The History of England Volume IV

XLII.

EngVol4_201-250.indd 222 2/22/11 9:35 AM 1586. XLII Zeal of the catholics - Babington's conspiracy Mary assents to the conspiracy - The conspirators seized and executed - Resolution to try the queen of Scots - The commissioners prevail on her to submit to the trial - The trial Sentence against Mary - Interposition of king James - Reasons for the execution of Mary- The execution- Mary's characterThe queen's affected sorrow- Drake destroys the Spanish fleet at Cadiz - Philip projects the invasion of England The invincible armada - Preparations in England - The armada arrives in the channel Defeated - A parliament - Expedition against Portugal- Affairs of Scotland ~~~ THE DANGERS, which arose from the character, principles, and pretensions of the queen of Scots, had very early engaged Elizabeth to consult, in her treatment of that unfortunate princess, the dictates of jealousy and politics, rather than of friendship or generosity: Resentment of this usage had pushed Mary into enterprizes , which had nearly threatened the repose and authority of 222 EngVol4_201-250.indd 223 2/22/11 9:35 AM 223 CHAPTER XLII Elizabeth: The rigour and restraint, thence redoubled upon the captive queen,g still impelled her to attempt greater extremities; and while her impatience of confinement, her revenge/ and her high spirit concurred with religious zeal, and the suggestions of desperate bigots, she was at last engaged in designs, which afforded her enemies, who watched the opportunity, a pretence or reason for effecting her final ruin. The English seminary at Rheims had wrought themselves up to a high pitch of rage and animosity against the queen. The recent persecutions, from which they had escaped; the new rigours, which, they knew, awaited them in the course of their missions; the liberty, which for the present they enjoyed, of declaiming against that princess; and the contagion of that religious fury, which every where surrounded them in France: All these causes had obliterated with them every maxim of common sense, and every principle of morals or humanity. Intoxicated with admiration of the divine power and infallibility of the pope, they revered his bull, by which he excommunicated and deposed the queen; and some of them had gone to that height ofextravagance, as to assert, that that performance had been immediately dictated by the Holy Ghost. The assassination of heretical sovereigns, and of that princess in particular, was represented as the most meritorious of all enterprizes ; and they taught, that, whoever perished in such pious attempts , enjoyed without dispute the glorious and never-fading crown of martyrdom. By such doctrines, they instigatedjohn Savage , a man of desperate courage, who had served some years in the Low Countries, under the prince of Parma, to attempt the life of Elizabeth; and this assassin, having made a vow ~o persevere in his design, was sent over to England, and recommended to the confidence of the more zealous catholics. About the same time, John Ballard, a priest of that seminary, had returned to Paris from his mission in England and Scotland; and as he had observed a spirit of mutiny and rebellion to be very prevalent among the catholic devotees in these countries, he had founded on that disposition the project of dethroning Elizabeth, and of restoring by force of arms the exercise of the ancient religion .; The situation of affairs abroad seemed favourable to this g Digges, p. 139. Haynes, p. 6o7. h See note [S] at the end of the volume. ' Murden's State Papers, p. 517. Zeal of the catholics. EngVol4_201-250.indd 224 2/22/11 9:35 AM Babington 's conspiracy . 224 HISTORY OF ENGLAND enterprize: The pope, the Spaniard, the duke of Guise, concurring in interests, had formed a resolution to make some attempt against England: And Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador at Paris, strongly encouraged Ballard to hope for succours from these princes. Charles Paget alone, a zealous catholic and a devoted partizan of the queen of Scots, being well acquainted with the prudence, vigour , and general popularity of Elizabeth, always maintained, that, so long as that princess was allowed to live, it was in vain to expect any success from an enterprize upon England. Ballard, persuaded of this truth, saw more clearly the necessity of executing the design , formed at Rheims: He came over to England in the disguise of a soldier, and assumed the name of captain Fortescue: And he bent his endeavours to effect at once the project of an assassination...