143 REIGN OF ELIZABETH, [CH. 53- the necessity of doing something important, was in favour of the attempt, he was alone in his opinion. 1 Lord Sussex had deserved more credit than he was likely to receive. His brother, Sir Egremont Radcliffe, had joined the insurgent army, giving a show of colour to the Queen's suspicions. But when Hunsdon and Sadler arrived they found that he had done as much as he could in prudence have ventured. He had collected within the walls almost three thousand men. He had not led them against the rebels because ' they wished better to the enemy's cause than to the Queen's/ But as Elizabeth believed that he had been wilfully inactive, Sadler ventured to tell her ' that there were not ten gentlemen in Yorkshire that did allow her proceedings in the cause of religion.' 'When one member of a family was with Sussex, another was with the Earls.' 2
- The cause was great and dangerous,' and Sussex had
done loyally and wisely in refusing to risk a battle. If only their own lives were at stake, both he himself and Hunsdon and Sussex would try their fortunes, even
- with the untrusty soldiers they had ; ' but ' should they
receive one overthrow the sequel would be so dangerous as it was better for the Queen to spend a great deal of treasure than they should give that adventure.' 3 Sussex therefore had acted well and wisely in sit- ting still behind the walls of York. Had the Queen of 1 Bishop's Confession : MSS. Hatfield. Confession of Christofer Norton, April 1570: MSS. Domes- tic, Rolls House. 2 Sadler to Cecil, December 6 : Sadler Papers, vol. ii. 3 Sadler to Cecil, December 3 : Border MSS.
