“She is very artful, wished to appear reserved and give the idea that there was no matter of importance afoot.”41 On the 20th of April de Foix pressed the Queen urgently for a reply. The interviews of Bayonne were fixed for the 20th of May, and if the King’s offer were rejected, his betrothal to a princess of the house of Austria would be arranged. Elizabeth put the87 ambassador off with vague professions of friendship which a week later changed into complaints that Catharine was .42 In fact, the insincere negotiations for the Queen’s marriage with Charles IX. could now be dropped, as they had served Elizabeth’s immediate purpose, and had brought a prince of the House of Austria once more into the meshes of her net.
CHAPTER IV.
   Spain and the Archduke Charles—Swetkowitz’s mission—Leicester’s continued intrigues—The French with her, he would sanction everything at oncehe answered. suit dropped—Eric IV. again—Heneage—Renewed negotiations with the Emperor—The French patronise Leicester’s suit—Dissensions in the English Court respecting the Austrian match—Mission of Sussex to Vienna—End of the Austrian negotiations—Marriage of Charles IX.

In the meanwhile Guzman was more at fault than ever, and was quite persuaded that the matter being discussed was the marriage of Mary of Scotland with Leicester, with the connivance of the Guises; but gradually the coil began to unwind before his eyes. First he received news from Vienna that secret negotiations had been going on ever since the Emperor Ferdinand’s death for the marriage of the Queen with the Archduke Charles; and that Adam Swetkowitz, Baron Mitterburg, was on his way to England, ostensibly to return Ferdinand’s insignia of the Garter, but really with a mission about the marriage;