere. The ambassador said that he was bound to con- trol his subjects. Tke King replied that he did not wish to quarrel with Spain, but he would prefer war with Spain to war with his brother. ' Whatever is pretended/ wrote Sir Amyas Paulet, 2 ' the King is not sorry for this enterprise, for any way he thinks he will be the winner. If Monsieur meet his master, the King is delivered of so many suspected subjects ; if he speed well, the King and all his realm shall have their parts in it.' 3 Sir Edward Stafford, who was sent to re- monstrate with the Queen-mother, was as unsuccessful as Davison. He could not learn what was intended ; but he concluded only ' that the purpose was deep and intricate/ 'part of a mighty and monstrous design for the extirpation of religion.' 4 1 Davison to "VValsingham, May 1 1 : MSS. Holland. 2 English ambassador in Paris. 3 Paulet to Walsingham, May 23 : MSS. France. 4 Stafford to Elizabeth, May 26: MSS. Ibid.
