Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/35

1571-J THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. him the rack and perhaps the scaffold, and when the time allowed him had elapsed, he followed the example of the secretaries, and confessed to all which was im- portant that he knew. The secrets of the last four years were thus one by one cleared up. The Bishop, for the first time, explained fully to Cecil the private history of the conference at York ; the original design for the Norfolk marriage ; the manoeuvres to suppress the let- ters and prevent an exposure which would stain his mistress's character. He admitted his own and the Duke's connection with the rebellion of the North, and described the causes which had prevented it from spread- ing. He mentioned the plan which had been formed for breaking up the Parliament and seizing the Queen's person ; and finally for bringing the Spaniards to Har- wich. He did not conceal the names of the noblemen who had specially committed themselves with promises to join in the insurrection. Finally, he wrote to the Queen of Scots to tell her that all was over, and advised her to do as he had done, and give up conspiracies. 'He was very sorry,' he said, 'that they had ever meddled with such things.' ' The discovery had been made by God's providence, that for the future her Ma- jesty might trust only in God and her good sister ; ' and while making a clean breast of it, he admitted to Doctor straitly used, and by duresse enforced to reveal the secrets of those horrible dealings. But such is the mildness of our gracious Sovereign, that she had rather hazard her own person than yield to such extreme dealings, although necessity never so much required the same.' T. Wilson to Cecil, July 31, 1573: Flanders MSS,