Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/30

 1 6 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 52. and take the risk of the transport upon himself. He wanted money badly, and if he succeeded in recovering it he could exhibit Elizabeth before the world as having attempted an act of piracy, and as having failed, for want of courage, to maintain what she had done. D'Assonleville came over hoping so to settle it ; but he found that behind Elizabeth's words there lay a pur- pose, either in herself or in her advisers, which was not to be so easily dealt with. He could not obtain an audience of the Queen ; he was not allowed to see Don Guerau ; and he was detained in London from, day to day, by excuses and evasive messages, till one part of the council or the other had prevailed, and till the Que^n could determine whether to relinquish her prize or hold it. Some attention will be required to under- stand the intrigues on which the reader is about to enter. He will first consider carefully the two following letters of the Spanish ambassador. DON GUERAU DE ESPES TO THE DUKE OF ALVA. Feb. 20, London. 1 Cecil is still dominant, and would declare open war against us, but for the remonstrances of others of the council. The Duke of Norfolk and Lord Arundel, with the assistance of our common friend Ridolfi, have contrived a means of communicating with me in cipher. They give me to understand that I may make myself easy about the money and the ships, which they assure me shall be immediately restored. If they have con- sented hitherto to their detention, and to Cecil's other