BOOK II. in June with their booty," having left an impression on the Spanish nation which released England from all serious dread of any future invasion.' Henry III. having killed the duke of Guise and his brother at Blois, in the December after the Spanish defeat, fell himself, from the stab of an assassin, on the first of the ensuing August. Henry IV. became then its hereditary king, of a new race, the Bourbon; but being a Protestant, was so strongly opposed, and endangered by the Catholic party, pursuing their league, under the duke of Mayenne, that Elizabeth sent him a relieving force of four thousand men, under lord Willoughby, with twentytwo thousand pounds in gold. Philip II. made his pretensions to the succession of this throne, and the prince of Parma entered France in Picardy, while another body of Spaniards attacked Bretagne." The queen continued to supply Henry with financial aids; while she maintained her garrisons at Flushing and Brill, and that diversion of her forces which she kept in service in the Netherlands. But in 1592, 10 Stow, 752-7; Camd. 381-5. They lost 6000 men by sickness. Camd. 384. 7 Most of the English thought themselves abundantly satisfied, both for revenge and glory; but in truth, England reaped this benefit by this voyage, that from this time forward, it feared nothing from Spain, but took great courage against the Spaniards.' Camd.384. Camd. 385-7. This sum appeared to him so large, that he professed he had never seen so much gold coin before. ib. 387. He won the battle of Ivry against Mayenne and the league, on 14th March 1490; but lost its advantages, by not laying siege immediately to Paris. Henault, v.2. p. 4. 9 Camd. 387, 392-3. 'Cardinal Cajetan, the papal legate, and Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador, agreed to settle the crown of France on the infanta of Spain.' Henault, p. 4. 10 Camd. 390. The death of Sixtus V. on 29 Aug. 1590, relieved Henry from the weight of his opposition. He had begun to be disgusted with the Spanish faction;" (Henault, p 6.) but he supported the Leaguers. The decline of their affairs after the destruction of the duke XXXVI. the Spanish attack requiring more assistance, sir CHAP. John Norris and sir Roger Williams were sent with a small army, and afterwards the earl of Essex with additional forces, but rather to defend Bretagne and Normandy, than to act in the larger objects of Henry's general campaign." When the king was besieging Paris, the prince of Parma renewed his invasion to relieve it: and Henry, instead of storming Paris, preferred, from a laudable humanity, to withdraw, that he might give battle to the Spaniards. Parma retreated, as his object had been gained; and Henry obtained from Elizabeth an auxiliary army, under sir John Norris.12 The death of the prince of Parma delivered the French king from an adversary always formidable, for his talents and general probity; 13 and soon afterwards Henry IV. against whom the shadowy pontiff, Gregory XIV. had issued his condemnatory letters, in order to obtain the quiet possession of his crown, sacrificed his conscience to his temporary interest, to the diminution of his true fame; and astonished and afflicted Elizabeth, by avowing his conversion to the Romish and cardinal de Guise, threw him into such an 'affanno straordinario,' such an extraordinary vexation, that he became unwell, and his illness increased to a tertian fever, after the short pontificate of five years and four months.' Beroardi Vite, p. 640. The next pope, Urban VII. intended to complete the designs of Sixtus, and to favor the league; but twelve days ended both his projects and his life. Chosen the 15 Sept. he died the 27. The next pope, Gregory XIV. only reigned ten months; from 15 December 1590 to 15 October 1591. Nor was his successor, Innocent IX. above a fifth of that short space in his elevation; for, appointed 29 October 1591, he was dead on the 30th of the following December; when Clement VIII. acceded, to last thirteen years. Beroardi Vite, p. 642–6; 650-2. A remarkable mortality of popes, which contributed much to promote the pacification of Europe, and to lessen the political fervors of the future ones. 11 Camd. 397-9. 12 Camd. 412. Henault, p. 6. Camd. 397-9. 13 Camd. 412. He had governed the Low Countries fourteen years. II. BOOK faith. The French league then dissolved; Norris returned home; and Henry became the undisputed sovereign of tranquillizing France. He was certainly one of the most distinguished of its monarchs; but with so many weaknesses, as to make it questionable whether the title of 'The Great' can be justly conferred upon him by an impartial posterity. His countrymen, with an attachment honorable to their feelings, may concede the ennobling appellation; but the universal public will hesitate, tho reluctantly, in confirming it. Ireland continued, by its factions and insurrections, to cause to the English much trouble, and to itself much misery. The ever useful and successful sir John Norris was there employed, as he always was, advantageously, for the public service; but the nation was too uncivilized, too fond of broils, petty 6 14 Camd. 412. Henry arrived at St. Dennis on 25 July 1593. It was on this occasion that she wrote to him this emphatic effusion of her excited feelings: Au roy de France, 12 Nov. 