Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/415

 1583.] EXPULSION OF MENDOZA. 399 of a foreign force, treatises in defence of the Queen of Scots' title, and ' six or seven infamous libels against her Majesty, printed beyond seas.' With these he was taken to the Tower, and the council prepared to ex- amine him. This time they had struck the true trail, and the party in Paris were in dismay. 1 Throgmorton found time before he was carried off to cipher a few hasty words on the back of a playing card and to send them with the casket to Mendoza. He said that he had denied all knowledge of the papers, and had explained that they must have been left in his house by some one who de- sired to injure him. He bade the ambassador have no fear for his constancy ; he promised to die a thousand deaths before a word should be wrung from his lips. 2 But the rack, Mendoza well knew, was a terrible persuader. He thought it not unlikely that Guise, on the news of the arrest, would hesitate no longer, and either go at on<je to Scotland or fling himself desperately into Sussex. He sent to entreat him to pause, but he doubted whether Guise would listen to him, and he wrote to the Queen of Scots, bidding her keep up her courage, and above all not to let distress make her ill, as if her friends moved her life would be in danger, and she would need all her energies. 3 1 De Tassis to Philip, December 12 22 : TEULET, vol. v. 2 Mendoza to Philip, November 1 6 26 : MSS. Simancas. 3 ' Yo he escrito a la senora presa el suceso, animandola no le de pena que cause dano en su salud, negocio que es de temer por el peligro que correra su vida si se vienen aclarar de todo punto los que platican en Francia.' Mendoza al Rey, 1626 de Noviembre : MSS. Simancas.