viii CONTENTS. PAGE She determines to restore nothing. . . . 158 Alençon . . . . . . . . . 160 Spanish Conquest of Portugal .. .. ..162 Uneasiness of France and England . . . . 162 Advice of Burghley . . . . . . 163 The Crown of the Low Countries offered to Alençon . . 166 Elizabeth promises to marry him . . . . . . 169 Arrival of Alençon's Secretary .. .. ..170 Incredulity of Mendoza . . . . ..172 A French Embassy . . . . . . ..174 Conditional Marriage Treaty . . . . 175 Manoeuvres to escape . . . . . . . . 178 Irritation in Paris . . . . . . . . 180 Likelihood of a Rupture with Spain . . . 180 Don Antonio, the Portuguese Pretender . . . . 182 Proposed Expedition to Terceira . . . . . . 184 Walsingham is sent to Paris . . . . . . 188 Elizabeth's Dilemma . . . . . . . 189 Misgivings of Walsingham . . . 193 She sends Alençon Money . . . . . . 195 Hard Treatment of Don Antonio .. .. ..196 Remonstrances of Mendoza . . . . . . 199 Final refusal to restore Drake's Plunder . . . . 201 Mendoza advises Philip to reconcile himself with Eliza- beth . . . . . . . . . . 204 Alençon again in England . . . . 206 The Kiss at Greenwich . . . . . . 208 Fresh Hesitation . . . . . . . . 210 The Queen decides that she will not marry . . 212 Alençon goes to Holland . . . . . . 216 Installed Duke of Brabant . . . . ..217 The Queen determines on a League with Spain . . 218 Resentment of the French Court . . . . ..219 She inclines to the Marriage once more . . . . 222 Alternative Prospects . . . . . . . . 224