1593. Ah! quelles douleurs! oh, quelle regrete! Oh! quel gemissement j'ai senti en mon cœur pour le son de cettes nouvelles que Morlan m'a conté. Mon Dieu! Est il possible qu'aucun mondain respect peut effacer la terreur que la crainte divine menace! Pouvons nous, par raison même, attendre bonne sequelle d'acte si inique? Celui qui vous a maintenu et conservé par sa main; pouvez vous imaginer qu'il vous permette aller seul au plus grand besoin? Ha! c'est dangereux de mal faire pour en faire du bien. Encore, esperai je que plus saine inspiration vous adviendra. Cependant, je ne cesserai de vous mettre au premier rang de mes devotions, a ce que les mains d'Esau ne gatent les benedictions de Jacob. Et, ou vous me promettez tante amité et fidelité, je confesse l'avoir cherement meritée et ne m'en repentirai, pourvu que vous ne changiez de père. Autrement, je ne vous serai que sœur bâtarde; au moins de part le père. Car j'aime voir toujours mieux le nature, que l'adoptif. Comme Dieu le mieux connoit; Qui vous garde au droit chemin de meilleur sentier. Votre sœur, si ce soit a la vieille mode. Avec la nouvelle je n'ai rien a faire. E. R.' British Mus. MSS. Cot. Titus, C. 7. 38. 15 Camden has inserted the exculpating reasons of Henry IV. for his change, as he delivered them to Wilkes, who was sent over on the subject. p. 421. XXXVI. fighting and disturbances, and had too much foreign CHAP. excitation, to be long in quiet. The wilder emotions of human life were their enjoyments. They had witnessed too little of the habits of social tranquillity, to know its value and its happiness. Wasteful warfare was renewed almost as soon as it had been repressed, just as in the ages before the English colonised any part of it, their numerous little kings had been always attacking and destroying each other. Such a state and such conflicts, like those of New Zealand, and of the Indians in North America, only weary and disgust the intelligent mind; which wonders at the wilful and useless evils, which, in a country so capable of becoming all that we admire and could love, were persistingly created, provoked, and inflicted by its restless and intractable chiefs, and their servile, blind, and unthinking partisans.16 The most considerable event in 1596 was the expedition to Cadiz, under the earl of Essex. A treaty of offensive and defensive alliance had been signed between England, France and Holland;" and the appearance of Spain preparing for another invasion of England, becoming more visible, the apprehensions of what might ensue, increased, when the Spanish forces which were acting against Henry IV. suddenly, under the cardinal archduke of Austria, surprised and mastered the important town of Calais, 18 which not only endangered France, but brought the Spanish forces within a few hours sail 16 Camden, 438-458. 17 Henault, p. 18. 18 It surrendered before the English forces could be shipped that were directed to relieve it. Camden, 459. II. 19 BOOK of Dover. An English armament therefore sailed from Plymouth on 3 June 1596 to Cadiz, under Essex as its general, and lord Howard as its naval commander, in four squadrons. Their instructions were, to destroy all the warlike provisions which they should find in the port; to hazard nothing, as the queen wished the men's lives to be spared; and if they took any towns, to save the women and the aged, and do no violence but to the resisting. They reached Cadiz, and attacked the ships of war and galleons in the bay. The assault was vigorously made, and both town and shipping were taken; the vessels and stores were destroyed; the forts razed, and a large quantity of great ordnance sunk or carried away.20 All the military objects being fully accomplished, the fleet returned, with a panegyric from their high-minded adversaries, for their admirable conduct.2 21 19 It consisted of 6,360 soldiers, 1,000 gentlemen volunteers, and 6,772 sailors, in 150 vessels. The two chiefs led the two first squadrons, and lord Thomas Howard and sir Walter Raleigh the others. Camd. 459. 20 The citizens agreed to pay 520,000 ducats for their personal ransom; but their property was abandoned to the troops. The loss of the Spaniards on the whole was calculated to amount to 20,000,000 ducats. Essex undertook to maintain the place against the Spaniards with only 400 men. But the other commanders decided on relinquishing it, 'for every man being enriched sufficiently, their minds were on their country.' Camd. 463. There were 1,200 pieces of ordnance. 21 The Spaniards said, 'That in sacred things the English had shewn themselves heretics; but in all other respects, warriors, provident and truly noble.' Camd. 463. Lord Essex thus announced the success to lord Burghley: 'I shall not need to tell your lordship that Cadiz is won; and the king of Spain's great fleet defeated and destroyed. I shall less need to relate the particular circumstances of either; for as fame itself will bring the first, so this gentleman that carries my letter [sir Anthony Ashley] will perform the second. This is to pray you, that you will plead for me till I return; that before I be heard, I be not, upon report or misconceit, brought unto her majesty's displeasure.' Ellis, v. 3. p. 178. But much more might have been done by an unrestricted and intelligent general, for cardinal d'Ossat 'owns |