, she prepared
herself for that attack which seemed to threaten her from the combined
power and violence of the Romanists: she fortified Portsmouth, put her
fleet in order, exercised her militia, cultivated popularity with her
subjects, acted with vigor for the further reduction of Scotland under
obedience to the young king, and renewed her alliance with the German
princes, who were no less alarmed than herself at these treacherous and
sanguinary measures, so universally embraced by the Catholics.

* Digges, p. 268, 282.

** Digges, passim. Camden, p. 447.

*** Digges, p. 297, 298. Camden, p. 447.

But though Elizabeth cautiously avoided coming to extremities with
Charles, the greatest security that she possessed against his violence
was derived from the difficulties which the obstinate resistance of the
Hugonots still created to him.

{1573.} Such of that sect as lived near the frontiers, immediately,
on the first news of the massacres, fled into England, Germany, or
Switzerland; where they excited the compassion and indignation of
the Protestants, and prepared themselves, with increased forces and
redoubled zeal, to return into France, and avenge the treacherous
slaughter of their brethren. Those who lived in the middle of the
kingdom took shelter in the nearest garrisons occupied by the Hugonots;
and finding that they could repose no faith in capitulations, and expect
no clemency, were determined to defend themselves to the last extremity.
The sect which Charles had hoped at one blow to exterminate, had now an
army of eighteen thousand men on foot, and possessed, in different parts
of the kingdom, above a hundred cities, castles, or fortresses;[*] nor
could that prince deem himself secure from the invasion threatened
him by all the other Protestants in Europe. The nobility and gentry of
England were roused to such a pitch of resentment, that they offered
to levy an army of twenty-two thousand foot and four thousand horse, to
transport them into France, and to maintain them six months at their own
charge: but Elizabeth, who was cautious in her measures, and who feared
to inflame further the quarrel between the two religions by these
dangerous crusades, refused her consent, and moderated the zeal of her
subjects.[**] The German princes, less political, or more secure from
the resentment of France, forwarded the levies made by the Protestants;
and the young prince of Conde, having escaped from cour