Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/523

1 5 7I-] THE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 509 companions. Don Guerau never lost an opportunity of encouraging discontent, and Hawkins allowed himself to be led on to speak so bitterly of the Government, that Don Guerau suggested to Alva that it might be worth while to secure the gratitude of so able and formidable a person by setting the prisoners at liberty. 1 Hawkins however was not able to secure his object so easily ; nothing came of Don Guerau's suggestion ; the men were not released, and it grew necessary to wade a little deeper. About the time when Ridolfi was leaving England, Sir John intimated to Don Guerau, that he too was weary of serving an ungrateful Sovereign. He pro- fessed himself willing, if his companions were restored to him, to enter the Spanish service, and to carry over with him the finest ships and the bravest sailors in the Queen's navy. Don Guerau, who was full of the idea that three-quarters of the people were disaffected, saw nothing to surprise, but much to delight him in this communication. He had sufficient prudence not to admit his new friend to the Bidolfi mystery, but he wrote to Cayas with an account of the offer which seemed to fit providentially with the scheme of the in- tended invasion. The sea was Elizabeth's strongest defence, and Hawkins was the ablest commander that she possessed given to piracy, indeed, but piracy was a common English failing, for which Spanish apathy was much to blame 2 otherwise, bold, resolute, a 1 Don Guerau to Alva, August I 2 ' Inclinado a robar como lo soil 21,1570: MSS. Simancas. | todos de su nacion, mayormcnto