The British nation a history / by George MWrong . of the Dutch against a fel-low sovereign. Sometimes she gavesecret help, but ever grudgingly. In1581 the seven revolted provinces,making the first successful declara-tion of independence of moderntimes, refused longer to recognisePhilip II, and looked about for anew ruler. Anxious to secure thesupport both of France and of Eng-land, they finally offered the sover-eignty to Elizabeths would-be hus-band, the Duke of Alen9on. He ac-cepted it, but was no fit ruler for afree and heroic people, and ere longhe left the country, and William of Orange a
The British nation a history / by George MWrong . of the Dutch against a fel-low sovereign. Sometimes she gavesecret help, but ever grudgingly. In1581 the seven revolted provinces,making the first successful declara-tion of independence of moderntimes, refused longer to recognisePhilip II, and looked about for anew ruler. Anxious to secure thesupport both of France and of Eng-land, they finally offered the sover-eignty to Elizabeths would-be hus-band, the Duke of Alen9on. He ac-cepted it, but was no fit ruler for afree and heroic people, and ere longhe left the country, and William of Orange agaiii becamethe leader of the Dutch cause. Wben in 1584 he fell byan assassins hand Elizabeth consented at last to be theprotector of the provinces, and sent, in 1585, her favour-ite, the Earl of Leicester, to govern in her name. Forthe repayment of her outlay she took every guarantee thatnarrow parsimony could exact, but the consequences ofher action were wider than she had imagined. Philip ofSpain was at length aroused. For nearly thirty years. lioEtKT DlDLEY, Earl of Leicester (1532 ?-15S8). 308 THE BRITISH NATION Elizabeth had so balanced France against Spain, had sohesitated and drawn back now from one side, now fromthe other, that Philip found it hard to make up his mind,but when she gave open help to rebels against his author-ity he resolved upon a mighty effort to destroy her. By striking another blow Elizabeth soon re-enforcedthis decision. In 1586 was discovered the last of theThe last lot many Conspiracies in support of Mary favour of Like William of Orange, Elizabeth was to beMary Stuart. kiHed, and then Mary was to become Englishmen, led, it seems, not by Babington, a gen-tleman of means after whom the plot is named, but byBallard, a priest, joined in the scheme which had thesanction of Philip and of the Pope. Without doubtMary gave it a guarded approval. She was no longer inclose confinement at Tutbury Castle, but was living atChartley Manor,
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