THE ENGLISH A r 93 to Philip's policy in her hand she left him unanswered till his ministers complained to her ambassador of her scanty courtesy ; l and then for reply she bade Chaloner tell Philip that in her past difficulties, though he had many opportunities of helping her, she had received nothing from him but ' good words : ' he desired to have her at his feet, acting under his orders, and humbly petitioning for his support ; but never in that position should Philip see her : she doubted whether a protracted residence of an ambassador at the Court of Spain was any longer expedient ; she had half resolved to continue her diplomatic intercourse with him only through the Regent in Flanders ; better an open enemy than a treacherous friend ; if the worst came she could en- counter it. 2 In her bearing towards Mary Stuart she showed at the same time large forbearance and a clear foreseeing statesmanship. She knew the Queen of Scots' intentions beyond all uncertainty, but she still hoped to win her over to a safer course with the prospect of the suc- cession ; 3 while Mary Stuart, on her part, would not risk a quarrel till the Spanish affair had gone further. De Quadra's death had broken the link of her com- 1 Chaloner to Elizabeth, Decem- ber 19 : Spanish MSS. Rolls House. 2 Elizabeth to Chaloner : MS. Ibid. 3 Luis de Paz, who was left in charge at the Spanish embassy after de Quadra's death, wrote to Philip on the 3rd of December that Eliza- beth had been speaking of the mar- riage between the Queen of Scots and the Prince of Spain, and had said positively it should never be. ' No, no ! ' ' que no se hara.' It was thought, he said, that she would tempt the Queen of Scots to give it up by the largeness of her offers on the other side. MS. Simancas.
