Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/223

 1564-] THE EMBASSY OF DE SILVA. 203 plied to me before and I have answered always in the same tone. ' I have read what you say of the book on the succes- sion ; of the Queen's anger ; and of the suspicions indi- cated to you by Lord Robert that Cecil was at the bot- tom of it. I avail myself of the occasion to tell you my opinion of that Cecil. I am in the highest degree dis- satisfied with him. He is a confirmed heretic ; and if with Lord Robert's assistance you can so inflame the matter as to crush him down and deprive him of all further share in the administration, I shall be delighted to have it done. If you try it and fail, be careful that you are not yourself seen in the matter/ Over such mines of secret enmity walked Cecil, standing between his mistress and her lover, and nevei knowing what a day would bring forth. At the beginning of August the Court broke up from Richmond. Elizabeth went on pro- gress, and for a time had a respite from her troubles. Among other places she paid a visit to Cambridge, where she had an opportunity of showing herself in her most attractive colours. The divisions of opinion,' the discrepancies of dress and practices by which Cambridge, like all other parU of England, was distracted, were kept out of sight by Cecil's industry. He hurried down before her, per- AllUSt. thought about Lord Kobert. Philip answers ' En lo de aquel caballero Ingles que se tuv6 en Roma, y platicas que os aviso mi Embajador que habia tenido con su Santidad, sospechamos lo mismo que vos.'