Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/174

158 the Queen concluded on keeping the bulk of the prize to herself. She gave the adventurers a hundred per cent. on their shares. The rest she reserved.

The crew of the Pelican, besides Elizabeth's bounty to them, were allowed perquisites out of the secondary spoil, and London was astonished at the splendour in which these heroes of the hour lounged at St Paul's and — Westminster. Drake, feeling keenly the censures which were flung on him by men whose good opinion he valued, attempted to propitiate opposition by lavish presents. To the Queen he gave a diamond cross, with a crown set with enormous emeralds. To Lord Chancellor Bromley he gave eight hundred dollars' worth of wrought plate, and almost as much to other members of the council. To Burghley he offered ten bars of curiously chased gold, and to Sussex vases and fountains of gold and silver intertwined. The Queen wore her crown on New Year's day. Sir Thomas Bromley and most of the rest were contented to decorate their sideboards at the expense of the Catholic King. But Burghley and Sussex put aside the splendid temptation. Burghley said he could not see how in conscience he could receive presents from a man who had nothing but what he had made by piracy, and Drake had to content himself with wealth, fame, and the favour of his

ducados de provecho. Esperaha en Dios que él me daria gracia para que esta ni otra ninguna offerta me hiciese faltar un cabello en cosa del servicio de V. Magd, respondiendoles que cuando yo tuviera mucho mas que los 50,000 ducados les diera por haeer castigar tan gran maldad y ladron como Drake.'—Don Bernardino al Rey, 9 de Enero, 1581: ''MSS. Simancas''.