Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/55

 1572.] THE DUKE OF NORFOLK. 35 priests were admitted to an audience with the Countess of Northumberland at their head, and presented their petition. 1 It was the old story of persecution and tyranny. Alva's opinion of the English Catholics, never fa- vourable at best, was at its lowest ebb. Elizabeth still lived Burghley still lived and none of those con- fident boasters had had the courage to remove them out of his path. Had they been unanimous, under the existing circumstances he would have been deaf to their remonstrances. His unwillingness at that moment was encouraged by Leonard Dacres and his' friends, whose hate for Norfolk reconciled them to the probability of his execution, and who were persuading Alva to lend them troops and money for an expedition to Scotland. 2 The Duke replied with cold courtesy that he was a servant, and could not act without his master's orders ; and the unfortunates, unable to part with their cher- ished hopes unable to understand how a conquest which every one but lately had imagined to be so easy should have suddenly become impossible carried their supplications to Philip. 1 Sanders, in a letter to the Earl of Northumberland, says that 'the Countess was forced to press upon the Duke's Grace even against his will.' MSS. Flanders. 3 ' Leonard Dacres, who, as it is reported, liketh well of the proceed- ings against the Duke of Norfolk, hath had of late conferences with the Duke of Alva. It is said he hath gotten grant of three thousand men well appointed, which shall shortly he conveyed to Scotland, with certain great pieces of artillery, and a promise of so much money as shall be sufficient to pay them dur-. ing three months.' John Lee to Burghley, February 4 : MSS. Flan- ders.