Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/119

I572-] THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. was revealed in an exploit which had been long conr certed, and which formed a notable comment upon the good faith with which the English Government pre- tended to be acting. The order to leave England was sent down to de la Mark the last week of February. He lingered at Dover, with the connivance of the officers of the harbour, till the end of March, when a convoy of Spanish traders on their way to Antwerp appearing in the Straits, he at last put to sea. It has been said that he started with no definite intentions, that by Elizabeth's orders he was unsupplied even with provisions, and that what he ac- complished was under the impulse of desperation. 1 It was convenient both for Elizabeth and de la Mark that it should be so represented to the world ; but the Spanish ambassador had sent a sketch of the projected move- ment six months previously to Alva, 2 and the buc- caneering interest was too powerful at Dover to have 1 Rise of the Dutch Republic, vol. ii. p. 351. 2 ' Para saber mas a los Franceses y asegurarles desta voluntad, me hizo la Reyna de Inglaterra salir de su Reyno, que hasta entonces los Fran- Qeses decian que aquella Reyna pre- tendia la amistad de Francia, sola- mente para negociar mejor con V. Mag d , y assi con mi salida penso dar- les seguridad desta sospecha, como ello ha sido, y asi han concluido su liga, para la confirmation de la qual en Inglaterra se celebra gran la- mento, y se guardan alii el Marshal de Montmorency, y en Francia el Almirante de Inglaterra : yen el en* tretanto ha tratado la preset de Brilla y levantamiento de las tierras de Zee- land. Desta presa de la Brilla two el Embajador aviso en Inglaterra seis meses antes que se executase, y did aviso della al Duque de Alva. No entienden sino en robar los subditos de V. Mag d , y alterarle los Payses Baxos, para repartirlos entre si y el Duque de Anjou y Principe de Orange, y destruir la Religion Cato- lica en toda parte,' &c. Relacion dada por Don Guerau de Espea Autograph : MSS. Simancas.