Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/27

 1571-1 THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. had been read, repeated the story that he was sending money to his steward on private affairs of his own. The lie was more alarming than the truth ; and, as it was likely that he would attempt to fly, Sir Ralph Sadler was summoned out of his bed at midnight and sent with a company of the Queen's guard to take charge of him. The other secretary was arrested, and, being ignorant also of what Higford had done, contra- dicted both him and his master. The Duke was ex- amined a second time : he was told that there was reason to believe the money to be intended for the Scots, and was pressed to be open about it. He reas- serted his own explanation with so much positiveness that even the seasoned Sadler, with Higford's con- fession in his hands, listened with amazement and con- sternation. 1 Cecil was now satisfied that he was in the track of important discoveries. The examinations, so far as they had gone, were laid before the Queen, and Eliza- beth 'being assured by Norfolk's manifest untruth that his offences were the greater and more dangerous/ gave orders for his removal to the Tower, 'there to be secluded strictly from intelligence with any persons which she knew would be in many ways at- tempted.' 2 1 ' The Duke absolutely and ex- pressly denieth all with such con- stant asseveration and earnest pro- testations, as if it be true that Hig- ford has confessed, which indeed hath such appearance of truth as for my part I believe it to t be true as yet, then is the Duke a devil and no Christian man.' Sadler to Burghley, September 5 : MSS. Domestic. 2 Sadler to Burghley, September 5 : MSS. Domestic.