Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/417

 1583.] EXPULSION OF MENDOZA 401 word, and broke his heart along with it. The accuracy of his narrative can be tested by the letters of de Tassis and Mendoza, and a comparison between them proves, if not the lawfulness, yet the tremendous efficiency of the method by which Elizabeth's statesmen baffled the conspiracies of the Catholics. All was revealed : the spot where Cruise or the Due de Mayenne was to land ; the force that was coining over ; the names of the no- blemen and others whose assistance had been promised. Then came the past history of the plot, the correspond- ence between the Jesuits, the Pope, the King of Spain, the Queen of Scots, and the two Spanish ambassadors; then Charles Paget's visit, the particulars of which he knew from his brother, who had come up secretly to London at the time, and had brought with him the plans of the harbours. He acknowledged the sending the casket to Mendoza. It was past recovery, but the general contents of it were admitted to be traitorous He confessed that Mary Stuart had been consulted upon every detail : he described the plans which had been formed in England for her rescue as soon as the invaders should have landed : he told how Mendoza was to com- municate ' with sundry recusants, being in the com- mission of the peace, to raise the Catholics when the Duke of Guise should arrive, under pretext of her Ma- jesty's levy, afterwards to use them against her Ma- jesty.' l Then at last, when all was out, and there was nothing more to reveal, he drew himself up upon his seat 1 Throgmorton's treason, June, 1584 : MSS. Domestic. VOL. xi. 26