said, but there were great difficulties in the way. After a time, the
Pope again tried to pry into the matter, and again offered the million
which Philip had only accepted for the time when it might be wanted;
giving him at the same time, to understand that it was not necessary at
that time, because there were then great impediments. "Thus he is
pledged to give me the subsidy, and I am not pledged for the time," said
Philip, "and I keep my secret, which is the most important of all."

Yet after all, Farnese did not see his way clear towards the consummation
of the plan. His army had wofully dwindled, and before he could
seriously set about ulterior matters, it would be necessary to take
the city of Sluys. This was to prove--as already seen--a most arduous
enterprise. He complained to Philip' of his inadequate supplies both in
men and money. The project conceived in the royal breast was worth
spending millions for, he said, and although by zeal and devotion he
could accomplish something, yet after all he was no more than a man,
and without the necessary means the scheme could not succeed. But
Philip, on the contrary, was in the highest possible spirits. He had
collected more money, he declared than had ever been seen before in the
world. He had two million ducats in reserve, besides the Pope's million;
the French were in a most excellent state of division, and the invasion
should be made this year without fail. The fleet would arrive in the
English channel by the end of the summer; which would be exactly in
conformity with Alexander's ideas. The invasion was to be threefold:
from Scotland, under the Scotch earls and their followers, with the money
and troops furnished by Philip; from the Netherlands, under Parma; and by
the great Spanish armada itself, upon the Isle of Wight. Alexander must
recommend himself to God, in whose cause he was acting, and then do his
duty; which lay very plain before him. If he ever wished to give his
sovereign satisfaction in his life; he was to do the deed that year,