Armenteros, a man of low, mercenary, and deceitful character, but a
favorite of the Regent, and already beginning to acquire that influence
over her mind which was soon to become so predominant, was no friend of
the Cardinal.  It was not probable that he would diminish the effect of
that vague censure mingled with faint commendation, which characterized
Margaret's instructions by any laudatory suggestions of his own.  He was
directed to speak in general terms of the advance of heresy, and the
increasing penury of the exchequer.  He was to request two hundred
thousand crowns toward the lottery, which the Regent proposed to set up
as a financial scheme.  He was to represent that the Duchess had tried,
unsuccessfully, every conceivable means of accommodating the quarrel
between the Cardinal and the seigniors.  She recognized Granvelle's great
capacity, experience, zeal, and devotion--for all which qualities she
made much of him--while on the other hand she felt that it would be a
great inconvenience, and might cause a revolt of the country, were she to
retain him in the Netherlands against the will of the seigniors.  These
motives had compelled her, the messenger was to add, to place both views
of the subject before the eyes of the King.  Armenteros was, furthermore,
to narrate the circumstances of the interviews which had recently taken