Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/49

THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. 29 dom/ 1 On a smaller scale he resembled Thomas Stukely, and like Stukely had thought of Ireland as a field for his ambition, when the Ridolfi conspiracy came in his way and gave him the opportunity for which he was looking. Being Berney's fellow-townsman, and knowing him to be ready with his hand, he sent for him from France, and the two friends were looking about them for some means of employing their talents. Like the rest of the Catholics, they bewailed the misfortune which had placed so poor a creature as the Duke of Norfolk at their head. 2 As time passed on and the chances of in- surrection grew fainter, Mather became restless and im- patient, and accident or intention brought him in con- tact with the Italian secretary of the Spanish ambassa- dor named Borghesi, who had perhaps been ordered to look out for a fit person for Don Guerau's purpose. Alva had pointed to Elizabeth as the mark to be aimed at ; but Elizabeth was difficult to get at, and Don Guerau had come to think the Queen was but the cipher to which Burghleywas the governing number. One night in the autumn Borghesi brought in Mather to his master, and the ambassador receiving him as a Catholic gentleman who would sympathize in the general disap- 1 to Sir William Fitz- william, March 5, 1572 , MSS. Ireland. 2 ' Mather, sitting by the fire- side, said the Duke was a beast and a coward that when he was in his country he did not take arms. Then he might have married the Scotch Queen and have altered the State.' Confession of Kenelm Berney: MURDIK.