seem worthless which could be blind to the colossal falsehoods growing
daily before its eyes. Had the commissioners been able to read the
secret correspondence between Parma and his master--as we have had the
opportunity of doing--they would certainly not have left their homes in
February, to be made fools of until July; but would, on their knees, have
implored their royal mistress to awake from her fatal delusion before it
should be too late. Even without that advantage, it seems incredible
that they should have been unable to pierce through the atmosphere of
duplicity which surrounded them, and to obtain one clear glimpse of the
destruction so, steadily advancing upon England.

For the famous bull of Sixtus V. had now been fulminated. Elizabeth had
bean again denounced as a bastard and usurper, and her kingdom had been
solemnly conferred upon Philip, with title of defender of the Christian,
faith, to have and to hold as tributary and feudatory of Rome. The so-
called Queen had usurped the crown contrary to the ancient treaties
between the apostolic stool and the kingdom of England, which country,
on its reconciliation with the head of the church after the death of
St. Thomas of Canterbury, had recognised the necessity of the Pope's.
consent in the succession to its throne; she had deserved chastisement
for the terrible tortures inflicted by her upon English Catholics and
God's own saints; and it was declared an act of virtue, to be repaid with
plenary indulgence and forgiveness of all sins, to lay violent hands on
the usurper, and deliver her into the hands of the Catholic party. And
of the holy league against the usurper, Philip was appointed the head,
and Alexander of Parma chief commander. This document was published in
large numbers in Antwerp in the English tongue.

The pamphlet of Dr. Allen, just named Cardinal, was also translated in
the same city, under the direction of the Duke of Parma, in-order to be