142 EXPEDITION TO HOLLAND AND THE WEST INDIES. [A.D. 1585-6.

had to celebrate their religious rites in secret, and even in the dead of night. The treatment, however, which they received was mild and tolerant compared with that which Protestants were receiving in the rest of Europe. Such persecuting laws we now repudiate, believing that all attempts to propagate doctrines of faith by violence is contrary to the law of Christ, and must necessarily recoil on those who make them. But in the times of which we speak, open war was declared between two great parties, and the sword had been drawn. When we consider this, as well as the frequent conspiracies against the Queen of England's life, and the concentration of the hopes of the Roman Catholics on Mary of Scotland, Elizabeth's treatment of Mary, though to be condemned in many respects, and above all as commencing with a disgraceful breach of hospitality, is capable of explanation if not of justification. Whatever sentence we are to pronounce ought to be on the State, and not on Elizabeth individually.

The United Provinces, fearing to be crushed by Philip, offered the sovereignty of the states to Elizabeth, which she prudently declined, but entered into a league (1585) to assist them with arms and money. The Earl of Leicester was sent to Holland at the head of the English forces.

A fleet of twenty sail was, early in the following year (1586), equipped to attack the Spaniards in the West Indies, of which Sir Francis Drake was appointed admiral, Christopher Carlisle being commander of the land forces. They took St. Iago, St. Domingo, and Carthagena, for the restoration of which they exacted large ransoms, and returned home laden with spoil. The Earl of Leicester on his side was not so successful, though the campaign was attended by some brilliant deeds. In an engagement with the Spaniards, and at the moment of victory, the famous Sir Philip Sidney fell, the patron and friend of the great poet Spenser, and the most accomplished man of the age. It is related of him, that while wounded and dying on the field of battle, he called for some water, which was immediately brought to him. But as he was putting the bottle to his mouth,

A.D. 1586.] THE BABINGTON CONSPIRACY AGAINST ELIZABETH. 143

he saw a poor soldier carried along "ghastly casting up his eyes at the bottle; which Sir Philip perceiving, took it from his head before he drank, and delivered it to the poor man with these words, Thy necessity is yet greater than mine.' Having grossly

mismanaged affairs, Leicester returned to England. As the anger of the Roman Catholic powers of Europe was now levelled against Elizabeth, she entered into a league with James of Scotland, equally menaced with herself, for mutual defence against invasion. After nineteen years' imprisonment, the misfortunes of Mary Queen of Scots drew to a tragical close. The bull of excommunication against Elizabeth had inflamed the minds of zealots to plot her assassination. Amongst others was John Ballard, of the seminary of Rheims, who having, under the assumed name of Captain Fortescue, become acquainted with persons likely to become his instruments, addressed himself to a young Derbyshire gentleman, named Babington. The latter having expressed his belief that the death of Elizabeth was a necessary preliminary to Mary's liberation, was told that an officer named Savage was ready to make the attempt on the life of the English queen. Babington thought that so important a project should not be left to one hand, and he set about engaging certain friends to join in the conspiracy. All his proceedings were regularly reported to the secretary Walsingham by a spy. By means of other unfaithful servants Mary's own correspondence with her friends at home and abroad, was, despite the utmost precautions, regularly carried to the secretary, and, after having been read and sealed up with such art as to prevent suspicion of its having been violated, allowed to proceed to its destination. Babington addressed a letter to Mary telling her of the resolution of himself and friends to deliver her from captivity, and to destroy her great enemy, and asking her sanction for these projects. He promised to be at Lichfield (12th July) to receive her reply. Mary acknowledged, through her French secretary Nau, the receipt of Babington's letter, and promised an answer in three days. Her reply, written by Nau, and translated into English by her other secretary Curle. was an

acceptance of Babington's offer to undertake her liberation, but warning him to attempt nothing unless assured of support by friends at home, and by Spanish troops from the Low Countries. On this letter, betrayed as usual to Walsingham, was grounded Mary's accusation. Babington, who had not left London, received the answer through a strange hand, and replied with renewed assurance of fidelity. Next day, hearing of Ballard being arrested, he and his associates Gage, Charnock, Barnwell, and Donne hid themselves, but were soon found, and brought to the Tower along with Abingdon, Salisbury, Tichbourne, Travers, and Tilney. The Queen of Scotland, ignorant of what had taken place, was surprised by an order for her removal to Fotheringay Castle. Babington and his associates were tried and executed (20th September). It was now resolved to put Mary on her trial. posed to have her secretly poisoned. The base suggestion was rejected. To obtain the necessary proofs against Mary, her two secretaries, Nau and Curle, were examined regarding the fatal letter. They were not shown the copy that had been taken, and asked to vouch for its correctness, but only extracts, for the fidelity of which they, under fear of death, are said to have answered. A commission of forty-six individuals was appointed to try Mary, who was refused the aid of an advocate. Thirty-six of these repaired to Fotheringay Castle (12th October), but Mary, standing upon her rights as a queen, refused to acknowledge any such tribunal.

