A short history of England . rable leniency in theapplication of the law, especiallyduring the early years of Elizabethsreign. So long as men would con-form outwardly there was no sucheffort to inquire into private reli-gious beliefs or to force people intoconforming as there had been under Mary. The old heresy lawsof Lollard times, which had been reenacted under Mary, were nowrepealed again and forever. 298. The Political Settlement.—When Elizabeth came to thethrone England was in close alliance with Spain and at war withFrance. Peace was soon made with France. At the same timethe queen and t
A short history of England . rable leniency in theapplication of the law, especiallyduring the early years of Elizabethsreign. So long as men would con-form outwardly there was no sucheffort to inquire into private reli-gious beliefs or to force people intoconforming as there had been under Mary. The old heresy lawsof Lollard times, which had been reenacted under Mary, were nowrepealed again and forever. 298. The Political Settlement.—When Elizabeth came to thethrone England was in close alliance with Spain and at war withFrance. Peace was soon made with France. At the same timethe queen and the ministers made every effort to retain the alliancewith Spain. It was to the highest interest of England to be ongood terms with both the great continental powers, as the countrywas not prepared to go to war. Her little navy was in badcondition, her troops few and poorly equipped, her fortificationsout of repair, and her treasury empty. It was desirable, more-over, to remain at peace with Spain because Spain governed the. Lord Burleigh 2S6 A SHORT HISTORY OF ENGLAND Netherlands, whither England sent most of the manufacturedgoods which she exported. It was desirable also to avoid warwith France, because France and Scotland were allies, and a waracross the Channel was almost sure to mean an invasion of Englandfrom the Scottish border. Yet this policy of peace and neutrality was a difficult and Spain were almost continually at war, and Englandwas in constant danger of being drawn into the contest. If shefailed to strengthen herself by a warlike alliance with one of themshe was apt to be attacked by the other. Each of them had rea-sons for interfering in English affairs. The Spanish government wasdissatisfied with the loss of the influence which it had enjoyedduring Marys reign and was displeased with the religious settle-ment. Spain looked upon herself as the special champion of theEnglish Catholics. The French were the guardians of the claimto the English throne of
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