Mary queen. But Elizabeth had vigilant friends in her council, and this plot becoming known Norfolk was executed. So it went on for many years till, in 1587, Anthony Babington entered into a correspondence with Mary to kill Elizabeth, and make Mary queen. The letters passed through the hands of Walsingham, the Secretary of State, and on the evidence he supplied, Mary was tried before a commission of peers and sentenced to death. Elizabeth, for a time, would not consent to sign the death warrant, although urged to do so by Parliament and her ministers. At last she signed it, and the sentence was at once carried out. Mary died protesting her innocence, but the people breathed easier beceuse a great danger was removed.
8. The Spanish Armada.—Meanwhile Elizabeth had been able to keep England out of foreign wars. She was asked to aid the Netherlands against Spain, but refused to do so openly, for many of her subjects did not want to have their trade with the Low Countries stopped. Nevertheless thousands of Englishmen crossed over to the aid of the Netherlanders and fought in their battles against the Spaniards. Among those who left the English shores was Sir Philip Sidney, a brave and noble man, and an accomplished courtier, author, and soldier. He was killed at the Battle of Zutphen. The hatred borne the Spaniards at this time by the English was shown in many ways. There was no open war between England and Spain; nevertheless English ships were fitted out to plunder Spanish settlements in America, and seize their treasure ships returning from the rich mines of the New World. We have already mentioned how Drake returned from his voyage round the world laden with Spanish treasure. When he reached home Eliza_ beth visited his ship, made him a knight, and did not refuse to accept a large portion of his spoil. So it is not surprising that Philip of Spain was angry, and only waited till his hands were free to attack England. Meanwhile new expeditions were going out against Spanish America, and at last Elizabeth sent an army to the Low Counties to aid the Netherlanders, Philip was also angry because Elizabeth had put to death several priests who came to England from a college at Douay in France to minister to the English Roman Catholics and to persuade them not to attend the English Church services. These priests were accused of preaching disloyalty and
