Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/247

,7o.] EXCOMMUNICATION OF ELIZABETH. 233 she should not fall into the hands of the French. 1 Pie had ascertained that she was left to herself between two o'clock at night and nine the following morn- ing; and if Alva would send a ship well manned to some secluded spot on the east coast, with a sufficient number of horses, means could be found, with the help of Leicester, whose service it seems had been secured by Chapin, 2 to carry her off to the sea. 3 With a view to an underplot of this kind, and to throw Catherine off her guard, Alva did not answer with entire coldness to the Cardinal of Lorraine's proposals. Sir Henry JSTorris intimated his fears that there was danger from Flanders as well as from France, unless in some way the Queen of Scots could be got rid of. ' I pray you assure your- self/ he wrote to Cecil on the Qth of March, ' that except tHey fail of their purpose, they intend the ruin of her Majesty ; as you tender her Majesty's preserv- 1 ' Parece cosa muy conveniente procurar la libertad de la Reyna de Escocia, porque con tenerla presa tiene creydo la Reyna de Inglaterra que niugun Principe Catolico le bara guerra por no poner en peligro la dicha Princesa; y asy tambien es mejor que su libertad no sea por via de los Franceses ni venga a poder dellos, por lo que ban mostrado de- sear de casarla con el Duque de Anjou; antes seria muy al proposito que viniese en poder de su Mag d , porque se casase a su voluntad, pues para el bien de la religion y seguri- dad de los Payses Baxos y de V. M d y la navegacion importaria tnucbo.' Don Guerau to Alva, Marcb 7 : MSS. Simancas. 2 Don Guerau, speaking of some one who was to be sent first to sur- vey tbe ground where the relays of horses were to be placed, says : ' Puede traer nna carta del Marquis para el Conde de Leicester para pro- curar la dicha facultad.' Leicester had perhaps ' deceived Chapin, in order to learn his secrets and betray them ; or, as usual, he may have been making his game for all contin- gencies. No one can tell. Only wherever we come upon his name in these underground passages it is always connected with infamy or treachery of some kind. 3 Don Guerau to Alva, March 7,