I 5 6 9 .] ENGLISH PARTIES, Meanwhile, although near the surface the wind was moving in these uncertain eddies, the upper current of events and actions was rolling stormily onwards. The injury to English trade was less absolute than Don Guerau expected. An eventual rupture with Spain had been foreseen and prepared for. Sir Henry Killigrew during the past year had been negotiating fresh open- ings in the ports of the Baltic, and Hamburgh was willing to take the place of Antwerp as the mart from which English goods could be carried into Germany. The merchant adventurers had pushed their way to Moscow and even to Persia. The western mariners, who preferred a Turk to a Catholic, and on the whole re- garded him as a better Christian, were trading ' up the Straits ' with Constantinople and Alexandria. Rochelle could supply the best wines and fruits of France ; Ko- ch elle privateers intercepted the vessels which sailed from the Catholic harbours, and their cargoes lay ready piled for export in the Huguenot storehouses. The passing loss would be converted to gain by English energy and spirit, and on these Cecil, for his part, was willing to rely. D'Assonleville received the answer at last which Don Guerau expected. He was told that the Queen declined to negotiate with Alva. The King of Spain must send a commission directly from himself, diera tal socorro que confiara reducir con el su Reyno a su obediencia, que a su persona y a la de su hijo en- tregara en poder de V. Magd., pero que ahora sera forcjada seguir y tomar el tiempo como viene y toda via no se apartara jamas de la voluntad de V. Magd. assi en lo de la religion como en cualquiera otra cosa.' Don Guerau to Philip, 1569 : MSS. Simancas.
