Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/431

I57I-] THE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 417 and Lady Fleming was taken, and de Virac : young Hall, with two friends, declared themselves English, drew their swords, and demanded leave to depart. They were told that if they had committed no crime against their sovereign they had nothing to fear : but for the present they must be considered prisoners like the rest. The news of success was carried rapidly to Glasgow, and the Regent was on the spot by ten o'clock. Of the spoils, the money, powder, arms, guns, provisions, wine the stores of all kinds, so carefully collected to main- tain the garrison were shared among the captors. Lennox retained only the Archbishop and his com- panions in captivity. 1 It was supposed at first that so remarkable a feat could not have been performed without the help of treachery. But Crawford was able to say proudly ' that he had had no manner of intelligence within the house nor without the house.' The capture was a fair achievement of daring and adroitness, aided only by the carelessness which had invited the attempt The English prisoners were sent to Berwick; de Yirac was allowed to go his way ; Lady Fleming was Created with the utmost courtesy which the circum- stances allowed; and the garrison was pardoned and dismissed. Archbishop Hamilton alone was preserved, to pay 1 Compare Buchanan's History of Scotland. Crawford's letter to a letter of Sir W. Drury to Cecil, April 9 : MSS. Border. Knox in Bannatyne's Memorials, and VOL. ix. 27