Leicester pro

At length, fearing lest refusal might be construed into consciousness of guilt, she undertook alone to repel the charge of having countenanced any plan for Elizabeth's assassination; while she asserted her right to avail herself of any offer of escape from unjust captivity. She denied positively the genuineness of the copy of the letter to Babington, on which the accusation wholly rested, for the original never was produced; and she accused Walsingham of having, on a former occasion, copied and falsified her letters. There can be little doubt, however, that she had encouraged foreign invasion of England, though without contemplating Elizabeth's assassination. As her own writing had

A.D. 1587.]

QUEEN MARY'S EXECUTION.

145

not been produced, she demanded to be confronted with her secretaries, which was refused. She then asked to be heard in open Parliament, after which she retired to her apartment (15th October). The Commissioners adjourned to the 25th October, to meet at Westminster. They met to sentence her to death.

Elizabeth, hesitating to take the final step on her own authority, and to put to death a queen her equal, whom she had at first unjustly imprisoned, and whom, by long years of persecution, she had driven to desperation, summoned Parliament, wishing to relieve herself of the responsibility of ordering the execution of the sentence. To their address demanding the sacrifice of Mary, the English queen is said to have yielded with great reluctance, and only after several months' delay. Mary, on receiving her sentence, wrote an affecting letter to Elizabeth, requesting that her execution might be public, and her remains conveyed by her servants to France, and buried by the side of her mother. In spite of the interference of foreign powers, and of the remonstrances of James king of Scotland, Mary was brought to the block, 9th February 1587. She met her fate with composure. Her last concern was for her faithful servants, on whose behalf she wrote letters to her friends. Resolved to die in the religion in which she had been brought up, she rejected the spiritual aid of the Protestant Dean of Peterborough. A priest was denied to her, and, of her attendants, only four were allowed to follow her to the room where stood the preparations for her execution. Observing her servants weeping bitterly, she put her finger on her lips, imposing silence, and having given them her blessing, calmly laid her head on the block.

Elizabeth affected to be horror-struck at an act which she said had been executed without her authority: she threw her secretary Davison into prison for having caused the death of Mary, and wrote letters of regret and apology to the King of Scotland. The Scotch people were so enraged that they would have torn to pieces Robert Carey, son of Lord Hunsdon, who brought Elizabeth's letter, had he not been protected by a guard_ ordered by the king. The members of the Scotch Parliament

prayed James on their knees to avenge his mother, but his anger and indignation gave way to his desire to secure the English crown, to which he was now presumptive heir.

The stain cast on the reputation of Elizabeth by this act was soon to be obliterated in the glory of the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Philip's preparations for the invasion of England being complete, Sir Francis Drake was sent down to Plymouth to watch hostile movements. He resolved to become the aggressor, and set off to Cadiz, entered the port 19th April, and then burned and destroyed eighty vessels of all kinds. The Spaniards, meanwhile, laid siege to Sluys, which, despite the efforts of the ever unlucky Leicester for its relief, capitulated 30th July. Leicester was recalled the following November, and threatened with disgrace.

The ships prepared for the invasion of England numbered 135 vessels of war, manned by 8000 sailors, and carrying 19,000 soldiers, numerous reinforcements being kept in readiness. An army of 34,000 men was assembled in the Netherlands to be sent across the channel as soon as the Armada should make its appearance. The whole energies of England were roused to repel the invaders. A military council was formed for the safety of the nation, which enrolled the whole male population capable of bearing arms. The total military force actually in the field amounted to 63,511 men, with 36 pieces of ordnance. To the Royal Marine of 34 ships the city of London added 33 at its own cost, and 14 more were put to sea by private subscription. Many more were equipped by noblemen, and sent from the various seaports. The chief command was given to Lord Howard of Effingham. Drake was second in command; and Hawkins, Frobisher, and other distinguished adventurers led the best ships. The army and navy vied with each other in alacrity. "It was a pleasant sight," writes a cotemporary, "to behold the soldiers, as they marched towards Tilbury, their cheerful countenances, courageous words and gestures-dancing and leaping wheresoever they came." Elizabeth went down in person to her army assembled at Tilbury, and thus addressed them : "Let tyrants fear: I have always so behaved