Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/419

 1583.] EXPULSION OF MENDOZA. 4<>3 taken and sent to the Tower. They swore they were innocent; and historians whose business has been to make the Government of Elizabeth odious, insist still that there was no shadow of proof against them. If proof was wanting, it was not from the falsehood of the charges. Two servants of Northumberland were ar- rested ; one of them his secretary. ' If these men con- fess/ Mendoza scornfully said, 'as easily as English prisoners generally do, it will go hard with their master.' l The revelations of Throgmorton startled Elizabeth at last out of her dream of security. The visions of compromise faded away, and with them her intentions of assisting in the collapse of the miserable Netherlands. She recognized, for a time, that her wrestle with Spain was a mortal one, and that she must win or perish. She had suspended her extravagant orders to seize the ships of the States ; if they knew what she had meditated they had remained prudently silent. But they had seen themselves abandoned had taken counsel with de- spair, and were preparing to surrender to the Spaniards. ' They do not even care for religion,' wrote M. Buseiival to Walsingham from Middleburgh, ' so they may have their lives in peace. If the Spaniards come they will send their ships to receive them.' 2 Three months earlier, the Queen had persisted in calling them Spanish subjects. Now, excusing her neglect on the score of their past un- 1 ' Tan bien ban prendido dos criados del Conde de Northumber- land, y el uno su secretario, que si confiesan con la facilidad que lo hacen los demas Ingleses, haran barto a su amo.' Don Bernardino al Key, 8-18 Enero, 1584: MSS. Simancat. 2 November 4 14, 1583: MSS. Holland.