Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/159

 1580.] VOYAGE OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. HJ north with Spain and the Mediterranean was carried on in English vessels. The ignorant Andalusians and Gal- licians could not cope with the superior energy of the British islanders. They were becoming the sovereigns of European commerce. Their fleets were growing every day and their wealth increasing. For the general good of the Peninsula, as well as for their present delinquency, Mendoza advised Philip to close his ports against them and ruin them. The securities given by the adventurers, he said, were in all cases a form ; the names were either fictitious, or represented persons not worth a ducat ; while men like Drake, who were supported by the Court, gave none at all. The single fear in the City was lest letters of marque should be issued to those who had been plundered by the corsairs, permitting them to indemnify themselves, and Mendoza advised Philip at least to threaten that this would be done unless full restitution was made. The merchants would not submit to loss to* enrich the Queen's favourites, and would then support his own remonstrances. 2 Elizabeth herself clearly expected the worst, and the ambassador went beyond his instructions in frightening her. 'I found her,' he said, giving an account of an interview with her in the beginning of February, ' I found her in such alarm of your Majesty's fleet, and 1 'Fabrican cada dia muchos mas | fletcs.' Don B. de Mendoqa a Su Mag d, 20 Hebrero, 1580: MSS. navios .... navegandolos ellos inismos, con que vienen a ser casi senores del comercio en mucbas partes, teniendo en sus manos la uavegacion, gozaudo de todos los Simancas. 2 Descifrada de Don Bernardino, 20 Hebrero : MSS. Ibid.