Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 9.djvu/505

 157 1.] THE RIDOLFI CONSPIRACY. 491 But I could get nothing from him of any consequence, except entreaties that I would exert myself for the re- storation of trade. He left me more assured than ever that this is not the time for us to turn our backs upon the Catholics. If we are not prompt in moving we shall find ourselves in a dilemma from which there will be no escape. Tell the Lords of the council from me, to be careful what they do or say.' The English envoy seems to have been wholly unpre- pared for the temper with which his arrival was re- ceived. The Spanish Government considered themselves beyond comparison the party most aggrieved. Cobham presented himself merely with a list of complaints against Philip and his ministers. The Queen, he said, had desired above all things to remain on good terms with Spain. The Duke of Alva, without the smallest provocation, had arrested the English ships and goods in the harbours of the Low Countries. He had since attempted to arrange the quarrel, but his proposals had been such as the Queen could not honourably accept; and meanwhile, both at Madrid and at Brussels, English traitors were received with open arms, and treated with marked con- sideration. He was directed by his mistress to say, that she declined to correspond with the Duke of Alva any longer on these subjects. She requested his Majesty to discuss them immediately with herself. If his Ma- jesty would banish Sir Thomas Stukely from Spain, 1 and if he would send orders to Flanders for the immediate 1 Stukely's story will be told I land to ask for help in an intended hereafter. He had come from Ire- I insurrection there.