_Lord Howard of Effingham_ (Vol. iii., p. 244.).--I submit that the
passages quoted by your correspondent are not sufficient evidence to lead
us to conclude that that nobleman _ever_ was a Protestant. As to the
"neglect of reverence to the Holy Sacrament," it is only said that the
priests might pretend _that_ as a cause; and it is not to be supposed that
an ambassador would so far forget himself as to show any disrespect to the
religion of the {288} prince he was sent to. Besides, it is likely that
Lord Howard was chosen for the embassy as being a Catholic, and therefore
more acceptable to a prince of the same religion.
2nd. Fuller's words only refer to testimony on a disputed fact, on which
Catholic evidence the effect quoted by him would have peculiar weight.
3rd. The words to Garnet, who had declared his innocence and abhorrence of
the imputed crime, are such as a Catholic would be most likely to use.
4th. The word "_our_," in the royal instructions, is the word of form, and
resembles the editorial "_we_." In royal instructions to Mr. Shiel at
Florence, Mr. Wyse at Naples, or Mr. More O'Ferrall at Malta, her Majesty
would use the words "our religion;" would that imply that any or all of
those gentlemen were Protestants?
After all, Lord Howard may have conformed to the court religion after the
period of the Armada: occasional conformity was frequent at the period.