"We might have peace, but not with God," said the pious old slave-trader; "but rather than serve Baal, let us die a thousand deaths.

Let us have open war with these Jesuits, and every man will contribute, fight, devise, or do, for the liberty of our country." And it was open war with the Jesuits for which those stouthearted sailors longed.

All were afraid of secret mischief.

The diplomatists--who were known to be flitting about France, Flanders, Scotland, and England--were birds of ill omen.

King James was beset by a thousand bribes and expostulations to avenge his mother's death; and although that mother had murdered his father, and done her best to disinherit himself, yet it was feared that Spanish ducats might induce him to be true to his mother's revenge, and false to the reformed religion.