hough a profound
hypocrite, and extremely governed by self-interest seems also to have
been himself actuated by an imperious bigotry; and as he employed
great reflection in all his conduct, he could easily palliate the
gratification of his natural temper under the color of wisdom, and
find in this system no less advantage to his foreign than his domestic
politics. By placing himself at the head of the Catholic party, he
converted the zealots of the ancient faith into partisans of Spanish
greatness; and by employing the powerful allurement of religion, he
seduced every where the subjects from that allegiance which they owed to
their native sovereign.

The course of events, guiding and concurring with choice, had placed
Elizabeth in a situation diametrically opposite; and had raised her to
be the glory, the bulwark, and the support of the numerous, though still
persecuted Protestants, throughout Europe. More moderate in her temper
than Philip, she found, with pleasure, that the principles of her sect
required not such extreme severity in her domestic government as was
exercised by that monarch; and having no object but self-preservation,
she united her interests in all foreign negotiations with those who were
every where struggling under oppression, and guarding themselves against
ruin and extermination. The more virtuous sovereign was thus happily
thrown into the more favorable cause; and fortune, in this instance,
concurred with policy and nature.

During the lifetime of Henry II. of France, and of his successor, the
force of these principles was somewhat restrained, though not altogether
overcome, by motives of a superior interest; and the dread of uniting
England with the French monarchy engaged Philip to maintain a good
correspondence with Elizabeth. Yet even during this period he rejected
the garter which she sent him; he refused to ratify the ancient league
between the house of Burgundy and England;[*] he furnished ships to
transport French forces into Scotland; he endeavored to intercept
the earl of Arran, who was hastening to join the malecontents in that
country; and the queen's wisest ministers still regarded his friendship
as hollow and precarious.[**]

* Digges's Complete Ambassador, p. 369. Haynes, p. 585.
Strype vol. iv. No. 246.

** Haynes, vol. i. p. 280, 281, 283, 284.

But no sooner did the death of Francis II. put an end to Philip's
apprehensions with regard to Mary's succession, t