Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/131

 1572.] THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. in long run forbids the belief that she would have carried out such an act of baseness, even though she had really in one of her varying humours contemplated the possi- bility of it. Had she been herself so far lost to honour* able feeling, she would have been saved by Burghley from her own weakness. But whatever opinions ma^ be formed of her intentions, the effect was equally frightful. She gave Alva the advantage for which he was longing ; it enabled him at once to irritate the worst suspicions of the Queen-mother, and distract and frighten the perplexed and harassed Charles. Com- panies of Huguenots were pouring into Flushing and Walcheren : the rumour of intended treachery roused the national jealousy into active and violent distrust, and plans were formed for driving the English out be- fore they had betrayed the liberties which they had sworn to defend. Sir Humfrey Gilbert, little knowing the service which Elizabeth had rendered him, was at a loss to comprehend the hostility with which he found himself regarded. Conscious of his own integrity, he suspected the French of foul play, and, encouraging unfortunately the very fears which were beginning to be entertained, he proposed to turn them out of Flush- ing and take possession of the town. 1 They practise here/ he wrote to Burgh- ley, ' to use our soldiers very evil, and to ban- ish those of the townsmen that are our friends ; and do in effect starve the English soldiers by practice, only to cause mutinies to have the soldiers to run away, to have the French practice the better brought to pass ; so that