date in blank, the momentary satisfaction and delusion of the Queen was
unbounded. The false intelligence was transmitted every where. Great
were the joy and the festivities in the Netherlands, where people were so
easily made to rejoice and keep holiday for any thing. "The Regent,
being in Antwerp," wrote Sir Thomas Gresham to the lords of council,
"did cause the great bell to rings to give all men to understand that the
news was trewe. The Queene's highness here merchants caused all our
Inglishe ships to shoote off with such joy and triumph, as by men's arts
and pollicey coulde be devised--and the Regent sent our Inglishe maroners
one hundred crownes to drynke." If bell-ringing and cannon-firing could
have given England a Spanish sovereign, the devoutly-wished consummation
would have been reached. When the futility of the royal hopes could no
longer be concealed, Philip left the country, never to return till his
war with France made him require troops, subsidies, and a declaration of
hostilities from England.

The personal appearance of the new sovereign has already been described.
His manner was far from conciliatory, and in this respect he was the
absolute reverse of his father. Upon his first journey out of Spain, in
1548, into his various dominions, he had made a most painful impression
every where. "He was disagreeable," says Envoy Suriano, "to the
Italians, detestable to the Flemings, odious to the Germans."

The remonstrances of the Emperor, and of Queen Mary of Hungary, at the
impropriety of his manners, had produced, however, some effect, so that
on his wedding journey to England, he manifested much "gentleness and
humanity, mingled with royal gravity." Upon this occasion, says another
Venetian, accredited to him, "he had divested himself of that Spanish
haughtiness, which, when he first came from Spain, had rendered him so
odious. The famous ambassador, Badovaro confirms the impression. "Upon