508 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 67. 'There is a fear,' wrote an Italian Jesuit to her, ' that tricks are played near your own person. There is a doubt even of your own discretion. Beware, Madame. For the love of Heaven, beware I Your cause is God's cause ; and you must deal faithfully and uprightly as in His presence. You have too many irons in the fire at once, and they are too opposite one to another ; you have been, more careful to train your son in politics and dissimulation than in the knowledge of the truth, and he will think as he pleases and will regard religion as an outward shew. It is said that your own people caused the death of Throgmorton, and that you are careless of the fate of your friends, so long as you yourself escape. Don Bernardino desires to help you ; but he says that you think only of your own misfortunes and forget the risks to which others expose themselves in serving you. The King of Spain cannot send an army imperfectly provided to England, to make himself the laughing-stock by failure should the enemies of God go to war with him : and, so long as Flanders is uncon- j[uered, he has no harbours for his fleet. But beware, Madame, how you come to terms with the Jezebel. Take care what you are doing ; you may ruin yourself fatally ; and either England may never be invaded, or it may be to your own prejudice as having deserted the Catholic cause. Remember what I wrote to you before. I dare not tell you what, nevertheless, I dimly see to be intended, and there may be those who will not be sorry if you give them an excuse to complain of you. I can say no more. My duty to his Holiness and to the King
