96 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 63. of communication. I showed them that, in the present state of Europe, a change on the part of the King of Scots was the indispensable preliminary to a movement in England. For your Majesty to employ your forces in the Low Countries in the immediate service of the English Catholics, would only lead to war between your Majesty and France ; and when the war had once begun, the French Government would declare, in self- defence, for heresy and heretics. I told them that France could not, for its own sake, allow your Majesty to make yourself sovereign of England under colour of religion. ' They saw the reason of this. They acknowledged that, ground down as they had been, they could do no- thing for themselves, unless your Majesty sent a fleet and more than fifteen thousand men unless, in fact, you were yourself prepared to undertake the conquest. I pointed out however that Ireland, although it could do no more than embarrass the Queen and prevent her from sending troops to Flanders, could still distress her for men and money ; and if the King of Scots could be converted, the war could then be begun by him which for a number of reasons would be the most desirable plan. This, in fact, was the foundation for them to build upon. I advised them to lose no time in setting about it, and I recommended such of them as had acquaint- ances in Scotland, and understood the humours of the people there, to feel their way through their friends upon the Border. They entirely approved of what I said. Six of them six noblemen of the highest rank
